Can a gas insert be installed in my existing masonry fireplace?
Yes — and in Mars Hill it comes down to which house we're in. The rural Spring Creek and Gabriels Creek homes usually run propane or wood, while the university-area rentals want easy, low-fuss gas. Either way the insert seats in your existing masonry firebox, vents through a stainless liner, and turns an open, heat-losing hearth into a sealed heater.
Propane out in the valleys
Most of the rural properties around Mars Hill are off the natural-gas main, so an insert here typically means a propane hookup — the tank coordinated with your supplier, the regulator and piping run and pressure-tested by our licensed crew. Propane burns hotter per unit than natural gas and needs its own orifices; get that wrong and the glass soots. In the college-town rentals, the appeal is different: flame on a switch, no wood, nothing for a tenant to mishandle. We set each unit for the fuel and the home in front of us.
Cold nights, sealed heat, real permit
Mars Hill is one of the colder spots we serve, and an open masonry firebox loses heat up the flue exactly when you need it most. A sealed insert commonly runs 70% efficient or better and holds a room. We confirm the flue is sound, line it in stainless, clamp or remove the old damper, and pull the Madison County permit before meeting the inspector — one accountable company, not a showroom sending you off to find someone licensed to connect the gas. We're 30 minutes north of the Asheville showroom; call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Mars Hill
We install and service fireplaces throughout Mars Hill and the rest of Madison County — just 30 minutes north from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Does a gas fireplace insert need a chimney liner?
- How do you measure a fireplace to know if an insert will fit?
- Can a wood-burning insert be installed in my masonry fireplace?
- Do I need a chimney inspection before installing an insert?
- Does the damper get removed or clamped when installing a gas insert?