Can a wood-burning insert be installed in my masonry fireplace?
Yes, and Arden is full of exactly the fireplaces this fixes. The 1980s-90s homes across Royal Pines and Skyland were built with open masonry fireboxes that pull heated air straight out of the room. A wood-burning insert seals that opening with an EPA-certified stove and turns a heat-drain into a real overnight heater — after a chimney inspection and a full liner.
From heat-drain to real heater
The open masonry fireplaces in Arden's 1980s and 90s homes are tired and drafty, and an open firebox doesn't just fail to heat — it actively pulls warm, already-heated room air up the chimney. Around Skyland, Royal Pines, and Glenn Bridge, that's a lot of houses quietly losing heat every time the fire dies down. A wood insert seals that opening with a firebrick-lined, EPA-certified stove that holds a fire overnight and gives you grid-independent heat when the power's out.
The liner is the whole point
A wood insert has to vent through a continuous stainless liner run from the stove all the way to the top of the chimney — not just into the old smoke chamber. That's what makes it draft properly, burn cleanly, and stay safe, and it's required by code and the manufacturer's listing. We inspect the flue first, because we're about to rely on it, and fix any crown or masonry problems before lining. We pull the Buncombe County permit and meet the inspector.
Close by, and honest about fit
Arden is 15 minutes south of our Emma Road showroom, so a look is quick to arrange. If you'd rather flip a switch than tend a fire, Arden sits on the gas main, and a sealed gas insert is a strong option we'll show you honestly — no upselling. Either way we size it to the room so it runs hot instead of smoldering. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment.
Fireplace help in Arden
We install and service fireplaces throughout Arden and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Can a gas insert be installed in my existing masonry fireplace?
- Does a wood-burning insert require a full stainless steel liner to the top of the chimney?
- Do I need a chimney inspection before installing an insert?
- How do you measure a fireplace to know if an insert will fit?
- My fireplace opening is too small or too shallow — can an insert still work?