Do fireplaces and chimneys in older homes need more frequent maintenance?
Often, yes, and in Arden it usually points to one solution. The 1980s-90s homes in Royal Pines and Skyland have open masonry fireplaces that are tired and drafty — pulling heat out of the room. Older open hearths need more upkeep and lose more heat, so a sealed insert with a fresh liner often ends the cycle, alongside the appliance's yearly service.
Why an old open fireplace costs you
An open masonry fireplace built in the 80s or 90s isn't just aging — it's working against you. It pulls warm room air up the chimney, an open damper leaks around the clock, and decades in, the mortar's eroding, the crown's cracking, and the clay liner may be split. On the Royal Pines and Skyland homes we see, that combination means both more maintenance and a real net heat loss — the fireplace can actually cost you warmth rather than adding it.
So the more-frequent-maintenance question in Arden usually has a better answer than just servicing the old box more often.
The insert that ends the cycle
This is where a sealed gas or wood insert with a correctly sized stainless liner earns its keep. It turns a drafty old open box into an efficient, sealed heater — inserts commonly run 70% efficient or better where an open fireplace can run a net loss — and it sharply cuts the maintenance the old flue demanded, because the liner protects the aging masonry from further wear. The appliance then just needs its annual service.
We start with a camera inspection so we're recommending an insert on facts, not a hunch. As a licensed gas contractor we permit the conversion with Buncombe County, run and pressure-test the line, and meet the inspector. Arden is fifteen minutes south of our Asheville showroom. Call (828) 545-0525.
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
- I just moved into a home with a fireplace — should I have it inspected before using it?
- How often should a wood-burning fireplace chimney be swept?
- Does a masonry chimney need waterproofing or crown maintenance?
- How long does a chimney liner last, and when should it be replaced?
- What happens if a wood-burning chimney is never swept?