Do I need a chimney inspection before installing an insert?
Yes — and in Swannanoa a chimney inspection often comes as part of a rebuild. Storm damage sent a wave of renovations through the valley, and homeowners putting hearths back into repaired houses need to know the chimney survived. Before we set an insert we scope the flue, because a chimney that took on water or shifted won't show it from the living room.
Rebuilding the hearth right
Recovery here has driven real demand for new fireplace and stove installs, and Grovemont's 1940s-60s original masonry is exactly the kind of chimney that can crack or shift under that kind of stress. Even setting the storm aside, Swannanoa's river-valley fog, cold-air pooling, and damp air are hard on masonry year-round. We camera-scope the flue and check the structure before we size a liner, so an insert isn't sitting on a chimney that's quietly compromised. On a rebuild, catching that now saves tearing back into finished work later.
Fifteen minutes east, Buncombe permit
Swannanoa is natural-gas country, so a sealed gas insert is a common choice once the chimney checks out. We pull the Buncombe County permit and meet the inspector — which also protects the home's value and insurance on a freshly rebuilt house. You're just 15 minutes east of the Emma Road showroom, so we can work to a rebuild's schedule.
Fireplace help in Swannanoa
We install and service fireplaces throughout Swannanoa and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- My chimney is damaged — can I still install a gas insert?
- Does a wood-burning insert require a full stainless steel liner to the top of the chimney?
- Can a gas insert be installed in my existing masonry fireplace?
- Does a gas fireplace insert need a chimney liner?
- How do you measure a fireplace to know if an insert will fit?