Does a fireplace I never use still need to be inspected?
Yes — and in Fairview, where wood heat is a way of life, an idle fireplace can be the more dangerous one. Old creosote left in a dormant wood flue is the leading cause of chimney fires here, and it doesn't clear itself. Add the propane many wooded lots run on, and an unused Fairview hearth has two reasons to be inspected before it's lit.
Old creosote in a wood flue that's been resting
Fairview's large wooded lots make wood heat natural, and that's exactly why an unused wood fireplace deserves attention. Creosote — the tar that builds up from wood smoke — doesn't burn off or fall away while a chimney sits idle; it stays in the flue, and the first fire after a long rest can ignite it. That's the leading cause of chimney fires in these hollows, and it's why a fall sweep and inspection matter even on a fireplace you haven't touched in a season or two. A dormant wood flue also invites nesting birds and squirrels and takes on the moisture that Fairview's damp, wooded setting holds. You cannot judge any of it from the hearth; the flue has to be looked at before you strike a match.
Propane out here, too
Plenty of Fairview homes run propane rather than the natural gas on the Asheville mains, and an idle LP fireplace carries its own risk — heavier-than-air gas that pools low from a seeping connection, on a rural lot where no one's close enough to smell it. Connecting and servicing propane is licensed gas work we handle as a licensed gas contractor, checking the regulator, pressure, and fittings and confirming the unit is set for LP rather than a natural-gas orifice that soots. We're about 15 minutes east of the Emma Road showroom. Before you relight a dormant wood or propane hearth here — or trust the fireplace in a home you've just bought — have it inspected. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Fairview
We install and service fireplaces throughout Fairview and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
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- Do I need a chimney inspection when buying or selling a home?
- Why is there moisture or rust in a fireplace I rarely use?
- How do I keep birds and animals from nesting in my fireplace vent or chimney?
- How should I shut down and protect a fireplace in a second home that sits vacant for months?