How do I check that my fireplace is safe to use before the first fire of the season?
Many Arden homes in Royal Pines and Skyland have a tired 1980s-90s open masonry fireplace that pulls more heat out of the room than it puts in, so the pre-season check is about draft and safety before you burn. Confirm the damper opens and seals, look up the flue for nests and creosote, and feel for cold air spilling off the hearth. Test both alarms.
The drafty-open-box problem
An open masonry firebox from Arden's 1980s and 90s build-out is a poor heater. With the damper open it can run a net heat loss, and a cold flue lets cold air slide down into the room until a fire reverses it. Before the season, confirm the damper swings fully and seals when closed, put a light up the flue for a clear path and for the glassy black creosote that means a sweep, and notice whether the first fire drafts up cleanly or rolls smoke back into the room.
Why so many here convert to inserts
Arden sits on the natural-gas main, which makes converting that drafty box into a sealed gas insert straightforward: you keep the surround and finally get real, efficient heat with power-optional ignition instead of a hole that leaks warmth up the chimney. Every conversion needs the licensed gas line and a correctly sized liner. That's our lane, not a showroom's or a mason's, and we pull the Buncombe County permit and meet the inspector on every one.
Before you decide, get it read
Whether you keep the open fireplace or convert it, start with an inspection that measures draft and CO under fire, the readings a flashlight can't give. Arden is only about 15 minutes south of our Emma Road showroom, so scheduling is easy. Book before the first cold snap turns the calendar into a waiting list. 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
- Does a gas fireplace need an annual safety inspection?
- How often should a chimney be swept to prevent a chimney fire?
- Is a bird's nest or animal in the chimney a fire or carbon monoxide hazard?
- Is a fireplace that hasn't been used in years safe to start using again?
- Why is my carbon monoxide detector going off when my fireplace is running?