Arden's established Royal Pines and Skyland neighborhoods are full of 1980s-90s homes with tired, drafty open masonry fireplaces that pull heat out of rooms. Good firewood is wasted in one of those. Source seasoned hardwood locally within Buncombe County, then convert that open box to a sealed insert that turns the same cord into real, room-filling heat.
The open firebox is the problem
The open masonry fireplaces built into Arden's 1980s-90s homes look the part but work against you — an open hearth in a moderate climate can pull more warm air up the chimney than it puts back, running a net heat loss. Sourcing responsible wood only to burn it in one of those undercuts the whole effort. A sealed EPA insert with a correctly sized liner commonly runs 70% efficient or better, so one seasoned cord in Royal Pines or Skyland heats the room instead of the flue.
Where the wood should come from
The greenest firewood was already destined to come down: storm-fall, land-clearing off the steady building around Glenn Bridge and Avery Creek, arborist trimmings, dead-standing timber. Buy it seasoned from a Buncombe County producer, ask where it was cut, and favor hardwood. Keeping it inside the county keeps insect pests out of new woods and gets you fresher wood at a fairer price than anything trucked in.
Season it, then upgrade the box
Cure your wood below 20% moisture — split, stacked off the ground, top covered — so it burns clean, then let us turn that drafty firebox into a heater. We're just 15 minutes south of the Emma Road showroom and permit inserts with Buncombe County. 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.