How do I get my fireplace ready for fall and winter?
A lot of Arden's 1980s and 90s homes in Royal Pines and Skyland have open masonry fireplaces that pull more heat out of the room than they put in. Fall prep means deciding whether to keep feeding a drafty firebox or turn it into a real heater with a sealed insert. Either way, start with a chimney sweep and inspection before the first fire.
Why the old firebox costs you heat
Plenty of Arden's 1980s and 90s homes in Royal Pines and Skyland were built with open masonry fireplaces, and the honest truth about an open firebox is that it can run a net heat loss — drawing more warm room air up the chimney than it delivers as heat. Fall is the moment to decide: keep feeding a drafty firebox, or drop in a sealed insert. Arden is on natural-gas mains, so a gas insert ties in cleanly, commonly runs 70% efficient or better, and turns a decorative hole in the wall into a real heater you can lean on during an outage with the right ignition.
Sweep first, then upgrade if it's time
Whatever you decide, start with a chimney sweep and inspection before the first fire — checking for creosote, cracked flue tile, and a worn damper, since creosote is the leading cause of chimney fires. We'd rather find a liner problem in the fall than after a fire. If you're keeping the open hearth for now, that plus seasoned dry wood is your prep. If you're converting, we pull the Buncombe County permit and pressure-test the gas line. We're 15 minutes south, near Biltmore Park; book before the first cold snap and 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
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- Should the damper be kept closed during the off-season?
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