How do I get my fireplace ready for fall and winter?
Brevard is propane country for a lot of homes, and a propane hearth has its own fall to-do: confirm the tank's topped off, and have the regulator, connections, and burner checked, since propane burns hotter and sooter than natural gas when something's off. Then handle the moisture — Transylvania's 80-plus inches of rain a year is hard on chimneys, so a sweep and inspection come first on wood units.
Propane has its own pre-winter list
A propane hearth isn't harder than natural gas, just different. Before winter, confirm the tank is topped off with your supplier, and have us check the regulator, the connections, and the burner — propane burns hotter per unit and runs at different pressures, so a wrong orifice or a drifting setup shows up as sooting and lazy flame. Millivolt or battery-backup ignition is worth confirming too, because that's the heat that stays on when the grid goes down.
Rain is what wears your chimney out
Transylvania County takes 80-plus inches of rain a year, and that water is relentless on masonry — it cracks crowns, spalls brick, and rusts dampers, with crawl spaces and chimney chases especially prone to damage. The wet stretch from March through June does the quiet harm, so fall is when it surfaces. On a wood fireplace, a sweep and inspection come first; we're checking the crown, cap, and liner as much as the creosote.
Cabins, permits, and timing
Plenty of Brevard fireplaces sit in cabins that go weeks between fires, which is exactly when spiders and dust colonize the pilot assembly. We pull the Transylvania County permit on gas work and meet the inspector — one accountable licensed company from appliance to gas line. We're 40 minutes southwest, so book early and don't wait for the first cold rain. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Brevard
We install and service fireplaces throughout Brevard and the rest of Transylvania County — just 40 minutes southwest from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- How do I shut down my gas fireplace for the summer?
- Why does my fireplace smell like burning dust the first time I light it each fall?
- How do I keep dust and debris out of my fireplace during the months it is not used?
- Should the damper be kept closed during the off-season?
- Is it good to run my gas fireplace occasionally during the off-season?