I'm buying a house with a fireplace — what should I have inspected?
In Fairview, the wood chimney is the priority — wooded rural lots make wood heat the norm here, and creosote buildup is the leading cause of chimney fires when fall sweeps get skipped. Insist on a Level 2 camera inspection of the flue and liner, and because Fairview leans propane, confirm any gas unit's fuel and connection too.
Creosote is the real risk
A seller's wood system on one of these wooded Cane Creek or Garren Creek lots may be carrying years of unswept creosote — the buildup that turns a normal fire into a chimney fire. The Level 2 scan measures the load and checks the liner, crown, and clearances.
A general home inspector won't quantify any of that. Get the system swept and inspected before the first fire, not after.
Propane, not the main
Fairview is propane country, not a natural-gas main, so any gas unit needs the right orifice and a connection checked for leaks — a wrong-fuel setup soots and wastes fuel.
Verify any gas or hearth work was permitted with Buncombe County and done by a licensed contractor. We're 15 minutes east of Emma Rd — 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
- Does a standard home inspection cover the fireplace and chimney?
- What is a Level 2 chimney inspection and do I need one when buying a house?
- Is it safe to use the fireplace in a house I just bought before having it serviced?
- Will my homeowner's insurance have issues with an existing wood stove in a house I'm buying?
- Should I ask the seller to repair or service the fireplace before closing on a house?