I'm buying a house with a fireplace — what should I have inspected?
In Swannanoa, storm recovery changes what you inspect — many homes are rebuilt or renovated, so verify that any new fireplace or stove was permitted with Buncombe County and installed by a licensed hand. Older Grovemont-area homes from the 1940s-60s still carry original masonry chimneys that need a Level 2 camera scan. Do both inside your contingency.
New work in rebuilt homes
Storm recovery has driven a lot of new fireplace and stove installs into rebuilt Swannanoa homes, and post-disaster work gets done fast. Confirm the gas line was permitted, pressure-tested, and connected by a licensed gas contractor — not a general remodeler who legally can't run fuel in North Carolina.
Then check the venting, ignition, and clearances on the new unit. A rebuilt house is the right time to get this documented for the sale and your insurance.
Old Grovemont masonry
The 1940s-60s homes around Grovemont still have their original masonry fireboxes — cracked tiles, decades of creosote, aging crowns. River-valley fog and cold-air pooling keep those chimneys damp and stress the liners.
A Level 2 scope of the flue and crown tells you what's really there. We're 15 minutes east of Emma Rd — call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Swannanoa
We install and service fireplaces throughout Swannanoa 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?