In a remodel, should I put a gas insert in my old fireplace or tear it out for a new built-in unit?
Out in Leicester, propane and wood heat are the norm and some remote properties have limited electrical capacity — which pushes toward a sealed insert with millivolt ignition that runs without much of a circuit. A sound firebox takes that insert cleanly. Tear out for a new built-in when the old box is failing or you're rebuilding the wall.
Heat that doesn't depend on the grid
Rural Leicester runs cold — cold-air drainage down the valleys leaves clear winter nights 5 to 8 degrees below Asheville — and some remote properties have limited electrical capacity to begin with. That's a strong argument for an appliance that barely needs power. A Valor insert runs on a millivolt system with no blower and no circuit board, throwing radiant heat straight through a grid-down stretch. Whether you keep the firebox or replace it, that off-grid resilience is worth building around here.
Propane and wood, done right
This is propane country with a strong wood-heat tradition, and both paths run through us. If you're converting a tired wood-burner, a propane insert gives sealed, efficient heat; if you'd rather keep burning wood, a modern EPA wood insert or a Regency stove replaces a smoky open hearth with overnight, grid-independent warmth. Propane configuration — orifices, pressures, regulator — is licensed work, and so is every gas line we run. A delivery crew legally can't connect the fuel; we can.
Buncombe County, close to home
Leicester is fifteen minutes west of our Asheville showroom in Buncombe County, where we pull your permit and meet the inspector. On rural properties, that single accountable licensed company — appliance, venting, gas line, permit — beats stitching the job across a showroom and someone hunting for a license to connect it. Have us assess the fireplace mid-remodel, before finishes go on. It's free. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Leicester
We install and service fireplaces throughout Leicester and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- What's the difference between a gas fireplace insert and a built-in gas fireplace?
- What are my options for converting a wood-burning fireplace to gas — logs vs insert vs new fireplace?
- Can my old builder-grade prefab (zero-clearance) wood fireplace take an insert, or does it need a full unit replacement?
- Is it worth replacing my old open-front B-vent gas fireplace with a sealed direct vent unit?
- Which is the bigger installation job — gas logs, a gas insert, or a full fireplace replacement?