Is it OK to burn storm-fall or dead trees from my own property?
In Black Mountain, yes, but where you stack it matters as much as when you burn it. Montreat's heavily wooded, shaded lots and the Swannanoa Valley's cold, damp inversions keep firewood from drying — a pile tucked under the trees can sit wet for a full year. Put your split wood in the sunniest, breeziest open spot you've got.
Sun and airflow beat shade
The same canopy that keeps Montreat cool and comfortable in summer is what keeps your woodpile from drying. Morning temperature inversions in the Swannanoa Valley run 10 to 15 degrees colder than Asheville and trap moisture down low, so a stack in the shade barely loses water over a season. Move it to open sun, get it up off the ground, cap the top, and leave the sides breathing. Six to twelve months does it in a good spot — longer if it stays shaded — and a moisture meter under 20 percent is how you know it's ready rather than guessing off the bark.
Late frost, long season
Frost dates run later into spring here than in Asheville, so you'll burn deeper into the calendar and lean on the fire harder. That's more reason to stay ahead on seasoned wood and keep the flue swept. If your firebox is open masonry, most of your free heat is going up the chimney — an EPA insert with a correctly sized liner captures far more of it, and we permit inserts with Buncombe County and meet the inspector.
Burn only what belongs in it
Natural, untreated wood only — nothing painted, stained, pressure-treated, or off an old deck or fence. Softwood seasons fast but creosotes, so keep it for kindling. And keep up the annual sweep, especially with heavy home-cut wood. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Black Mountain
We install and service fireplaces throughout Black Mountain and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east from our Asheville-area showroom.