Is it OK to burn storm-fall or dead trees from my own property?
In Fletcher, plenty of homes sit on the natural-gas main — but if you want to burn your own storm-fall, the gas hookup doesn't help you; you need a real wood-burning appliance. The 1990s subdivisions along the I-26 corridor mostly have builder-grade decorative fireboxes, and those aren't built for a steady cordwood diet.
Gas town, wood question
Fletcher runs natural-gas mains through much of the area, so a lot of what's in local fireboxes is decorative or a gas-log set rather than a true wood-burning unit. Load cordwood into one of those and you risk both the appliance and the chimney. A proper EPA wood stove or an insert with a correctly sized liner is the tool for burning home-cut wood, and it turns free storm-fall into real heat instead of a hazard. Henderson County permits the install — we pull it and meet the inspector, so the whole job is on one accountable, licensed company.
Season before you burn
A downed tree is still green and wet on the inside, no matter how dead the outside looks. Split it, stack it off the ground with the top covered and the sides open to the breeze, and give it six to twelve months. A moisture meter reading under 20 percent confirms it's ready. Green wood smokes, wastes most of its heat, and cakes the flue with creosote — the opposite of what you want in a new appliance.
Keep it clean
Burn natural, untreated wood only — never painted, stained, or pressure-treated lumber. Keep pine and softwood for kindling since they creosote faster on a steady burn. And keep up the annual sweep. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Fletcher
We install and service fireplaces throughout Fletcher and the rest of Henderson County — just 20 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.