Is it OK to burn storm-fall or dead trees from my own property?
Out in Leicester, wood heat is already a way of life on these large rural lots, and burning your own storm-fall fits right in. With many properties on propane and some running limited electrical capacity, a wood stove or insert that needs no power at all is a strong match here — just season the wood dry before you lean on it.
Heat that doesn't need the grid
On remote Sandy Mush and Newfound Road properties with thin electrical service, a wood stove is grid-independent heat you own outright — no blower, no circuit board, no power required to make it work. Your own seasoned hardwood feeds it for free, which is real money on lots that are otherwise on delivered propane. A Regency wood stove or an EPA insert with a correctly sized liner is built for exactly this kind of self-sufficient mountain home, and Buncombe County permits the install with our crew meeting the inspector.
Season for the cold hollows
Cold air drains into Leicester's rural valleys and runs 5 to 8 degrees below Asheville on clear winter nights, so you'll lean on the fire hard through the season. Stay ahead of it: split and stack a full winter's worth off the ground with the top covered and the sides open. Green oak wants six to twelve months, and a moisture meter under 20 percent confirms it's ready to put out heat instead of smoke.
Burn clean
Stick to natural, untreated wood only — never painted, stained, or pressure-treated. Keep pine for kindling, since it creosotes faster than it's worth on a steady burn. And because heavy home-cut wood builds creosote quickly, keep up the annual sweep. 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.