Is the original masonry chimney in my older Asheville home safe to reuse for gas logs or an insert, or does it need a new liner first?
Around Mars Hill the fuel splits by where you live. In the rural Spring Creek and Gabriels Creek valleys most homes run on propane or wood, not a gas main. Vented logs can reuse a masonry flue that scans sound; a sealed propane insert needs a stainless liner and LP-configured burners. So the conversion here plans the tank, the flue, and the liner as one job.
Propane and Wood Country
Step outside the university area into the Spring Creek and Gabriels Creek valleys and you are in propane-and-wood territory — no natural-gas main, heat coming off a tank or a woodpile. If you are converting a wood-burning masonry fireplace to gas out here, it is an LP conversion: the burners and regulator have to be set for propane's higher heat and different pressure, or you get soot and a lazy flame. Running and connecting that gas is licensed work — the reason this belongs with a gas contractor and not a showroom or handyman.
A masonry chimney that has been burning wood also needs a sweep and inspection first; creosote and an old, oversized flue are both reasons the reuse question is not a simple yes.
Easy Heat for a Cold Spot
Mars Hill runs colder than a lot of what we serve, and around the university the demand is for fireplaces that are easy to live with — heat at the flip of a switch, no wood to haul. A sealed gas insert delivers that, venting through a stainless liner sized to it; the old masonry flue is usually too large to serve it directly. Vented logs can reuse a sound existing flue if you are after ambiance over output.
We permit the work with the county and meet the inspector, and pressure-test every line we run. About thirty minutes north of our Asheville shop — call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Mars Hill
We install and service fireplaces throughout Mars Hill and the rest of Madison County — just 30 minutes north from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Should I have the fireplace and chimney inspected before using them in a WNC home I just bought?
- Do I need a permit just to add gas logs to my existing fireplace in North Carolina?
- If I start in November, can I convert my wood fireplace to gas logs in time for the holidays?
- Do Asheville historic districts restrict adding a chimney, vent termination, or fireplace?
- The previous owner installed a fireplace without a permit — will that cause problems when I sell my WNC home?