My chimney is damaged — can I still install a gas insert?
Yes, in most cases — and around Mars Hill the fuel usually decides the setup. The rural Spring Creek and Gabriels Creek valleys run on propane or wood, and a sealed gas insert vents through its own stainless liner, so a damaged flue doesn't rule it out. We build it for LP and confirm the chimney structure is sound first.
Propane and wood country
Out past the university, the Spring Creek, Gabriels Creek, and Forks of Ivy valleys around Mars Hill lean on propane and wood heat, and it's some of the colder ground we serve. If you're converting a damaged wood fireplace, a gas insert is one of the more satisfying upgrades — a stainless liner replaces the shot clay flue, and the sealed appliance vents through it, giving you an efficient, low-fuss heater in place of a drafty firebox. We set it up for propane specifically, with the correct orifices and pressures, so it burns clean rather than sooting.
Easy heat for the rental side of town
Closer to Mars Hill University, a lot of the housing is rented, and landlords and tenants alike want a fireplace that just works — flame at the flip of a switch, no wood to haul, no cold-start smoke. A sealed insert with reliable ignition delivers that, and battery-backup ignition keeps the heat coming when the power drops, which happens more often up at this elevation. The right-sized unit for the room beats the biggest one every time.
Inspection and the licensed connection
A Level 2 camera inspection tells us whether it's a clean liner-and-insert job or masonry repair first — a leaning or separating stack gets fixed before we vent through it, since a liner braces nothing. Connecting propane is licensed work we pressure-test, the hookup a showroom or mason legally can't make, and we permit it with Madison County and meet the inspector. We're about 30 minutes north. 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
- Do I need a chimney inspection before installing an insert?
- Can you vent a gas fireplace or insert through an existing masonry chimney?
- Does a gas fireplace insert need a chimney liner?
- Why does a gas insert need two liners (co-linear venting)?
- Can a gas insert be installed in my existing masonry fireplace?