My fireplace or chimney was flooded during Hurricane Helene — is it safe to use?
No — a flood-damaged Candler fireplace waits for inspection before it's used. Candler runs both ways: gas service through the Enka-Candler subdivisions and propane out toward Hominy Valley and Pisgah Highway. Either fuel, a submerged valve and ignition board get replaced, not dried, and a soaked chimney can be unsafe. Don't relight it. Call (828) 545-0525.
Gas in the subdivisions, propane out the valley
Candler is a fuel-transition town. The fast-growing subdivisions around Enka-Candler often have natural-gas service, while homes out along Pisgah Highway and up Hominy Valley run on propane. That matters after a flood: a gas or propane appliance valve and ignition board that went underwater are replaced, not dried, and on a propane system the regulator and connection need checking too, with the tank coordinated through your supplier. We inspect for whichever fuel you actually have before anything gets lit.
Builder-grade fireboxes and the Hominy bowl
Much of Candler's newer construction came with basic decorative builder-grade fireboxes — the kind owners often want to upgrade to real heat within a few years anyway. A flood can force that decision early. Because the Hominy Valley sits in a natural bowl that holds air, clean-burning sealed appliances already make sense here, and if replacement is the outcome we'll steer you toward a unit that actually heats. First, though, we inspect what's there to CSIA and NFPA standards.
Buncombe permit, quick trip west
Candler is about 15 minutes west of our Asheville showroom. On any gas-line reconnection or structural repair we pull the Buncombe County permit and meet the inspector, and the written report supports your insurance claim. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Candler
We install and service fireplaces throughout Candler and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- A storm or falling tree damaged my chimney — what needs to be checked before I use the fireplace?
- Does homeowners insurance cover replacing a flood- or storm-damaged fireplace?
- After Hurricane Helene, what's the best fireplace setup so my family is never without heat again?
- Should I have the fireplace and chimney inspected before using them in a WNC home I just bought?
- Can a gas fireplace heat my house through a multi-day outage like the one after Hurricane Helene?