My fireplace or chimney was flooded during Hurricane Helene — is it safe to use?
No — in Swannanoa this hits close to home. Homes across the valley are still rebuilding from the storm, and a fireplace that took floodwater should never be lit until it's inspected. Floodwater destroys gas valves and control boards and can undermine the older masonry chimneys common in Grovemont. Let us check yours before the first fire. Call (828) 545-0525.
Rebuilding Swannanoa — start with the hearth
The Swannanoa Valley took storm damage hard, and as homes come back we're installing and inspecting a lot of fireplaces and stoves in rebuilt rooms. If your existing fireplace went through the water rather than being replaced, that's the one to be careful with. A submerged gas valve or ignition board is compromised for good — floodwater leaves corrosion and grit inside the sealing surfaces, and we replace those parts rather than nurse them along. It's a small cost against a valve that leaks.
Grovemont's older masonry and valley damp
Many Grovemont-area homes date to the 1940s through the '60s, with original masonry fireplaces. The valley's river fog and cold-air pooling already work against those chimneys; a flood pushes it further, saturating the liner and washing mortar from the base where you'll never see it from the living room. We inspect the full flue and structure, or the gas controls on a sealed unit, to CSIA and NFPA standards before anything gets relit.
Buncombe permit, quick response
Swannanoa is only about 15 minutes east of our Emma Road showroom, so we can respond quickly. On any gas-line or structural work we pull the Buncombe County permit and meet the inspector, and the written report doubles as documentation for your insurance claim. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Swannanoa
We install and service fireplaces throughout Swannanoa and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east 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?