Outdoor fireplace or fire pit — which is better for my patio design?
In Swannanoa, where storm rebuilds and renovations are underway across Grovemont and the valley, a fresh patio is the chance to design the fire feature in from the start — so you don't have to choose blind. On a new build, an outdoor fireplace can anchor the terrace while a fire pit or table serves a second zone. On natural gas, both light clean and instant.
Rebuilding is the right time to plan it
The recovery from storm damage has driven real demand for new fireplace and stove installs in rebuilt Swannanoa homes, and a patio poured from scratch is a gift — we can bury the outdoor-rated gas line cleanly, set the seating zones, and place the feature deliberately instead of trenching a finished slab later. That's the case for doing both at once: a fireplace as the focal wall and windbreak, plus a pit for the crowd. Design it a single time, and the layout works the way you actually gather.
The outage lesson, applied outdoors
The multi-day outages this valley lived through proved the worth of power-optional heat, and it carries to the patio. A gas feature with the right ignition still lights with the grid down; a wood fire pit or outdoor fireplace throws heat entirely off-grid. The river-valley fog, cold-air pooling, and damp air that are hard on masonry mean any outdoor stonework wants good drainage and a stainless cap — worth building in from day one.
Permitted, pressure-tested, done once
Connecting the gas is licensed work in North Carolina — our lane, not a mason's or a landscaper's — so we pull the Buncombe County permit, pressure-test the line, and meet the inspector. We're only 15 minutes east of our Emma Road showroom, so it's easy to have us out to a rebuild. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home design assessment.
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.