Should I get a gas fireplace or a wood-burning fireplace?
In Clyde, the housing points the way. Most homes here are 1960s-to-'80s ranches with dated, tired fireplaces that are ready for an insert — and dropping a sealed gas or wood insert into that old opening is usually the smartest, cleanest upgrade. Fuel is mixed in Haywood, gas main in spots and propane elsewhere. Gas gives instant heat, wood gives grid independence. Your existing firebox and fuel decide it.
Why an insert beats a rebuild here
Clyde's housing stock is mostly ranch homes from the 1960s through the '80s, and the fireplaces that came with them are dated and inefficient — good candidates for an insert rather than a full tear-out. An insert reuses the existing opening, so it's less costly and less disruptive than rebuilding. On the gas side, a Napoleon Oakville X4 or a Kozy Heat Chaska 25L with a blower turns that tired firebox into a 70%-plus efficient heater; on the wood side, an EPA-certified insert does the same while keeping a real fire. Either way, we size and install the correct chimney liner — that's not optional.
River damp is the reason to seal it
There's a durability reason to seal that old firebox up, and it's the water. Clyde shares the cold-air drainage of Canton and Waynesville, and the river humidity in these valleys rusts dampers and degrades masonry chimneys faster than homeowners expect. An old open fireplace with a corroded damper leaks conditioned air year-round; an insert with its own stainless liner sidesteps a failing flue entirely. If you're set on keeping wood, have the chimney inspected and relined first so the damp masonry isn't a safety problem come winter.
Fuel and the licensed line
Fuel in Clyde is mixed — some homes on the gas main, others on propane — and both run a clean sealed insert. Wood remains the grid-independent pick if outages are your worry, and electric is the one we won't call backup heat. Connecting the fuel is licensed work: we pull the Haywood County permit, meet the inspector, and pressure-test the line. We're 25 minutes west. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment.
Fireplace help in Clyde
We install and service fireplaces throughout Clyde and the rest of Haywood County — just 25 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Which heats a room better, a gas fireplace or a wood-burning fireplace?
- Is it cheaper to heat your house with wood or with gas?
- Which requires more maintenance, a gas fireplace or a wood-burning fireplace?
- Which lasts longer, a gas fireplace or a wood-burning fireplace?
- Which adds more resale value to a home, a gas fireplace or a wood-burning fireplace?