Should I heat with my gas fireplace instead of the furnace to save money on the room I'm in?
In Asheville, usually yes — but the answer hinges on which fireplace you own, because our housing splits between historic masonry and modern gas. If you cluster in one room most evenings and that unit is a real heater, turning the whole-house thermostat down and warming just that space trims your natural-gas bill.
Montford Masonry Versus South Asheville Gas
The original open fireboxes in Montford, North Asheville, and Biltmore Village were built for atmosphere, not efficiency — an open damper sends most of the warmth straight up the flue, so leaning on one for zone heat can actually cost you. The newer South Asheville builds are the opposite story: clean-face direct-vent units and sealed inserts that push real heat into the room. Knowing which camp your house falls in is step one.
Sitting on the Gas Mains Helps
Asheville runs on natural gas along the main lines, and natural gas costs less per unit of heat than the propane the cabins burn, so an efficient insert or direct-vent fireplace pays back faster here than out in the county. Our elevation keeps nights in the 20s well into early spring, which means a long season of evenings where warming 300 square feet instead of the whole house adds up.
The Showroom Is on Emma Road
We're headquartered at 629 Emma Rd, so an in-home assessment is a short drive and you can see lit direct-vent units and inserts in person before deciding. Every gas line we run gets a Buncombe County permit and a pressure test — running or extending gas is licensed work in North Carolina, and a showroom or mason legally can't connect it. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free look.
Fireplace help in Asheville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Asheville and the rest of Buncombe County — we're headquartered right here.
Related questions
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- Should I run my gas fireplace once in a while even when I don't need the heat?