Should I repair my crumbling masonry fireplace or put an insert in it?
In Candler, most homeowners are better off upgrading to a sealed insert than repairing a crumbling firebox — the basic builder-grade boxes in the new subdivisions were only ever decorative. New neighborhoods here reach the natural-gas main while plenty of rural Hominy Valley homes run on propane, and we set the insert up for whichever fuel you have.
Decorative boxes that owners outgrow
Candler is one of Asheville's fastest-growing suburbs, and its new subdivisions came with basic decorative builder-grade fireboxes — fine to look at, not built to heat. Owners here tend to want real heat-producing upgrades within a few years, and when an older masonry firebox is crumbling on top of that, restoration is money spent to keep an open fireplace that still runs a net heat loss. Hominy Valley's natural bowl also traps air, which is one more reason a clean-burning sealed appliance beats an open fire.
One town, two fuels
Candler mixes it up on fuel: the newer neighborhoods reach the natural-gas main, while plenty of rural Hominy Valley properties run on propane. We match the insert to your setup — for propane we use the right orifices and pressures and handle the connection, since a wrong-fuel unit soots. Either way, a sealed insert with a full stainless liner burns cleaner and holds heat in the room instead of sending it up the flue, with power-optional millivolt or battery-backup ignition. We pull the Buncombe County permit and pressure-test every line we run.
When repair wins
A structurally sound chimney that needs only a crown and repointing is worth saving — mason partners on the stone, us on the gas and venting. We inspect first and give you honest numbers, so you spend on the right appliance rather than the most expensive one. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment; we're 15 minutes west of our Asheville showroom.
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.