Should I stock up on firewood before winter, and how early should I order it?
Yes, order in spring so wood seasons over the summer — but in Sylva, the fireplace matters as much as the wood. Student rentals near WCU get heavy use and spotty upkeep, and historic Dillsboro homes have older masonry chimneys. Before stacking a season's worth, make sure the flue can safely handle it.
Heavily used, unevenly maintained
Around Cullowhee and WCU, rental fireplaces take a beating and rarely see consistent maintenance, and the historic cottages down in Dillsboro carry older masonry chimneys that may not have been inspected in years. A woodpile is only as safe as the flue it feeds, so start with an inspection before you commit to a winter of fires. Any repair or relining is permitted work through Jackson County, and we handle the permit and the inspector.
River moisture works against you
The Tuckasegee valley drains cold, damp air and holds river moisture that rusts dampers and degrades flue liners faster than drier ground would — and that same damp fights your woodpile. Store wood well off the ground, cut faces open to sun and breeze, top covered and sides open, so it actually dries instead of soaking up valley humidity. A pile sitting in the damp never gets to a clean-burning point no matter how early you bought it.
Season green wood over the summer
Buy green in spring when it's cheap and available, stack it by the cord based on how hard you burn, and let a full Sylva summer bring it down to a hot, clean-burning moisture level. Wet or green wood smokes and layers the chimney with creosote — the buildup behind most chimney fires. Have the flue swept and checked before the first fire. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Sylva
We install and service fireplaces throughout Sylva and the rest of Jackson County — just 50 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.