What is a cord of firewood, and how many cords do I need for a winter?
Black Mountain's Swannanoa Valley traps cold air, so mornings here run 10 to 15 degrees colder than Asheville and your burning season starts early. Figure two to four cords for primary wood heat, one to two for ambiance — a cord being 128 cubic feet, a stack four by four by eight feet. Natural gas serves much of town, so many homes lean toward the lower end.
The valley cold changes the math
Temperature inversions pool cold air on the valley floor, and late frost dates mean you're still lighting fires when Asheville has moved on to spring. That extra tail on the season adds cord-fractions you'd never guess from the calendar, so budget a little more wood than a lower town would.
Heavily wooded Montreat and Swannanoa Valley lots stay cool and shaded, which keeps those homes burning longer and lets many source their own downed hardwood right off the property — just split it and season it a full year before it goes anywhere near the stove.
Ambiance or real heat in Buncombe County
Because natural gas reaches much of Black Mountain, plenty of homes keep a gas fireplace for the daily load and burn wood one to two cords a season purely for the feel of a real fire. If wood is your heat, a sealed EPA stove stretches every cord far past what a drafty open fireplace manages.
Buy by the true full cord, not a 'face cord' that's a third of the size, and favor dense oak and hickory that hold overnight. We're about 15 minutes away, we pull the Buncombe County permit, and we meet the inspector. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Black Mountain
We install and service fireplaces throughout Black Mountain and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- What's the difference between a face cord (or rick) and a full cord of firewood?
- How much does a cord of firewood cost in Western North Carolina?
- Should I stock up on firewood before winter, and how early should I order it?
- What should I look for when buying firewood?
- How much wood does a wood stove burn per day?