What is a cord of firewood, and how many cords do I need for a winter?
Maggie Valley is propane country at 3,000-plus feet — one of the coldest spots we serve — so wood-heated homes here burn on the high side: three to four cords for a full winter, one to two for weekend and rental fires. A cord is 128 cubic feet, stacked four by four by eight feet. The altitude and the long cold season push the number up.
Altitude means a longer, harder burn
At 3,020 feet, Maggie Valley holds winter longer and colder than the valley towns, so your burning season stretches at both ends and each cord goes faster. If wood is your primary heat, budget toward four cords and order early rather than betting on a mid-winter delivery up the mountain.
There's no natural-gas main up here — homes run on propane — which makes wood a common and sensible backup when a storm drops the power. Between the two, a lot of cabins stay warm no matter what the grid is doing.
Cabins, rentals, and instant fires
This is heavy vacation-rental and cabin country, where a fireplace sits idle for weeks and then has to light instantly and clean for arriving guests. That argues for a sealed gas unit or a well-maintained stove over a fussy open hearth that a renter won't know how to coax along.
Keep any rental's wood dry and fully seasoned so guests aren't battling a smoky fire on a cold arrival. Book a pre-season inspection before the peak rental months, and we'll pull the Haywood County permit on any install. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Maggie Valley
We install and service fireplaces throughout Maggie Valley and the rest of Haywood County — just 40 minutes west 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?