What questions should I ask a fireplace installer before hiring them?
In Leicester, ask about fuel and power: many rural properties run propane or wood, and some have limited electrical capacity, so ask whether the installer sets up propane correctly and can deliver heat that doesn't lean on the grid. Then ask the essentials, a licensed North Carolina gas contractor, Buncombe County permit, liability and workers' comp, an in-house gas line, and a workmanship guarantee.
Fuel, wood, and low electrical capacity
Leicester's large rural properties in Sandy Mush and Turkey Creek often run on propane, wood heat is popular, and some remote homes have limited electrical capacity. Ask the installer whether they configure propane with the correct orifices and pressures, whether they install and service EPA-certified wood units, and, if your electrical is thin, whether a millivolt gas unit that needs no circuit board or blower fits your situation.
Cold nights and grid-independent heat
Cold-air drainage runs Leicester's rural valleys 5 to 8 degrees colder than Asheville on clear winter nights, and rural power can go out for a while. Ask how the installer keeps you warm when the grid drops, whether a wood stove for total independence or a gas unit with millivolt or battery-backup ignition that throws heat with no electricity at all. Electric fireplaces, by contrast, are dead in an outage.
License, permit, guarantee
Ask the non-negotiable: are you a licensed gas contractor? Connecting propane is licensed work a showroom or mason can't legally do in North Carolina. Confirm the Buncombe County permit and inspector, ask for liability and workers' comp, and get the workmanship guarantee in writing on top of the manufacturer's warranty. Our Asheville showroom is a 15-minute drive from Leicester. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Leicester
We install and service fireplaces throughout Leicester and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
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