What's the best replacement for an old, outdated gas fireplace?
At nearly 2,650 feet, Waynesville's replacement question is really a heating question — the season here runs about three weeks longer than Asheville's and 10 to 15 degrees colder, so your new unit should be chosen as a heater first. That points to a cold-climate performer: Kozy Heat's Springfield 36 on propane, or the Chaska 25L insert where gas service reaches.
Size for 2,644 feet, not for the brochure
The rule of thumb is around 20 Btu per square foot in a moderate climate, and Waynesville is not a moderate climate — averages run 10 to 15 degrees colder than the lower towns, and the heating season stretches roughly three weeks past Asheville's. Add Hazelwood's older, draftier housing stock and an undersized replacement will disappoint you by Thanksgiving. This is the town where we size honestly and err warm.
Propane or pipe — check before you shop
Waynesville is mixed-fuel territory: some streets have gas service, and plenty of homes up the slopes and out toward Lake Junaluska run propane. It matters, because propane burns hotter per unit and needs different orifices and pressures — a unit set up for the wrong fuel soots and sours you on gas fires forever. Kozy Heat's Springfield 36 is the propane pick, built in Minnesota for exactly this kind of winter; the Chaska 25L insert suits gas-served homes with an existing masonry fireplace.
Haywood County, handled start to finish
We pull the permit with Haywood County and meet the inspector, and as a licensed gas contractor we run or convert the fuel line ourselves — no splitting the job between a showroom and whoever you can find to make it burn. Waynesville is 35 minutes west of our Asheville showroom, and the in-home assessment is free. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Waynesville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Waynesville and the rest of Haywood County — just 35 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.