What should I do before the first fire of the season in my wood-burning fireplace or wood stove?
Most Fletcher homes are 1990s subdivisions with builder-grade fireplaces — often factory-built wood boxes — so the first-fire check centers on refractory panels, the metal chase, and factory venting rather than old masonry. Sweep and inspect the flue, confirm the damper seals, look for cracked panels, and burn dry hardwood. We're 20 minutes south in Henderson County.
Builder-grade boxes wear differently
The subdivisions off Airport Road and Howard Gap went up in the 1990s with factory-built fireplaces, not masonry, and those units fail in their own ways: cracked or spalling refractory panels, a corroded firebox, deteriorated chase-top flashing, a warped damper. Before the first wood fire we inspect the panels and the metal system closely, because a cracked panel behind the fire is a real hazard. Prefab units typically last 15 to 30 years, so many Fletcher boxes are now in the window where problems show up.
Commercial and corridor properties too
The I-26 and airport corridor has more commercial demand than the neighborhoods around it, and those properties get the same pre-season inspection. Wherever it is, confirm the damper swings free and seals, sweep the flue for creosote, and burn only seasoned hardwood. If the box is at the end of its life, a replacement or a sealed insert with a new liner is permitted work we pull with Henderson County.
Close and quick from Asheville
Fletcher is a short run south for us. If a refractory panel is cracked, the damper won't seal, or the chase is leaking, don't light it — call (828) 545-0525 for an inspection.
Fireplace help in Fletcher
We install and service fireplaces throughout Fletcher and the rest of Henderson County — just 20 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
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