What should I do before the first fire of the season in my wood-burning fireplace or wood stove?
In Leicester you're on large rural property — many homes on propane, wood heat popular, and some remote places with limited electrical capacity — so a dependable wood system is worth getting right. Before the first fire, sweep and inspect the flue, confirm the damper seals, check a stove's gasket and firebrick, and stage dry hardwood. We're 15 minutes west in Buncombe County.
Wood is the heat that doesn't need the grid
Out toward Sandy Mush, Turkey Creek, and Newfound Road, some properties have limited electrical capacity, and wood heat is popular precisely because it works without power. That independence is only as reliable as the maintenance behind it — a wood stove's flue, pipe, door gasket, and firebrick all need inspection before the first burn, and a fireplace flue needs a sweep. Get it checked in late summer so you're not depending on it before it's ready.
Cold-air drainage runs these valleys colder
On clear winter nights, cold air drains into Leicester's rural valleys and runs 5 to 8 degrees colder than Asheville, so the hearth works hard here. A cold flue full of that sinking air resists your draft, so open the damper fully and warm it with a small kindling fire before loading up. Burn only seasoned hardwood; wet wood is poor heat and heavy creosote.
Propane and permits
If you're on propane and adding or converting an appliance, connecting the fuel is licensed work — we permit it with Buncombe County, pressure-test the line, and meet the inspector. A showroom or a handyman legally can't. For a wood inspection before the first fire, 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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