What should I do if there's a propane shortage during a cold snap?
In Arden, the 1980s-90s homes around Royal Pines and Skyland tend to have tired, drafty open masonry fireplaces that pull heat out of the room — the wrong thing to lean on when propane's tight. Most of Arden is on natural gas, but if you're on a tank, schedule delivery early and zone-heat with a sealed insert.
A drafty open hearth works against you
The open masonry fireplaces in a lot of Arden's Royal Pines and Skyland homes were built for looks, not efficiency — they actually draw warm room air up the chimney, so trying to ride out a propane shortage on one only speeds up the heat loss. Dropping a sealed gas insert into that firebox turns it into a real heater: you drop the central thermostat, close off the rooms you're not using, and let the insert hold the living space. That's how you buy days on a tank. Most Arden homes are on the Buncombe gas main and untouched by a propane pinch, but the properties on buried LP are the ones that need to plan ahead.
If you're on propane, stay ahead of it
For the Arden homes on a tank, the discipline is simple: never let it hit empty, because an empty LP system has to be leak-tested and relit appliance by appliance before it's safe — a service call on top of the wait. Automatic delivery lets your supplier track your level so you're not calling in the middle of a freeze. We're 15 minutes south, we size and set inserts for propane, honor the clearances on the old masonry, and permit the work with Buncombe County. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Arden
We install and service fireplaces throughout Arden and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Can natural gas service be interrupted in extreme cold?
- Can propane freeze or stop flowing in very cold weather?
- At what tank percentage should I schedule a propane refill?
- What happens to my gas fireplace when the propane tank runs empty?
- Why does propane cost more in winter, and can I lock in a price?