What should I do if there's a propane shortage during a cold snap?
Out in Leicester, many rural properties heat on propane, wood is popular, and some remote homes have limited electrical capacity — so a fireplace that needs no electricity is a real asset when propane runs short and the weather's rough. In a cold snap, schedule delivery early, keep a cushion, and zone-heat what you use.
Fuel-independent, power-independent heat
Leicester's rural valleys — Sandy Mush, Turkey Creek — run 5 to 8 degrees colder than Asheville on clear winter nights, and some of the remote properties out here have limited electrical capacity to begin with. That combination makes non-electric heat especially valuable: a millivolt gas fireplace needs no household power to run, and a wood stove needs neither power nor a propane delivery at all. If propane's tight, the wood heat many Leicester homes already lean on is your fallback. On the propane you do have, don't ride the tank to empty in a freeze — recovering an empty system means a leak-test and a relight before it's safe.
Stretch the tank on the rural edge
Long rural driveways are exactly where a delivery truck struggles in a hard freeze, so will-call is a risk in Leicester — automatic delivery lets your supplier stay ahead of your level. A sealed direct-vent propane fireplace zone-heats the living space and lets you drop the central thermostat to make a tank last. We install and service both gas and wood up here, 15 minutes west, and permit the work with Buncombe County. The tank and fill are your supplier's; the appliance is ours. 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.
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?