Which type of fireplace adds the most resale value to a home?
In Arden, the biggest resale gain is converting the open masonry fireplaces that Royal Pines and Skyland homes were built with in the 1980s and 90s. An open hearth can actually run a net heat loss; a sealed gas insert commonly runs 70 percent efficient or better — and on Arden's natural-gas mains, that conversion is straightforward to do right.
Grade the 1980s fireplace honestly
Royal Pines and Skyland were built with open masonry fireplaces, and those tired, drafty hearths pull heat out of rooms — buyers touring in winter can feel the draft standing at the mantel. Set Napoleon's Oakville X4 or Kozy Heat's Chaska 25L into the existing masonry with a correctly sized liner and the fireplace flips from liability to feature — real heat, flame at the flip of a switch, and the brick and mantel your room was designed around stay untouched.
That's the difference between a fireplace a buyer discounts and one they mentally move in around. In a neighborhood where most comps still carry the original open hearth, being the listing with the working insert is an easy way to stand out.
The mains, the permit, and a 15-minute drive
Arden runs on natural gas, so most homes skip propane logistics entirely — the project is the insert, the liner, and a licensed, permitted connection, which in North Carolina a furniture showroom or handyman legally cannot make. We pull the Buncombe County permit and meet the inspector, and that file lands in your disclosure package as an asset rather than a question.
The showroom at 629 Emma Rd is 15 minutes north — come watch the inserts burn before you decide, then book a free in-home assessment at (828) 545-0525. If the smarter move for your timeline is a service and cleaning so the existing fireplace shows well, we'll say so.
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.