Will converting my wood fireplace to gas improve my indoor air quality?
Yes. The 1980s and '90s homes across Royal Pines and Skyland were built with open masonry fireplaces that pull room air — and their own smoke — the wrong way, sending fine particulate back inside as they draft. On the natural-gas mains here, converting one to a sealed gas insert stops the smoke and the draft in a single upgrade.
Open masonry that works against the room
Arden's established Skyland and Royal Pines fireplaces are the classic drafty open type — they lose heat up the chimney and, on cold-flue or downdraft days, push smoke and soot back into the living space. That backflow is a real indoor-air issue, not just a comfort one. A gas conversion removes the wood fire entirely, so there's no particulate to spill regardless of what the flue is doing that night.
A sealed insert fixes air and draft at once
Dropping a gas insert into that open firebox seals it off, kills the draft, and vents its own exhaust outside — clean air and a fireplace that finally throws heat instead of stealing it. A vented gas log set is the lighter, lower-cost route for looks, but for these tired open boxes the sealed insert is the one that solves the whole problem. Biltmore Park's offices and retail spaces convert on the same logic.
Gas mains, Buncombe permit, 15 minutes out
Arden sits on the natural-gas mains, so the fuel tie-in is usually straightforward. Connecting it is licensed work in North Carolina — a mason or showroom legally can't — and we pull the Buncombe County permit, pressure-test the line, and meet the inspector. We're just 15 minutes south of our Emma Road showroom. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment.
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
- Does replacing an open wood fireplace with an insert improve the air in my house?
- Will a gas insert seal off the drafts and old smoke odors coming from my open fireplace chimney?
- Do wood-burning fireplaces pollute the air inside your house?
- Are direct vent gas fireplaces healthier than ventless ones?
- Will converting my wood fireplace to gas reduce my environmental impact?