Wood-burning insert vs gas insert — which should I choose?
In Canton, the flood is part of this decision. Homes along the Pigeon River took water that damaged hearths and gas appliances, so before you pick wood or gas, any existing gas connection needs inspection. Then it's the usual trade: a wood insert for grid-independent heat you refuel yourself, a gas insert for switch-on warmth. Both turn an open firebox into a sealed heater that works when the power's out.
After the water, inspect before you relight
Canton's mill-town homes in the Pigeon River valley know flooding, and water is hard on hearth equipment — it corrodes gas valves and controls, rusts fireboxes and dampers, and undermines masonry from below. If your home took water, we inspect the gas connection and the chimney before anything gets lit again; that's a safety step, not an upsell. For a lot of rebuilt homes this is the moment to put in a sealed insert that actually heats, instead of restoring an open fireplace that never did.
Wood or gas when the grid goes down
Both keep you warm without electricity, which is the whole point after a bad storm — the difference is refueling. A wood insert makes you the fuel company: feed the stack and keep going for as long as the grid stays down. A gas insert with millivolt or battery-backup ignition keeps throwing heat too, off the propane tank or the gas service where it reaches, though the blower waits for power. Canton's fuel is mixed, and a gas insert works on either once it's set for your fuel.
Permit and the damp valley
Valley-floor fog rusts dampers and caps early here, so a fresh stainless liner is a real upgrade with either insert. Gas is licensed work — we pull the Haywood County permit and pressure-test. We're 20 minutes away in Asheville; call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment.
Fireplace help in Canton
We install and service fireplaces throughout Canton and the rest of Haywood County — just 20 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
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