Wood-burning insert vs gas insert — which should I choose?
For most Hendersonville homeowners a gas insert is the easier call — the town sits on the natural-gas mains, and a lot of our customers here are retirees who'd rather flip a switch than haul cordwood. Choose a wood insert only if you genuinely enjoy the work and have a wood source. Both convert a leaky open fireplace into a sealed, efficient heater.
Why Hendersonville leans gas
We install more gas inserts than wood inserts in Hendersonville, and the reason is demographic as much as geographic. Main Street's historic homes and the newer subdivisions off Spartanburg Highway are full of people who've downsized on purpose — a low-maintenance, quiet sealed gas insert with a thermostat suits that life. Tap a remote and the room holds temperature; there's no ash bucket, no splitting, no cold-start smoke. A wood insert still makes sense for the household that has a woodlot and likes tending a fire, and it's cheaper heat per burn. Just be honest about the chores before you buy — a fire you find tiresome stops getting lit by February.
Clay soil, old chimneys, one fix
Henderson County's clay-heavy soil settles foundations and stresses older masonry chimneys over the decades, and a tired flue is exactly what makes an open fireplace draft poorly and lose heat. An insert answers that the same way whichever fuel you pick: a new, correctly sized stainless liner runs up inside the old chimney, sealing the path and sizing it right for the appliance. The gas version adds a fuel line, which is licensed work we permit with the county and pressure-test before lighting.
See both burning
Our Asheville showroom is 25 minutes away, with gas and wood inserts lit side by side. Come compare the flame and the heat, or call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment of your Hendersonville fireplace.
Fireplace help in Hendersonville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Hendersonville and the rest of Henderson County — just 25 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
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