I basically have a policy with regards to warranty work....we do not do it unless the manufacturer (or distributor there of) asks us to to do it and we are sure that we are going to be paid.
TSC (Total Service Company), a division of US Stove, calls in and has a customer a few miles away from us that is having problems with a brand new stove. The auger is not feeding and they have burned about 2 bags in the stove.
They sent out a new auger motor since that seems to be the problem via conversations with TSC and the stove owner.
I send out one of my guys and he says that the motor is good but he puts the replacement motor in anyway. Still nothing. Everything else seems to work so now they deem it to be a control board problem. A replacement control board is sent out and the homeowner switches it out. Still nothing. So, TSC determines that the control board they sent out must ALSO be defective...so they send another one.
We are called on to go back out and troubleshoot the new control board and get the unit operating, but I'm hesitant to go out again until I get paid for the first visit which is now invoiced but I should see a check in 60 days or so.
The customer calls back up and is upset because her daughter is home waiting for us. I explain the situation about getting paid and agree that I will "stop by" myself and take a look later in the day on my way back home...December 23rd mind you.
So I get there and realize that the hopper lid switch is not wired, hook it up and now we have power to the auger but it isn't advancing.
I take the whole F'ing thing apart to get at the auger plate and what do I find in the feed chute?
Nice. These are Vermonts too. Must have got wet. So, where are the failings? First, my guy should have been able to figure this out...DON'T LISTEN TO THE CUSTOMER
!!
So the jury is out....US Stove really shouldn't be on the hook for any of this but they called us and set up the service calls. We did invoice them but in fairness, I do need to contact them and tell them that is was a pellet jam and not their parts.
Looking through her installation folder I also found the installer....a roofer from New Bedford, MA named Mike King...unlicensed to perform this type of work, only has a CSSL (roofing license) not a CSSL-SF (solid fuel license)...no NFI either.
Personally, I'm beginning to think NFI certified installers should register stoves for warranties. Was it set up and installed by a qualified NFI installer? Sorry, no warranty. I may be turning a corner here in my thoughts about how warranties should be executed. I know a lot of warranties say. "Qualified person" but I do not know what that means.
To include this caveat such as this in a warranty is against the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act of 1975; the part about provisions for add-on sales.
US Stove threw about $1000 worth of parts at this thing without even a blink of an eye...think of how much money manufacturers loose each year, then think about how much these stove cost....seems like the overall price for stoves could come way down if warranties were just abolished. There is no law saying that any warranty needs to be given but there are laws in many States which required licensed installers.
It would seem to be that if manufacturers want NFI to succeed they would want NFI qualified persons doing the work...yet even HHT is walking away from NFI as an installer/ technician requirement.
Perhaps dealers could just go the route of L.L. Bean, buy from us, have us install it, let us show you how to use it and care for it and if ANYTHING goes wrong in the first year....we'll take care of it...not one question asked....and we will do it with a smile.
TSC (Total Service Company), a division of US Stove, calls in and has a customer a few miles away from us that is having problems with a brand new stove. The auger is not feeding and they have burned about 2 bags in the stove.
They sent out a new auger motor since that seems to be the problem via conversations with TSC and the stove owner.
I send out one of my guys and he says that the motor is good but he puts the replacement motor in anyway. Still nothing. Everything else seems to work so now they deem it to be a control board problem. A replacement control board is sent out and the homeowner switches it out. Still nothing. So, TSC determines that the control board they sent out must ALSO be defective...so they send another one.
We are called on to go back out and troubleshoot the new control board and get the unit operating, but I'm hesitant to go out again until I get paid for the first visit which is now invoiced but I should see a check in 60 days or so.
The customer calls back up and is upset because her daughter is home waiting for us. I explain the situation about getting paid and agree that I will "stop by" myself and take a look later in the day on my way back home...December 23rd mind you.
So I get there and realize that the hopper lid switch is not wired, hook it up and now we have power to the auger but it isn't advancing.
I take the whole F'ing thing apart to get at the auger plate and what do I find in the feed chute?
Nice. These are Vermonts too. Must have got wet. So, where are the failings? First, my guy should have been able to figure this out...DON'T LISTEN TO THE CUSTOMER
!!So the jury is out....US Stove really shouldn't be on the hook for any of this but they called us and set up the service calls. We did invoice them but in fairness, I do need to contact them and tell them that is was a pellet jam and not their parts.
Looking through her installation folder I also found the installer....a roofer from New Bedford, MA named Mike King...unlicensed to perform this type of work, only has a CSSL (roofing license) not a CSSL-SF (solid fuel license)...no NFI either.
Personally, I'm beginning to think NFI certified installers should register stoves for warranties. Was it set up and installed by a qualified NFI installer? Sorry, no warranty. I may be turning a corner here in my thoughts about how warranties should be executed. I know a lot of warranties say. "Qualified person" but I do not know what that means.
To include this caveat such as this in a warranty is against the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act of 1975; the part about provisions for add-on sales.
US Stove threw about $1000 worth of parts at this thing without even a blink of an eye...think of how much money manufacturers loose each year, then think about how much these stove cost....seems like the overall price for stoves could come way down if warranties were just abolished. There is no law saying that any warranty needs to be given but there are laws in many States which required licensed installers.
It would seem to be that if manufacturers want NFI to succeed they would want NFI qualified persons doing the work...yet even HHT is walking away from NFI as an installer/ technician requirement.
Perhaps dealers could just go the route of L.L. Bean, buy from us, have us install it, let us show you how to use it and care for it and if ANYTHING goes wrong in the first year....we'll take care of it...not one question asked....and we will do it with a smile.
then you have to go out on a Sunday .
