PE Summit Install Today... Child Safety and General Suggestions

We just ordred one of these: http://www.amazon.com/KidCo-Auto-Cl...qid=1384439927&sr=8-1&keywords=fireplace+gate

Kinda spendy but "happy wife, happy life".

Other tips:

1 – Make sure you wood has a moisture content below 20%
2 – Make sure you stove is properly installed
3 – Enjoy.

Congratulations on your new Summit. I'm sure you're going to love it. A lot of great reviews here on that unit.

Some helpful tips: as mentioned you will really benefit from burning truly dry wood. The first year is the hardest, but you can definitely do well if you mix in some construction debris, pallets, or compressed logs. This year get enough wood for this year and next at a minimum if you can swing it. You made a smart move coming to this forum for advice. This is a great community of knowledgeable people.

Some tips about the install: make sure the installers install a liner that goes from the unit to the chimney top. Have them install a block off plate to keep warm air from sweeping up the chimney.

Don't get discouraged as you will most likely have some trouble/problems getting good burns. Its all part of the process. Start slow with small loads and work your way up to full loads. You'll get a good rhythm of burn cycles for your unit and household.

Here is a pic of my set up. I have a kidco hearth gate. Our insert is in a high traffic area of our house so this was a must for us. It's a bit invasive, but we saw it as a necessary evil.

I hope that is helpful, and I hope that insert is a huge blessing to you and your family.

Congrats on your install today!

I have raised 3 kids around woodstoves with my youngest being a 1.5 year old. Having the raised hearth helps a lot as they are not as likely to walk into the stove by accident. The hearth is also a good barrier for babies when they are at their crawling stage. We never put up any screens or barriers, but I think they are a good idea. Kids move quick!

i put in an insert on a raised hearth this year, and i also have a 1.5 and 3 year old at home. i bought the Kidco Hearth Gate for the same reason you are, but its still unopened and sitting in the box. I am going to return it soon since the kids have been completely scared of the fire and i keep drilling in their heads that the fire is dangerous. they have not gone near the stove in the past 3-4 weeks that ive been running it. i ask my 3 yr old son why he shouldnt go near the stove, and he'll say "dada, the fire will burn my fingers".. he knows. my 1.5 daughter just says "Fire.. Hot".

This is just my experience from a similar situation. if i ever feel they are in danger or lose their fear of being burned, i'll put up the gate, but so far so good. end of the day, its whatever you are comforable with.

brakatak said:

i put in an insert on a raised hearth this year, and i also have a 1.5 and 3 year old at home. i bought the Kidco Hearth Gate for the same reason you are, but its still unopened and sitting in the box. I am going to return it soon since the kids have been completely scared of the fire and i keep drilling in their heads that the fire is dangerous. they have not gone near the stove in the past 3-4 weeks that ive been running it. i ask my 3 yr old son why he shouldnt go near the stove, and he'll say "dada, the fire will burn my fingers".. he knows. my 1.5 daughter just says "Fire.. Hot".

This is just my experience from a similar situation. if i ever feel they are in danger or lose their fear of being burned, i'll put up the gate, but so far so good. end of the day, its whatever you are comforable with.

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Awesome, we are having a boy in January and also going to try without the gate.

If you do go with a gate I hear the Kidco gets great reviews

Visit the "wood shed" forum and learn about storing and seasoning wood. Get lots of wood NOW, prepare a spot that is in the sun, wind, level, with good drainage for for NEXT YR's burning. Take the time, $, effort to plan and prepare a good spot for more wood than you think you want.

Peruse all threads when someone posts about poor performance etc, you will learn alot from the responses.

Try not to turn the air all the way down to extend the burn time until you learn how your system and wood operates. Otherwise, you will be posting here about black glass etc etc etc

USMC80 said:

Awesome, we are having a boy in January and also going to try without the gate.

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Thats awesome... Congrats.

Keep an eye on the temps the first few days. If I don't turn my air lever all the way to low after the box gets up to temp, it will go nuclear.
You'll find what works for you.

Hogwildz said:

Keep an eye on the temps the first few days. If I don't turn my air lever all the way to low after the box gets up to temp, it will go nuclear.
You'll find what works for you.

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How do you you regain control of the stove?

Is this stove prone to going nuclear?

Hogwildz said:

Keep an eye on the temps the first few days. If I don't turn my air lever all the way to low after the box gets up to temp, it will go nuclear.
You'll find what works for you.

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I found this to be true with my Summit as well.

Don't have that problem with mine, but then my chimney is less than 20'.

Please get yourself a nice pair of fire gloves. I have made it a habit if I'm loading or opening the door to move coals etc to always be wearing the gloves.
1) it's HOT!
2) if a coal falls out I can quickly and easily pick it up.

Gloves are a must.

acowherd said:

How do you you regain control of the stove?

Is this stove prone to going nuclear?

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Any stove is prone to go nuclear when burning good dry wood, and letting the temp get too high before shutting the air down.
Best is to cut the air back sooner and experiment, checking every 15 mins or so.
Good dry wood is important.
Every set up is different, but my routine goes like this:
300 degrees, cut air from full open to 50%
at about 400 degrees I cut the air all the way to low.
As the wood outgases and the secondaries fire, the stove will continue to rise in temp to 650 or 700.
Then as the nasties burn off, the stove will settle back down to 550-650 range for a while, then slowly drop as the load burns.
If I waited till say 600 degrees with the old one, the thing would be up to 750+ in no time. Sometimes on a full load, even cut back at 400, it would climb to 700 or so.
How the stove burns is relative to the wood moisture content or lack of, stack height and draft, and when you cut the air back.
Once the air is cut back, there is not much you can do.
Some open the door to allow cool air to fill the box and the hot stuff to escape the stack faster, cooling off the firebox.
Others just close the air down and let it run it's course.
I don't think this stove is any more prone to going nuclear than any other secondary burn stove. Its all in the wood, temp & timing of air control.

bryankloos said:

Hi All,

My PE Summit is being installed today, should be in by the time I get home from work. Needless to say, I am very excited.

My wife wants me to install some sort of safety screen/gate around the insert such that the kiddos (1 yr and 2.5yrs) don't get burned before they learn to stay clear of the insert. I was thinking about a general spark screen sitting on the raised hearth over the insert, as I don't want to install anything on the flooring around the raised hearth. That said, I'm open to suggestions. What have you guys done and what seems to work best?

Lastly, are there any tips for a first time wood burner (other than in a fireplace) that you think I should know before I begin???

Thanks Guys (and Gals),

Bryan

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Hi,
We went with the following hearth gate: http://www.amazon.com/North-States-...8&qid=1384490703&sr=8-14&keywords=hearth+gate

We are pleased with it and were happy that it is bigger than the kidco since we have a wood stove. You may not need one this big since you have an insert.

Enjoy!