snowman89 said:
I am glad i did not get the hearthstone when I was debating between them and Pacific Energy. My Summit will go 9 hours with a reload....
Defective hearthstone "Heritage" nightmare, please help
- Thread starter AlexNY
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
I am glad i did not get the hearthstone when I was debating between them and Pacific Energy. My Summit will go 9 hours with a reload....
Send me a PM with your address, I have a hardly used Harman pellet stove I'd be happy to trade for your 2 Hearthstone wood stoves... I'll even make the drive.snowman89 said:I purchased 2 hearthstone wood stoves about 3 years ago. I paid 3500 for both including installation. I have the heritage in my living room. The air intake is underneath the stove near the air control. Carefull feeling around under there, if you have your finger in the hole an move the lever it could cut your finger off.
Now.... If you are burning kindling and it goes out quick it sounds like a clog. Even with the damper closed you should still get a fire. LET ME TELL YOU. if you have ANY type of wet wood you will have a hard time getting heat. These stoves are a little to high tech in some ways. Every year I have to fight with a wood person to get me dry wood. The wood must be dry! If not it will build up creasol and clog your flu and you will be out of buisiness. If the wood is wet, just toss your money out the window and put on a coat.
You have to be careful when starting your fire for the first time every year. You must burn 2-3 small fires to dry out the stone or it will crack. I have a fire going now with last years wood and it works great, turn the air back and watch the fire dance. MY biggest problem I cannot get dry wood.
These stoves are made of stone, there is no iron to give off heat, maybe the door and legs its just framed in stone.
Heres my question due to my wood problem, I am looking at going pellet, Do you think a use Harmen accentra for 1600 is worth it or a refurbished Hudsonriver Niagra-new is a better deal. Im stuck on this one.
My .02 ...
$5000? sounds high.
Smokey fire? Sounds like a weak draft.. it is warm out now. It could be wet wood. It could be splits that are too big to start.
Air intake lever? You can check this yourself by looking under the stove. get a mirror if need be. you should see a small plate rock back and forth. If it isn't attached, call the dealer. My lever is light to the touch also, so you can't judge by the amount of friction.
Assuming all is in working order, you may have to crack the door for a few minutes get the fire established and to warm your chimney. Then close door with air wide open. Don't use the ash pan door and don't leave stove unattended with door cracked.
good luck. I think you will love the stove once you get the kinks worked out.
$5000? sounds high.
Smokey fire? Sounds like a weak draft.. it is warm out now. It could be wet wood. It could be splits that are too big to start.
Air intake lever? You can check this yourself by looking under the stove. get a mirror if need be. you should see a small plate rock back and forth. If it isn't attached, call the dealer. My lever is light to the touch also, so you can't judge by the amount of friction.
Assuming all is in working order, you may have to crack the door for a few minutes get the fire established and to warm your chimney. Then close door with air wide open. Don't use the ash pan door and don't leave stove unattended with door cracked.
good luck. I think you will love the stove once you get the kinks worked out.
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
You can't see or access the intake slider from below the stove, the entire stove bottom is covered by the casting that makes up the ash pan. There is no hole on the bottom to cut your finger off, the only air inlet is at the back of the stove on the left side and there is no line of sight to see that mechanism.
The dealer (with any needed manufacturer support) must resolve this. Call them now.
Can't wait to see how this turns out.
The dealer (with any needed manufacturer support) must resolve this. Call them now.
Can't wait to see how this turns out.
edthedawg
Minister of Fire
I hope our friend Alex can chill a little in his discussions w/ the dealer, as compared to his remarks here. Despite the cost involved, this is all pointing to a fairly simple mechanical problem that is not unheard of. Desired? Certainly not. Fixable? Absolutely.
Even if it is unfixable, a calm discussion with the dealer and/or Hearthstone should bring swift resolution. You paid a LOT for this - it will get fixed. and it will be an excellent stove for you.
snowman89 - I haven't read your threads on this topic yet. Again, this is a great stove and I'm sorry you're having trouble. Many of us here get good long burns and plenty of heat from much less wood, with a lot less effort. I'll take a peek for you. But good wood in a good stove that's configured properly sure as heck oughtn't be consuming that much wood!
Even if it is unfixable, a calm discussion with the dealer and/or Hearthstone should bring swift resolution. You paid a LOT for this - it will get fixed. and it will be an excellent stove for you.
snowman89 - I haven't read your threads on this topic yet. Again, this is a great stove and I'm sorry you're having trouble. Many of us here get good long burns and plenty of heat from much less wood, with a lot less effort. I'll take a peek for you. But good wood in a good stove that's configured properly sure as heck oughtn't be consuming that much wood!
Look into that hole Highbeam mentioned (lower left rear of stove). Actually you can see the mechanism and if it is hooked up and operating. If it's not I don't know that I'd mess with it. Looks hard to get at to fix properly. Dealer should definately take care of it. If it is operating properly, possibly some sort of blockage between shutter and air feed dog house. No clue what that could be. Good luck
As far as my comment regarding the tax rebates, I was just sayin' that that's a coincidental amount - meaning no insult there, just sayin'! Cost is all relative and I have seen folks on here who get a free (or close to it) stove and end up spending a couple thousand on install and liner and "stuff" so I think many or most can easily see how a new stove could potentially put you up to 5K depending on where you are starting. So many people love their Hearthstones, and hopefully they will make good and fix this so that they can keep this good customer!
I have a Hearthstone Craftsbury and I can relate to your problem. My house is one story so perhaps the draft isn't great. Anyways, it is impossible to get a fire going without leaving the door ajar or opening the ash pan door. Once you get some coals you can close it up and it works very well. Since I bought the stove used and installed it myself, I can live with it. I actually like the little stove. If I had paid $5k and they installed it, I probably wouldn't feel that way.
edthedawg
Minister of Fire
jeez, i feel like a one-armed Magic Heat salesman on this topic.
This is a broken stove issue, and I can't wait to see how it works out. It's rare, but it has happened in the past. If the wood is an issue, it may need to be split down smaller - wouldn't be the first time for that either.
Running w/ the door open for a few seconds to help blast the draft also isn't unheard of. I get REALLY scared when i hear "it is impossible to get a fire going without leaving the door ajar or opening the ash pan door. Once you get some coals you can close it up".
If you are running it w/ an open door that long, you ARE going to overfire your stove. And you will then be screwed in several different ways. So run it like that for 20 seconds - ok. 20 minutes?? you are doing OTHER THINGS WRONG.
This is a broken stove issue, and I can't wait to see how it works out. It's rare, but it has happened in the past. If the wood is an issue, it may need to be split down smaller - wouldn't be the first time for that either.
Running w/ the door open for a few seconds to help blast the draft also isn't unheard of. I get REALLY scared when i hear "it is impossible to get a fire going without leaving the door ajar or opening the ash pan door. Once you get some coals you can close it up".
If you are running it w/ an open door that long, you ARE going to overfire your stove. And you will then be screwed in several different ways. So run it like that for 20 seconds - ok. 20 minutes?? you are doing OTHER THINGS WRONG.
If the heritage lever attaches to the base of the stove like the Mansfield and it is so easy to move is it possible the screw that the lever pivots on fell out?
The one on my Mansfield fell out one night and it made the lever move like a hot knife through butter but did nothing for controlling the air as the lever was moving and not the mechanism it was attached to.
The one on my Mansfield fell out one night and it made the lever move like a hot knife through butter but did nothing for controlling the air as the lever was moving and not the mechanism it was attached to.
LLigetfa
Minister of Fire
The way to break this Mexican standoff is for them to bring their "known good" wood to prove the wood is the issue.AlexNY said:
I also pruchased a heritage, not even a week ago. Door handles are not working properly. Dealer has ordered re build kits for them.
Has anyone ever had smoke comming out of everywhere, and I really do mean everywhere, out of the back, the sides, everywhere the stone meets the cast iron. This seems like one hell of a defect to me.
Iam going back to the dealer in the morning, And if the dam thing wasnt so heavey, I think, I would throw it right through the window.
I am a newbie, so if anyone knows why this would happen, Please let me know.
It just seems its never been seeled right.
Has anyone ever had smoke comming out of everywhere, and I really do mean everywhere, out of the back, the sides, everywhere the stone meets the cast iron. This seems like one hell of a defect to me.
Iam going back to the dealer in the morning, And if the dam thing wasnt so heavey, I think, I would throw it right through the window.
I am a newbie, so if anyone knows why this would happen, Please let me know.
It just seems its never been seeled right.
edthedawg
Minister of Fire
new burner - sounds like it could be bunches of things - none of them good 
i'll recommend you launch your own thread tho - this one has pretty well run its course.
please include in it:
- total flue liner height
- whether you have a damper
- what you are burning (species and moisture content, if you happen to know it)
- some details about HOW you're burning.
- anything pertinent to the installation - even the little details may be significant to us
we get lotsa folks trying to burn stuff that's too wet, too large, or they shut the stove down too early in the burn... sounds like you might have a lemon, but it's awfully tough to think HS would ship such a pile of defects all in one stove.
good luck! these are great stoves - don't give up on 'em!
i'll recommend you launch your own thread tho - this one has pretty well run its course.
please include in it:
- total flue liner height
- whether you have a damper
- what you are burning (species and moisture content, if you happen to know it)
- some details about HOW you're burning.
- anything pertinent to the installation - even the little details may be significant to us
we get lotsa folks trying to burn stuff that's too wet, too large, or they shut the stove down too early in the burn... sounds like you might have a lemon, but it's awfully tough to think HS would ship such a pile of defects all in one stove.
good luck! these are great stoves - don't give up on 'em!
tradergordo
Minister of Fire
If you are trying to burn when its 50 degrees outside, and you are hooked up to a common evil outside chimney you are going to get terrible performance and even smoke in your room with many stoves. You can stuff some newspaper up the flue and light it to get the draft going, and crack a window next to the stove too. I don't know how the dealer can blame it on wet wood when you tested it with kiln dried lumber, however. I've seen the smoke leaking into someones house and very difficult start up fires on warmish days at a friend's house who has one of those evil outside chimneys, but he has no problems as soon as it gets cold.
DanCorcoran
Minister of Fire
My Hearthstone Shelburne (next size up from the Craftsbury):
1) Draft is amazing. Three pages of twisted newspaper, 4 sticks of kindling, and some barkwood. Ten minutes later, the whole pile is blazing; time to add the splits. I had this experience 2 weeks ago, when the outside temperature was 60 degrees!
2) Air control lever works well. If there is a pile of blazing wood and I close the control, the flames immediately stop blazing and start slowly wavering: definitely reduced air intake.
3) The air control lever is very loose. A flick of the fingernail and it'll go from one end to the other and then bounce back some. Wish it were a little tighter, but since it works well, I'm happy.
4) The stove has been a delight: lots of heat and no smoke.
I'd buy the same again tomorrow. It's attractive, glass stays clean, it cranks out the heat, and the dealer in Harrisonburg, VA, was very helpful (but then again, I haven't needed any service since installation, but that's a good thing, right?)
1) Draft is amazing. Three pages of twisted newspaper, 4 sticks of kindling, and some barkwood. Ten minutes later, the whole pile is blazing; time to add the splits. I had this experience 2 weeks ago, when the outside temperature was 60 degrees!
2) Air control lever works well. If there is a pile of blazing wood and I close the control, the flames immediately stop blazing and start slowly wavering: definitely reduced air intake.
3) The air control lever is very loose. A flick of the fingernail and it'll go from one end to the other and then bounce back some. Wish it were a little tighter, but since it works well, I'm happy.
4) The stove has been a delight: lots of heat and no smoke.
I'd buy the same again tomorrow. It's attractive, glass stays clean, it cranks out the heat, and the dealer in Harrisonburg, VA, was very helpful (but then again, I haven't needed any service since installation, but that's a good thing, right?)
I don't understand how the dealer can claim wet wood when they sent a guy out there who couldn't keep a fire going with kindling. Shouldn't that guy have scheduled the service call immediately?
Dakotas Dad
Minister of Fire
snowman89 said:I purchased 2 hearthstone wood stoves about 3 years ago. I paid 3500 for both including installation. I have the heritage in my living room. The air intake is underneath the stove near the air control. Carefull feeling around under there, if you have your finger in the hole an move the lever it could cut your finger off.
Now.... If you are burning kindling and it goes out quick it sounds like a clog. Even with the damper closed you should still get a fire. LET ME TELL YOU. if you have ANY type of wet wood you will have a hard time getting heat. These stoves are a little to high tech in some ways. Every year I have to fight with a wood person to get me dry wood. The wood must be dry
You have to be careful when starting your fire for the first time every year. You must burn 2-3 small fires to dry out the stone or it will crack. I have a fire going now with last years wood and it works great, turn the air back and watch the fire dance. MY biggest problem I cannot get dry wood.
These stoves are made of stone, there is no iron to give off heat, maybe the door and legs its just framed in stone.
Heres my question due to my wood problem, I am looking at going pellet, Do you think a use Harmen accentra for 1600 is worth it or a refurbished Hudsonriver Niagra-new is a better deal. Im stuck on this one.
Since it's a fight every year, and somehow you can't resolve it, yet continue to use the same guy..
Why not buy NEXT years wood this year, so you KNOW it's been seasoned to your satisfaction. It's not like it doesn't keep, the price is going to be lower, or you aren't going to use it... Once you are ahead, you just stay that way by buying the next years wood early...
rydaddy
New Member
- Sep 13, 2007
- 81
My heritage burned like the original poster's after the installers left on a Friday. Would not burn without a door open. Called them Monday and they mentioned all the excuses we've read in this thread. Got them to come out on Tuesday... there was a piece of duct-tape over the air intake at the back of the stove. Back left corner. Pulled off the tape. The air control started to work...
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
That hole is over three inches across. That would be no small piece of tape. Even with good wood, a stone non-cat stove takes a long time to heat up and create a strong draft to where it looks and feels like a steel stove. They are cold blooded.
CTburning
New Member
I reported a very similar problem with a Homestead last month. Fire took hours to take off with extremely dry cherry and was basically unresponsive to the air control. I thought there might be an internal blockage or something, but I became convinced that poor draft was the cause. Now I wonder.
Is the same type linkage used on both stoves? I'll feel bad if that is the case, because I don't how to contact the party I was visiting to let them know if it turns out it may be a linkage problem. They paid big money for their install as well, and they seemed satisfied, but I don't think they have a clue what a stove is really supposed to work like. They had barely broken it in and I was there in early October when they were using it. What will they do in mid-winter? If that was the best that stove had to offer, I'd rather wear a parka.
Is the same type linkage used on both stoves? I'll feel bad if that is the case, because I don't how to contact the party I was visiting to let them know if it turns out it may be a linkage problem. They paid big money for their install as well, and they seemed satisfied, but I don't think they have a clue what a stove is really supposed to work like. They had barely broken it in and I was there in early October when they were using it. What will they do in mid-winter? If that was the best that stove had to offer, I'd rather wear a parka.
- Status
Similar threads
