Bad Install really caused "Stanton St. Fire Caused By Pellet Stove" on Thanksgiving today 11-24-2011

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Don2222

Don2222

Minister of Fire
Feb 1, 2010
9,117
Salem NH
Hello

http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/5518381.html

Wednesday’s three-alarm fire that damaged two homes in Colorado Springs is being blamed on a pellet stove.
Reporter: McKenzie Martin
Email Address: [email protected]


Wednesday’s three-alarm fire that damaged two homes in Colorado Springs is being blamed on a pellet stove.

Both homes were completely gutted and the people who lived there lost everything. Fire officials say a pellet stove ignited and within moments the fire was out of control.

It's a scene Sharon Sanders can't get out of her mind.

"I could only just stand there and watch," she said.

Stand and watch as her house went up in flames, Sharon says she had only been home for about 20 minutes when her son noticed the back wall of their house was on fire.

"The smoke started coming into the house and the fire came in through the ceiling," Sharon said.

And then it spread with lightning speed, jumping from Sharon's house to her next door neighbors. A day later fire investigators say a pellet stove is to blame. They say the fire actually started outside of Sharon's house, under the deck, where the exhaust system for the stove was located too close to combustible materials.

"Most problems of any kind are just lack of maintenance or improper installation," said Mark Humphrey who installs stoves.

He says this latest fire is a prime example of what can happen if you're stove is installed incorrectly and not maintained.

"If it does get built up it can ignite and if you're clearances aren’t met on your stove then it can catch something else on fire," Humphrey said.

Pellet stoves need to be cleaned annually just like a normal fireplace. Also the venting for the stoves needs to be installed at least 3 inches away from anything combustible.
 

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The reason the manuals were made was to prevent this. If you think you can "get away with it"? Think again. These units and the venting has been tested by the Manufacturers and an outside testing facility. They know there stuff.. Follow the instructions. Keep it clean and most of all, keep the vent clear of all combustibles.

Pretty early in the season to have found as many as you have Don. The biggest problem with pellet stove owners, is the lack of knowledge in keeping them clean.

On a side note... How did your Hearth pad come out? Also. Did you sell the Pel Pro yet? Or are you selling them combined as a package?
 
DexterDay said:
On a side note... How did your Hearth pad come out? Also. Did you sell the Pel Pro yet? Or are you selling them combined as a package?
Click to expand...

PM Sent
 
Bummer,

in my capacity as a CS tech, i get asked about installations all the time. usually first thing i ask the customer to pull out the book and turn to the cutaway diagrams, with that visual referrence i can then "guide" them through what to do and especially what NOT to do with their particular installation.

remember Mike's golden rule "When you invite fire into your home, do so under the utmost care"
 
*Pellet stoves need to be cleaned annually just like a normal fireplace. Also the venting for the stoves needs to be installed at least 3 inches away from anything combustible.*

Does anyone else find this statement misleading? What about the 3 inches?

It's sad that this happened (Glad no one got hurt) but it was a preventable fire.
 
No comment.

I'm a member of the code police, we get hammered every time we point these things out.

I love the smell of gasoline vapors in a garage along with a pellet stove on a t-stat.

It keeps people employed.

Yes CWR that statement is misleading.
 
Sad to see that happen, this is why i always clean my stove. In the spring i take it apart inspect everything and give it a good cleaning.
 
How did you conclude from the information in the story that it was a bad install and that the homeowner hadn't set/stored combustibles next to the vent?
 
"They say the fire actually started outside of Sharon’s house, under the deck, where the exhaust system for the stove was located too close to combustible materials."


"He says this latest fire is a prime example of what can happen if you’re stove is installed incorrectly and not maintained."
 
Souzafone said:
"They say the fire actually started outside of Sharon’s house, under the deck, where the exhaust system for the stove was located too close to combustible materials."


"He says this latest fire is a prime example of what can happen if you’re stove is installed incorrectly and not maintained."
Click to expand...

Installed incorrectly or not maintained?

Not enough information to assume that either assertion is correct either.

It also says a stove has to be 3 inches from combustibles.
 
Checkthisout said:
Souzafone said:
"They say the fire actually started outside of Sharon’s house, under the deck, where the exhaust system for the stove was located too close to combustible materials."


"He says this latest fire is a prime example of what can happen if you’re stove is installed incorrectly and not maintained."
Click to expand...

Installed incorrectly or not maintained?

Not enough information to assume that either assertion is correct either.

It also says a stove has to be 3 inches from combustibles.
Click to expand...

Read the story at the link:

"And then it spread with lightning speed, jumping from Sharon's house to her next door neighbors. A day later fire investigators say a pellet stove is to blame. They say the fire actually started outside of Sharon's house, under the deck, where the exhaust system for the stove was located too close to combustible materials."
 
Real shame.

I'm thinking that even if at install there was lots of clearance to combustibles, it's a real bad idea to run an exhaust under a deck.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
Checkthisout said:
Souzafone said:
"They say the fire actually started outside of Sharon’s house, under the deck, where the exhaust system for the stove was located too close to combustible materials."


"He says this latest fire is a prime example of what can happen if you’re stove is installed incorrectly and not maintained."
Click to expand...

Installed incorrectly or not maintained?

Not enough information to assume that either assertion is correct either.

It also says a stove has to be 3 inches from combustibles.
Click to expand...

Read the story at the link:

"And then it spread with lightning speed, jumping from Sharon's house to her next door neighbors. A day later fire investigators say a pellet stove is to blame. They say the fire actually started outside of Sharon's house, under the deck, where the exhaust system for the stove was located too close to combustible materials."
Click to expand...


I see. So what lit what on fire and what was improper about the install?

Would 3 inches of clearance from the exhaust exit to the deck have prevented this fire?

They also asserted that lack of maintance caused the issue.

See what I am getting at here. There simply isn't enough information to conclude an improper install caused the fire.
 
maple1 said:
Real shame.

I'm thinking that even if at install there was lots of clearance to combustibles, it's a real bad idea to run an exhaust under a deck.
Click to expand...

What if it was a deck on a second or third floor. Still dangerous? If that's the cause then isn't it just as dangerouse to vent under an eve?

We need specific facts, not vague assertions. :)
 
This is why I had a professional do mine, I have a buddy who builds homes, bought the OAK for my Harman. Have three CO detectors plus smoke detectors in every room and with my ADT alarm. Not taking any chances.
 
I was assuming first floor - which would be a bad idea because some end up stashing all kinds of stuff under their decks with no thought making a once safe (by the books and clearances at least) install suddenly not so safe. In which case you would have a safe-by-the-books install being a bad idea, IMO.

If it was under a second or third floor deck, chances are it was an unsafe install to start with, unless maybe the owners did some kind of deck mods later that reduced clearances somehow.

I'm thinking we'll be stuck without specific facts on this one and will be left to speculate, unless more details are released.
 
Checkthisout said:
maple1 said:
Real shame.

I'm thinking that even if at install there was lots of clearance to combustibles, it's a real bad idea to run an exhaust under a deck.
Click to expand...

What if it was a deck on a second or third floor. Still dangerous? If that's the cause then isn't it just as dangerouse to vent under an eve?

We need specific facts, not vague assertions. :)
Click to expand...

Someone's got a bug up their A$$ this morning, What's wrong, did the wife burn the turkey yesterday?? :coolsmirk:
 
Eatonpcat said:
Checkthisout said:
maple1 said:
Real shame.

I'm thinking that even if at install there was lots of clearance to combustibles, it's a real bad idea to run an exhaust under a deck.
Click to expand...

What if it was a deck on a second or third floor. Still dangerous? If that's the cause then isn't it just as dangerouse to vent under an eve?

We need specific facts, not vague assertions. :)
Click to expand...

Someone's got a bug up their A$$ this morning, What's wrong, did the wife burn the turkey yesterday?? :coolsmirk:
Click to expand...

No, your Mom didn't burn the Turkey. :)

Seriously though, I'm not trying to be negative or start a pointless argument. There simply isn't enough information to conclude that improper installation led to the fire because there is no specific failure/cause listed.
 
Checkthisout said:
Seriously though, I'm not trying to be negative or start a pointless argument. There simply isn't enough information to conclude that improper installation led to the fire because there is no specific failure/cause listed.
Click to expand...

It clearly states the exhaust was LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO COMBUSTIBLES.

IS YOU FAILED AT ENGRISH!?!?

Being negative and starting a pointless argument seems like EXACTLY what you're trying to do.
 
Checkthisout said:
Eatonpcat said:
Checkthisout said:
maple1 said:
Real shame.

I'm thinking that even if at install there was lots of clearance to combustibles, it's a real bad idea to run an exhaust under a deck.
Click to expand...

What if it was a deck on a second or third floor. Still dangerous? If that's the cause then isn't it just as dangerouse to vent under an eve?

We need specific facts, not vague assertions. :)
Click to expand...

Someone's got a bug up their A$$ this morning, What's wrong, did the wife burn the turkey yesterday?? :coolsmirk:
Click to expand...

No, your Mom didn't burn the Turkey. :)

Seriously though, I'm not trying to be negative or start a pointless argument. There simply isn't enough information to conclude that improper installation led to the fire because there is no specific failure/cause listed.
Click to expand...

I suggest you contact the fire department and ask for a copy of their report, reporters get things mixed up, their editors screw it up even more, so frequently the cause gets listed but everything dealing with it gets jumbled or left out. In this case the "installer" quoted should not have been, as unless he installed that stove, he is not part of the event.

Accuracy is seldom one hundred percent on the details in a newspaper story.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
Checkthisout said:
Eatonpcat said:
Checkthisout said:
maple1 said:
Real shame.

I'm thinking that even if at install there was lots of clearance to combustibles, it's a real bad idea to run an exhaust under a deck.
Click to expand...

What if it was a deck on a second or third floor. Still dangerous? If that's the cause then isn't it just as dangerouse to vent under an eve?

We need specific facts, not vague assertions. :)
Click to expand...

Someone's got a bug up their A$$ this morning, What's wrong, did the wife burn the turkey yesterday?? :coolsmirk:
Click to expand...

No, your Mom didn't burn the Turkey. :)

Seriously though, I'm not trying to be negative or start a pointless argument. There simply isn't enough information to conclude that improper installation led to the fire because there is no specific failure/cause listed.
Click to expand...

I suggest you contact the fire department and ask for a copy of their report, reporters get things mixed up, their editors screw it up even more, so frequently the cause gets listed but everything dealing with it gets jumbled or left out. In this case the "installer" quoted should not have been, as unless he installed that stove, he is not part of the event.

Accuracy is seldom one hundred percent on the details in a newspaper story.
Click to expand...


I agree 100% and after the weekend I may call them and do just that.

I learned not trust Newspaper stories or 3rd party assertions and investigations after the "My Toyota accelerated all itself" issue awhile back. The only thing I trust is raw data or a detailed technical explanation explaining their findings based on raw data I.E. the actual investigators report explaining how he/they/she concluded what they did.

That is all.

BTW, Don, how do you find all these stories? Do you have a newsfeed tagged pellet stove?
 
76brian said:
Checkthisout said:
Seriously though, I'm not trying to be negative or start a pointless argument. There simply isn't enough information to conclude that improper installation led to the fire because there is no specific failure/cause listed.
Click to expand...

It clearly states the exhaust was LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO COMBUSTIBLES.

IS YOU FAILED AT ENGRISH!?!?

Being negative and starting a pointless argument seems like EXACTLY what you're trying to do.
Click to expand...

What if it was rather some combustibles were located too close to the exhaust?

Chicken or egg?

;)

(Still a very sad deal, no matter the technicalities...)
 
Eatonpcat said:
Checkthisout said:
maple1 said:
Real shame.

I'm thinking that even if at install there was lots of clearance to combustibles, it's a real bad idea to run an exhaust under a deck.
Click to expand...

What if it was a deck on a second or third floor. Still dangerous? If that's the cause then isn't it just as dangerouse to vent under an eve?

We need specific facts, not vague assertions. :)
Click to expand...

Someone's got a bug up their A$$ this morning, What's wrong, did the wife burn the turkey yesterday?? :coolsmirk:
Click to expand...

X100 !!! Aren't we all better than THIS BS????
 
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