Class....class..... CLASS! look visual aids.

[kinsmanstoves]

A customer I sold a Harman Accentra to a year or so ago paid a "chimney cleaner" to clean his stove. I was unable to do the cleaning due to time and distance. Well the customer calls me and says the stove was cleaned a while ago and this is the first time he went to fire it up. When he went to turn on the stove nothing happened. Hmmmmmm.

I arrive at the house and see no power light lite. I open the stove up and what is this that my left hand is feeling. It is a disconnected molex running to the rear of the control board. In the stove business this is known as a "clue" to the problem. I connect the molex to the board and almost instant heat and a happy customer.

I live my life to serve others.

Eric

 

[mascoma]

Love all the stories and pics but may I suggest you put the camera to better use?
Maybe start a Hot Stove Customer thread with pics of your best looking lady customers???

 

[tinkabranc]

I don't work on these for a living, but I would think someone would have to be pretty rough
on the cleaning to pull that apart....geeze.

Between the cleaning fees and your repair bill, that poor customer sure got his pockets
cleaned out... ;-)

 

[smoke show]

Love all the stories and pics but may I suggest you put the camera to better use?
Maybe start a Hot Stove Customer thread with pics of your best looking lady customers???

x2 !

 

[smwilliamson]

Went to a customer's house tonight. He says he is thinking about biting the bullet and just going with oil as his stove is nothing but trouble. Apparently he had a chimney sweep over last week to clean the liner. Called because all of his carbon monoxide detectors were going off....the sweep forgot to put the bottom of the clean out T on. I found it sitting on top of the mantle.

wah wah wah... :shut:

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Love all the stories and pics but may I suggest you put the camera to better use?
Maybe start a Hot Stove Customer thread with pics of your best looking lady customers???

Nice. Anyone wanna help me put in this area? All the Ladies will have to pose with their stove. Start sending them...

Eric

 

[Havlat24]

I think its great too that you use your knowledge and skills to mock people that pay you to service their stoves. Hope you ask for permission and tell these people that your posting pictures from inside their homes on a public message board with the sole purpose to ridicule their ignorance on pellet stove maintenance.


Good job!

 

[teetah222]

Chill, havlat... it's not like he's naming names or taking pictures of the people who he's posting about. :coolhmm:

 

[kilbury]

I don't see any harm in telling our experiences. In fact, if anything those two instances were aimed more at the people that serviced the stove for the homeowner. They probably got a real good deal on the cleaning from the "other guy" but when they needed the pro's, who did they call! IMO if I were the homeowner I would be requesting some or all of the fee from the guy that "cleaned" there stove for them.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

I guess I take too much for granted.

I can't imagine paying someone to come over and fix my stove, let alone cleaning the thing.

Growing up as a farm girl though and learning to fix everything that we had here at the ranch likely has something to do with my feelings.

But really, a pellet stove is so darned simple even when ya add the electronics and auto lighter.

Sits pondering the situation.

Oh well I guess.

Best to you hard working folks that take care of those who can't do their own.

I have a special place in my heart for working folks that dont mind getting their hands dirty.

That story of the fellow that was getting the monoxide problem, ???????/

For anyone to forget to reinstall the cleanout cover is almost criminal.

Damn, someone could have lost their life with a deal like that.

Keep up the good work.

Snowy

 

[krooser]

Regarding your headline....class...class...CLASS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhG__-Ql8_I&feature=related

Ignore the video...

 

[imacman]

Chill, havlat... it's not like he's naming names or taking pictures of the people who he's posting about. :coolhmm:

I agree. And as far as I can tell, he's not blaming or ridiculing the owners....the chimney cleaner is to blame here, if anyone.

And I think it's a good teaching moment....make sure when you (or anyone else for that matter), clean/work around the insides of your stove that all connections are checked.

 

[Nicholas440]

I think that anytime anyone has a professional over to either repair, or just clean the stove or insert, the repair guy should be required to fire it up and show the stove owner that it runs and runs well. Maybe even point out some things that the stove owner could do for example to trouble shoot a problem, or show him/her just what hes doing just in case they wish to clean it themselves. Most of the time when stove owners are faced with a problem or a " good " cleaning of the unit, they feel somewhat intimidated for whatever reason, it may be fear that they cant do it properly, and often they just dont want to clean it. But really, they buy the stove knowing, or hopefully knowing that it needs periodic cleaning and maintenance.

I dont think those photos etc are meant to demean the homeowner in any way I think it just shows us what can happen as in the case of the plug thats not connected, and most likely just got accidentally removed, or was forgot to be put back. Something that simple cost that home owner a service call, and here again the service guy should be required to fire it up just to make sure his work was done properly. I know if I had a pro come and service mine I want to see it running before he leaves.

 

[Lousyweather]

I think that anytime anyone has a professional over to either repair, or just clean the stove or insert, the repair guy should be required to fire it up and show the stove owner that it runs and runs well. Maybe even point out some things that the stove owner could do for example to trouble shoot a problem, or show him/her just what hes doing just in case they wish to clean it themselves. Most of the time when stove owners are faced with a problem or a " good " cleaning of the unit, they feel somewhat intimidated for whatever reason, it may be fear that they cant do it properly, and often they just dont want to clean it. But really, they buy the stove knowing, or hopefully knowing that it needs periodic cleaning and maintenance.

I dont think those photos etc are meant to demean the homeowner in any way I think it just shows us what can happen as in the case of the plug thats not connected, and most likely just got accidentally removed, or was forgot to be put back. Something that simple cost that home owner a service call, and here again the service guy should be required to fire it up just to make sure his work was done properly. I know if I had a pro come and service mine I want to see it running before he leaves.

Preaching to the choir, Nick! How does the homeowner and tech KNOW the unit is fixed, unless it is run?

 

[magsf11]

[

I dont think those photos etc are meant to demean the homeowner in any way
I agree. I have never once thought it was bad mouthing the home owner. It is a teaching tool for use, about what can happen to stove that dont get cleaned and what to look for if we have someone else clean them for us.

 

[tinkabranc]

IMO- I do not see the harm in the pros posting these types of pics because
the names/pics of the customers are never revealed.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

I agree 100%


There is absolutely no way to tell if the thing is fixed or will work, without fireing it up for a test run.


Unfortunately, stove techs are no different than auto techs, some are good and some are not.


Snowy

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Thanks for the backup. There was no intent to Make fun of anyone. I am just explaining different situations. I am not out to bash anyone, their home, or their stove.


Eric

 

[geek]

You guys are doing all of us a favor in sharing live experiences, please keep them coming, the vast majority here appreciate that.

Good job guys...!

 

[JMF1]

Isn't the whole point of forums such as this for us to learn from each other about a common interest? Some of us experts, some of us not but we all have something to contribute. I can't tell you how much I've learned here and appreciate the help I've been given over the years. Keep the pics coming, sometimes we overlook the basics.

 

[smwilliamson]

Love all the stories and pics but may I suggest you put the camera to better use?
Maybe start a Hot Stove Customer thread with pics of your best looking lady customers???

I hear ya. So, to start it off, I asked my customer to pose next to her stove, now, yes I realize that it is in fact a wood stove and maybe it should be posted over there...but this woman is definitely more of a pellet repair guy kinda girl. You know you are being set up when you arrive to clean the stove and she says, "woops! aw, I forgot, I don't have a pellet stove...but since you here, maybe you can help me with something else."

 

[smalltown]

I don't think her stove has any problems, if any it's running too hot.

P.S. What are the chances that that tattoo reads Hearth.com? ;-)

 

[smwilliamson]

I don't think her stove has any problems, if any it's running too hot.

P.S. What are the chances that that tattoo reads Hearth.com? ;-)

that stamp reads "pelletstoveservice.com"

 

[Amaralluis]

Wait for it!...

Wait for the classic punchline... here it comes:

- Theres a stove in the picture?

 

[Amaralluis]

Well it had to be said...
This one is for the hardcore folks that live in the forum:

- Theres a woman in that pic?

There, now I am done with the lame punchlines...