We bought our first pellet stove this year, a ussc 5500m. We're used to its quirks--a bit loud, exhaust off/on, etc.--but within the last month have noticed that the black steel on the forward sides and front of the stove have begun to noticeably lighten up. It's clearly happening only where the metal actually gets hot. Does this happen because of the cheapness of the manufacture, or it is par for the course for steel stoves? Also, somebody ; ) stood too close to it in a synthetic robe and there is now a bit of melted/burned in goo on the side. It was not soft enough to rub off or push off with cardboard, and a little goo-gone seemed to be taking some paint with it, so we quit that. Anybody know a way to get such things off, or will it eventually burn off?