Kevin,
Thanks for the link.
We did have a discussion about replacing it, and I don't want to sound as if I'm compromising safety for $$, but if that damper did not rust closed, we probably would not have pulled the insert out until the spring and would still be using it. Prior to the smoking issue, it honestly was our plan to pull it out this spring just to see what was behind it. We agree with elkimmeg's signature, better safe than sorry. I do count my blessings that we had a smoke issue and not a fire issue after seeing how it was installed! Truly we were shocked to see nothing attached to the outlet! I can only think that our guardian angels were looking out for us.
There were other things (electric) which we were more concerned with this past spring or we might have pulled the insert sooner. Might not be everyone's philosophy or priority, but we figured an electrical fire could happen when we were not there, whereas a fire from the fireplace/stove/insert, that would only be used when we were there, we would be aware if there was a problem.
I know I probably have a biased opinion where my husband is concerned, but he would be willing, and has, taken down walls just to see what was behind them if he didn't feel safe about something.
The thing is even though my wood stove insert might be referred to as a slammer and have the downfalls of an older stove, and they might not have installed it according to the new safety standards, we believe it was well cared for during it's use. I know the installation was wrong according to today's standards, but they did install it according to the standards at the time of installation. Once pulling it out we checked every inch of it for any type of damage and there wasn't any. Amazingly there really wasn't very much debris, soot, etc. behind the insert either so I think prior to the previous owner becoming ill he must have pulled that insert frequently to clean behind it.
I guess it's a difference of opinion sometimes, but if I HAD to replace it, I would be replacing it with a NEW, not a newer used. But I also don't want to just put in any insert because it's newer than my current one. It's just tough right now to come up with $3K in cash for a new insert in a vacation home.
As to the pellet stove, we want wood burning due to the fact that our property is 3.6 acres, very hilly and lots of trees down, by their own choosing. I don't want to buy pellets when we have a lot of wood just waiting for us to get to cutting, chopping, etc.
I was finally able to reduce the pictures of it down. I don't really have close ups of it and since it's 2-1/2 hours away to the house I can't run over with my camera. But here's a picture from the day we moved in and another one from May 2006.
Thanks for the link.
We did have a discussion about replacing it, and I don't want to sound as if I'm compromising safety for $$, but if that damper did not rust closed, we probably would not have pulled the insert out until the spring and would still be using it. Prior to the smoking issue, it honestly was our plan to pull it out this spring just to see what was behind it. We agree with elkimmeg's signature, better safe than sorry. I do count my blessings that we had a smoke issue and not a fire issue after seeing how it was installed! Truly we were shocked to see nothing attached to the outlet! I can only think that our guardian angels were looking out for us.
There were other things (electric) which we were more concerned with this past spring or we might have pulled the insert sooner. Might not be everyone's philosophy or priority, but we figured an electrical fire could happen when we were not there, whereas a fire from the fireplace/stove/insert, that would only be used when we were there, we would be aware if there was a problem.
I know I probably have a biased opinion where my husband is concerned, but he would be willing, and has, taken down walls just to see what was behind them if he didn't feel safe about something.
The thing is even though my wood stove insert might be referred to as a slammer and have the downfalls of an older stove, and they might not have installed it according to the new safety standards, we believe it was well cared for during it's use. I know the installation was wrong according to today's standards, but they did install it according to the standards at the time of installation. Once pulling it out we checked every inch of it for any type of damage and there wasn't any. Amazingly there really wasn't very much debris, soot, etc. behind the insert either so I think prior to the previous owner becoming ill he must have pulled that insert frequently to clean behind it.
I guess it's a difference of opinion sometimes, but if I HAD to replace it, I would be replacing it with a NEW, not a newer used. But I also don't want to just put in any insert because it's newer than my current one. It's just tough right now to come up with $3K in cash for a new insert in a vacation home.
As to the pellet stove, we want wood burning due to the fact that our property is 3.6 acres, very hilly and lots of trees down, by their own choosing. I don't want to buy pellets when we have a lot of wood just waiting for us to get to cutting, chopping, etc.
I was finally able to reduce the pictures of it down. I don't really have close ups of it and since it's 2-1/2 hours away to the house I can't run over with my camera. But here's a picture from the day we moved in and another one from May 2006.
