So just had my chimney swept by a local service. Guy takes apart my stove pipe, ok. Then proceeds to break my ceramic baffle plate in my Tribute ($45 or so I think). He starts to tell me it's not a big thing and then I explain to him about the EPA stoves and what that plate does. Yet again it appears that I know more than the *experts* I hire.
He tells me that it's really brittle and there wasn't any way around breaking it. Really. Says that what he would do is put in a metal plate. Really. Shouldn't be a big deal to replace - I just run down to the store and get another one. Shouldn't cost that much. Really.
I didn't argue with him. I didn't tell him that the plate wasn't broken before he got there so he needs to replace it. I just shake my head, write the check, and call the stove store. I figure if he doesn't believe that he needs to fix it arguing with him isn't going to work and I'm not going to expend the limited energy I have on that deal (I have plenty other places to spend it).
The local stove merchant didn't have anyone available to find out about and wanted to call me back tomorrow. I said, Really? No one else can look up a part number? One guy was out - and the guy I talked to said he'd have to make a phone call and call me back - but that's a whole other story that's addressed by 2 minutes with Google at my house).
So I'm just really disappointed, yet again, by service people. I'm not sure whether to be offended because he thinks I'm that stupid, or just be really stoic about his ignorance. I'm just amazed at how folks can tear something up and not feel obligated to make it right. But I read about this kind of stuff ALL THE TIME, and not just with chimney/hearth folks.
I was hoping to burn this evening or tomorrow morning, but I'm thinking it should be OK to do once or twice without the baffle - is it?
He tells me that it's really brittle and there wasn't any way around breaking it. Really. Says that what he would do is put in a metal plate. Really. Shouldn't be a big deal to replace - I just run down to the store and get another one. Shouldn't cost that much. Really.
I didn't argue with him. I didn't tell him that the plate wasn't broken before he got there so he needs to replace it. I just shake my head, write the check, and call the stove store. I figure if he doesn't believe that he needs to fix it arguing with him isn't going to work and I'm not going to expend the limited energy I have on that deal (I have plenty other places to spend it).
The local stove merchant didn't have anyone available to find out about and wanted to call me back tomorrow. I said, Really? No one else can look up a part number? One guy was out - and the guy I talked to said he'd have to make a phone call and call me back - but that's a whole other story that's addressed by 2 minutes with Google at my house).
So I'm just really disappointed, yet again, by service people. I'm not sure whether to be offended because he thinks I'm that stupid, or just be really stoic about his ignorance. I'm just amazed at how folks can tear something up and not feel obligated to make it right. But I read about this kind of stuff ALL THE TIME, and not just with chimney/hearth folks.
I was hoping to burn this evening or tomorrow morning, but I'm thinking it should be OK to do once or twice without the baffle - is it?