Any Austroflamm Advice GREATLY Appreciated

[stahldr]

Hello! I bought a home two years ago with an Austroflamm Integra(?) Pellet stove insert. It is in the lower level of a raised ranch which has a large opening to the second floor. It is intended to supplement heat only 1 level. Unfortunately, it does not even produce enough heat to make my approx. 15X20 family room comfortable. It seems to heat within a 3 foot range of the stove itself, and that's all. Also, we get a lot of soot on the glass door every day, and I am not sure that is normal or not. My husband cleaned the stove thoroughly last year, but that did not rectify either of the above-mentioned problems. We have heard nothing but great things about pellet stoves, but we are very frustrated, and considering taking out the Austroflamm insert and returning to wood. If there is anyone with any advice, I would appreciate it!

 

[HeadhunterTom]

Saw your post while doing a search for an Austroflamm Integra for a friend. You have the Mercedes of Pellet Stoves. that Integra Insert will heat a 2800 square foot space when operating properly. It has two blowers - one for supplying air to the burn pot area and one that sucks air in from the room, through the pipes and out through the top grille. It sounds like your blower motor is malfunctioning if working at all. The Black soot on the glass is because the convection blower air supply is either blocked or otherwise severly limited. The back of the unit has two appx 3" openings. The opening on the left side of the unit is the exhaust pipe and should be connected to the flue pipe that goes up through the chimney. The opening on the right is where the unit gets it's air supply to feed to the convection blower. If it is blocked or has it's air supply limited, it will produce the scenerio that you described. I own the free standing version which is like yours standing on a pedastal and it gets it's air intake from the room it is in. I believe you have a surround shroud with a grill like opening on the right side. remove that piece and stick a mirror in behind the machine and see if the air intake is blocked. The machine also should be serviced by a qualified tech at least once every 1 ton burn (every 50 bags). He/she will remove the sides and clean areas that your husband may not be able to reach - they also test hi and low limit switches, remove the upper and lower cast iron baffle plates and clean the tubes behind those plates. Once this service is complete, your machine will heat the whole house operating at 94% efficiency - I also own a 3000 square foot raised ranch and when this free standing is on and running at 3/4 speeds, the oil burner does not come on - just the fans to move the air throughout the house. Hope that helps

Tom

 

[webbie]

How many pellets are you burning in a 24 hours period?

HH is right in that the stove may need serviced, etc. There could also be other problems. You mentioned it is in a fireplace. A fireplace can wick a LOT of cold in from the outdoors. So the stove may be barely offsetting that!

So there are a few issues. I would suggest trying to find a technician familiar with that stove - and going over the unit and the installation to see what is up.

 

[stahldr]

Thanks so much- we will locate a technician to have it serviced.