Avalon Wood Stove Problem

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mskitty66

New Member
Mar 24, 2019
1
Magalia, CA
I have read many other posts about this stove and I am ready to toss it. First, I will tell you I have had several wood burning stoves over the last 40+ years so I am not a first time user.

This Avalon Stove is the worse stove ever, it smokes. Yes, I have read about burning a wad of newspaper (where do you get this constant supply of newspaper, I use the internet) also wood type and moisture content, fans running, etc.

I use oak, cut and split by family so I know it is dry. I use a fire starter stick, teepee my kindling and wood and it works ok for about two weeks if I am very careful and I do not damper it down for the night.
If I do, it smokes more the next morning.

Smoke bellows out all over, how can this stove be air tight? It comes from the damper at the bottom of the stove and around the door. I am sick to death of this thing.

It was professionally installed and here when I bought the house so I assumed all would be great.

The pipe has been swept monthly. Do you believe monthly? Never have I had to sweep a chimney more than once a year.

I called our local wood stove company to come out. He insisted on explaining about newspaper and teepee of wood, then moisture content. He did not come out.

I generally have used pine (as it was plentiful and free) never an issue or flume problem in all those years of other stoves. Now I have this thing that I use good wood and baby and still it does not perform as rated.

Does anyone know why this is happening and why the buildup of creosote? I build good hot fire until the house is warm and them one log at a time to keep it toasty. The wood box in this thing is pretty small so not much room anyway.

Oh, it has been swept top to bottom as fire bricks line top. Yes, I have removed them when inspecting the darn thing to see if I could find a problem.
 
Most likely this is not the stove. The Avalon line is in many thousands of homes. It is a simple and reliable design. Which model Avalon stove is this?

Oak typically needs 2 years to fully season. Pine after splitting and stacking will season in one year. How long was the oak seasoned after it was split and stacked? Has it been properly tested for moisture content?

Describe the stove installation in detail. Where is the stove located (basement, first floor,etc.)? How is it connected to the chimney (stove pipe description, elbows, etc.)? What is the chimney system (metal, masonry, diameter, height)? What are the outdoor temps when the fire is being built?

Pictures are always welcome. If you can provide some of the installation and the wood that may be helpful.
 
Avalon/Travis steel stoves are solid heaters. If anything they run too hard! I clean lots of them every year and none of them have much buildup at all. Stoves don’t create creosote, wet wood does though. I’m yet to clean my freedom bay and have been using sub par wood this year. Every month indicates a big problem!
I do need to use a torch and newspaper to get it going if the flue is cold. Mine is in a basement and suffers from negative draft, it’s certainly not the stoves fault, it’s the location.
 
It sounds like you may have a setup that is drafting poorly, and your first EPA stove all in one package.

Can you describe how the stove is vented, and maybe get us some pictures?

I also see that you switched from pine to "good wood" (pine is awesome wood) when you got the stove. Pine can fully season in one year; oak takes three. Try your old pine in the new stove; you may be pleasantly surprised.

Going EPA is a transition, but once you get used to it you'll never go back. More heat, less wood.
 
I also see that you switched from pine to "good wood" (pine is awesome wood) when you got the stove. Pine can fully season in one year; oak takes three. Try your old pine in the new stove; you may be pleasantly surprised.
This is in much drier Calif. They don't have the damp and humid summers folks see back east. Their oak can season adequately in 2 yrs.. Pecan is also often a good hardwood there.
 
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We are running an Avalon Ranier and it does what we ask of it, heats our 1,700 sq. ft. home fine for the past 12 years.
 
@mskitty66 may have had a lot of stoves, but I suspect this is the first EPA stove they've owned. It takes some relearning. If the stove is on a short chimney, or in a basement and/or the wood is partially seasoned then the experience can be disappointing. Get it set up right and the stove should be a very good heater. Until we hear back from them with some installation and wood details, this is all guesswork.
 
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Just searched for a good Avalon wood stove and it looks like not many of those are available for sale. I've got this message at AvalonFirestyles and HearthsideFireplaceAndAtove:

Our Avalon line of products are no longer available for sale but we think you will like our FireplaceX and Lopi brands just as much
Is Avalon a reliable brand? Any positive experience with it?
 
Avalon was one of the first EPA stoves. Eventually they were brought under the Travis roof along with Lopi. It's a decent brand, but discontinued last year by Travis.