Dealer Offering Spring Cleaning

[vt657]

Received a flyer from the dealer who sold me my Quad Santa Fe offering a yearly service for $398 and should sign up before April to ensure a date on their schedule.

My reaction was "400 bucks I don't think so". Am I missing something.

My stove has ran problem free so far. I'm a nut when it come to cleaning it. I dump the burn pot dailey, vacuum the fire box and behind the baffles and heat exchangers every week and do the shop leaf blower trick afer every ton.

Is there something else that needs to be done for a yearly spring cleaning as I don't see myself paying the dealer $400 for something I can do.

Any thoughts?

 

[strangemainer]

Im no expert, as this is my first heating season with a pellet stove,
and I own an englander...so I have no dealer to fall back on and have to clean
and service it myself.

That being said I think the 400 clams is ridiculous!
Maybe if he replaces ALL the gaskets, and then gives the stove a thorough cleaning and fills up the
hopper...maybe.

 

[jtakeman]

Were charging $275 for stoves and $350 for inserts.

 

[Nicholas440]

That price should include one ton of pellets...

I can clean my Quad insert complete in about 15 minutes, thats vacuuming, cleaning burn pot, pull out the baffle and rear cast brick and clean heat exchanger tubes, wipe the glass and its' all ready to go. My installer said the only other thing he would do every year would be to unlatch the rear exhaust pipe, slide the unit then he uses a large brush and a shop vac to clean the vent pipe. He then inspects it and looks into the chimeny to make sure its clear, because he is also a chimeny sweep. Oh and at end of season the hopper gets a good vacuuming with a 1" diameter hose to pull any left over fines from around the auger.

So the only thing a professional would do here that I didnt do yet is pull the instert and clean the vent pipe. My installer charges $150 to clean and service it. The service includes inspecting the door gasket, and perhaps pulling the exhaust blower if need be for a cleaning, but you can see the blower cage from inside the firebox and my blower cage is clean as can be I look at it each time I clean the insert.

I'll save the $150 and do the cleaning myself.

 

[Shane]

It costs 130.00 + gaskets here. You can get a stove installed for 450-500.

 

[tinkabranc]

I clean my stove myself, but my dealer offers a year end cleaning service
on the stove/vent for $125.00. Gaskets/parts are extra.
Some local chimney sweeps offer it as well for around the same price.

 

[jtakeman]

We only charge $125 for the vent.

Our cleaning fee is a complete service. Beyond whats in your manual. All motors pulled and cleaned. Lubed and inspected. Clean and vacuum the hopper. So we can pull the auger and inspect and lube. remove all baffles and vacuum the stove. (I sure I missed something)

Inspect door seals and vacuum check the stove. Wipe the inside of stove with rust inhibitor. Clean and polish the brass and silver. touch up exterior with matching paint. Glass is clean of coarse! Price includes sealing and gaskets as well. We return in the fall and do the start up-tune up and leak test the vent system.

Will do a cheap one, But work for some fancy client's that expect this.

There not happy unless it looks new.

 

[Nicholas440]

Rust inhibitor, thats what I forgot..thanks..


Maybe a spray coat of WD 40 also in areas that are exposed to any dampness in summer, and put a block of moisture absorbing material inside for the summer months. I guess you call it " summerizing" the stove as opposed to winterizing.

 

[jtakeman]

Rust inhibitor, thats what I forgot..thanks..


Maybe a spray coat of WD 40 also in areas that are exposed to any dampness in summer, and put a block of moisture absorbing material inside for the summer months. I guess you call it " summerizing" the stove as opposed to winterizing.

That will be $250.00, Please(jk)

I don't spray inside the stove I spray it on a rag and wipe the inside down. I use a 3M product-Forgot the name. CRC makes a simular product.

jay

 

[Xena]

Is there something else that needs to be done for a yearly spring cleaning
as I don't see myself paying the dealer $400 for something I can do.

Any thoughts?

Imo, everything you mentioned, plus removing and completely cleaning
the blowers should be part of a year end cleaning for all stoves.

Even with gasket replacement, the $400 figure is no bargain - in my opinion.

 

[krooser]

My dealer's service call is $125.00 plus mileage. Cost me about $150.00 last year...did a full cleaning (including leaf blower) and cleaned the fans, oiled, etc.

 

[MainePellethead]

lol....I was going to mention that too. lol. I agree.....dealers are just that.....they DEAL. Even when its service time. They may do a great job....but so can a stove owner and save a few hundred at the same time I clean my own....even sweep my own venting etc and pull the stove away from wall....take it apart a bit...clean it up. I have those slide coaster things under each leg and it slides like it was 5 pounds without hurting the hearth tile. And my last thing I do after spring cleaning is stove paint the inside. And folks....DONT forget that part because it will rust. Paint it up good and your all set or use inhibitor.....but i like the stove paint....faster to spray on the paint than to rub the inhibitor imo.

Rust inhibitor, thats what I forgot..thanks..


Maybe a spray coat of WD 40 also in areas that are exposed to any dampness in summer, and put a block of moisture absorbing material inside for the summer months. I guess you call it " summerizing" the stove as opposed to winterizing.

 

[Shane]

I used to pull, clean and oil both blowers, clean the stove and transition duct by pulling all baffles etc, sweep the vent, clean/polish gold/nickel/brass trim, and of course the window for 120.00 charged 5-10 for the exhaust blower gasket when needed, always fired up the stove and ensured proper operation prior to leaving, be it July or December. Oh yeah I'd also empty the hopper and vacuum the fines. If a stove needed touched up and was one of the colors we carried on the truck that was free. Gave 10 bucks off for scheduling between May and August.

 

[MainePellethead]

Thats a decent price Shane. I would even think of paying that. But would never pay a few hundred...

I used to pull, clean and oil both blowers, clean the stove and transition duct by pulling all baffles etc, sweep the vent, clean/polish gold/nickel/brass trim, and of course the window for 120.00 charged 5-10 for the exhaust blower gasket when needed, always fired up the stove and ensured proper operation prior to leaving, be it July or December. Oh yeah I'd also empty the hopper and vacuum the fines. If a stove needed touched up and was one of the colors we carried on the truck that was free. Gave 10 bucks off for scheduling between May and August.

 

[hearthtools]

here is what we have been charging and I will be charging the same after I close the store

For local Pellet stove service $110 summer if you bought the stove from me. $150 min if not depending on type of stove or if it needs trouble shooting.

Winter $150 to $200 depending on what needs to be done.
Most winter services are cleaning and troubleshooting because people only call in the winter when their stove has stopped working.

I Brush the WHOLE venting system from top down and clean out the fly ash. Nothing beats a brush because the leave blower is not going to suck out dead birds or bats. (Record 27 Small birds from one stoves combustion blower chamber)

Pull the stove apart and pull BOTH blowers and TOOTH brush and Clean with compressed air out of the blower MOTOR and blower wheel
OIL if needed. REPLACED COMBUSTION BLOWER GASKET NO CHARGE

Brush/vacuum all dust bunnies out from behind stove panels and off auger motor. Limit switches and control board and convection bower air chambers.

Clean out all Heat exchange chambers with brush and vacuum. MOST STOVES THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE IF YOU PULL THE BLOWER.

Clean and chip out burn pot and POUND out burn pot liners to original form if needed.

Suck out ash from ingitor tube.

Pull firebrick and clean behind and brush/vacuum

scrap, chip, Brush/vacuum the crap from Heat exchange tubes and free heat exchange tube scrappers because only 20% of homeowners actually pull them then they are stuck.

Dump ash pan

Clean Glass and Airwash

Clean up mess

Run stove for 15- 20 minutes to be sure the stoves stays running after startup mode and then Adjust air with Magnahilic or by eye.
Show customer how to clean the stove and adjust air. Again for the 20th time in 10 years.