Hearthstone Homestead

[Wayne214]

It's here Finally - after waiting 2 1/2 months, it's here - and it's a beauty! I do have some questions for other Homestead owners, though. We had 4 break-in fires, and all went well. We had one fire last night which was ok, except it sounds like the stove has a slow leak in it -kind of like air escaping a bicycle tire. The sound would stop when I opened the door. It was also making a pinging noise - sounds like the heat coming on. Also, the inside of the stove walls started to foam and sizzle - when I looked at it this morning, the foamed parts have turned solid. Is all of this normal for a new stove? Thanks for your help.

 

[Mike Wilson]

The pinging is the expansion of the stove itself. Its normal. The air sound you hear is probably the air rushing into the stove through the primary air jets. Try altering the air controls and see if the rushing increases or decreases. When its all the way off, it should stop. The noise stops when you open the door because you've eliminated the negative pressure in the stove when the door is opened, and she starts pulling air in from the door (less resistance) instead of the primary air inlets. Close the door, the draft reduces the pressure in the stove, and she pulls air through the inlet again.

As for the foaming, I have no idea.

-- Mike

 

[Wayne214]

Thank you - that makes me feel better. As far as I can tell, changing the air controls does nothing to the size of the flames. My brother in law has a Vermont Casting stove - when he opens the top to add wood it makes a whooshing sound, and the flames are pulled back, and when he adjusts the air control on his stove, the flames automatically get smaller or larger. We tried adjusting the air control lever, but there really is no noticeable difference.

 

[Todd]

- when I looked at it this morning, the foamed parts have turned solid. Is all of this normal for a new stove? Thanks for your help.


I've never seen any kind of foam parts in my Homestead. Maybe your looking at some cement between the soapstone panels, and the sizzling is just moisture leaking out as the stove cures.

 

[Wayne214]

Hey Todd, I was hoping you would be here! I figured it must just be because it is a new stove, but being new to this, I wasn't sure. I tried to take a picture of the foaming, but I don't think it came out well enough for you to see.

 

[Todd]

You should see a difference in the size of flames when you adjust your air intake. Sometimes the ash pan can leak air into your fire box. Check your ash pan, make sure its in all the way in. Also check the ash pan gasket.

 

[Wayne214]

I just checked both. The gasket looks good, but there were some ashes in the pan. Maybe it wasn't in all the way. Do you use a stove thermometer on your Homestead? If so, where do you put it? I have had it on the door, laying on the top and on the back. The manual says to place it on the top of the stove, but I thought they were supposed to be on the stove pipe itself.

 

[Todd]

I have a thermometer on both the stove and stove pipe. Maybe its over kill but I like to monitor both temps. Its going to take you some time to get use to your stove and see how it works best. I'm still learning after 3 years. Recently I have found short hot fires seem to work best for this stove. I'll burn a full load for a few hours, let it burn down to coals and let the soapstone take over for a couple more hours before I add more wood. Keep an eye on your stove temp. The manual states over 600 is an overburn. I've had mine up to 650 before with no ill effects tho. I only use a low burn at bedtime or when I'm gone for awhile.

 

[Todd]

My stove thermometer is on top of my stove to the side of my steamer. I know the manual says to put it on the center stone but if I did that my steamer would be off center and look dorky.

 

[Wayne214]

Thank you so much for all your help! Have a great holiday weekend.

 

[elkimmeg]

Depending upon the actiual manufacture date It sure sound like moisture escapi/ng from the cement fire refactory ( foaming)
this is normal if you received the stove direct from the essembly line If this is the case, it is recomended not to burn real hot fires for up to 30 hours. Many may have never seem this happen to theirs,, as theirs were not directly from the essembly line. but actually had shelf life and the moisture dissipated naturally over time. Treat this stove gently for a while and give it time to cure

 

[PaulGuy]

It's here Finally - after waiting 2 1/2 months, it's here - and it's a beauty! I do have some questions for other Homestead owners, though. We had 4 break-in fires, and all went well. We had one fire last night which was ok, except it sounds like the stove has a slow leak in it -kind of like air escaping a bicycle tire. The sound would stop when I opened the door. It was also making a pinging noise - sounds like the heat coming on. Also, the inside of the stove walls started to foam and sizzle - when I looked at it this morning, the foamed parts have turned solid. Is all of this normal for a new stove? Thanks for your help.

We installed a Homestead this fall. The sound you hear is the sound of air entering the stove through the inlet. If you close the damper all the way down (it is deisigned not to close completely) you may even hear a distinct whistle, this is normal. The fact that changing damper settings doesn't alter the burn rate would indicate a leak (a big one). I'd make sure the ash pan is in all the way and that the ash grate in the floor of the stove is closed all the way. You should be able to go from high flames to low smoldering between extreme settings on your damper. I don't know what the heck the foaming is you saw, that bothers me. I had some "blisters" on the inside of my stove from cement or sealant but they we're dry, not foaming. And by all means get a thermometer and place it on the top center of you're stove. If you really have no control of air due to leaks you could be running you're stove too hot. Hearthstone recomends no higher than 600 F. You need to know your stove's temperature, IMHO. The pinging is normal and you will always hear that as it heats up and cools down.

 

[PaulGuy]

Ah... Elk answered the foaming question as I was typing my reply.

 

[crow]

I have a new Tribute( Hearthstone's smallest stove-one size down from the Homestead) and I had the cement blisters inside my stove as well. After my break-in fires and several fires up to desired burn temps for my stove(400 degrees) these blisters cracked and are flaking away. I called my stove dealer and they assured me that this was normal, & that it is excess cement , and not indicative of any damage to the stove itself.
It freaked me out at first , because I thought something was happening that was not supposed to. I know I haven't overfired my stove , because I monitor the temp. w/ a stove thermometer. It takes some time to get it up to temperature.
I place my stove thermometer on the center of the stove surface .
I never saw any moisture , or foaming during any of my fires. I know this stove was newly produced , as the dealer had to wait a month for it to come in, as it was on backorder.

It definitely takes some getting used to . It is quite different that the old Shenandoah I grew up with.

I think once I work the kinks out of starting a fire in a tiny fire box , I will be quite happy with this stove .

 

[Wayne214]

Hey Crow - I think the blisters you saw are the same thing as the foaming I saw. When the stove was cold, they did actually look like blisters. We have have had three good fires so far, and the blisters are completely gone. So far, the stove is working much better than I expected. I find it easy to start and it warms the house up pretty quickly.

 

[crow]

The blisters are almost completely gone on my stove too...
Glad you're up and running! It is really nice to be warm in my drafty old house.
A very rewarding feeling.