A few years ago, I thought I was making a wise investment buying an Englander "Summers Heat" stove at the big blue box. Worst. Decision. Ever.
The first year, I had it set up in the basement. The stove was a dirty burner from day one. I bought it mid-season and just chalked it up to wonky installation. Onto year 2.
Year 2, I brought the stove upstairs. Same issues. The stove would get its burnpot all clogged up at any setting. The pellets eventually overflow and the stove goes out. Calls to support usually end with me agreeing to clean it again, try new pellets, etc. Cleaning works ok but the problem always comes back.
Year 3. I redid the entire piping of the stove. I eliminated a couple of elbows and the stove now vents straight out of the house, one elbow up, one elbow at the top to the cap. The rise is over 3 feet. Same issues. Mid-year I switch to a new pellet entirely (premium) at the advice of support. Some improvement, but I cannot put the stove above 1 -2 or it will overflow and I get that oily burny smell in the house.
Year 4. I hire someone to clean it for me, figuring I am missing something. I watch intently and notice that he did EVERYTHING I ALREADY DO. Started the year hopeful, but right now its freezing out, my house is 62 and the stove is burning DIRTY AGAIN.
Bottom line, this stove has NEVER worked. (and now way out of warranty) There is something wrong and when you CAN get through to support, they give you a run-around/don't care.
I know this company has fans on this board and I am happy that your stoves work, but I spent THOUSANDS on a hunk of metal just waiting to give my young family either carbon monoxide poisoning or hypothermia. Maybe both.
Does ANYONE out there in TV land have any advice for me on this? The model is a 55-SHPAH. The burnpot will "clump up" with a consistency of brown sugar with the premium pellets and pumice with the cheap ones. The window eventually goes black when the pot fills up. This happens whether the stove is "dirty" or cleaned to within an inch of its life. All the seals etc were checked by the guy who came this summer.
The first year, I had it set up in the basement. The stove was a dirty burner from day one. I bought it mid-season and just chalked it up to wonky installation. Onto year 2.
Year 2, I brought the stove upstairs. Same issues. The stove would get its burnpot all clogged up at any setting. The pellets eventually overflow and the stove goes out. Calls to support usually end with me agreeing to clean it again, try new pellets, etc. Cleaning works ok but the problem always comes back.
Year 3. I redid the entire piping of the stove. I eliminated a couple of elbows and the stove now vents straight out of the house, one elbow up, one elbow at the top to the cap. The rise is over 3 feet. Same issues. Mid-year I switch to a new pellet entirely (premium) at the advice of support. Some improvement, but I cannot put the stove above 1 -2 or it will overflow and I get that oily burny smell in the house.
Year 4. I hire someone to clean it for me, figuring I am missing something. I watch intently and notice that he did EVERYTHING I ALREADY DO. Started the year hopeful, but right now its freezing out, my house is 62 and the stove is burning DIRTY AGAIN.
Bottom line, this stove has NEVER worked. (and now way out of warranty) There is something wrong and when you CAN get through to support, they give you a run-around/don't care.
I know this company has fans on this board and I am happy that your stoves work, but I spent THOUSANDS on a hunk of metal just waiting to give my young family either carbon monoxide poisoning or hypothermia. Maybe both.
Does ANYONE out there in TV land have any advice for me on this? The model is a 55-SHPAH. The burnpot will "clump up" with a consistency of brown sugar with the premium pellets and pumice with the cheap ones. The window eventually goes black when the pot fills up. This happens whether the stove is "dirty" or cleaned to within an inch of its life. All the seals etc were checked by the guy who came this summer.
