We had a new Avalon Rainier insert installed in our rental house in December (the old stove was warped and unsafe to use). Well after two months of quiet happy tenants the first call has come: the stove is belching smoke when the door is opened to load, can we get it fixed?
My guess is the wood our tenants are burning is less than optimal which has led to creosote buildup already. (Though we haven't been over to take a look yet.) My feeling is that the cleaning and maintenance of the flue should be the tenants' responsibility, we can't control what they burn and how they burn it so cleaning the flue is akin to taking out the garbage.
The house has electric heat as well and is extremely well insulated so the woodstove is a bonus, not a necessity for heat.
What are y'all's thoughts?
My guess is the wood our tenants are burning is less than optimal which has led to creosote buildup already. (Though we haven't been over to take a look yet.) My feeling is that the cleaning and maintenance of the flue should be the tenants' responsibility, we can't control what they burn and how they burn it so cleaning the flue is akin to taking out the garbage.
The house has electric heat as well and is extremely well insulated so the woodstove is a bonus, not a necessity for heat.
What are y'all's thoughts?