Hi Everyone, thanks for all the wealth of information here that you all have posted. I'm afraid I found this site AFTER I ordered my new Montlake insert. I have two questions, not necessarily for people with this stove (because I know there are not many of us), but these are more like general questions:
A) If the insert is running flat out for hours with very dry (8%), well-seasoned Douglas fir in fairly small splits, damper completely open, roaring, shouldn't the fire bricks go back to their original beige color on all sides of the firebox eventually? Shouldn't the glass be free of soot, and not turn black on the hinge side of the door within fifteen minutes? I'm thinking there is something wrong with my new insert. I've done the dollar-bill test (can't pull out on the hinge side, can pull out with difficulty on the handle side); done the candle test (the flame doesn't seem to draw near any part of the stove door like it's sucking air); looked at the inside with a flashlight and don't see anything wrong; looked at the graphite seal, which has a seam near the hinge side of door, but seems okay; and built large and small fires, with wood oriented N-S, and E-W, and on either side of the box. When they delivered and installed the stove, it was covered in dust, not having been in a box, and was a dealer swap since IronStrike apparently is way behind on their production line -- only one stove in the entire Puget Sound area, and it was sitting around gathering dust when others are on a waiting list? I'm wondering if the stove was dropped or damaged somehow that I couldn't see. It's not normal, right, to have half the firebox continuously black?
B) Supposing I learn that this stove is defective and cannot be fixed, and supposing the dealer takes it back and refunds the money (big IF), is there any wood fireplace insert brand or model that is less likely to overfire? This Montlake seems like it either runs full-bore, roaring, or there is smoke pouring out of the chimney cap (and even more on the glass). There is no in between. Given, I know there's a learning curve for any new stove, as they are all different, as are chimneys, etc. (my chimney is probably about 15-20 ft, insulated liner in exterior masonry chimney, and weather is not cold), and I know I'm a newbie, but I put a little too much wood in the thing and I couldn't get it to calm down for like 45 minutes. I don't like the fact that I can't damp down the air intake to nothing. Of course this might be because of an air leak somewhere. Anyway, I'm a little scared of this stove now. And I'm scared of creosote if I run it too low. Any suggestions for a newbie if I were to buy another? I'm wishing I bought a BK Ashford, but maybe there is no such thing as a stove that is less likely to overfire?
All suggestions or opinions are welcome! Thank you!
A) If the insert is running flat out for hours with very dry (8%), well-seasoned Douglas fir in fairly small splits, damper completely open, roaring, shouldn't the fire bricks go back to their original beige color on all sides of the firebox eventually? Shouldn't the glass be free of soot, and not turn black on the hinge side of the door within fifteen minutes? I'm thinking there is something wrong with my new insert. I've done the dollar-bill test (can't pull out on the hinge side, can pull out with difficulty on the handle side); done the candle test (the flame doesn't seem to draw near any part of the stove door like it's sucking air); looked at the inside with a flashlight and don't see anything wrong; looked at the graphite seal, which has a seam near the hinge side of door, but seems okay; and built large and small fires, with wood oriented N-S, and E-W, and on either side of the box. When they delivered and installed the stove, it was covered in dust, not having been in a box, and was a dealer swap since IronStrike apparently is way behind on their production line -- only one stove in the entire Puget Sound area, and it was sitting around gathering dust when others are on a waiting list? I'm wondering if the stove was dropped or damaged somehow that I couldn't see. It's not normal, right, to have half the firebox continuously black?
B) Supposing I learn that this stove is defective and cannot be fixed, and supposing the dealer takes it back and refunds the money (big IF), is there any wood fireplace insert brand or model that is less likely to overfire? This Montlake seems like it either runs full-bore, roaring, or there is smoke pouring out of the chimney cap (and even more on the glass). There is no in between. Given, I know there's a learning curve for any new stove, as they are all different, as are chimneys, etc. (my chimney is probably about 15-20 ft, insulated liner in exterior masonry chimney, and weather is not cold), and I know I'm a newbie, but I put a little too much wood in the thing and I couldn't get it to calm down for like 45 minutes. I don't like the fact that I can't damp down the air intake to nothing. Of course this might be because of an air leak somewhere. Anyway, I'm a little scared of this stove now. And I'm scared of creosote if I run it too low. Any suggestions for a newbie if I were to buy another? I'm wishing I bought a BK Ashford, but maybe there is no such thing as a stove that is less likely to overfire?
All suggestions or opinions are welcome! Thank you!
