I just had a Mt Vernon AE insert installed into an existing chimney/fireplace. This is the first pellet stove I have used and I have two questions:

1) I smelled some smoke in the house after running the unit for about 5 hours a day over the last three days. The manual mentions during initial operation the paint will cure and give off an odor but after 15 hours I thought that would be done. I have not seen any visible smoke and I have not noticed any soot in the house yet. I have a CO detector within 10 feet of the stove and it has not gone off. Is it normal to have some odor with pellet stoves?

2) When the stove is operating I have noticed "orange sparklers" for lack of a better term - see attached picture. I tried to adjust the flame height but that doesn't seem to make much difference. Is this normal?



Thanks,

Ted

Mount Vernon AE insert
Manufactured: Jan 2010
Board: Rev C
Thermostat: Rev D
Liner: 20ft 4" vertical metal liner with two 45deg angles.
Heating Cycle: Manual MH
Turman Hardwood Pellets

Quick update - I saw some suggestions on one of the iburncorn.com forums to wait until dark and use a flashlight to see if any smoke appears. I tried this and saw smoke coming out the back of the unit above the upper horizontal plate (near the hopper). It doesn't look like the smoke was from the exhaust venting. Any ideas what I should get my dealer to look at?

Thanks,

Ted

hi ted and welcome to the forum. those "sparklers" are normal. it is hot fly ash that flies up when more fuel is dumped into the pot. enjoy the show. as far as the smoke smell and you finding some, time to call the dealer and tell him. you are under warranty and he should come out and check it out. there should be no smoke from fuel coming out of anywhere. but it does take at least a week to burn off the new stove smell. just make sure it is exhaust smoke and not burning off new stove fumes. and don't be afraid to come over to ibc and post on the quad site. stay warm. kap

Thanks kap! Dealer came out yesterday and found the leaks. Ran the stove for several hours and no smoke smell anymore. Will look at the other forum.

Thanks again,

Ted

your welcome. lookin forward to seeing you on ibc.