CSCF & HARMAN STOVES

Description of Work: We purchased a Harmon Exception wood stove from CSCF that was installed February 2008. Immediately, we noticed serious design problems, including: the two (2) side panels which act as heat shields are hung on to the stove by flimsy metal tabs inadequate to hold the weight of the panels and many of the tabs broke almost immediately causing a risk of fire and/or injury to people nearby, the door handle was incorrectly positioned so that instead of locking in place away from the heat, it locked directly in front of the heat, the main damper was incorrectly positioned and additional design or interior part assemblies have made it extremely difficult to get adequate draft needed to start a fire without a great deal of smoke and soot build-up setting off smoke alarms throughout the house, the stove produces dangerous levels of smoke exhaust, creosote and soot build up in a scaly mass inside the Stove during normal burning of wood and the glass door becomes so coated with this residue that it cannot be cleaned and the fire cannot be monitored through the glass. The chimneys in our house have no defects. We also own a Quadrafire wood stove insert elsewhere in the house in which we burn the same seasoned wood as in the Harmon stove without trouble. We wrote to Harman about these problems on April 24, 2008 and received no response. We wrote again on May 21, 2008. We received no response. In June we received a call from CSCF who sent out Walter who confirmed the problems with the stove but was unable to repair any. He said he would ask Scott Van Zandt, the son of the owner of CSCF, to contact Harmon with regard to the problems. We heard nothing until July of 2008 Bill (who identified himself as the person who took over running CSCF from Scott after the death of Scott s father) came to my clients home and was able to address two of the lesser problems namely: the wood smoke smell in the house while the Stove was in operation and the location of the handle on the from glass door. Bill also said he would order replacement side panels. After several day of use during cold weather these problems persisted. We called and left messages with C.S.C.F. (no one picked up the phone during normal business hours). We were told a representative would come to the house Aug. 8 or 9. None did. When the Harman engineer finally came Oct. 24, he agreed that something was seriously wrong. Scott said he would order the replacement parts.