Woodburner issue

Poppy9

I had a woodburner installed at end of last year. It's an Aga Wenlock and it has a patch of rust on the side.

Contacted supplier (who also installed) and for past month we have called repeatedly to be told someone will come out and look at it but no one has. He did initially suggest it just needed painting.

I think we've given him time to inspect and want to now progress the matter. Clearly we are unhappy that a new fire has a rusty case and don't want it merely painted. How should I proceed?

rustyboy21

It is a cast Iron stove ( I don't sell stoves, too much like hard work) it will rust. Think about it. It gets really hot in use, cools down and takes cold air from the flue, which will create moisture. If you are not using it all the time, this is a breeding ground for rust.

It will not have been treated with a primer, that would make the stove paint blister off. It is normal. All you need to do, is get some fine wire wool, rub gently if you wish, over were the rust is happening and then either use stove paint, or something like Zebo/hot spot blackening ( even black shoe polish works) to re black it.

Thats why they sell stove paint. ! It has been this way, since cast iron has been used for fireplaces. Think of the period dramas that have been on TV. If they are in the kitchen, you will most likely see a small, poor worker, rubbing away at a range with a wire brush, to get the rust off. Then they would blacken it. Things havent changed in 100's of years. It is par for the course of owning a stove. They are not made to look pretty, they are made to be practical and maintenance is part of having a stove involves. Thats why I wouldnt have one in my house. Give me a remote control gas fire anyday.

Just to prove it....

https://agastoves.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/how-to-paint-an-aga-wood-burning-stove/

Davesnave

He's right. It's a simple job. (He's not called rustyboy for nothing!)

Poppy9

I take on board what you are saying but as it's my OH favourite toy it's lit everyday since we've had it installed but there is only one area of rust and the installer still won't call to inspect.

rustyboy21

He won't need to inspect it, it is what stoves do. It is not a fault, it is the way it is.

Get your OH to read through the link I posted. A stove is not made to look pretty all the time, it is there to provide heat, create dust, make a mess of your carpet and a heat source for your pets to sprawl out in front of.

If your other half thinks it is faulty because there is some rust on it, then his/her preconceptions of what it is like living with a stove is too high. Even £3000 stoves will rust if they are made of cast iron, they cannot rust proof them, it would make the paint come off in sheets.

If you had fumes coming into your room from the flue, Leaking from the stove itself, I would agree that the installer/retailer needs to come out. Rust is an accepted event when running a stove. It will take all of 1/2 an hour to sort yourself, it does not need an installer to do it. If you force the issue, they may charge you for a call out, if they agree to come out in the first place.

dominoman

I agree. It will rust. Nevertheless I'm surprised it has rusted if it has been lit every day. That would usually be enough to prevent condensation settling long enough to cause rust.

But in any case, I don't think you will get anywhere with the supplier or installer. It is easy to treat with some stove black or heat-proof paint, as Rustyboy says.

POPPYOSCAR

Well, yes they rust over time but end of last year?


I have two, one in the bedroom which is not used all the time and has no rust.


The one in the lounge has only been painted once in the last 10 years.

Gloomendoom

The solution...

wrightk

Every summer i remove the doors and freestanding kit in ours,repaint it all and the flue,check the rope seal is ok and if necessary apply some gasket seal around the glass windows. Its very easy to do. I prefer the spray paint as you get a better finish and at around £5 per year for the paint its nothing really, just make sure its proper heat resistant paint for stoves. Like others have said its just part and parcel of living with a stove which is continually heated,cooled and which generally sits in the summer doing nothing.

Swipe

This thread was bound to happen once stoves became home interior fashion accessories

Poppy9

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

Well, yes they rust over time but end of last year?


I have two, one in the bedroom which is not used all the time and has no rust.


The one in the lounge has only been painted once in the last 10 years.

We have friends with same fire and none of them have had rust and they have been installed much longer. I wouldn't expect it to be rusty in under 5 months.