Northwest Hearth & Home

***please see attached [redacted] To Whom It May Concern,We are in receipt of a reply from [redacted] and [redacted] following our response tothe original above,referenced complaint stating that they have rejected our responseInaddition, their reply essentially reiterated the same information as in the original complaint towhich we previously respondedill though we understand that they are frustrated by the events that have transpired withregard to their woodstove and/or chimney over the past five years, we stand by our responsethat we cannot be held responsible for the condition of their chimney since it was continuallyadjusted by them over the past five years and also due to the fact that is has now beenreplaced by another company.The last thing we heard from them following the original installation and subsequent returnvisit to re-inspect the chimney after the visit from the fire department was that everythingwas working as it was designed (in February 2011)Despite further transactions formaintenance materials in the following years, no mention was ever made that any continuedissues remainedIt was not until November that we learned that they had beenrepeatedly adjusting their chimney and had been continuing to knowingly use it in an unsafemannerHad we been made aware of any continuing issue- especially that could affect safewould have taken any necessary steps to address them Rather than notifying us over the course of all of these years, they now claim that they did notbecause our "help always comes with a hefty price tag." Our communication with them fromthe start has consistently affirmed our willingness to assist them and we have never refused todo soOur return trip to re~inspect the chimney following the fire department's visit wasdone at no chargeOnly after the extensive time that elapsed between and when wenext heard from them did we state that a service call charge would apply on any further workperfonned.As it stands, we were not made aware of any further issues, and considering the interveninguse, adjustments, rnodillcations and ultimate replaceoent of the chinmey, we cannot beresponsible for their decisions.There are many inaccuracies in their complaint, but one comment, in particular, in their lastletter must be addressed, which states, "No One tampered with the chimney expect to reset itwhen it became dislodged in the wind as explained to me by their installer needed to be doneperiodically." This is absolutely not true- under no circumstances would we ever make sucha statement! It seems to us that having to adjust the chimney in such a manner would be anobvious safety concern which required immediate attentionThis type of statement onlyserves to reinforce the fact that their recollection of the entire situation is inaccurateHad thechimney been loose or unsafe in any way during our last visit, we would have rectified itimmediately On the contrary, it was fully secure- in fact, Ms [redacted] was there to inspect itat that timeContrary to their clairn that our conn-act exists so that we can hide things, it exists to protectus from situations which occur following our installations over which we have no control.Rather than contacting us, they instead elected to adjust, modify and replace the chimney ontheir own, which .is certainly their right as homeowners; however, this decision precludesthem from making a claim against us as we had no knowledge of the situation until it was toolate.We genuinely want them to be able to fully enjoy their woodstoveWe are only sorry thattheir preconceived notions about us prevented them from doing so thus farTheirassumptions that we would be unwilling to help them despite our prompt and free visitfollowing only time we heard that they had experienced any problem are inaccurate and haveresulted in the problems they have described.We are truly glad to hear rhat they have been satisfied with the results after having thechimney replaced by another company and wish them the best in the future.Should you have any questions, please contact me at (360) 491-Thank you very much.Sincerely,Patty C [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: On the free visit they referenced repeatedly, shortly after the original install, they stated that they had to readjust, realign the chimney because it came dislodgedWhy would the chimney need to be readjusted, realigned when no one had touched itThe determining factors they continually deflect from is: faulty installation, the fabricated part that they called field trimmed, and the 16" hole the original installer cut in my roof for the 8" chimney, which allows the chimney to move in the wind causing it to become "dislodged" in any wind and need to be "realigned" or "reset", and that the installer made us uncomfortable in our own home Their obfuscating the issues is only a diversionary tactic to not answer the real question of how and why their installer improperly installed our chimneyThe hole in the roof and the faulty fabricated fitting they installed is not visible on any outward inspection that they are referring tooThe only way one would be able to see what the problem was is if they were the installer and did the shoddy work or the entire chimney gets taken out, which is what I finally ended up having a different installer do, because of all the problems with the original installation I cannot stress enough that the two times their installer came to our house he made us uncomfortable in our own homeIf I said the wood stove was working fine, it was only because the wind hadn't blown yet or the wood stove hadn't been usedBut then gain, I wouldn't let their installer back in my house again anywayTwice was enough Sincerely, [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: One must ask how could a brand new chimney become "dislodged," need to be "realigned" or "reset" after less than a month, if it had been installed correctly? Yes, their installers, "haste and commotion" in installing the chimney originally is the problemI was not swayed by the installer blaming everyone else for a faulty installation he performed, but at that time I had no idea how bad the install was as it is hidden in our atticThe entire chimney had to come out to find out what the problem really was A 16" hole cut into our roof for a 8" chimney pipe, a faulty fabricated fitting, and an unsecured chimney on our roof flopping around in any breeze The installer, who I believe now is co-owner or at least related to the owner, is extremely rude and obnoxious and made us extremely uncomfortable in our own houseI called the shop and spoke to the person who sold me the stove and received the same convoluted story that is unsubstantiated by any fact that is was the fire departments fault, who never went onto the roof, our fault for purportedly burning wet or otherwise inferior wood, our wood is neither green nor wet, or that it is a "challenge" to establish a draft, the draft was fully established before our departureThe path of least resistance shouldn't be into our house, it should be out the chimney that is why there is a chimney Yes, I believe that the installers' improper installation "without properly stabilizing the chimney section as it exists the flashing" created "exactly the situation they experienced." The chimney was not secured when it was originally installed I found out early in this process that NW Hearth and Home is adept at muddying the waters, and placing blame everywhere, but where it belongs, squarely on themTheir clause in their contract is not legal or biding, just more obfuscationThey have never been responsive or helpful in any way, and their help always comes with a hefty price tagI realized I would never get anywhere dealing with them after their first response when the fire department was called: Consequently, there was no use in talking to them, they just come up with excuses and half baked ideas as to why it may happen, and not to how or why it happened, which rests squarely on improper original installation After having to "realign" or "reset" the chimney every time the wind blew and the chimney became "dislodged" over the intervening years, I finally saved enough money to have a reputable fireplace shop, a company that has nothing to gain one way or theo ther concerning the original installation of the chimney, come to our home to find out what was wrong with the chimney that it constantly became "dislodged" and had to be "reset" or "realigned"I, having had any number of wood stoves having the same for years, and have never encountered such problems in the past, but then neither of us has ever had a chimney improperly installed before The company I had come out discovered the 16" hole in the roof, the improper use of a fabricated fitting that wasn't "field-trimmed to achieve the proper fit" properly, and that the chimney and flashing was not secured properly when originally installed, also the stove still cannot be aligned to achieve the proper clearance to the walls inside the house and maintain level on the chimney going through our roofThe hole cannot be cut any larger to accommodate for the required manufacturers clearances without further compromising the chimney, and making it even more unstableThe only cure is to repair the roof to its original state, and start all over with the proper installation, and cutting a new hole in the roof to align the stove and chimney properly without the chimney wobbling around They stated it "wasn't worth it" to them, but then they though that their illegal legal clause would stop anyone from going outside of their business to find out what the problem wasTheir contract they hope would cause patrons to contact them for repairs, and they could hide the cause of why the repairs were needed, faulty installation all the way, and charge again for another installation that still wouldn't be right due to the 16" hole in our roof, and the improper alignment of the stove in the house and through our roofAll of these items were hidden inside the attic and ceiling and without taking it completely out would never be discoveredFrom my dealings with NW Hearth & Home there was no trust formed, and without trust there can be no relationshipIt was utterly pointless to speak with them I offered them a very generous offer to come out and fix the faulty chimney installation, and that would be it, but they never responded except in their usual fashion of placing blame everywhere, but where it should rest, solely on their shoulders The less I have to do with NW Hearth and Home the better! They have an excuse for everything by implying that things happened that did not through innuendo and speculations that just aren't trueI have pictures of all the faulty installation, the overly enlarged hole in my roof, the stove still not aligning properly, and the faulty fabricated fittingI wouldn't have had any way to know of any of these things as I stated before they were covered up in the attic and were not visible until the chimney was taken outI also still have the chimney sections, with fitting, that were taken outNo one would be able to tell what was wrong without dismantling the entire chimney from the stove and up through the chimney on the roof, which NW Hearth and Home never did, and never asked me to look atHad I looked at the damage they caused during the installation, I would have immediatly fired them and taken legal action at that timeThere is also a report prepared by the company I had come to find out what the problem was and to ultimately fix it so that it "worked as it was designed to do so." The cost of the correct repairs and the cost to clean up the ensuing disaster in my new house from the faulty installation will probably up the cost that was originally reported by me to resolve these issues that are still ongoingNo one tampered with the chimney except to reset it when it became dislodged in the wind as explained to me by their installer needed to be done periodicallyThis is not a common thing anyone should have to do to their chimney, if installed correctly with proper fittings Sincerely, [redacted] Sincerely, [redacted]

To Whom It May Concern:We appreciate the opportunity to reply to this complaint. We are not able to substantiate manyof the assertions in the complaint, as we do not have first-hand knowledge of what hastranspired. Other assertions are unnecessarily inflammatory and don't pertain to fact...

orresolution.
 
We will gladly address the facts, to the best of our knowledge and recollection.While we have not interacted with Mr. [redacted], we have worked with his wife, [redacted].Ms. [redacted] purchased a woodstove on December 21,2010, which was installed on January 24,2011. On January 31, 2011, Ms. [redacted] called to let us know that her smoke alarm had goneoff, which sent an alert to her home security monitoring company. As a result, the firedepartment was called. Upon learning of this situation, we went out to inspect the chimneysystem to make sure everything was all right. When we inspected the situation, it appeared thatthe chimney was slightly dislodged, which is attributable to the haste and commotion over thesituation. We re-set the pipe and confirmed it was properly attached. At that time, we invitedMs. [redacted] to come and view it for herself to show her that it was in proper condition.We explained that the likely cause of the smoke backdraft was incomplete combustion, which isusually due to burning green or wet wood, or banking the damper down prematurely, before thesecondary bum was able to engage. It is a common challenge, especially with the newer burntechnology requirements in place for cleaner emissions. In most cases, a draft can be reestablishedby allowing the door to remain open a while longer or opening a window or door inthe house to alleviate any negative air pressure as the fire establishes itself. Unfortunately in thiscase, it appears that whomever loaded the stove with wood left the house shortly after, and thedraft was not able to be fully established, causing the smoke to seek the path of least resistance,which was back into the house. This triggered the smoke alarm and alerted ADT.
Following this visit, we followed up with a letter and provided some resources to explain whatwe had discussed. We were disheartened to learn that this offended Ms. [redacted] as she sent ascathing email in reply, that was filled with personal attacks and unfounded accusations. Whatwe were able to glean from this email were the words we needed to hear so that we could knowthe issue was resolved following our visit, "now my wood stove works as it is designed to do."In October of2011, Ms. [redacted] contacted us to purchase replacement baffles for her woodstovewhich are a routine maintenance item. She also inquired about purchasing a chimney brush androds. At no time did she mention any issues whatsoever with her woodstove or chimney. Again,we received that as indication that there were no problems, and everything was working fine.For the next several years, we heard nothing from Ms. [redacted] until November 20,2015. Sheinformed us that she had contacted another company to remove and replace her chimney. Sheaccused us of installing home-made parts, and using chimney that did not meet code. Weexplained to her that we would never use home-made parts, and that all of our installations areperformed to meet building code and manufacturer specifications. We asked her to provide apicture of the chimney that was removed so that we could try and ascertain what had happened.She sent a couple of pictures that confirmed our concern that somewhere along the line, over thepast several years, the chimney had become dislodged at the ceiling box. In our experience, thiscan happen as a result of pulling too hard to remove the chimney cap, which is secured by atight, friction fit without properly stabilizing the chimney section as it exits the flashing. If thisbecomes unseated, especially over the course of time, it can create exactly the situation theyexperienced.We were shocked to learn that they had been burning their woodstove with a chimney pipe thatwas cocked and loose, according to their description. Had we known that this was theirsituation, we would have urged them not to use their woodstove until it was returned to its properposition and fully inspected for safety.Due to the technical and safety related elements of chimneys and woodstoves, it is generallyrecommended that they be serviced by professionals each year. Of course, homeowners can andoften do perform their own chimney cleanings and other minor maintenance related items;however, when they do, they take on the responsibility of ensuring the integrity of the integrityand safety of the system is not compromised.Given the safety concerns inherent with woodstove and chimney systems, we have a clause inour contract that protects us from liability in the event the system is tampered with or if thecustomer chooses to use the products without notifying us of any concerns. A wobbly chimneysuch as they described would be evidence that something was not right, and would warrantprompt attention, and continued fires should have been suspended until it was properlyaddressed. Had we been made aware of this when they first discovered any such issue, wewould have strongly urged them to get this taken care of and would have offered our services todo so.
To address the claim that we used homemade parts to save money, we state definitively that wedo not fabricate our own parts. The part they are likely referencing is the adapter piece that isincluded with every ceiling support box. It is a universal piece that is designed to facilitate thetransition between the Class A chimney and a variety of brands of interior chimney. Based onthe specifics of the installation, this adapter is field-trimmed to achieve the proper fit. Since it isnot a machined cut, it is not perfect, but it in no way affects the safety of the adapter.We are a company with nearly 30 years dedicated to the hearth industry. The products we useare highly rated and meet all required safety certifications. We have been distributors of thebrand of chimney used in this installation, for over 20 years. The safety of our customers is ofutmost concern to us. This is exemplified by the fact that our service technicians are the onlyones in our region certified by the National Fireplace Institute. We would never considerperforming an installation with inferior products, or in a manner that does not meet building codeor manufacturer's specifications. It is simply not worth it to us.Of course, we are very disappointed that Mr. [redacted] and Ms. [redacted] have experienced anyamount of trouble with their woodstove and/or chimney, and we can understand how frustratingthis situation has been. We do not understand why they feel tbat we have been rude, obnoxiousor otherwise difficult. We have been responsive to their concerns when brought to our attention,and have never refused to help them in any way. We did explain that we are not responsible forthe circumstances that transpired over the past 5 years in accordance with our contract, whichstates that the Purchaser must bring any concerns to our attention to fix, as applicable, and if theyelect to contract with another company, they waive any claim against us and cannot claim acredit or back charge for the cost of doing so.Based on their most recent communication, they have told us that the new chimney that wasinstalled by another company has met with their satisfaction, and we are relieved to hear that.While we understand that this situation has resulted in stress and expense for Mr. [redacted] andMs. [redacted] we ean in no way take responsibility for what we were not notified of and what hasbeen removed and replaced by another company.A file of documentation pertaining to our communication with Ms. [redacted] that corroborates ourefforts is available upon request.
Sincerely, 
Patty C[redacted]
NW Hearth & Home

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
One must ask how could a brand new chimney become "dislodged," need to be "realigned" or "reset" after less than a month, if it had been installed correctly? Yes, their installers, "haste and commotion" in installing the chimney originally is the problem. I was not swayed by the installer blaming everyone else for a faulty installation he performed, but at that time I had no idea how bad the install was as it is hidden in our attic. The entire chimney had to come out to find out what the problem really was. 
A 16" hole cut into our roof for a 8" chimney pipe, a faulty fabricated fitting, and an unsecured chimney on our roof flopping around in any breeze. 
The installer, who I believe now is co-owner or at least related to the owner, is extremely rude and obnoxious and made us extremely uncomfortable in our own house. I called the shop and spoke to the person who sold me the stove and received the same convoluted story that is unsubstantiated by any fact that is was the fire departments fault, who never went onto the roof, our fault for purportedly burning wet or otherwise inferior wood, our wood is neither green nor wet, or that it is a "challenge" to establish a draft, the draft was fully established before our departure. The path of least resistance shouldn't be into our house, it should be out the chimney that is why there is a chimney.
Yes, I believe that the installers' improper installation "without properly stabilizing the chimney section as it exists the flashing" created "exactly the situation they experienced." The chimney was not secured when it was originally installed. 
I found out early in this process that NW Hearth and Home is adept at muddying the waters, and placing blame everywhere, but where it belongs, squarely on them. Their clause in their contract is not legal or biding, just more obfuscation. They have never been responsive or helpful in any way, and their help always comes with a hefty price tag. I realized I would never get anywhere dealing with them after their first response when the fire department was called: Consequently, there was no use in talking to them, they just come up with excuses and half baked ideas as to why it may happen, and not to how or why it happened, which rests squarely on improper original installation. 
After having to "realign" or "reset" the chimney every time the wind blew and the chimney became "dislodged" over the intervening years, I finally saved enough money to have a reputable fireplace shop, a company that has nothing to gain one way or theo ther concerning the original installation of the chimney, come to our home to find out what was wrong with the chimney that it constantly became "dislodged" and had to be "reset" or "realigned". I, having had any number of wood stoves having the same for 75 years, and have never encountered such problems in the past, but then neither of us has ever had a chimney improperly installed before. 
The company I had come out discovered the 16" hole in the roof, the improper use of a fabricated fitting that wasn't "field-trimmed to achieve the proper fit" properly, and that the chimney and flashing was not secured properly when originally installed, also the stove still cannot be aligned to achieve the proper clearance to the walls inside the house and maintain level on the chimney going through our roof. The hole cannot be cut any larger to accommodate for the required manufacturers clearances without further compromising the chimney, and making it even more unstable. The only cure is to repair the roof to its original state, and start all over with the proper installation, and cutting a new hole in the roof to align the stove and chimney properly without the chimney wobbling around. 
They stated it "wasn't worth it" to them, but then they though that their illegal legal clause would stop anyone from going outside of their business to find out what the problem was. Their contract they hope would cause patrons to contact them for repairs, and they could hide the cause of why the repairs were needed, faulty installation all the way, and charge again for another installation that still wouldn't be right due to the 16" hole in our roof, and the improper alignment of the stove in the house and through our roof. All of these items were hidden inside the attic and ceiling and without taking it completely out would never be discovered. From my dealings with NW Hearth & Home there was no trust formed, and without trust there can be no relationship. It was utterly pointless to speak with them. 
I offered them a very generous offer to come out and fix the faulty chimney installation, and that would be it, but they never responded except in their usual fashion of placing blame everywhere, but where it should rest, solely on their shoulders. 
The less I have to do with NW Hearth and Home the better! They have an excuse for everything by implying that things happened that did not through innuendo and speculations that just aren't true. I have pictures of all the faulty installation, the overly enlarged hole in my roof, the stove still not aligning properly, and the faulty fabricated fitting. I wouldn't have had any way to know of any of these things as I stated before they were covered up in the attic and were not visible until the chimney was taken out. I also still have the chimney sections, with fitting, that were taken out. No one would be able to tell what was wrong without dismantling the entire chimney from the stove and up through the chimney on the roof, which NW Hearth and Home never did, and never asked me to look at. Had I looked at the damage they caused during the installation, I would have immediatly fired them and taken legal action at that time. There is also a report prepared by the company I had come to find out what the problem was and to ultimately fix it so that it "worked as it was designed to do so."
The cost of the correct repairs and the cost to clean up the ensuing disaster in my new house from the faulty installation will probably up the cost that was originally reported by me to resolve these issues that are still ongoing. No one tampered with the chimney except to reset it when it became dislodged in the wind as explained to me by their installer needed to be done periodically. This is not a common thing anyone should have to do to their chimney, if installed correctly with proper fittings.
Sincerely, 
[redacted]
 
 
 
Sincerely,[redacted]

[redacted]please see attached[redacted]
To Whom It May Concern,We are in receipt of a reply from [redacted] and [redacted] following our response tothe original above,referenced complaint stating that they have rejected our response. Inaddition, their reply essentially reiterated the same information as in the original complaint towhich we previously respondedill though we understand that they are frustrated by the events that have transpired withregard to their woodstove and/or chimney over the past five years, we stand by our responsethat we cannot be held responsible for the condition of their chimney since it was continuallyadjusted by them over the past five years and also due to the fact that is has now beenreplaced by another company.The last thing we heard from them following the original installation and subsequent returnvisit to re-inspect the chimney after the visit from the fire department was that everythingwas working as it was designed (in February 2011). Despite further transactions formaintenance materials in the following years, no mention was ever made that any continuedissues remained. It was not until November 2015 that we learned that they had beenrepeatedly adjusting their chimney and had been continuing to knowingly use it in an unsafemanner. Had we been made aware of any continuing issue- especially that could affect safety-we would have taken any necessary steps to address them.
Rather than notifying us over the course of all of these years, they now claim that they did notbecause our "help always comes with a hefty price tag." Our communication with them fromthe start has consistently affirmed our willingness to assist them and we have never refused todo so. Our return trip to re~inspect the chimney following the fire department's visit wasdone at no charge. Only after the extensive time that elapsed between 2011 and 2015 when wenext heard from them did we state that a service call charge would apply on any further workperfonned.As it stands, we were not made aware of any further issues, and considering the interveninguse, adjustments, rnodillcations and ultimate replaceoent of the chinmey, we cannot beresponsible for their decisions.There are many inaccuracies in their complaint, but one comment, in particular, in their lastletter must be addressed, which states, "No One tampered with the chimney expect to reset itwhen it became dislodged in the wind as explained to me by their installer needed to be doneperiodically." This is absolutely not true- under no circumstances would we ever make sucha statement! It seems to us that having to adjust the chimney in such a manner would be anobvious safety concern which required immediate attention. This type of statement onlyserves to reinforce the fact that their recollection of the entire situation is inaccurate. Had thechimney been loose or unsafe in any way during our last visit, we would have rectified itimmediately On the contrary, it was fully secure- in fact, Ms. [redacted] was there to inspect itat that timeContrary to their clairn that our conn-act exists so that we can hide things, it exists to protectus from situations which occur following our installations over which we have no control.Rather than contacting us, they instead elected to adjust, modify and replace the chimney ontheir own, which .is certainly their right as homeowners; however, this decision precludesthem from making a claim against us as we had no knowledge of the situation until it was toolate.We genuinely want them to be able to fully enjoy their woodstove. We are only sorry thattheir preconceived notions about us prevented them from doing so thus far. Theirassumptions that we would be unwilling to help them despite our prompt and free visitfollowing only time we heard that they had experienced any problem are inaccurate and haveresulted in the problems they have described.We are truly glad to hear rhat they have been satisfied with the results after having thechimney replaced by another company and wish them the best in the future.Should you have any questions, please contact me at (360) 491-4060. Thank you very much.Sincerely,Patty C[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: On the free visit they referenced repeatedly, shortly after the original install, they stated that they had to readjust, realign the chimney because it came dislodged. Why would the chimney need to be readjusted, realigned when no one had touched it. The determining factors they continually deflect from is: faulty installation, the fabricated part that they called field trimmed,  and the 16" hole the original installer cut in my roof for the 8" chimney, which allows the chimney to move in the wind causing it to become "dislodged" in any wind and need to be "realigned" or "reset", and that the installer made us uncomfortable in our own home. 
Their obfuscating the issues is only a diversionary tactic to not answer the real question of how and why their installer improperly installed our chimney. The hole in the roof and the faulty fabricated fitting they installed is not visible on any outward inspection that they are referring too. The only way one would be able to see what the problem was is if 1 they were the installer and did the shoddy work or 2 the entire chimney gets taken out, which is what I finally ended up having a different installer do, because of all the problems with the original installation. 
I cannot stress enough that the two times their installer came to our house he made us uncomfortable in our own home. If I said the wood stove was working fine, it was only because the wind hadn't blown yet or the wood stove hadn't been used. But then gain, I wouldn't let their installer back in my house again anyway. Twice was enough. 
Sincerely,[redacted]