Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/16/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a ************* log and burner, manufactured by RH Peterson ** and sold through its authorized dealer Real Fyre Store, in January 2023. On February 16, 2023 I contacted the store regarding excess and unhealthy levels of sooting apparent on the logs. I was concerned of the health implications on my family, as well as the unsightly appearance. The amount of soot that accumulated after only 5 minutes of operation was excessive and looked as though it had been operating for years. When I contacted the seller, they noted that the manufacturer, RH Peterson **, would need to be contacted for technical support. The seller and I worked through *******************, a ********* Service Supervisor, to discuss the issue further. I was asked to verify the dimensions of my firebox, as well as the gas pressure, which I did and provided to RH Peterson **. All were found to be within the stated specifications in the installation manual provided with the log and burner set I purchased. Further, it was validated that the installation, which was also performed by an authorized Real Fyre seller/installer, was done according to the specified instructions in the manual. I have repeatedly asked for a full refund for the log and burner given that they are clearly defective. All other potential variables have been eliminated, given what is noted above regarding to specification installation and environment. RH Peterson, along with the entity they contract with to provide warranties for its products, have told me I must send in the materials which will then be tested, and if the tests show the log and burner are working properly, the goods will be returned to me at my expense for shipping. This solution does not work for me. The product has proven defective through numerous photos and tests performed and a full refund should be processed immediately once RH Peterson ** receives the returned log and burner set. The RH Peterson contact is ***************** *************************************

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2023

  here is an email that was sent to ******************** responding to his complaint.  The response below contains all the information that is relevant for this case.

  Thank you,

   

  ********************,
  
  We received your message and unfortunately, we do not agree with you on your assessment that the unit is defective.  You have not provided any evidence to support your contention.  The sooting that you see is not excessive and is expected as we point out in our log manuals.  Also, if you look at the pictures on our web site you will see that most of the pictures of vented units have evidence of soot on the logs.  Finally, in one of your previous emails, you mentioned that you were bothered by the fact that the soot would be breathed in.  This conclusion is wrong since your fireplace is a vented one and one of the requirements for installing our logs in a fireplace  is that it complies with all the requirements for burning wood in it.  The amount of soot that is produced by burning wood would be thousands of times more than using our log set.
  
  As we said before if you want us to test your unit to prove your point or ours we will gladly bring it back here and test it.  But you have repeatedly refused this option.
  
  Sorry, there is nothing more that we can do for you.
  
  *****************, PhD
  V. President

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/06/2023

   
  Complaint: 20198407
  
  I am rejecting this response as it is inaccurate and still fails to offer a reasonable solution.  First, the company continues to state that the sooting on my logs is normal, referencing images on its website that show soot.  However, the logs I purchased (Split Oak Designer Plus) show far more sooting after only 5 minutes of use as compared to the log images on the company website, thereby proving my point.  Further, as one would reasonably assume, the sooting will continue to worsen with ongoing usage to the point of looking far different than what the company is representing to consumers through its product images.  

  Further, the company's suggested solution requires that I incur the expense to have the logs and burner removed and packed up so that the company can test it at their facility.  The fact that the logs are showing excess sooting, combined with the email proof from the technician that the install and firebox are both within spec, should be sufficient to generate a return and refund.  Given how this company refuses to stand behind its products, I have no confidence that they will provide an impartial perspective on the functioning of the burner and log. Which would then result in them shipping the defective product back to me at my expense.  This solution will simply not suffice.

  I am unwilling to consider any solution short of a full refund for this defective product.  I will pay somebody to uninstall the defective product, send it back to RH Peterson, and they will refund the full cost I paid for the defective logs and burner.

  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************