Monessen Hearth Systems

This is a company to avoid. They are the trifecta of bad! Please read the entire review and you will understand why: They are only interested in selling you your next Fireplace log set. Why is this bad? Well, if you have one of their gas log sets that has gone bad, they make it impossible for you to get simple replacement parts. Instead of $100 in parts, they want to stick you for another $1,200 fireplace log set.

Purchased a blower for my gas fireplace in winter of 2014/15. You can guess how much a fireplace blower is used, very seldom. This winter it blew a ball bearing, and is essentially unusable. $240 for something that was used for about 2 months. I dare say an obvious manufacturing weakness or flaw. They absolutely refuse to discuss because it was "out of warranty", maximum 1 year. That's it, no matter that it fell apart in such a short time. Tried for weeks to get a positive response from them. Mostly do not respond / avoid. Poor service, poor products... seriously, how can you make such a crappy product that lasts 2 months, then breaks, and you won't stand by it? Never buy from Monessen Hearth, ** quality products and service.

We purchased this model of Fireplace in Sept. 2011, that is direct vented. Initially the unit worked on Propane but then converted to Natural Gas when it became available. A Fan Blower was also added to the unit to distribute the heat. The unit worked well until May 2015, we had just returned from the US after spending winter there. As the temperatures were still low we kept the unit running and all was good but towards the end of May, when the temperatures were beginning to rise, the flame was not high and the Fan Blower would not kick-in. We decided to have the unit service as the Cold Weather will soon be upon us.

When I attempted to change my grill from Natural Gas to Propane, the fitting on the aluminum supply assembly (2 fittings and pipe) was stuck so when I attempted to loosen it, the entire pipe twisted and became unusable. This was in August 2014. I placed an order at that time for the replacement part. In the ensuing months I have contacted "Customer Care" (an oxymoron if ever there was one!) by email and by phone at least a dozen times. After being told the order was on "backorder" numerous times, I got an email recently saying my ordered had, basically, timed out and I would have to resubmit the order, which I have done. The rep was at least forthcoming enough to inform me that the last shipment of parts that they had received from Vermont Castings/Monessen Hearth Systems Co was in May 2014! I got the impression that he was not expecting a shipment any time soon either.

We have a new Peninsula fireplace from Monessen. After one month it stopped working, gas valve was not opening. Our supplier has fixed the problem, which involves opening the gas system to release pressure behind the control valve, which jams easily with 2 lb gas pressure. He was told by Monessen that this is a common problem. Although it is easy to fix, we don't want to have to call him in every two months. Why isn't Monessen working on a proper fix for this problem?

Trying to get technical help from Monessen is horrible. They rely on their dealer network which is much more inclined to sell new products and rarely have parts. Their website states this and there is no 800 number, or any number to call. I finally uncovered they're in Paris, Kentucky and called. The message again repeated the story of their dealer network but did, at the very end, allow to leave a message. It's been five days and I still have not heard back. Companies that do not care about customer service shouldn't be doing business.

Monessen Gas Log DEB24AHB - Our first purchase was in 2009. We bought the ventless logs from True Value hardware in Paducah, KY. After installing them & using them a few times & then turning them off (we thought), I kept smelling an odor every time I would walk by the fireplace. We took the logs off the burner & discovered flames were shooting up behind one of the logs - it was a leak! We took the burner back to True Value Hardware & was accused of putting a wrong fitting in them. We explained to them, we didn't do a thing to the burner - we installed it right out of the box. We had to purchase another fitting. Installed it & after running the logs a few more times the same thing happened again. It is now 2013. We took the burner back to True Value. They said the valve assembly was burnt up. So we had to purchase another set of gas logs to the tune of $486.54. So, as I am typing this review my husband is installing the new one.

I had burner and logs for three years, installed last year. A smell was coming off the log set. It was burnt in three hours continuously with windows open. The smell was still the same. It burns the eyes and it was hard to breathe. I quit using it and asked the store where it was purchased; they said to burn off further. It didn't help so I quit using. This year, it burnt off three hours. Again, the smell was the same. I went back to the store. They said the manufacturer made logs with something in the logs that made it smell. I need new logs. I asked if the manufacturer was replacing the logs at no charge since they created the smell problem. The store, Von Tobel Lumber of Valparaiso, IN, said the manufacturing company would not stand behind the product. I must purchase the log set.

I'm trying to order a shaker rod from an online company for my older Vermont Casting Vigilant II coal stove. This is the one part that is most likely to wear out and it is not available at my local store. I ordered the part the week before Christmas and it did not ship. Then they closed for two weeks for the holidays, and now, they are closed for a week for inventory. I was told today I would not receive the part for nearly another month. It's lousy service to say the least. It's a shame that a fine old company was taken over by incompetence.

I bought a Monessen 42-inch Serenade fireplace. I had to remove the burner to install it. The burner gasket tore. I ordered new one from Rich's Fireplace in Tacoma, WA, and parts from Lynnwood, WA. I have been told it was on backorder three times over a month. I called again. Now, they told me it was ordered half an hour ago. Monessen won't talk to me directly and Rich's won't get the part.

I cannot get a thermal coupler part to fix my majestic Vermont fireplace bought from their dealer at Fireplace City, in York, PA, about five years ago.

I purchased a gas Monessen fireplace from Throughbred Fireplaces (an eBay store). It was new, in the box, with a warranty card. When the fireplace was installed, we found that it had a bad gas valve. When we contacted Monessen, we were told that they didn't honor warranties for products purchased over the internet, which is suppose to be stated on their website. That information was not stated on any printed material in the product box. Monessen has been very difficult to deal with, because they only want to work with their own dealers, even though I live in an area where the nearest dealer was almost 100 miles away, and even the dealers were very slow to return calls. I finally was able to purchase the part, which I'm still waiting for. I had to purchase a valve which was over $200.00 plus shipping, from Monessen to the dealer, and then the dealer to me.