Hearth Record

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Monessen gas-burning fireplaces, factory built

4 reports to CPSC, the latest made Dec 28, 2018. A report isn’t a recall.

Watch it to hear when CPSC publishes new reports about it. CPSC’s own search, on saferproducts.gov

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At a glance

From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.

  • 4reports to CPSC
  • Dec 28, 2018the latest report was made
  • Jan 11, 2013the earliest
  • 1with the company’s comments
Brand
Monessen
Maker
MONESSEN HEARTH SYSTEMS CO dba VERMONT CASTINGS GROUPMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
Product
Gas-burning fireplaces, factory builtCPSC’s product type: Gas-burning Fireplaces, Factory Built (code 334), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning
Other ways the reports write the brand (3)

“MONESSEN HEARTH SYSTEMS DBA VERMONT CASTINGS GROUP”, “Monessen Hearth” and “Monesson”

By month

1 report from January 2018 to December 2018; the most in December 2018, 1. 3 earlier reports, since January 2013, are in the table.
The numbers, as a table
Reports to CPSC by the month each was made, newest first
MonthReports
December 20181
November 20141
January 20141
January 20131

How badly anyone was hurt

  • No one hurt 4 CPSC: Incident, No Injury

As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.

The reports, as CPSC published them

Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.

Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.

Source:

CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

  1. No one hurt

    Made Dec 28, 2018, sent to the company Feb 15, 2019, published by CPSC Mar 5, 2019

    The product, in the report: Indoor Gas Fireplace

    This specific fireplace has been in our home 6 years with very minimal use. It gets used in Dec-Feb. typically and maybe 2-3 times per month. It almost always never starts.....typically having to flip the on-switch 3-4 times to maybe get a pilot flicker, then we replace batteries at least 4-5 times per year.....or about every other time we use the fireplace. We see it has been RECALLED by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Now we cannot get the “ Command Center “ little black 4-battery 6 volt-DC box to function....thereby not allowing the fireplace to function. The wall switch is functional ( I am an engineer ) and the batteries are all 1.62VDC ( tested with volt meter ) New & Fresh........Please contact me about the RECALL & subsequent repair ASAP. Thank You !

    Model
    # CDVR42NSC7
    Serial number
    # 11-P-058085
    Bought from
    Builder
    Bought
    May 7, 2012
    Where
    Bixby, Oklahoma: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Age 56, Male
    The reporter’s relation to them
    My Spouse
    As this report names them
    Brand Monessen Hearth, made or sold by MONESSEN HEARTH SYSTEMS CO dba VERMONT CASTINGS GROUP
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury
  2. No one hurt

    Made Nov 13, 2014, sent to the company Feb 19, 2015, published by CPSC Mar 6, 2015

    The product, in the report: Gas Logs with remote controlled fireplace Unvented gas log

    Caller purchased an gas fireplace in 2009 and had no problems with it until sometime around the middle of October 2014 while he was conducting a pre season cleaning and noticed a faint smell of gas. There are two sets of burners in this gas log set, one in the rear that burns high flames then ones in the front are lower flames. There is a rock wool fabric that is used to cover the first set of burners. If there is a smidgeon of a gap then all exposed areas do not light. If the wool moves very slightly it could possibly uncover one of the holes. When the holes are not lit or are uncovered then they are still emitting gas which presents a gas leak.

    The manual does not impress how important it is to place the wool in order to ensure all holes properly light. It also does not encourage replacement or monitoring. The caller’s 5 year old wool was deteriorating. The caller found that properly placed wool will move over the course of several lightings and thus cause a hole to be exposed, unlit, and leaking gas. It seems like the moveable part (wool) is critical to proper lighting.

    There have been no injuries at this time

    The caller has still been using this fireplace but being very careful that all holes that leak gas are lit. The caller checks the wool placement each time! Caller has been advised that he should consider not using the fireplace at this stage.

    He contacted the retailer who sent him extra rock wool. The retailer indicated how the wool can move & thus not light correctly. Page 76 of the manual does not clearly explain the placement of the wool and how they must touch to create a chain effect & properly light the holes. He has not contacted the manufacturer but does intend to contact them.

    Model
    HVFL18
    Serial number
    Cannot see
    Bought from
    Calhoun’s Pool Shop, Kentucky
    Bought
    Jun 15, 2009, about then
    Where
    Clarksville, Tennessee: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Male
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Unspecified
    As this report names them
    Brand Monessen, made or sold by MONESSEN HEARTH SYSTEMS CO dba VERMONT CASTINGS GROUP
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury
  3. No one hurt

    Made Jan 25, 2014, sent to the company Feb 3, 2014, published by CPSC Feb 19, 2014

    The product, in the report: FIREPLACE INSERT

    I have a Monessen Hearth Systems Fireplace insert. It is a Propane gas Model MCFS36PV. When I turn it on the room fills with propane gas smell prior to lighting. When I looked the company up on the internet to contact them, they had changed their name to Vermont Castings Group, a company they acquired in 2012. I imagine after the mass recall they did this for PR purposes. It also had a recall notice about the same product I have, only later models. I think this problem might be more widespread than the 15,000 recalled in 2011-2012. My unit is a 2005 model, but when I read the recall, it is doing the exact same thing. The website link on their website is no longer valid for recall information. According to their website it has a limited lifetime warranty.

    Model
    Signature Command MODEL# MCFS36PV
    Serial number
    05-C-076699
    Bought
    Oct 17, 2006
    Where
    WEST PLAINS, Missouri: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Age 60, Male
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Self
    As this report names them
    Brand MONESSEN HEARTH SYSTEMS DBA VERMONT CASTINGS GROUP, made or sold by MONESSEN HEARTH SYSTEMS CO dba VERMONT CASTINGS GROUP
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury
  4. No one hurt

    Made Jan 11, 2013, sent to the company Feb 4, 2013, published by CPSC Feb 26, 2013

    The product, in the report: Propane vent free fireplace burner

    The consumer says it is very difficult to turn the knob to turn it on. He says that when he was finally able to there was a sudden burst of flames which shot up and almost burned his face. The consumer says that gas was escaping from it and when it turned it on flames shot up.

    He says that in order to get it to turn it on he has to get very close to the fire place. The consumer contacted the retailer who told him that he does not know how to use it. He contacted the manufacturer who told him the same thing.

    The consumer says the company did not want to bother to investigate the unit he has. He says the manufacturer agreed that it is difficult to turn it on. This hazard is similar to what is listed in Release #13-033.

    Bought from
    Patio World, New Jersey
    Bought
    Oct 15, 2012
    Where
    Titusville, New Jersey: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Male
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Unspecified
    As this report names them
    Brand Monesson, made or sold by MONESSEN HEARTH SYSTEMS CO dba VERMONT CASTINGS GROUP
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.

Source:

Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.

Sources

Sources

  • U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.

    Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.

Source:

Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.

Back to Gas-burning fireplaces, factory built

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 8, 2026. Updated monthly.

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