Ashford 30.1 smoke smell

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I laid about a 3/8" bead all the way around...
Even though the smoke smell never bothered me and I don't have the issue anymore, I really hope the fix is really as simple as a really good gasket installation :)
When you replaced the gasket did you remove the door? If so, how hard was it to remove?
 
When you replaced the gasket did you remove the door? If so, how hard was it to remove?

I did in fact remove the door. It just lifts up off the hinge pins. It took me longer to type this than it did to pull the door. That being said, I have a Sirocco and I have never seen an Ashford in person, so i can't comment on whether the hinges are the same.
 
Update. Just had the gasket replaced. The original just had dabs of RTV here and there. The RTV was applied in a fat ~3/8" continuous bead. The whole channel had RTV in it with some squishing up both sides and out. I will fire the stove 24 Hrs from now and give another update. He used red hi temp RTV.
 
Update. Just had the gasket replaced. The original just had dabs of RTV here and there. The RTV was applied in a fat ~3/8" continuous bead. The whole channel had RTV in it with some squishing up both sides and out. I will fire the stove 24 Hrs from now and give another update. He used red hi temp RTV.
Did the dealer remove the door to replace the gasket? I can't wait to hear about the results tomorrow
 
The door remained in place during the installation of the gasket. The door is latched during the drying process. The gasket replacement was easy to do. I used a vacuum cleaner to suck up the airborn fiberglass frizzes during the installation. A little dab of RTV was placed at the end joint
 
The door remained in place during the installation of the gasket. The door is latched during the drying process. The gasket replacement was easy to do. I used a vacuum cleaner to suck up the airborn fiberglass frizzes during the installation. A little dab of RTV was placed at the end joint
Ok. Thanks. What made you decide to have the dealer do it? If this works for you I'm going to do the same thing.
 
I let the dealer do it because it is only few weeks old. The low burn on these stoves is unlike any other stove. I am very pleased. A true wood saver.
 
If you call Chris at BK, he will probably send you a gasket since you are having the "smoke smell" problem too.
I have talked to him on here. He is going to send me the gasket. I just don't know if I want to try it myself. I have never done one before and this is my first stove. I would rather have a dealer do it but I don't really care for my dealer. I had the stove installed in July of this year.

Also what did you use to measure your draft? It has been brought up a lot about adding chimney to increase the draft to eliminate the smoke smell. I want to measure my draft to see if my draft is the issue.
 
The device I used to measure the draft is called a Magnehelic. It is use to measure faint pressures. The one I used goes from zero to .25" water column. You can get one from WW Grainger online but I don't think it will be necessary. It is ~$60.00. You will also need barb fittings and a rubber hose to connect it to the stove or flue. I jammed a volley ball inflation needle into the end of the hose to sense the stove pressure at the cat thermometer hole as this is a direct access to the fireside of the stove. If you have a flue thermometer, you could remove it and use that hole too. It will read slightly lower than the cat hole as it is higher on the flue. I used to work in HVAC and used it to check ducts, boiler operation etc.

It is the total height and the diameter (if kept reasonable) that determine the draw at medium and low flow rates. The bends you have (2-45s) won't have any effect on draw except at high flow rates. At high flow rates the chimney will be much hotter which will in turn negate any restrictive effect they may impart on flow. At 17' I think you are in great shape draw wise.
 
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The door remained in place during the installation of the gasket. The door is latched during the drying process. The gasket replacement was easy to do. I used a vacuum cleaner to suck up the airborn fiberglass frizzes during the installation. A little dab of RTV was placed at the end joint

That's craziness and sounds like a good way to glue your door shut! I've always been told to install the gasket on the bench and let it cure on the bench. Install after cure.

If I tried this with the door on I'd have had red RTV all over the place.
 
The device I used to measure the draft is called a Magnehelic. It is use to measure faint pressures. The one I used goes from zero to .25" water column. You can get one from WW Grainger online but I don't think it will be necessary. It is ~$60.00. You will also need barb fittings and a rubber hose to connect it to the stove or flue. I jammed a volley ball inflation needle into the end of the hose to sense the stove pressure at the cat thermometer hole as this is a direct access to the fireside of the stove. If you have a flue thermometer, you could remove it and use that hole too. It will read slightly lower than the cat hole as it is higher on the flue. I used to work in HVAC and used it to check ducts, boiler operation etc.

It is the total height and the diameter (if kept reasonable) that determine the draw at medium and low flow rates. The bends you have (2-45s) won't have any effect on draw except at high flow rates. At high flow rates the chimney will be much hotter which will in turn negate any restrictive effect they may impart on flow. At 17' I think you are in great shape draw wise.
Thanks for explaining all that for me.
 
That's craziness and sounds like a good way to glue your door shut! I've always been told to install the gasket on the bench and let it cure on the bench. Install after cure.

If I tried this with the door on I'd have had red RTV all over the place.

Ditto.
 
The gasket installer has been doing this for many years, so I did not question it. He too is very concerned about the success of the new gasket. He did latch the door once, then re-opened it to check for RTV squish out and the knife edge imprint. After cleaning up a few little blobs, it was re-latched for the duration of the cure. My wife is going to miss the bacon smell. The proof will be in the pudding. Stay tuned.
 
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That's craziness and sounds like a good way to glue your door shut! I've always been told to install the gasket on the bench and let it cure on the bench. Install after cure.

If I tried this with the door on I'd have had red RTV all over the place.

i've re-gasketed many, many doors, I always close the door so the sealant dries in the proper shape.
in 18yrs never any complaints
 
How hard was it? What's all involved?
  1. Stove off, lift off top. Set aside.
  2. Back out bolts just a tad holding the sides to the track they lay in.
  3. Lift sides straight up and set aside.
  4. Now that sides are removed, look around behind the door frame. The are four big nuts/bolts holding the iron face on the steel inner stove. Back them off
  5. Unlatch the door and remove face.
  6. Done. Prob. take you about 12 minutes.
 
  1. Stove off, lift off top. Set aside.
  2. Back out bolts just a tad holding the sides to the track they lay in.
  3. Lift sides straight up and set aside.
  4. Now that sides are removed, look around behind the door frame. The are four big nuts/bolts holding the iron face on the steel inner stove. Back them off
  5. Unlatch the door and remove face.
  6. Done. Prob. take you about 12 minutes.
Thanks. If I gotta change gasket I would rather the door be off.
 
i've re-gasketed many, many doors, I always close the door so the sealant dries in the proper shape.
in 18yrs never any complaints

I could say the same thing about marital relations but it doesn't mean I am doing it right! Ha! just kidding really.

So do you let the RTV set up at all before setting the gasket or latching the door? The RTV instructions want you to let it skin over before doing anything. Do you then relatch the door and leave it latched for 24 hours before burn? It would be easy enough to install the gasket on the bench and then remount the door for the compression cure. I actually like your concept of forcing the RTV to fill the uneven door gasket channel and then setting up in that same irregular shape. It would tend to push the gasket closer to the glass nuts (high spots) but hold the gasket farther away in the valleys between the nuts.
 
Left the door on. Pull off the old gasket. Lay down a bead of caulk, then place the gasket straight way. Latch the door then re-open and check for squish-out and knife edge imprint. Re-latch and let cure for24 hours. I will light a load tomorrow at 11:00AM and let you know...
 
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I like to hang a sheet of plastic over the door opening before closing so that any ooze doesn't stick to the stove body when the door is opened.
 
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What I found with redoing the door gasket on mine, was that the hinge side will distort and move slightly while being compressed due to the knife edge on the stove body which is why I let it fully cure before latching it shut. If you don't, you run the risk of it not keeping a proper seal due to the gasket sliding in the uncured RTV. I would recheck the hinge side before lighting.
 
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