When to know gasket has to be replaced?

Hi Sean that wine glass pattern could be just normal burning. At least on our stove the main air is in front.

While it's still cold try burning hotter for a day or 2 and see what happens to the glass...maybe even lower the air intake slowly and make some observations.

To check your gasket on a cold stove most of us close the door over a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out your gasket needs attention. So you do that around to door however many times it takes and there ya go.

Also our stove allows you to tighten up the door somewhat because the door is secured by a rotating cam and the end of the handle. I'm unfamiliar with your stove but if your handle's loose it's worth checking out.

The wine glass shape is a good thing. It means that the air wash is the only source of fresh air. I've got the wine glass shape (good descriptive term BTW) on my stove. If the soot is uneven like only on one side then you should suspsect a leak. If your fire is extra uncontrollable then you should suspect a leak.

I can't speak for other stoves, but if I get anything but translucent white ash on my stove glass I know I'm not burning hot enough. And even if I do get soot on the glass it seldom forms a wine glass shape, so perhaps that is something particular to certain stove models.
My house stove is a Regency F2400
Of course I have an old Lopi smoke dragon out in the shop, no mater how I burn in that stove the glass always gets totally covered in soot. So like I say, maybe it's just something particular to the stove design.
Try the dollar bill test, if the gasket passes, try burning hotter.

Sean McGillicuddy said:

How is this done?

Click to expand...

Again, it may come down to stove design, or as in many cases, the quality of wood you are burning, but in my case it is simply a mater of not closing the draft all the way down.
The greater the moisture content (MC) in your wood the harder it will be to achieve a hot fire. With wet wood you may have to run your stove draft wide open just to sustain the fire, if that's the case then it would help explain why you are getting soot deposits on your glass.
Do you know the MC of your wood?

Some stoves airwash systems are not as good as others but for the most part the manufaturers have it dialed in on the new stuff. Dry wood and hot fires will help. I can keep the 30NC clear for months during 24/7 burning with just a little white/grey on the glass after a long burn. After reload it goes right away. On the other hand, during shoulder season or warmer temps, when I am burning shorter fires I get more black near the bottom.

Use a long handle lighter and run the flame around the door while the stove is running hot. If the flame gets sucked in you have a leak.

BobUrban said:

Use a long handle lighter and run the flame around the door while the stove is running hot. If the flame gets sucked in you have a leak.

Click to expand...

Careful not to catch your stove on fire!

BobUrban said:

On the other hand, during shoulder season or warmer temps, when I am burning shorter fires I get more black near the bottom.

Click to expand...

Similar situation here, even in the cold weather - as a weekend burner i can't keep the fire going hot 24/7 - there is sometimes a bit of black on the bottom corners when I prep the fire again for the start of a new weekend - I clean it up with a bit of ash on a damp paper towel.

I like the long handle lighter idea - will have to give that a try next time I light the stove...

-soupy1957

I'm waiting to hear what the MC of Mr. McGillicuddy's wood is?
Sooty glass, trouble getting a hotter fire,,, those sound more like symptoms of green wood to than a leaky gasket.

Sean McGillicuddy said:

I'm hiding!

Click to expand...

How old is your wood supply?

Sean McGillicuddy said:

Less than a year!
Have some drying for next and will split any chance I get.
Have been cutting up some trees that have been dead for a year or two (still standing)that came down the last couple of weeks.
I do burn wood that has that dry stuff on the outside of wood.
I just burn on COLD and weekend days.
I always think I have enough but Wrong again!!

Click to expand...

I would say that is why the glass gets dirty.

I am burning 5 month old Poplar and i will say it could be better.

no problem there with MC?

Highbeam said:

The wine glass shape is a good thing. It means that the air wash is the only source of fresh air. I've got the wine glass shape (good descriptive term BTW) on my stove. If the soot is uneven like only on one side then you should suspsect a leak. If your fire is extra uncontrollable then you should suspect a leak.

Click to expand...

You have had the stove i have now...what is the wine glass shape? I get soot on the front door of the stove but it is white and I attributed it to ash etc. Not good?

RORY12553 said:

You have had the stove i have now...what is the wine glass shape? I get soot on the front door of the stove but it is white and I attributed it to ash etc. Not good?

Click to expand...

The heritage never gave me the wine glass shape like the BK. The heritage, being non-cat, and since I burn dry wood always had clean glass. Only that white residue.

If you are burning a fire that makes the glass get blackened, a symmetrical pattern is evidence of a good door seal. Since the fresh air entering the stove comes from above the glass and cascades down it will prevent the top of the glass from being exposed to smoke. As the fresh air falls down towards the fire it is drawn away from the glass so the bottom corners will usually blacken first. Clear top and black bottom corners make a wine glass shape.