AF Integra: Air Wash & Gaskets

Can someone with an AF Integra bring me up to speed on whether or not to fully gasket the glass across the bottom middle of the glass panel? It's obvious that the top sections are not gasketed to allow air to flow between the frame and glass for the 'air wash' action, but the bottom is where I'm confused.

There's a metal plate with a lip at the bottom (in front of the burn pot) which seems to allow air to flow in at the center bottom section and flow up and across over the burn pot, but that could just be because the previous owner didn't install it right.

So, do you gasket all the way across the bottom to completely seal it up, or should that middle 'lip' be open to allow airflow the way the same way the tops are open?

Thanks in advance!

Got it - thanks!

Mark_ms said:

Put gasket around all the sides and the bottom, but not at the top.
The way I have dealt with the metal "diverter" is place the gasket on the door and place the smaller edge of the diverter on the gasket, then place the window in the middle of the "V" of the diverter.
When you tighten the glass down that diverter should should fold up, not a lot but you will notice it doing so.
Be careful not to overtighten the screw/bolts in the brass runners on the side(s) of glass.
In the end you will have a noticeable gap at the top about a 1/8-1/4.
It is a lot easier to do this with door off and lying flat.
It is also best to use flat 1/4 inch gasket and not the rope type although it probably would work

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Mark, the more I look at the configuration of the center panel, the more I think that it was intended to have a gap at the bottom middle. Are you sure about completely sealing the whole thing all the way across? How does it come from the factory? I have no idea because my stove is pre-owned and 22 years old, so I have no idea what's normal.

Hdhogger said:

I have been talking to Jason Munson at Pellet Stove Pro about this recently. Mark-ms is right. No gasket on the top of the glass inside.

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The question was never about the top. The question was about the bottom middle, where the angled metal plate fits into the frame.

Now that I've had a chance to pause for a cleaning and take a few photos, I figured it would be good to revisit this.

As you can see, when the bottom 'bracket' is properly positioned on the glass, there is a slot of about 1/8" by 3" long along the 'ramp' on the metal plate which allows airflow into the stove on interior side, even if there is gasket material on the exterior side between the bracket and the door frame. It would seem to me that the stove was designed this way as a "secondary air wash", but I'm wondering if I've installed it correctly, if there's a missing part, or if that area should be sealed.

I've already asked Jason Munson this question via ebay, but it never hurts to have second opinions.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Mark_ms said:

The manual says the door should have a gasket all around except at the top.
Your pics need to be adjusted (smaller) so we can see what you are trying to say.

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To reiterate for the second time, the question I have does NOT relate to the DOOR. Please read the question again.

Mark, it looks from your photos as though you install your plate differently than I do. It looks like your plate is at at 90-degrees to the vertical face of the door, rather than angled up at 45-degrees as I have on mine. I guess I'll have to experiment next emptying.

Mark_ms said:

My pics don't show that it is angled upward it is close to 45.
Here are 2 more pics from pelletstove corner. here and here that show pretty much what I have

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Ah, that helps a lot. That's exactly what I have, and I was worried that I had an abnormal amount of ash and creosote on my glass, but judging from your photos, we're in the same boat. Thanks!