Question about Dollar bill test.

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mwatt65

Member
May 8, 2013
57
West Orange NJ
I have a few questions about the $1 bill test, when you are doing, do you just do once on each piece or move A few inches along each section? how hard should I have to pull?
My stove is a year old, it seems to burn threw the wood in the front sooner that the back!
Is that normal?

Thanks to all on this site, my cold house is hot...
 
I have a few questions about the $1 bill test, when you are doing, do you just do once on each piece or move A few inches along each section? how hard should I have to pull?

It should show clear resistance but not so much that the dollar bill almost rips. And I try it every few inches. Are you getting black corners?
My stove is a year old, it seems to burn threw the wood in the front sooner that the back! Is that normal?

Certainly not unusual. Are you loading E-W or N-S?
 
No black corners, wood is loaded E-W looking for a longer burn time with the small fire box.
 
Most stoves supply air from the front, so it burns from front to back. Sounds like you're doing fine.

FWIW, I've found that you don't need to put much pressure on the door gasket for it to seal (at least on my stove). I get impression that some try to close the door harder than necessary which may wear out the gasket sooner.
 
Then the wood in the front is blocking the air-flow to the wood in the back so I would say your experience is entirely normal. Does not hurt to test the gasket but I doubt there is a problem.
 
I do the test in several places (at least once per side for door gaskets). Really tells you if you have a low spot letting air in.
 
I tried this last year and only had a twenty in the house. It ripped in two!;lol
 
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