Another airwash question

[Jjm457]

For those of you with airwash systems, when you say your glass stays clean, or you can burn hotter (if dirty) and clean the glass, do you mean your glass is really clear or alittle hazy clear? The reason I ask is on my new Regency insert i1200, my glass is not clear, clear, nor is it sooty dirty, it is just annoyingly a light milky haze that does not burn off...it just stays hazy or gets even hazier as I burn continously.

I had mentioned in my very first post that my glass wipes off very easily with a wet paper towel and water. There is no smoke what so ever out of chimney, so I know it is burning clean, and I checked moisture in wood. This insert was installed in to a Majestic RC-36 prefab (with 6" ss liner). I know thay tucked some insulation that came with insert around it then installed the faceplate. The draft is great and no problem starting fire. The haze is mostly oval left to right... The top, bottom and corners (2 inches or so) stay clear.

It's not horrible, but it just seems as if airwash is lacking, unless it is just the unit itself can it have anything to do with the installation? Does anyone else with this insert or other regency inserts have the same issue? And those who have airwash, does your glass stay really clear or somewhat clear? I may be overthinking this and it may be normal. I just want to make sure it is not the insert itself that is faulty. Thanks for listening.

 

[oldspark]

I clean mine every few weeks, the milky haze you talk about.

 

[ValentineHill]

Sounds like you are doing everything right -- that light haze just needs a little cleaning from time to time. Oldspark above got it just right. Clean it with a cloth every once and a while. Also, when you are cleaning the glass with a wet cloth, I find it helps to do a last round with a completely dry cloth. It seems to pick up any little residue that might contribute to your haze.

 

[Wood Duck]

Mine gets a light haze after a while, same as yours. I also get spots of ash when a piece of wood 'pops' and throws ash onto the window. Soot or dark stuff is flammable and can be burnt off. Ash is not flammable so no matter how hot the stove gets it won't burn off.

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

There is no such thing as completely clean woodstove glass unless you clean it and never burn a fire. Despite my best efforts there is always some sort of haze or creosote build up depending on how hot I burn the fire and other factors.

 

[Jjm457]

Thanks people, much appreciated!

 

[firefighterjake]

+1 to what others have said . . . light haze, sometimes some fly ash . . . I tend to clean my gas bi-weekly at the same time I clean out the ash pan. A few swipes with damp newspaper and the glass stays clean for another 2-4 days.

 

[trailrated]

I have air wash on the 13, over time ( couple weeks) it will get lightly hazed as others have stated. On an over night shut down burn, sometimes it gets darker but the hot morning fire cleans it right up.

 

[danham]

Same stove, same situation, so I've concluded it's normal.

With things burning hot and heavy, I get no haze, but after I cut back on the draft, some will almost always appear. It seems like closing the draft also cuts down on the flow of air to the "washing" holes.

The haze wipes off very easily. Your post prompted me to go clean the glass and that reminded me of what I think is a decent test for whether anything is "wrong." If a wet paper towel swabbed across the gray oval yields a moderate black coating on the towel, all is OK. If you get really thick black goop or lots of brown, it probably means you have been burning with too little air or too much moisture in the wood.

The only times I've had to resort to "real" stove glass cleaner is when a split has fallen against the glass and sat there through a burn, or some crappy/wet wood has gotten in there.

-dan

 

[Jjm457]

Thanks DanH...that really eased my mind...appreciate it.

Same stove, same situation, so I've concluded it's normal.

With things burning hot and heavy, I get no haze, but after I cut back on the draft, some will almost always appear. It seems like closing the draft also cuts down on the flow of air to the "washing" holes.

The haze wipes off very easily. Your post prompted me to go clean the glass and that reminded me of what I think is a decent test for whether anything is "wrong." If a wet paper towel swabbed across the gray oval yields a moderate black coating on the towel, all is OK. If you get really thick black goop or lots of brown, it probably means you have been burning with too little air or too much moisture in the wood.

The only times I've had to resort to "real" stove glass cleaner is when a split has fallen against the glass and sat there through a burn, or some crappy/wet wood has gotten in there.

-dan