Clean glass clean burn brown glass bad burn right
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It means your burning very clean, and have good draw, in your box, if your glass stays clean. Although if your chimney is too cold and condensing, you will still get build up, in the chimney.
I have a big old insert and an interior chimney. I get minor glass build up on smaller fires but my chimney never has significant buildup. Its all relative.
I have a big old insert and an interior chimney. I get minor glass build up on smaller fires but my chimney never has significant buildup. Its all relative.
Generally yes, it does mean you are burning clean. gzecc said it right about the chimney.
On the other hand, we will get some dirty glass in the fall when we start with a few small fires but still do not get a dirty chimney.
Conclusion? Don't forget to check the chimney from time to time.
On the other hand, we will get some dirty glass in the fall when we start with a few small fires but still do not get a dirty chimney.
Conclusion? Don't forget to check the chimney from time to time.
I've only had a truly dirty glass one time. I was gone, splitting wood in the hay barn at my grandmother's farm. My wife was sick and in the bed. My older stepdaughter crammed some pine splits on a relatively cool coal bed and didn't make any adjustments to the air. When I got home the glass was dark brown/black. It took quite a bit of elbow grease and Windex to get it back to normal.
During normal burning, the bottom corners will darken over time, but that's the result of the airwash being the weakest at those points. I would typically associate a dirty glass with two things or a combination thereof: unseasoned wood or cutting the air back too far too fast.
During normal burning, the bottom corners will darken over time, but that's the result of the airwash being the weakest at those points. I would typically associate a dirty glass with two things or a combination thereof: unseasoned wood or cutting the air back too far too fast.
Starting with a cold stove with pine splits seems to make my glass dirty in the lower corners. It takes only 1 minute to get it clean.
Same here with my Oslo, starting cold with pine I will get some residue. Once the larger hardwood splits get in and the coal bed is established the residue all goes away.
Clean glass MAY be one indication of clean burning . . . much like black glass MAY be one indication of burning that is not clean. Other indications of a clean burn would include a good sustained secondary burn with a secondary burning stove, no smoke coming out of the chimney and of course the end-all, be-all indication -- what the chimney looks like in terms of creosote.
Small fires early in the year can mess up the stove . . . often temps are not getting hot enough . . . draft isn't overly strong . . . and if there is any black or brown the fires may not be getting hot enough to burn the stuff off. Burning later in the year often clears up this problem.
Pine and softwoods . . . I don't get blackening from this wood . . . but I do often get some pitch spit on to the glass as the wood heats up and the pockets of pitch (especially on the fir) hits the class and leaves little smears . . . this is cooked off however once I get the stove up to temp and the magic begins . . . by magic I mean secondary burn . . . magical unicorns do not start frolicking around my living room once the stove is up to temp.
Small fires early in the year can mess up the stove . . . often temps are not getting hot enough . . . draft isn't overly strong . . . and if there is any black or brown the fires may not be getting hot enough to burn the stuff off. Burning later in the year often clears up this problem.
Pine and softwoods . . . I don't get blackening from this wood . . . but I do often get some pitch spit on to the glass as the wood heats up and the pockets of pitch (especially on the fir) hits the class and leaves little smears . . . this is cooked off however once I get the stove up to temp and the magic begins . . . by magic I mean secondary burn . . . magical unicorns do not start frolicking around my living room once the stove is up to temp.
yeah last night i had a great northern lights going stove was at 300 and cruising. but my flue was running cool but the secondary's where amazing.firefighterjake said:Clean glass MAY be one indication of clean burning . . . much like black glass MAY be one indication of burning that is not clean. Other indications of a clean burn would include a good sustained secondary burn with a secondary burning stove, no smoke coming out of the chimney and of course the end-all, be-all indication -- what the chimney looks like in terms of creosote.
Small fires early in the year can mess up the stove . . . often temps are not getting hot enough . . . draft isn't overly strong . . . and if there is any black or brown the fires may not be getting hot enough to burn the stuff off. Burning later in the year often clears up this problem.
Pine and softwoods . . . I don't get blackening from this wood . . . but I do often get some pitch spit on to the glass as the wood heats up and the pockets of pitch (especially on the fir) hits the class and leaves little smears . . . this is cooked off however once I get the stove up to temp and the magic begins . . . by magic I mean secondary burn . . . magical unicorns do not start frolicking around my living room once the stove is up to temp.
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