%$^$% Dirty Glass...WTH?!

[eclecticcottage]

This is really aggravating me. The edge of the glass, from bottom to about 3" off the top and from the side towards the middle for about 2-3" keeps getting dirty. Just on the handle side. No matter what. 700 top temps, and still, dirty glass on that side. New door gasket, installed by the sweep, the stove was just installed 10/11. This is the Republic. Secondaries, no secondaries, eco bricks, doesn't matter. The rest of the glass barely has a haze, it's certainly not dirty. It's effing annoying. The hearth shop's only suggestion was the door gasket. Past that, they are clueless...aside from me wanting to drop kick the owner off a tall building (another story, but basically he insists he has no obligation to deal with any problems because he's the new owner and the old business is out of business. Uh, yeah, whatever-you're in the same building with the same name, phone number and all the same stoves in the showroom. This is the LAST Lopi I'll ever buy if I have to deal with either of his shops). The only other thing both DH and I did notice the other day when it was rather windy was that there was a little "dust devil" whirling in that corner (wind causing the ashes to move around in a little tornado like effect) when the door was open. Handle is tight (not too tight, but not loose).

So...any ideas? Could the stove actually be "tweaked" (out of square) a little, causing it to allow air in there? We haven't had a mondo draft issue again, but we aren't sure what caused it the last time either (sweep said he didn't see any evidence of a chimney fire, this was a week ago). If it's completely innocent and just a quirk of the stove, I'll get used to it. But I do wonder if somehow it's related to the super-draft we got. If so, I would like to deal with it over the "off season".

EDIT: I should mention the glass is actually dirty, not hazy. You can't see through it.

 

[kingquad]

How long have had this stove? Is this a new problem? Have you done a "dollar bill test" on the door gasket yet? As far as your "new" dealers attitude, have you tried emailing Lopi/Travis Industries about this? Maybe they can give the dealer a push in the right direction.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It is sad but some stoves will tend to have dirty glass. But the very best advice is usually to make sure your wood is well seasoned. Some think wood can be too dry but it won't happen. This year we are burning wood that was split and stacked in April 2009. Next year we'll be burning from that same stack. It is mostly white ash that was dead when we cut it so we aren't talking about getting rid of a lot of moisture but still, those wood stacks shrunk over 6" after the wood was stacked. That is moisture leaving the wood. Stoves still just can't seem to burn water worth a hoot.

 

[Todd]

Sounds like a draft or wood issue. What's your chimney setup?

 

[eclecticcottage]

Had the stove since October. It's been an on going issue that has gotten worse. Seemed ok at first which is why we were ok with thinking it might be the gasket somehow.

Chimney is black double wall straight up to ceiling, attic space for about 4-5' (stainless) then out near roof peak, about 3' exterior. No bends, all straight shot.

Just cleaned 1 week ago, only about 5 fires since, and had gasket replaced at that time.

Wood-bought last fall, but we have also been using ecobricks (compressed wood, quite dry). It will do it on a full load of just bricks just as much as with the wood.

If anyone has followed my threads, this was happening before the one overfire we had, and that one was a VERY slight glow on the top by the thermo and cooled from there.


*We are working on the next 5 or so years of wood now (actually, next seasons was split and stacked last year, we have a pile about 5' high and 50-60' long of rounds to split and stack, it's about 5-6' wide at the base...at least 60-70 trees worth.

 

[BrotherBart]

Take a straight edge, like a yardstick or ruler and lay it flat on the flat front edges of the stove body on the sides and top and bottom of the front of the stove with the door open and out of the way. And see if the surface where the gasket seals is flat all the way around.

 

[MarkinNC]

I had some dirtier glass last year with my first year wood. I do tend to get a little discoloration in the lower left hand corner below the handle on my Lopi stove. I wiped it clean super easy with ashes this year, last year was a royal pain in the a$$ to get it clean with anything and I considered getting a new piece of glass.

What is the total length of your chimney system?

 

[Wade A.]

Aside from the advice you've already been given, I'd just add to that the need to check your holding clips/brackets for the glass itself. The glass should be gasketed, of course, just like the door is. I had an issue on my stove glass and the fix was to tighten the clips/brackets. Since they were already clamped down as tight as possible, I had to remove the clips and bend them slightly downward before reattaching them. You don't want to overdo that, of course, but a slight tweak might just do the job.

 

[Jags]

Is it possible that with the milder temps that you are not getting "as strong" of a draft - and that is affecting the air wash system? Just throwing it out there.

Other than that, there is only a couple of reasons for dirty glass. Dirty burn (wood, low temps, etc.) outgassing TOO quick or air infiltration (what BroB was leading up to).

 

[begreen]

Smoky, slow cold starts can do this too. Leave the door slightly ajar until the fire is going well.

 

[eclecticcottage]

We've got snow coming down now so I'll be checking some of the options once it warms back up.

Chimney is @ 18'.

 

[nate379]

I have never had clean glass in the 2 years I have had my stove. Well other than if I forget the stove wide open... that seems to clean the glass.

I'd rather have dirty glass and comfortable inside temps vs sweating my butt off!

I think this site just makes you think that a stove should not make any smoke, have dirty glass, any cresote, etc, etc.

 

[eclecticcottage]

If it was even across the whole glass I would know it was a low burn issue. But it's just on that one part...so I have to wonder if something else is causing it.

 

[nate379]

IMO you are worriying over spilled milk, but I know what's it's like to have OCD towards something too...

 

[eclecticcottage]

But....it's DIRTY. Really, if it's just a quirk, it's all good. But considering the other issues we had, I just want to be sure they didn't mess up the stove on us or something.

I thought dirty glass was just something BK owners got used to

 

[begreen]

I cleaned our stove last weekend. The glass has been clean all week, that is until today. This morning I lit a smaller, 3 split fire anticipating warmer temps during the day. I let the fire burn out without refueling. Tonight when I started a new fire I noticed a haze on the glass. Shoulder season burning, nothing is wrong. It just goes with the shorter and cooler burning we do at this time of year.

 

[nate379]

I have never had a 100% clean glass because I am able to heat the house with the stove on low without any trouble... even with it being -30* outside. Minimal airflow into the stove, the cresote is gonna buildup on the "cool" temp glass.
I pretty much view the stove as an applicance vs "art" so I don't fret much over it. Treated much the same as the dishwasher or fridge.

I thought dirty glass was just something BK owners got used to

 

[Realstone]

If you get algae on a certain spot in an aquarium, it often means there is a lack of water circulation in that spot. I think it's possible the same may apply here; a dead spot on the portion of glass you're having the smoke issue with. Is it possible to tweak the incoming airflow to wash over that portion of the glass?

 

[BrotherBart]

I swipe the little bit of haze off the glass on the 30 once a month or so. A non-cat shouldn't have black crap on the glass. And Blaze Kings shouldn't have glass in the door in the first place. If ya can't enjoy looking at the fire, put a wood furnace in the basement.

 

[pen]

I'm sorry if I missed it in the previous posts, but did you try the "dollar bill test" on that corner of the gasket and door when the stove is cool?



pen

 

[eclecticcottage]

No, not yet. We wanted to test burn a few fires after the gasket was replaced...and now it went and got cold so it hasn't cooled enough yet.

 

[pen]

Wondering if your super draft may be part of the issue. How far closed do you generally run the air control? If you have a really good draft, and need to run w/ the air closed or almost all the way closed, not much air will be coming down over your door from the air wash.

 

[eclecticcottage]

Once it's going well, 1/4-1/8 open.

 

[pen]

Once it's going well, 1/4-1/8 open.

Is that 1/4 - 1/8 of the way or inch open?

pen

 

[eclecticcottage]

Of the way...I'll have to actually measure the actual amount.