end of season

[shredd_guy]

So its that time of year, no more burning till september. What do most people do to their stove to get it ready for the off season? My plan is to sweep the chim. vac and clean out the fire box and stuff a sock in my OAK to keep bugs out. Can anyone else share their experiences and or procedures??

Thanks and have a good summer.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Pretty much the same thing here.
I have noticed the gasket is starting to wear on mine, and I have a small gap in the top left corner, so my plan is to replace the gasket.
I also have a blower on mine, so that will be removed for a thorough vacuum and cleaning.

 

[REF1]

A cold front is coming through the mountains here so I have a couple nights to enjoy lighting her up again. Then it's probably clean her out, put some cat litter in the box, take a look at the flue and look into getting some kind of creosote product for any stuff I find.

 

[Lighting Up]

"stuff a sock in my OAK to keep bugs out".

You have to tell me what this means...does?
md

 

[savageactor7]

I wouldn't do anything permanent till June...we fired up again last night. Just when you think it's over, its NOT. The heartbreak of living in the graveyard of the clouds.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Not end of season yet!

Usually in June the stove gets a thorough cleaning, check gaskets, check door tightness, check all seams in stove and check the chimney. Gaskets get replaced as needed. Never had to do any caulking yet. Then we stuff insulation in the flue and forget things until fall.

 

[Battenkiller]

I wish I could have a daily fire in mine this week, but the deed is already done and there is now a $5000 wood and canvas canoe getting restored about a foot away from the stove face, so it really has to be over for me. I'll "zone heat" with electric baseboards in the evening and down comforters at night. We're tough, outdoorsy types and can stand a little cold in the AM. Beats getting out of a tent in November and brushing the snow off a rock to sit down and make coffee. Our daily burn fix is met outside in the new Chiminea, which is really nice.

Off-season chores? I'll stuff some newspaper in the thimble and put a plastic bag over it. My sweeping and yearly flue inspection is paid for by the landlord, and his guy only does it in the fall. Not the best time at all IMO, but at least the newspaper and plastic keeps the smell of the chimney out of my basement. In the meantime, I'm real anxious to see how much creosote comes off the walls. Lower pipe and tile liner is always squeaky clean, but last time I put a light up there, there was definitely a buildup farther up after well over 4 cord burned.

I bought my stove used at the beginning of the season. They haven't made my model VC Vigilant for about 20 years or so. I doubt the guy I bought it from ever rebuilt it (VC used to say rebuild every 5 years), so I will likely do a complete rebuild over the summer. 90% of the caulking looks good on the outside, but the local VC gurus guarantee me that there is air leaking in places. They agreed to sell me any parts needed (definitely need a new left andiron) and to guide me through any problems I have with the rebuild. Shane over there has rebuilt like a bazillion of these things, so I'm sure I'll have no major issues. If it burns any better, I'll be a real happy camper, because it is already a great heater as it is.

In the summer, I've always pulled the pipe and put a big piece of Bally block on top of my stove to use as an assembly bench for various woodworking projects in my crowded workshop. Looks goofy, but one of the benefits of having a basement installation is that looks are not an issue. ;-)

 

[argus66]

ya i burning a couple nights a week here and there 20s at nights still here.

 

[fredarm]

Got a fire going tonight and had one last night too.

 

[BrotherBart]

Burned last night and am burning tonight. Freeze and frost warning for the morning.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

The term-"Off-season", rings a bell. I have yet to experince it. Mabey this summer (July & August). :zip:

 

[firefighterjake]

Still burning here, but when I do finally shut 'er down the chimney (and flue) will be swept, all ash removed from the firebox and ash pan and the top of the stove above the baffle, gaskets and stove will be checked, glass will be cleaned, hearth will be cleaned and the stove pipe connections will all be checked . . . with the end goal being to have the stove ready to roll at the start of the next burning season.

 

[shredd_guy]

"stuff a sock in my OAK to keep bugs out".

You have to tell me what this means...does?
md

yea, that would be the outside air kit. Not what you were thinking.

 

[shredd_guy]

Pretty much the same thing here.
I have noticed the gasket is starting to wear on mine, and I have a small gap in the top left corner, so my plan is to replace the gasket.
I also have a blower on mine, so that will be removed for a thorough vacuum and cleaning.

what is the best way to see if you have a leek in your gasket? candle test or can you tell by the glass??

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The gasket will be discolored in the spot where it is leaking.

 

[shredd_guy]

discolored as in black? I know that my seal has a corner wher she is black but it still looks deformed from wher it interfaces the box so I never worried about it. might be somrthing to replace. Now back to scrounging wood. Thanks for the help.

 

[gibson]

Burned last night and am burning tonight. Freeze and frost warning for the morning.

What the hell is going on down there? We have not had temps below 35 for a few weeks, maybe on one of those nights last weekend, but I'm not sure. But down in the DC metro area? Damn, you guys really got it good this year!

I fired it up the other night at 11pm because it was 40 degrees, even though it was 68 inside, which means it was 65 upstairs. Didn't need to, but I wanted to fire her up.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Pretty much the same thing here.
I have noticed the gasket is starting to wear on mine, and I have a small gap in the top left corner, so my plan is to replace the gasket.
I also have a blower on mine, so that will be removed for a thorough vacuum and cleaning.

what is the best way to see if you have a leek in your gasket? candle test or can you tell by the glass??

Well, I know I have a leak in mine as when I have the fire going I can see a tiny bit of light coming in between the top left door and the stove front
The gasket is pretty well fraid there, so you can also use a candle with a little smoke or a dollar bill in between the doors.
Place the dollar bill between the doors, and close the door. The dollar bill shoud be fairly snug when you pull on it, but you should be able to remove it with the door closed. Perform this all away around the door, and if the dollar bill moves anywhere with real ease, you probably have a weak point in the gasket

 

[BrotherBart]

Burned last night and am burning tonight. Freeze and frost warning for the morning.

What the hell is going on down there? We have not had temps below 35 for a few weeks, maybe on one of those nights last weekend, but I'm not sure. But down in the DC metro area? Damn, you guys really got it good this year!

I fired it up the other night at 11pm because it was 40 degrees, even though it was 68 inside, which means it was 65 upstairs. Didn't need to, but I wanted to fire her up.

It is actually pretty average for this time of year. What I call wood burner's hell. January thorough March was just plain old hell this year with all of the snow and below average temps. Then jumping up to 90 for a few days.

 

[begreen]

Power went out at 9 last night. It was 48 outside, but I knew it would be getting colder. Lit up a nice fire. It was still going at 11pm when I went to bed. Glad I started it, the power didn't come on until 4am when it was 44 according to the weather station.

 

[BrotherBart]

Rainy and in the fifties outside. I have to confess to having a heater taking the chill off of the downstairs and one doing it upstairs right now. Tired of messing with fires. Of course both heaters and the water heater and fridge just all kicked on at once and when I glanced at the BlueLine power monitor and saw six thousand watts my heart almost stopped.

 

[northwinds]

Mid-40's today and cloudy. I did the break-in burn on the Quad insert. No strong paint smell after taking it
up to 450 and then letting it run down to cold. Will probably burn again tomorrow a little hotter.

 

[Dix]

40 °F ish here this evening, and rain. 60 - 65 during the day time, with rain.

Insert is already loaded with kindling, etc. At these temps I can heat the whole place.

Next two days of the same thing. I brought more wood up near the house this afternoon.

I haven't needed to burn much. Night time temps leave the house at 62-68. We're good at that point.

Game on.

 

[adrpga498]

40 °F ish here this evening, and rain. 60 - 65 during the day time, with rain.

Insert is already loaded with kindling, etc. At these temps I can heat the whole place.

Next two days of the same thing. I brought more wood up near the house this afternoon.

I haven't needed to burn much. Night time temps leave the house at 62-68. We're good at that point.

Game on.

Ditto here