New member - Cracked stove door glass

[Cindi]

Hi there, just signed up on the forum tonight after making a biggish size crack (spiderweb) in the glass of the firebox door of our Margin Flameview cookstove. The owner of Northern Cookstoves is an absolute rockstar and is going to Purolator us a replacement pane ASAP, but my question is: Is running the stove for the night at low flame a bad idea or might it be okay? We've had the stove for a year but it's the first wood stove we've had, and I've not boneheadedly broken the glass before now :-/ so this is new to us.

I would be very grateful for any advice, and am looking forward to perusing the forum. I can't believe I've not wound up here before now!

 

[mass_burner]

How did you break the glass?

 

[Dakotas Dad]

I would not burn the stove.. if the glass fails completely mid burn, the fire will/may be, uncontrollable. If the glass is already completely "out" of the door, it will burn a lot like an open fireplace, probably won't hurt anything, but also won't heat much, if any. and you won't have an ember screen or anything..

 

[Cindi]

How did you break the glass?

I dinged it with the poker.

 

[Cindi]

I would not burn the stove.. if the glass fails completely mid burn, the fire will/may be, uncontrollable. If the glass is already completely "out" of the door, it will burn a lot like an open fireplace, probably won't hurt anything, but also won't heat much, if any. and you won't have an ember screen or anything..

I was afraid I was going to hear that... Might get a tad cool in here, with the temperatures going below zero tonight. Ugh.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

You don't have a back up heat source?

 

[Cindi]

You don't have a back up heat source?

For all intents and purposes, nope, we do not.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

This Ontario Canada, NOT Ontario California.. correct?

 

[Cindi]

You are correct, sir! lol

 

[mass_burner]

For all intents and purposes, nope, we do not.

Can you explain what this means?

 

[Cindi]

It means that there is a furnace in our house, but it is non-functioning and we have no desire for it to become so. The gas company has received enough of our money over the years and they'll not be getting any more.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Electric blankets?

Even a space heater in a closed off room will make a difference.

 

[BobUrban]

cut a steel plate a put it in there - that's what we did at the shop. But we had the plate and a plas

 

[Grisu]

Get some oil-filled electric radiators (and if necessary some high amperage extension cords if you need to distribute the load between circuits). One or two of those should keep your bedroom warm enough.

 

[brad wilton]

break out the comforters long johns and wear your tuques to bed you'll need it. been their good luck

 

[Dakotas Dad]

You live in a part of the world where a back up plan is a must in my opinion. As much as you may not want to run the furnace, or other heat source, it's better than broken pipes or frozen toes, and it's only for a short time, not the whole winter.

Don't take this wrong, because I was raised by an Eagle Scout, and am one myself. Did 20 years in the Army, combat arms. Grand parents on both sides were Norwegian emigrant farmers in northern Minnesota.. I don't for a moment see how you can't have back up heat. LOL.

We don't get near as cold here as ANYONE in Canada.. we have a heat pump, wood stove, and a kerosene heater with enough fuel to run it for a week...

The advice above about a steel insert to replace the glass will work, if you have the capabilities to cut and mount it.. wasn't that long ago that nearly no one could see the fire in a wood stove..

Good luck, stay warm, let us know how it works out.

Oh, and welcome to the Hearth..

 

[mass_burner]

Oil filled heaters can be had on sale for $30. I have 3, one in each BR on a timer set to come one at intervals during the overnight. One as an extra.

 

[Rossco]

If you NEED to burn then small fires only.

I like the 'Steel plate' idea.

I have spoke to wife about a plan incase she pops the glass. Any input?

IDE personally get me arse to Crappy tire and buy some electric heaters. Wife and kids in the house etc etc.

 

[brad wilton]

and buy rubber poker

 

[Thislilfishy]

and buy rubber poker

Oh dear...so many wrong things to say to this.

Being in Ontario is a funny thing, +10 Celsius one day, -15 the next. You definitely need to invest in some back up heat. Those oil filled radiators are great, we have three of them as well, just in case. When it's really cold we sometimes put one on low in the sunroom, which helps keep the cold draft from that room away.

As for rubber devices...well that's a private matter...

 

[brad wilton]

would roxul work in a pinch?

 

[Warm_in_NH]

My wife wailed the glass on the oslo with the poker the other day. Made me and the dog jump (I jumped so quick the dog probably just followed my lead).
I don't know how it didn't crack. Especially after I had it out this summer and saw how surprisingly thin it is.
Depending on lead time. Local metal shop and a piece if steel. Being the door with you so they have a template. Then you'll always have a steel back up if it were to happen again.

 

[DougA]

This thread makes me want to have a piece of metal made 'just in case'. We do have backup heat but when I ordered parts last, it was 3 weeks waiting.

The other lesson I learned last century, always have a backup plan 'A', 'B' and 'C'. If something fails, one of your backup plans will fail also. My backup 'C' is Cuba for a few weeks.

 

[Sleeper-6]

I guess it could be pricey, but if the stove is your primary heat source then it would probably be wise to keep essential spares on hand. Items worth mentioning would be replacement glass or plate, gaskets, furnace cement, and anything else that may be a known weak point on your particular unit.

I know that's it's a little late this time, but it may help in the future.

 

[shoot-straight]

most glass supply/service places sell and cut high temp glass to custom sizes. check around.

with no other heat, i would be worried about my pipes more than myself freezing.