Replaced the door gasket on the insert....

We finally got around to replacing the door gasket on our Englander 28-jc insert, and woweee wow wow wow! What a difference! I really didnt think it was that bad, but we were starting to get smoke in the house. The stove is working much better, the cat lit off super easy, and is producing TONS more heat than before. I actually laid an oven thermometer on the stovetop and it was up to 475 degrees with the blower off the last time I checked, and about 375 with the blower cranking. I think the basement was up to about 75 degrees in about 20 minutes.

How many years was the current gasket in use?

Well, we have lived here since august, but the gasket was original, and was missing in some areas.

missing in some areas is big......had to be letting in a lot of unregulated air

I didnt think to check before the gasket was replaced, but after it had dried and I started a fire, I held a lit incense stick around the doors, and no smoke was sucked in.

Sounds like a good trick. I always did the paper test, but I will keep that in mind.

I think I had seen it on here. It was hard to tell what was happening along the bottom of the doors because the air intakes are in. the doors.