Clean viewing window

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cbscout

cbscout

Member
Aug 16, 2018
93
Mid-Michigan
We are close to buying a woodburning insert for our fireplace, and were out looking at a few models today. When we asked the sales/tech guy about the viewing window, he said there was really no way it was going to stay clear when we heat our house, unless we run it real hot and it would blast us out of the room. He said as soon as we shut it down for a slow burn throughout the day, the window will build up and that's that. No real flame viewing.

Is there any way to prevent that, or do I need to clean the glass everyday? I could've sworn I've seen people on here say that they have had no problems keeping their windows clean.
 
cbscout said:
We are close to buying a woodburning insert for our fireplace, and were out looking at a few models today. When we asked the sales/tech guy about the viewing window, he said there was really no way it was going to stay clear when we heat our house, unless we run it real hot and it would blast us out of the room. He said as soon as we shut it down for a slow burn throughout the day, the window will build up and that's that. No real flame viewing.

Is there any way to prevent that, or do I need to clean the glass everyday? I could've sworn I've seen people on here say that they have had no problems keeping their windows clean.
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What stove were you looking at? Tube stoves do a good job keeping the glass clean. Cat stoves dont as well because of how they burn. The fire box temps in a cat stove are much lower because they smolder and the cat burns the smoke off. But they will clean the glass up to if you open them up.
 
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bholler said:
What stove were you looking at? Tube stoves do a good job keeping the glass clean. Cat stoves dont as well because of how they burn. The fire box temps in a cat stove are much lower because they smolder and the cat burns the smoke off. But they will clean the glass up to if you open them up.
Click to expand...

It was a Lopi Revere and a Regency HI300. They were both wood burning inserts. We are also still looking into the QuadraFires. Either way, they guy said, "...just for heating, don't let anyone tell you you'll be able to view the flame unless you burn them real hot, and it'll blast you out of your family room." Which may be true, but I'm looking to see if there's a way around it, or another brand, or....
 
Jeez, we must be doing something wrong. Heating 24/7 and the glass stays pretty clean, week after week. So far we haven't had to open any windows.
 
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begreen said:
Jeez, we must be doing something wrong. Heating 24/7 and the glass stays pretty clean, week after week. So far we haven't had to open any windows.
Click to expand...

You know, I felt so bad when I saw the downcast look on my wife's face when he told her she wasn't going to be able to see the fire. I looked at the store's stove when he pointed it out and the viewing window was all dark with soot. Maybe it's the wood they use. Maybe he told me that because he thinks it's because the initial room where the fireplace is is small, I don't know. But I'm happy to hear the encouraging words. :)
 
cbscout said:
It was a Lopi Revere and a Regency HI300. They were both wood burning inserts. We are also still looking into the QuadraFires. Either way, they guy said, "...just for heating, don't let anyone tell you you'll be able to view the flame unless you burn them real hot, and it'll blast you out of your family room." Which may be true, but I'm looking to see if there's a way around it, or another brand, or....
Click to expand...
All 3 of them are tube stoves and if burnt right they should stay pretty clean.
 
cbscout said:
Thank you. Besides burning the right wood type, what does "burnt right" entail?
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Getting the stove up to temp before cutting the air back and paying attention to the fire to make sure the secondaries are still burning well.
 
FWIW - The Regency Hearth Heater (H2100M) describes in their operators manual that these stoves have something like an "Air wash" system, where some of the hot gasses from the firebox are rerouted to the viewing window to help clean the viewing window. The others may have a similar mechanism. Bholler is right, once I improved my fire technique, the viewing glass stayed cleaner longer. If I didn't, the glass would darken around the bottom and sides of the viewing window. Easily cleaned with a bit of ash moistened on a paper towel on the glass the next time I needed to start a fire from scratch.

I too love the view of the fire. This particular wood stove has been very good in keeping the viewing glass clean.
 
cbscout said:
You know, I felt so bad when I saw the downcast look on my wife's face when he told her she wasn't going to be able to see the fire. I looked at the store's stove when he pointed it out and the viewing window was all dark with soot. Maybe it's the wood they use. Maybe he told me that because he thinks it's because the initial room where the fireplace is is small, I don't know. But I'm happy to hear the encouraging words. :)
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It might work out just fine. How large an area will the insert be heating? Is the floorplan pretty open? Is this one or two story house?
 
bholler said:
Cat stoves dont as well because of how they burn.
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I guess you aren't familiar with Woodstock. Mine NEVER goes black as there are 2 panes of glass. A little grey over time but that's it. Woodstock being ever so humble never mentioned that to me. After a season of burning and not getting the typical results of blackness, somewhere I discovered the 2 pane advantage that they employ which super heats the fire facing glass surface. Brilliant design.
 
Rearscreen said:
I guess you aren't familiar with Woodstock. Mine NEVER goes black as there are 2 panes of glass. A little grey over time but that's it. Woodstock being ever so humble never mentioned that to me. After a season of burning and not getting the typical results of blackness, somewhere I discovered the 2 pane advantage that they employ which super heats the fire facing glass surface. Brilliant design.
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Yes i have heard of them and seen lots of black glass on them. Yes any cat stove can be burnt in a way that the glass stays clean. But if burnt low which is fine for cats the glass doesnt stay clean
 
Mine gets black when my wood is higher in moisture content, with dry wood it stays clear.
 
cbscout said:
You know, I felt so bad when I saw the downcast look on my wife's face when he told her she wasn't going to be able to see the fire. I looked at the store's stove when he pointed it out and the viewing window was all dark with soot. Maybe it's the wood they use. Maybe he told me that because he thinks it's because the initial room where the fireplace is is small, I don't know. But I'm happy to hear the encouraging words. :)
Click to expand...
When loading the stove..try to keep some space between yor wood n glass. If your wood falls up against your window ur bound to get some blackness on the window then. As long as ur burning good seasoned wood n somewhat of a draft...ull b fine.
 
weatherguy said:
Mine gets black when my wood is higher in moisture content, with dry wood it stays clear.
Click to expand...
Yes hybrids are in the middle. Their fire box temps are higher
 
begreen said:
It might work out just fine. How large an area will the insert be heating? Is the floorplan pretty open? Is this one or two story house?
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Floorplan is 1200 sq ft '72 ranch. It's not very open, although where the fireplace is, that room continues into the kitchen/dining area before doorways lead off into other areas.
 
mountain man 2 said:
When loading the stove..try to keep some space between yor wood n glass. If your wood falls up against your window ur bound to get some blackness on the window then. As long as ur burning good seasoned wood n somewhat of a draft...ull b fine.
Click to expand...

Ok. The guy I am considering buying wood from for this year has checked his moisture content and it is at 16%. From what I understand, that is sufficient, correct?
 
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Yes 16 % good. Not recommending this, but I have burned a maple that came down in August and burned it in Nov. A logger told me that if you cut a tree in the spring it has much more moisture than cutting it in late summer or fall. It was a dry spring/summer.
 
cbscout said:
Ok. The guy I am considering buying wood from for this year has checked his moisture content and it is at 16%. From what I understand, that is sufficient, correct?
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I hate to be skeptical, but I would question how the wood was tested. It if was on the end grain, the test is invalid. The wood must be re-split and tested on the freshly exposed inside face of the wood. If it is truly 16% that is a very rare wood seller.
 
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bholler said:
You are starting to sound as bad as the bk fanboys.
Click to expand...
Well maybe, but I did say earlier that I'd buy a BK in a heartbeat. But tell me, what other stove company has 2 panes of glass and andirons? There is a reason that they do it, and what is so strange about this company is no mention of the advantages and there are no dealers. They are striving for "Race to Zero". 0 emissions. Maybe not achievable but a good goal.
 
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