Englander 17-VL shrinking firebricks and cloudy glass

[Charles2]

The others are probably on to something with overheating it.

I wonder if cloudiness in the upper corners proves overheating?

I just used some Sprayway glass cleaner on mine and it worked really good.

Did other glass cleaners fail before Sprayway?

 

[danrclem]

I wonder if cloudiness in the upper corners proves overheating?

Did other glass cleaners fail before Sprayway?

I haven't had this stove very long but when I first got it I was choking it down too much and the glass got really dirty. I tried a different glass cleaner (don't remember which one) and it didn't do a very good job. I resorted to using a razor blade and ashes to get the glass clean. When I used the Sprayway the glass wasn't in really bad shape but it cleaned it good. It would be worth a try using other glass cleaners.

 

[bigealta]

I bet you overheated it. In which case nothing will "clean" it. Would need to buff it or replace if you want it clear.

 

[Winterpeger]

I use Weiman glass cook top cleaner, works like a charm in my situation. Ten years and over forty cords of mixed species have not had a problem keeping the glass looking new.

 

[Charles2]

If they are crumbling and decaying rapidly, then replace them.

Just did my yearly cleaning. One brick was cracked in half. Should I replace it?

Also, most years I have burned hardwood, and when I clean the chimney I get about 2 cups of fine, black soot. This past winter, I burned mostly pine, and my cleaning yielded about a gallon of coarser, dark brown soot. Does the change in quality and quantity of soot seem about right to y'all?

 

[begreen]

Just did my yearly cleaning. One brick was cracked in half. Should I replace it?

Also, most years I have burned hardwood, and when I clean the chimney I get about 2 cups of fine, black soot. This past winter, I burned mostly pine, and my cleaning yielded about a gallon of coarser, dark brown soot. Does the change in quality and quantity of soot seem about right to y'all?

If it's a standard firebrick then maybe just exchange the cracked brick with a floor brick that is in good condition.

 

[Charles2]

If it's a standard firebrick then maybe just exchange the cracked brick with a floor brick that is in good condition.

By firebrick, I mean a floor brick. Does the Englander 17-VL use standard firebricks?

At the beginning of this thread, I said that my firebricks were shrinking. But now I'm not so sure. I think it could be the surrounding, less dense vertical boards that are shrinking, because when I replaced the one on the left side with a new board, the floor firebricks now fit perfectly snug lengthwise. Does this sound plausible to anyone?

 

[begreen]

Added 17-VL to the title.
The floor firebricks are standard. I wouldn't worry about a crack in one unless it is crumbling badly.