Fired up the Homestead...

[kniffin50]

After three small breakin fires where the stones got warm to the touch but not real hot and then cooled down,I figured I have afire last night seeing how it was going to be a stormey night.I got flue temp up to 300 it was not drafting very good due to conditions.I noticed that the stove was hissing ever so softly,like wet wood.Was it not cured enough and there was still moisture in the stones?It went away after several minutes and everything was fine .
Rusty

 

[Highbeam]

I"ve evn noticed that on a well broken in soapstone stove that if it is a very cold stove that hasn't been burned for a few days and the room is cold like 60 that a good bit of water will condense on the stones when you start the fire. That fire is cold and wet at first until it takes off and then burns the water off. Maybe making some hisses for you.

Its more likely to be your wood hissing and this is why your draft wasn't great.

 

[kniffin50]

I know it wasn't the wood, there was even a drop of water off the back of the stove that fell on the bottom heat shield.
Rusty

 

[Todd]

Both soapstone stoves I've owned did the same thing on the first breakin fires.

 

[kniffin50]

Thanks Todd!
Rusty

 

[Ithaca]

I have a homestead also. I did the 'warm to the touch' break-in fires like the manual says, but it wasn't until I did my first small fire that it really stunk up the joint and hissed. The manual should have a break-in temperature instead of the 'warm to touch' imo.

 

[Andy99]

I did my first break in fire last night and the stove hissed for just a couple of seconds when it started getting warm. But I didnt let it get that warm since it was the first fire.