fixing air leaks in my resolute

[michaelthomas]

I have an 83 vc resolute (2 doors that swing open) and last year I noticed some smoke coming out from under the top plate and the side wall occasionally. It wasn't the griddle but between the castings. I did the light thing and found many areas of light penetration on both sides. What is the proper way to fix this. Once it is fixed should it improve it's performance? Thank you for your input so I can learn how to do this.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Granted, you have a leaky stove, that needs to be resealed. You might have some draft issues as well, the cracks can dillute draft, but typically those leaks will just burn up your wood faster. Stoves work under negative pressure, and you should not have smoke leaking out your stove. I guess what im trying to say is you need to check your chimney as well, make shure the cap isnt plugged, make shure your chimney is clean, and the proper hight and size.

 

[webbie]

I have an 83 vc resolute (2 doors that swing open) and last year I noticed some smoke coming out from under the top plate and the side wall occasionally. It wasn't the griddle but between the castings. I did the light thing and found many areas of light penetration on both sides. What is the proper way to fix this. Once it is fixed should it improve it's performance? Thank you for your input so I can learn how to do this.

Furnance cement (Rutland black) applied from inside the stove using your finger - dampen the joint first if possible.

Also can be applied from outside, better to use caulk tubes and finger for this - have LOTS of very wet rags around and wipe hard after pressing into seam so it does not dry all over the exterior castings.

Yes, stove will probably work better since it will draft more through the draft control and less through all these little holes.

 

[Shane]

You need to completely dismantle the stove and put it back together with gasket cement. You may beable to simply patch it but that's a bandaid fix in most cases because the rest of the old gasket cement will continue to degrade and without dismantling the pieces you wouldn't get a perfect seal. Contact your local Vermont Castings dealer and ask them for an exploded view diagram of the stove to use for reference. Many dealers will rebuild stoves as well, so that might be an option. You should notice increased control of the fire since you won't be drawing in the excess air.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah. Seal those seams. My stove isn't cast iron but all last winter I had very, very unusual creosote build up all winter. And a tough time getting the stove up to temp. I was living on the roof it seemed with a brush. I could not figure it out. I blamed the wood, my burning habits (though they hadn't change in twenty years) and every thing I could think of.

When I got my liner into the chimney in the spring I started the overhaul the stove routine with gaskets etc. When I dropped the baffle I spotted a crack in a weld in the top rear of the firebox above the baffle. Right next to the flue exit. The stove had been sucking cold, totally unheated air into the firebox and straight up the flue. Banging those 24" splits lengthwise into the back of the firebox all those years took its toll. Fortuately it was small enough to qualify for a furnace cement repair.

So if you have leaks of any sort, seal'em. They throw the whole combustion system out of whack.

 

[Corie]

Elk, myself and certainly other members have done complete teardown resealing jobs on vermont castings stoves. Ultimately if you take your time it is not difficult and will produce the best results. The advantage of taking the stove completely apart is that all the seams will get a new lease on life, and you'll also have the opportunity to replace all the old bolts that have been beaten up by heat after all those years of burning.

 

[elkimmeg]

Mike there are 4 nuts on the bottom that can be removed they connect ro rods like trreaded rods that hold the top in place. Once the nuts are removed and the flue collar one using a block can tap witha block and remove the top.
once removed scrape off all old refactory cement and apply gererous amounts of new furnace or refactory cement ant re install ther top. The first time I did this I did not know the outcome ar what I was doing. So I tool precautions. I jammed in pieces of strapping inside the fire box then ratcheted bandinding straps outside. I did not want to remove the top and have the stove fall apart I wanted to control all un knowns as possible the strapping strips provided pressure from inside the banding straps outside Really I don't know if it was needed but figured it ws better not to know then have a stove that fell apart once I removed the top.

You have to figure out if you have the ability to do this, whether the stove is worth your effort or would it be cheaper to buy newer. If refactory seams are failing you need a total rebuild. Craig mentioned a stop gap measure might buy some time but age wise your stove is long past rebuilding