- Nov 27, 2012
- 0
Question:
Every stove advertises itself as having glass doors that stay clean. I'm sure they do as compared to the sooty panes of yesteryear but I'm wondering what I should really expect. So what's the best-case scenario, assuming I do everything right - hot fire, seasoned wood, correctly installed chimney & stove? Should I expect to do a quick wipe every day? A major clean every week? Once a month?
Answer:
>Most wood stoves these days have an air wash system that brings combustion air in across the glass when it enters the firebox. Generally, the slower you burn the stove (less combustion air feeding the fire) the dirtier the glass will get. When you re-fuel the stove let it burn hot for a few minutes before slowing it down again and the hotter fire helps burn the glass clean again for the most part. The glass gets dirtier if you burn wet or green wood since they have a higher moisture content and therefore burn more slowly and additionally cause more smoke and a wetter/dirtier kind of smoke. In my experience it is not so much the brand or design of the stove that contributes to dirty glass as it is determined by your burning habits. You should be getting your firewood pile ready now; neatly stacked and covered on top only, thereby keeping rain off the firewood pile but allowing air to circulate through the stack from the sides. Also, keep the firewood off the ground (I used wood pallets) so it doesn't absorb ground water. TIP: if burning the stove hotter doesn't clean the glass thoroughly enough then the best cleaning solution around is the ash from your stove! Dip a wet paper towel in the ashes and rub it onto WARM but not hot glass - this works like a pumice to remove the buildup. Wipe again with another clean paper towel. It's quick, easy and cheap. -Karen Duke www.DukeFire.com Duke Chimney Services Richmond, VA
Every stove advertises itself as having glass doors that stay clean. I'm sure they do as compared to the sooty panes of yesteryear but I'm wondering what I should really expect. So what's the best-case scenario, assuming I do everything right - hot fire, seasoned wood, correctly installed chimney & stove? Should I expect to do a quick wipe every day? A major clean every week? Once a month?
Answer:
>Most wood stoves these days have an air wash system that brings combustion air in across the glass when it enters the firebox. Generally, the slower you burn the stove (less combustion air feeding the fire) the dirtier the glass will get. When you re-fuel the stove let it burn hot for a few minutes before slowing it down again and the hotter fire helps burn the glass clean again for the most part. The glass gets dirtier if you burn wet or green wood since they have a higher moisture content and therefore burn more slowly and additionally cause more smoke and a wetter/dirtier kind of smoke. In my experience it is not so much the brand or design of the stove that contributes to dirty glass as it is determined by your burning habits. You should be getting your firewood pile ready now; neatly stacked and covered on top only, thereby keeping rain off the firewood pile but allowing air to circulate through the stack from the sides. Also, keep the firewood off the ground (I used wood pallets) so it doesn't absorb ground water. TIP: if burning the stove hotter doesn't clean the glass thoroughly enough then the best cleaning solution around is the ash from your stove! Dip a wet paper towel in the ashes and rub it onto WARM but not hot glass - this works like a pumice to remove the buildup. Wipe again with another clean paper towel. It's quick, easy and cheap. -Karen Duke www.DukeFire.com Duke Chimney Services Richmond, VA
