Putting the stove away for the season...

[1750]

We finally had what I hope was the last fire of the laaaate spring. I've cleaned the chimney, shoveled and vacuumed out the firebox, cleaned the glass good, and wiped everything down.

The stove looks great, but I wondered if there is any additional stove maintenance people typically do when they put their stove away for the season?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[fossil]

That's all I ever do with both of my stoves. Sometimes I don't even do those things until late summer. Rick

 

[1750]

Ok, Google tells me DampRid is a desiccant, but "cap the vent" has stumped it.

 

[prezes13]

We finally had what I hope was the last fire of the laaaate spring. I've cleaned the chimney, shoveled and vacuumed out the firebox, cleaned the glass good, and wiped everything down.

The stove looks great, but I wondered if there is any additional stove maintenance people typically do when they put their stove away for the season?

Thanks for your thoughts.

I didn't even do that yet. Usually I clean my stove after I clean my chimney because I clean top down so everything comes inside the stove anyways

 

[brokenknee]

I see this post is almost a month and a half old. I haven't needed a fire for the last week; but just lite it up a couple of hours ago to take the chill out of the house. 54* out and damp.Maybe in July I can shut her down for a month or so. ;-).

 

[1750]

I just posted this today, BK, but I'm glad it is starting to warm up north of Bemidji!

 

[webby3650]

All I ever do is sweep them out and clean the glass. I've never had any issues with rust in the stove either. If its a painted stove I'll touch the paint if needed. I like them to look new for the summer. I'm loving the enamel for this very reason!

 

[Beer Belly]

I pretty much do the same....Sweep the Chimney, clean the Ash from inside (everywhere, not just the bottom of the stove), clean the Glass, throw in some White Birch Logs for looks, throw a tub of Damp-Rid behind the logs....this year though, we gonna give her a coat of paint also.....rough season.

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm thinking at this point I've had my last fire until the Fall . . . . guess I should get around to cleaning it and getting it ready for next Fall.

 

[Parallax]

All I ever do is sweep them out and clean the glass. I've never had any issues with rust in the stove either. If its a painted stove I'll touch the paint if needed. I like them to look new for the summer. I'm loving the enamel for this very reason!

What do you mean by a painted stove? Aren't they either black cast iron, enamel or rolled steel? Which of these need touching up?

 

[BrotherBart]

Picky, picky, picky. Call flat black painted cast iron and steel stoves painted stoves. Yeah, baked enamel is paint but...

 

[Parallax]

Picky, picky, picky. Call flat black painted cast iron and steel stoves painted stoves. Yeah, baked enamel is paint but...

I didn't know any of them were painted.

 

[BrotherBart]

They all are. Bare cast iron or steel is kinda ugly. And rusty.

 

[webby3650]

I didn't know any of them were painted.

I just meant unless its enamel, I will touch up the paint.
As was mentioned, they are all painted unless its a baked enamel finish. Even "new iron" is a paint color from Stove Bright. Otherwise they would rust like crazy.

 

[Ashful]

I just set a GoldenRod under each stove, and close the doors on the two fireplaces. Out of sight, out of mind.

 

[Parallax]

Ok, gotta ask -- what's a goldenrod?

As for stove painting, if they're not enamel it seems you can have any color you want as long as it's black.

 

[webby3650]

Ok, gotta ask -- what's a goldenrod?

As for stove painting, if they're not enamel it seems you can have any color you want as long as it's black.

There are many, many colors of Stove Bright paint. You can even do copper like this one I'm working on.

 

[Ashful]

Ok, gotta ask -- what's a goldenrod?

In essence, a small resistive electric heater, used for the purpose of dehumidification. The basic theory is that RH% is lowered by heating the air, such that you can drastically lower RH% in any confined space by simply keeping it slightly warmer than the outside space. There are many products similar to this, mostly sold for the purpose of keeping large safes (gun safes, personal vaults, safe rooms, etc.) dry. Since each of my stoves reside in a fireplace with doors that close (i.e. each of my fireplaces is a small "room"), this is the perfect solution for keeping the stove dry. Without them, the stone brings up moisture from the ground, which dissipates into the fireplace, causing dampness, musty smell, rusty stove.

 

[Parallax]

There are many, many colors of Stove Bright paint. You can even do copper like this one I'm working on.

Guess I don't get out enough. Hey, I like that cute little top loader.

 

[Parallax]

In essence, a small resistive electric heater, used for the purpose of dehumidification. The basic theory is that RH% is lowered by heating the air, such that you can drastically lower RH% in any confined space by simply keeping it slightly warmer than the outside space. There are many products similar to this, mostly sold for the purpose of keeping large safes (gun safes, personal vaults, safe rooms, etc.) dry. Since each of my stoves reside in a fireplace with doors that close (i.e. each of my fireplaces is a small "room"), this is the perfect solution for keeping the stove dry. Without them, the stone brings up moisture from the ground, which dissipates into the fireplace, causing dampness, musty smell, rusty stove.

View attachment 134781 View attachment 134782

Is it recommended for free-standing stoves too? Doesn't seem like I should need it. Stove sits on a hearth pad in an open room.

 

[Ashful]

Is it recommended for free-standing stoves too? Doesn't seem like I should need it. Stove sits on a hearth pad in an open room.

Nah , wouldn't bother, in your situation. I'm dealing with having the stove stored in a confined space with minimal airflow, and a known source of moisture (old mud-stacked rubble stone walls in direct ground contact).

 

[Parallax]

Nah , wouldn't bother, in your situation. I'm dealing with having the stove stored in a confined space with minimal airflow, and a known source of moisture (old mud-stacked rubble stone walls in direct ground contact).

Thanks. Makes sense. Mine is in an open room with high ceilings and skylights that gets plenty of air flow and sunlight in the summer. The hearth pad sits over wood flooring. Under that is a generous crawl space with good air circulation and, in the event we should get a bunch of rain, a sump pump. In winter, I could see an unused stove in my family room running into trouble. But that's when this one will be doing its thing.

 

[JohnD]

Ok, Google tells me DampRid is a desiccant, but "cap the vent" has stumped it.

I use damp rid as well. I also use a couple of old rags and stuff one in each section, vertical and horizontal sections of the vent. This reduces humidity and moisture from entering into the stove.

 

[Ashful]

In winter, I could see an unused stove in my family room running into trouble. But that's when this one will be doing its thing.

The RH% is so low in the average house during winter, that really nothing can rust. Most rust occurs in confined spaces during periods of temperature change.

 

[ailanthus]

I use damp rid inside the stove as well. It's cheap insurance for a non-air conditioned house in a humid climate.