Stove Door Glass Cleaning Remedy
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I get black glass but it clears up totally with 500 degree fire which I burn at for 15 or so minutes. What I want to know is if the glass is black is the flu with creosote? AND if so does it burn up like the black on the glass or no? I never let it get hotter than 650 and that is for a minute or so when I see it, I bring down the primary air control a bit. What is a good cruising temp? I have been using somewhere near 400 but that will allow black on windows so does that mean it is not running hot enough? OR wood is still too wet? I have ordered 1/2 cord of kiln dried wood( highly recommended to me by a friend so trust it is really kiln dried) so will see if that improves the blackening of window but like a say it clears itself.
sandie said:
The dreaded black gas usually comes from one of a couple of things . . . wood is laying right up against the glass for an extended period of time (this sometimes happens with me and my overnight fires if a round rolls up against the glass) or if the wood is not as seasoned as it should be . . . oh yeah, it also could be damping the fire down too much too soon . . . and come to think of it, if this was an older stove it could be caused by a faulty gasket. As mentioned there are many, many ways of cleaning this up . . . and perhaps doing what you are doing is the simplest -- simply burn hot enough and the black will bake off.
Just because the glass is or is not black does not mean the flu is thick with creosote . . . although truthfully, if you often have black glass you might want to consider checking the chimney since I would guess that your fuel is either not as seasoned as it should be . . . which I suspect is the most common factor here for folks with this problem. Personally, I would err on the side of caution and check your chimney and have it cleaned if needed since the only two ways creosote clears up is either a) with a chimney brush or b) with a chimney fire. For the record, I would prefer option A.
I can't tell you what a good cruising temp for your stove would be . . . they often vary. My Oslo likes 450-550 temps . . . but some stoves like it cooler or even hotter. What I might suggest is finding out what a good cruising temp is for your stove . . . I would suspect 400 might be just a tad too low . . . but as I said, that may be plenty hot enough for your make/model. You might also not want to turn down the air control on your stove quite so much . . . and see if that helps clear up the problem . . . if your wood is marginal in terms of seasoning sometimes you can give the wood a little more air . . . it may not be as efficient, but may result in a better, cleaner burn.
Straight vinegar on a paper towel takes that crap right off. Follow it up with a shot of Windex and you're done.
Haven't tried the ash on newspaper trick yet, have to the next time I run into that situation.
Unseasoned wood will definitely do this though. Toss in a few nice dry pieces and run it wide open for a bit...it'll burn that gunk right off there.
Haven't tried the ash on newspaper trick yet, have to the next time I run into that situation.
Unseasoned wood will definitely do this though. Toss in a few nice dry pieces and run it wide open for a bit...it'll burn that gunk right off there.
This may seem like a dumb question but how does one know what temp the stove LIKES to cruise at? What does it mean to LIKE to cruise? Does it mean that is the temp it stays at when burning well? That could not be it since we control the actual temp by air controls etc so what is meant by "find out what temp your stove likes to crusie at?" Confusing I guess. Had it burning all day yesterday and when it dropped to about 300-400 or so I would then add some big splits and it would burn for a few hours and I would add more. Am I supposed to get it up to 500 for a while then down to ??? for a long while and until it dies down in temp but red hot coals and then reload? IF do it that way will the temp of the room seesaw? I was trying to keep the room as warm as it would go which seemed to be about 68 degrees, the rest of the house was on thermostat at 62 and this stove did not seem to warm anything but this room so furnace cut on and off as the house went below 62 etc. I am hoping once the blocking plate is in and hte stove is pulled out into room more than the heat from stove will be more and will get a fan to blow it around to rest of house if need be so will not be blasted out of the sun room where it is now. 68 was very comfortable but would like the rest of the house to equalize. I do not burn overnight yet. Waiting for good dry wood, wood I have which was Kiln Dried(huh) was soaking wet and still is so I place the pieces near stove for a couple of days and it dries out and then I use it and I have some other that is pretty dry actually. Getting a drop soon I hope although the storm may have put kibosh on it.
Sandie,
"Likes to cruise?" Well it has a lot to do with stove design,
flue configuration, your fuel and the weather.
My guess since your model is not too far away from my old
Defiant, it is about 500 - 600 F on the main stove or
griddle top. Use a stovetop thermometer at all times.
Getting to know your stove is kind of like learning from
experience how your pickup will pull a certain grade or
4 wheeler will pull in the mud. It all takes your being there!
Burn it, enjoy it and learn as you go!
PS Read and search Hearth.com for lots info
on your stove and it's care and feeding.
"Likes to cruise?" Well it has a lot to do with stove design,
flue configuration, your fuel and the weather.
My guess since your model is not too far away from my old
Defiant, it is about 500 - 600 F on the main stove or
griddle top. Use a stovetop thermometer at all times.
Getting to know your stove is kind of like learning from
experience how your pickup will pull a certain grade or
4 wheeler will pull in the mud. It all takes your being there!
Burn it, enjoy it and learn as you go!
PS Read and search Hearth.com for lots info
on your stove and it's care and feeding.
[quote author="sandie" date="1261440368"]This may seem like a dumb question but how does one know what temp the stove LIKES to cruise at? Well my stove talks to me and tells me what temp it likes to cruise at . . . well, it doesn't really talk to me . . . the doctor says those are just the voices in my head and I should ignore them. 
In all honesty, what I suspect many of us mean by the term "cruising temp" is the temp (and it is generally a range of temps) where the stove will reach a set temp to produce heat and it will generally do so with sustained secondary combustion . . . in other words it is a high temp, but not so high to damage the stove, and it is a temp where the stove will just chug along for a long time with the secondaries firing off. What does it mean to LIKE to cruise? Well I like to cruise . . . I particularly liked cruising in the Carribean . . . however, in this case, again I suspect most folks use this term to mean the temps at which the stove has a long, sustained secondary action and the heat is just pumping out. Does it mean that is the temp it stays at when burning well? I would say yes . . . and no. For me the "cruising temp" is not a fixed number, but rather a general temp (i.e. 450-550) where I find the stove's secondary actions are working great, the temp will stay at that point for a long time, etc. Of course, this temp cannot stay right at here indefinitely . . . the fuel will eventually burn up . . . and adding more fuel too early will result in over-coaling, inefficient and just not that good of an idea. That could not be it since we control the actual temp by air controls etc so what is meant by "find out what temp your stove likes to crusie at?" Well, actually you are partially right here. I control the temp with the air controls to be sure . . . but also in my choice of wood (i.e. size, amount and species) and when I reload the fire. For example, normally I will add 2-3 splits when the wood has coaled up to the size of golfballs or plums . . . but if it's cold out I may add the wood earlier in the coaling stage. Confusing I guess. Many things associated with wood burning can be difficult to nail down . . . and even now I learn . . . which is just one reason why I hang out here at hearth.com. Had it burning all day yesterday and when it dropped to about 300-400 or so I would then add some big splits and it would burn for a few hours and I would add more. Am I supposed to get it up to 500 for a while then down to ??? for a long while and until it dies down in temp but red hot coals and then reload? IF do it that way will the temp of the room seesaw? There are a lot of factors here . . . in my own case, as I said I generally wait until the coals are the size of golfballs, plums, maybe even apple sized before I reload. The stove top temp is typically around 200-300 at this point . . . although to tell the truth I now pay more attention to the condition of the coals rather than the temp of the stove. At this point I reload, turn the air up, the wood catches on fire and I turn down the air and when I've reached the cruising temp -- where the secondary action is going strong -- I leave it alone until I reach the coaling stage again. Yes, the temp on the stove will go up and down . . . but rather than describing it as a see-saw action (which is what I experienced when I had a camp with a hot air furnace -- one minute I was cold, the next I was sweltering -- I would say the stove top temp is more like a gentle wave that starts out far out to sea before eventually cresting on shore and then slowly receding back into the ocean . . . and the temps in the room should be relatively even -- in other words, when I'm running my stove during the day I generally will not see a huge swing in temps in the room . . . unless of course I'm restarting a fire in the morning after a long overnight fire . . . in which case I may see a drop in those 6-8 hours of 8-10 degrees) I was trying to keep the room as warm as it would go which seemed to be about 68 degrees, the rest of the house was on thermostat at 62 and this stove did not seem to warm anything but this room so furnace cut on and off as the house went below 62 etc. I am hoping once the blocking plate is in and hte stove is pulled out into room more than the heat from stove will be more and will get a fan to blow it around to rest of house if need be so will not be blasted out of the sun room where it is now. 68 was very comfortable but would like the rest of the house to equalize. I do not burn overnight yet. Waiting for good dry wood, wood I have which was Kiln Dried(huh) was soaking wet and still is so I place the pieces near stove for a couple of days and it dries out and then I use it and I have some other that is pretty dry actually. Getting a drop soon I hope although the storm may have put kibosh on it.[/quote
In all honesty, what I suspect many of us mean by the term "cruising temp" is the temp (and it is generally a range of temps) where the stove will reach a set temp to produce heat and it will generally do so with sustained secondary combustion . . . in other words it is a high temp, but not so high to damage the stove, and it is a temp where the stove will just chug along for a long time with the secondaries firing off. What does it mean to LIKE to cruise? Well I like to cruise . . . I particularly liked cruising in the Carribean . . . however, in this case, again I suspect most folks use this term to mean the temps at which the stove has a long, sustained secondary action and the heat is just pumping out. Does it mean that is the temp it stays at when burning well? I would say yes . . . and no. For me the "cruising temp" is not a fixed number, but rather a general temp (i.e. 450-550) where I find the stove's secondary actions are working great, the temp will stay at that point for a long time, etc. Of course, this temp cannot stay right at here indefinitely . . . the fuel will eventually burn up . . . and adding more fuel too early will result in over-coaling, inefficient and just not that good of an idea. That could not be it since we control the actual temp by air controls etc so what is meant by "find out what temp your stove likes to crusie at?" Well, actually you are partially right here. I control the temp with the air controls to be sure . . . but also in my choice of wood (i.e. size, amount and species) and when I reload the fire. For example, normally I will add 2-3 splits when the wood has coaled up to the size of golfballs or plums . . . but if it's cold out I may add the wood earlier in the coaling stage. Confusing I guess. Many things associated with wood burning can be difficult to nail down . . . and even now I learn . . . which is just one reason why I hang out here at hearth.com. Had it burning all day yesterday and when it dropped to about 300-400 or so I would then add some big splits and it would burn for a few hours and I would add more. Am I supposed to get it up to 500 for a while then down to ??? for a long while and until it dies down in temp but red hot coals and then reload? IF do it that way will the temp of the room seesaw? There are a lot of factors here . . . in my own case, as I said I generally wait until the coals are the size of golfballs, plums, maybe even apple sized before I reload. The stove top temp is typically around 200-300 at this point . . . although to tell the truth I now pay more attention to the condition of the coals rather than the temp of the stove. At this point I reload, turn the air up, the wood catches on fire and I turn down the air and when I've reached the cruising temp -- where the secondary action is going strong -- I leave it alone until I reach the coaling stage again. Yes, the temp on the stove will go up and down . . . but rather than describing it as a see-saw action (which is what I experienced when I had a camp with a hot air furnace -- one minute I was cold, the next I was sweltering -- I would say the stove top temp is more like a gentle wave that starts out far out to sea before eventually cresting on shore and then slowly receding back into the ocean . . . and the temps in the room should be relatively even -- in other words, when I'm running my stove during the day I generally will not see a huge swing in temps in the room . . . unless of course I'm restarting a fire in the morning after a long overnight fire . . . in which case I may see a drop in those 6-8 hours of 8-10 degrees) I was trying to keep the room as warm as it would go which seemed to be about 68 degrees, the rest of the house was on thermostat at 62 and this stove did not seem to warm anything but this room so furnace cut on and off as the house went below 62 etc. I am hoping once the blocking plate is in and hte stove is pulled out into room more than the heat from stove will be more and will get a fan to blow it around to rest of house if need be so will not be blasted out of the sun room where it is now. 68 was very comfortable but would like the rest of the house to equalize. I do not burn overnight yet. Waiting for good dry wood, wood I have which was Kiln Dried(huh) was soaking wet and still is so I place the pieces near stove for a couple of days and it dries out and then I use it and I have some other that is pretty dry actually. Getting a drop soon I hope although the storm may have put kibosh on it.[/quote
THAT is correct, it is a Tax CREDIT not a Tax REBATE, and so it is a credit up to 1500 dollars at most(you would need to spend $6000 on stove etc., not installation) on your tax return. It is a percent of your purchase. IF you were to buy $6000 on a stove(unlikely) and you owed a thousand on taxes, then you would have $1000 written off not you get $1500.00, it is a write off up to $1500. People have misunderstood this and the stove stores have not done anything to straighten it out since they have sold many a stove with people thinking they will receive money in return for buying a stove, NOT.
I have used some stuff bought at the stove store that is a blue thick liquid which works very well but is expensive like $7.95 for about 6 oz, so used wet newspaper with dry ashes from the stove and it works very well so will be doing that from now on!! Totally free. Totally easy.
sandie said:
The only reason I get back money from the gov't every year is because I overpay them during the year.
So you are saying that the only way I can get money back through this program on the purchase of a stove is if I've held back on paying my taxes until the end of the year?
Doesn't make sense.
My apologies for getting a bit off topic.
pen
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