Cleaning woodstove glass

[ultrarunner]

I believe the quality of the wood can not be overlooked.

In Oakland we have lots of Oak... no surprise there

Back when you could burn when wanted my split and seasoned oak made for glorious fires...

In Olympia it's mostly Fir and Cedar and getting it dry is more of a challenge...

 

[ericm979]

I find that I get two kinds of deposits: thin brown gunk that cleans off with ashes or window cleaner, and thicker sticky black gunk that does not clean as easily with those two methods. I only get a little of the latter, mostly in the far low corners where the fire brick blocks the radiation to the glass and convection doesn't send much heat, so a couple times a season I use wood stove glass cleaner to get it off. I like having the windows really clean so I can see the flames.

 

[tomplum]

I think in my case the gasketing around the glass was a big offender. I too had some sticky grunge. I know around the glass the gasket leaked. I think of the wood we burned had to have been seasoned. I'll see if the flue build up is normal when I get to it. Traditionally it stays pretty clean as it gets burned good and hot.

If the Purple Power has lye in it as Ponytug said, that would lend credence to the ash and wet paper towel working well. Appreciate the tips.

 

[MaxLee]

I think in my case the gasketing around the glass was a big offender. I too had some sticky grunge. I know around the glass the gasket leaked. I think of the wood we burned had to have been seasoned. I'll see if the flue build up is normal when I get to it. Traditionally it stays pretty clean as it gets burned good and hot.

If the Purple Power has lye in it as Ponytug said, that would lend credence to the ash and wet paper towel working well. Appreciate the tips.

They say close door with a dollar bill between it and stove... if pulls out easy time for new gasket. I change my every couple years if it needs it or not

 

[CalG]

Not to derail a great thread, but....
Last Wed, I went up on the roof and dropped the flue brush down as I do every year.
I use a 10 pound scale weight to get the brush to pass the thirty feet of flue, hauling both brush and weight up and down several times to dislodge the build up.
I'm getting too old for this crap! ;-)
Anyone had good luck with the "chemical cleaners"?

 

[tomplum]

Funny thing. I called the Osburn stove co thinking I would get the window gasket kit complete as certain other parts had deteriorated. She texted me a proper number for parts. When I pressed 9 for English, it said something to the effect of FBI agent something or other.

 

[MaxLee]

Funny thing. I called the Osburn stove co thinking I would get the window gasket kit complete as certain other parts had deteriorated. She texted me a proper number for parts. When I pressed 9 for English, it said something to the effect of FBI agent something or other.

LOL, I stay a way from them. I get mine on amazon. Just need to know the thickness. I like to buy local but the place I bought stove wanted 2x what I paid for it. I don't like being bent over

 

[tomplum]

It might end up being something like that. This has a pair of thin, roundish steel something or others that hold against the glass, gasketing goes inside and then retained with heavier angled steel. At first I though I could seal the glass to the metal, but then thought better of it. Figured it is done this way due to expansion. Or I could take the door to someone who knew....

 

[ericm979]

SBI who owns Osburn is known to have good customer support. My stove was a low priced brand they used to sell but it's internals are the same as an Osburn model. They were pretty good about answering my questions via email.

 

[MaxLee]

It might end up being something like that. This has a pair of thin, roundish steel something or others that hold against the glass, gasketing goes inside and then retained with heavier angled steel. At first I though I could seal the glass to the metal, but then thought better of it. Figured it is done this way due to expansion. Or I could take the door to someone who knew....

I have Lopi, glass held in with a steel frame , Then the gasket gets glued in with cement on the perimeter of the door.