Fireplace/woodstove gasket

[goeduck]

We have a great draft typically.

However the stove has a catalyst which acts as a partial damper - it likely needs replacement as well so that it flows fully.

If the stove is hot, catalyst engaged, all is well. When the fire burns low, there's less pull, and with the leaky gasket it allowed backflow.

I pull my catalyst out during shoulder months* when the weather is moderate, not enough heat to engage it. I think it plugs up more when it does not glow.

*some years (this one so far) that is all year.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

If you haven't replaced your wood stove's door gasket - typically some braided fiberglass thing - in a while, consider it.

We didn't really realize ours needed replacing until our cat started having serious asthma attacks. Once we put 2+2 together we realized that there was more wood smoke scent in the house when the fireplace was running than there should've been.

Replacing the gasket was simple; pulled the door off, scraped the old gasket & cement off (ok it didn't want to get scraped off and I used a wire wheel), put new cement on, put the new gasket on that.

The difference? I can't smell wood smoke in the house at all. Cat can breathe. Shutting the wood stove air intake down makes logs last all night; they weren't, before.

Check your gaskets. They shouldn't be ironed completely flat and you shouldn't be able to smell smoke in the house.

Stove gaskets are one of the few materials that still contain asbestos. Using a wire wheel is not advised. The safest way to remove the old gasket is to wet the area and scrape to keep particles from becoming airborne.

 

[ning]

Stove gaskets are one of the few materials that still contain asbestos. Using a wire wheel is not advised. The safest way to remove the old gasket is to wet the area and scrape to keep particles from becoming airborne.

I know they used to be made of asbestos - do you have a reference to continued use of it for this purpose? I know we replaced with a graphite-impregnated fiberglass and I'm pretty sure the original (from ~2013) was the same.

Regardless, I masked for the job, though obviously crud gets launched all over and will get blown around later too, though in less concentrated amounts...

 

[5030]

I do the 'dollar bill test yearly on mine and the gasket usually gets replaced. I use a Rutland gasket.

 

[cqaigy2]

I do the 'dollar bill test yearly on mine and the gasket usually gets replaced. I use a Rutland gasket.

Next time i replace mine, i'll give them a try.

 

[WinterDeere]

www.hearth.com, the tractorbynet.com of wood heating appliances.

 

[5030]

FYI, The Rutland rope gasket contains no asbestos. Just spun glass wool impregnated with graphite.

 

[5030]

Stove gaskets are one of the few materials that still contain asbestos.

Not true. Spun fiberglass impregnated with graphite.

 

[goeduck]

List of Asbestos Gasket Types, Brands & Dangers

Learn why common types of asbestos gaskets, including rope gaskets, oval gaskets and sheet gaskets, put workers in danger.

www.asbestos.com

 

[5030]

Plainly states on the Rutland stove rope gasket 'contains no asbestos'