Leaking Wood Heater Door

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

I've got some missing pieces in the door gasket on our Ashley wood heater, and it tends to leak smoke under some circumstances (when we open the door or a window). How is the gasket replacement handled? I found some gasket material at out local hardware store and some "cement" to hold gaskets but no directions. I don't want to go at cleaning out the old gasket and then find out I shouldn't have done it that way... Any help would be appreciated. Is there any way to supply outside air for combustion to the Ashley?

Willy

-- Willy Allen (willyallen2@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002

Answers

Willy, I'm not sure about the gasket but if it's already leaking, you might as well give it a try. Also, our newer Ashley had three holes in the door in the top (about the size of quarters) and three in the ash compartment door. The heater wouldn't hold a fire all night until we took little pieces of foil and stopped up the holes!

Our previous Ashley didn't have holes in it there. best wishes.

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002.


On outside air source, is it perhaps on a floor above a basement? If so, is the floor hardwood or just plywood or underlayment with carpet over it? If carpet over plywood/underlayment over a basement, you might consider cutting out a small trap-door out of the carpet and using a hole saw to go through to the basement with the hole just large enough for length of 2" PVC to fit in. Save the plug and glue it to the bottom of the carpet. During winter you can put in the PVC pipe with an elbow facing the intake. During summer pull it out and cover the hole with the plug and carpet. Just cracking a basement window should provide the airflow needed. Just a wild suggestion.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), February 03, 2002.

If you had a good draw on the stove pipe it shouldn't leak even if the gasket is damaged. The stove pipe or chimmney might need cleaning or you might need to add more pipes on the stove pipe. if this is the problem the damaged gasket will just allow more air into the stove burning the wood hotter and faster.

-- SM Steve (notrealmail@msn.com), February 03, 2002.

As to checking whether a door seal needs to be replaced, one site said to close the door on a piece of paper and see how hard it was to pull it out. Guess that is suppose to give you an idea as to how tight the seal is.

Found this information, maybe it will be of use:

Smoke coming out of the door There may not be enough draft in the chimney (< 16 Pascal's). Check for an obstruction. Gaskets It is recommended to replace the door gaskets about every 2 years. When replacing the door gasket, make sure the door glass is not pressed too hard against the gasket. The gasket around the ash drawer can also be replaced as needed.

Found this info. on:

www.raiswittus.com/documents/Mino%20US.pdf

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002.


I always just pulled out the old gasket, chipped and scraped away most of the cement with a screwdriver, put a fairly good bit of cement in the gasket groove and put the new gasket in. Clean off any excess cement and close the door til it cures. I always did it while the stove was warm though it probably wouldn't matter if it was cold.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), February 03, 2002.


I have to replace mine about every 2 years,, easy to do,, buy the kit,,comes wiht the glue and gasket

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 03, 2002.

I agree with some of the others, IMHO you have a BIGGER problem then a worn gasket IF smoke is coming out of your stove door! If smoke is coming out of a closed woodstove door (gasket or no gasket) either (1)your chimney is partially plugged, (2) you have more than two 90-degree angles in your stovepipe/chimney set-up and/or (3)you're burning at too cool of a temperature. The purpose of a door gasket is too keair from getting into your stove, NOT to keep smoke from getting into the room. --Happy trails, Cabin Fever

-- Cabin Fever (cabinfever_mn@yahoo.com), February 04, 2002.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ