A Tiny Wood Stove Door needs to be checked for the handle, gasket, and glass repair and replaced from time to time. Stove door gaskets wear out over time and need regular maintenance. There are three areas of a Dwarf Stove stove door to check:
- Stove Door Handle - A properly adjusted handle ensures a tight seal.
- The Stove Glass - Glass that isn't firmly seated against the glass gasket will leak air and reduce the heating ability of the woodstove.
- The Stove Door Gasket - A door gasket can harden or come loose after a number of heating cycles. Replacing or repairing the gasket ensures a good door seal on the stove body.
How to Test a Wood Stove Door Gasket Seal
To test the gasket seal of a tiny wood stove door, take a dollar bill or piece of paper and put it between the stove door and the stove body. Completely close the door. If the dollar bill pulls out easily, then the wood stove door needs adjustment.
The first part of the door to adjust is the door handle.
Adjusting the Wood Stove Door Handle
The Dwarf Stove door handle has threads on the inside. This makes adjusting the handle easy with just a simple wrench.
To tighten the stove door seal, remove the hardware on the back of the stove door handle to the first jam nut. Tighten that nut then put the cam lever back on the handle. While holding the lever up, tighten the second jam nut. Move the handle back and forth. It should move without excessive force. Then close the door and check the seal again with the dollar bill. If the dollar bill still easily slips out of the seal, the problem is likely a stove gasket issue and not a stove door handle.
Tiny Wood Stove Gasket Repair or Replacement
If you've already adjusted the stove door handle and the door still isn't air tight, you will likely need to replace the stove door gasket. To replace the stove door gasket, you'll need to get a replacement gasket kit, have a rag, a screwdriver, some light grit sandpaper, and some gloves (optional).
How to Repair a Wood Stove Door Gasket
As the wood stove is used, the door gasket and cement slowly break down and require repair. If the gasket comes loose in a spot, it may not be necessary to replace the entire gasket - as long as the door is getting a proper seal everywhere else. Stove cement can get brittle over time and may just need to be refreshed.
Steps to repairing a woodstove door gasket:
- Remove the affected area of the gasket carefully so it isn't damaged in the process.
- Clean the groove in the stove door to get the old stove cement out. Use of a screwdriver and light grit sandpaper is the best way to do this.
- Wet the repair area with a damp rag. Water is required to activate the stove cement for a proper bond between the stove door and gasket.
- Massage the tube of gasket cement. Sometimes the stove cement can separate in storage. Massaging it mixes it back up.
- Apply a bead of cement to the stove door.
- Reapply the stove door gasket
- Recheck the Stove door seal
You'll need to fire the stove up to 500 degrees within 30 days of this repair to fully cure the gasket cement to the stove door and gasket.
If this repair does not fix the stove door seal, a new seal is required.
How to Replace a Wood Stove Door Gasket
If the stove needs a completely new gasket installed, use the gasket replacement kit and the following replacement process.
Steps to replacing a woodstove door gasket:
- Remove the old door gasket.
- Clean the groove in the stove door to get the old stove cement out. Use of a screwdriver and light grit sandpaper is the best way to do this.
- Dry fit the stove door gasket to ensure you have a long enough gasket. The kit has a longer-than-required gasket in it just to make sure it fits.
- Wet the stove door groove with a damp rag. Water is required to activate the stove cement for a proper bond between the stove door and gasket.
- Massage the tube of gasket cement. Sometimes the stove cement can separate in storage. Massaging it mixes it back up.
- Apply a bead of cement to the stove door.
- Reapply the stove door gasket
- Cut the gasket to length and tape the end of the gasket with fiberglass tape to keep it from fraying. This tape is included in the kit.
- Recheck the Stove door seal
Fire the stove up to 500 degrees within 30 days of this gasket replacement to set the bond between the gasket and woodstove door.
Perform the dollar seal test on the door to make sure the gasket doesn't need further adjustment.
Replacing and Repairing the Stove Glass
Stove glass can crack if it cools down or heats up too quickly, is hit, or if water is poured on it while it is hot. To replace the stove glass you'll need a screwdriver, some replacement stove glass, and the stove glass hardware.
Steps for replacing the stove glass:
- Remove the old stove glass by removing all of the hardware the holds it into place.
- Put the new piece of stove glass on the glass gasket
- Install the new glass hardware that holds the glass in place. Be sure to put the refractory insulation between the metal clip and the glass to prevent the glass from breaking or chipping.
- Seat the glass firmly against the glass gasket.
- Check the seal around the glass.
If the new glass doesn't seal well around the glass gasket, it is time to replace the glass gasket.
How to Replace Stove Glass Gasket
Replace the stove glass gasket if the glass is tightened up against it as much as possible and it is still leaking.
Steps to replace the door glass gasket:
- Remove the door glass and hardware
- Remove the door glass gasket
- Clean the groove in the stove door where the new gasket will be installed. Use a screwdriver and light grit sandpaper to remove all of the old gasket cement.
- Wet the groove with a damp rag. The gasket cement requires a wet surface to properly bond the gasket to the door.
- Massage the gasket cement. Sometimes the cement can separate in storage.
- Apply a bead of gasket cement to the damp groove around the window.
- Press the replacement glass gasket into the gasket cement
- Cut off any excess gasket and secure the end with fiberglass tape to prevent the gasket from fraying.
- Reinstall the glass and hardware.
Fire the stove to at least 500 degrees within 30 days of replacing the glass gasket to set the bond between the gasket and stove door.
A Properly Maintained Stove Door is Effecient
A properly maintained stove door won't draw any warm air from your space to use in combustion. That means that you get to enjoy all of the heat from the stove without pulling a lot of it out the chimney. In short, you'll have better heat, longer burns, and you'll enjoy your space more.
Watch Nick Explain all of these steps in this video: