Extending life of Door Glass

I did a search before starting a new post, couldn't find anything on this-This is the 5th season on my Alaska Kodiak, and the top of the glass is just beginning to etch. I clean it every 2 weeks w/Rutland Cleaner/Conditioner, and it stays clear and dust free. I'm pretty happy with 4 years of like-new glass. Again, there is only SLIGHT etching that is not easily seen. I had a brainstorm before starting it this season-Why not reverse the glass in the door and get another 4 or 5 seasons of new-looking fireview? My old Efel had what seemed like 50 slats of glass that actually turned opaque yellow at one point. It was a Kaminar which required special angle corners like a bay window. When it was cold, there was an additive gap between them of 3/8 inch, they never really sealed when expanded. I think it cost me around $60 to replace them all. I'm SO happy with the Alaska, much cleaner, much better sealed and extremely efficient since the addition of heat sinks on the sides. Anyone else try this with their window?

Sounds like a good idea You may be on to something there. Hope you can double the glass life by doing so. It's worth a try.

What does it mean when you say that the glass begins to "etch"? I'm new to this, and the glass in my stove was recently replaced by the previous owner.

I'm sure there's someone that can explain how or why, but I believe the corrosive properties of combustion start to etch/cut into the smooth surface of the glass, eventually discoloring it and it goes from transparent to translucent to opaque over time. It is still functional, but not nice to look at. My Efel took 12 years to get to this point and I only replaced them because I missed being able to see the fire. Also outdoors, I've found that any steel surfaces on the ground start to rust from the gasses. My chimney is only 15 feet above the ground (single floor ranch house). I had a steel cross-buck storm door that had surface rust on all horizontal surfaces, my electric meter is brown from rust. Whatever the gas is It seems to fall to the ground rather than rise into the atmosphere. A small price to pay over 25 years for thousands of $$$ in oil savings I feel.

I just installed a used harman stoker. The glass is clouded a little, but what I noticed is the spiderweb effect that appears to be in the inner layers. The outside of the glass is smooth on both sides, but you can definitely see the spiderweb effect. This makes me think there are layers of glass that are laminated. I am watching it closely to make sure it doesn't crack all the way through, if so I have a replacement ready to go.

I'd like to be able to get to the outside glass on my stove, but there's this wire mesh grid covering it. I don't know how to take that off, and I'm not going to try since I'm a novice at this whole thing. Personally,I enjoy seeing the glow and the flames.

Franco B,

Thanks for the advice on the glass. Not sure if I want to tackle that right now, but it's good to know that I can take it off whenever I might want to.

It is too bad that the glass does frost and craze over time. However the cost of glass (good for several years) is about 1/2 the cost of an anual oil furnace cleaning.

grizzly2 wrote:It is too bad that the glass does frost and craze over time. However the cost of glass (good for several years) is about 1/2 the cost of an anual oil furnace cleaning.

Hey! That's a really good point. I always forget that you have to compare our maintenance to that of a furnace, and it ALWAYS will come up cheaper in the long run.

musikfan6 wrote:

grizzly2 wrote:It is too bad that the glass does frost and craze over time. However the cost of glass (good for several years) is about 1/2 the cost of an anual oil furnace cleaning.

Hey! That's a really good point. I always forget that you have to compare our maintenance to that of a furnace, and it ALWAYS will come up cheaper in the long run.

I totally agree. My oil is only used as a supplement in the morning when it gets consistently lower than 50/25 degrees. My house is a 62 X 50 single floor ranch, no basement and the Alaska is dead center, open to a family room that is 17 X 28. The oil heat is 3 zones w/digital thermostats.

I found by accident when my old furnace leaked and was without domestic hot water that a electric water heater only cost me $15 per month for hot water, 2 people. I borrowed a unused 115v 20 gallon hot water heater from a friend's barn for the summer until my new furnace was installed. After this revelation I installed a 220v permanent 30 gallons water heater, perfect for 2 showers at the same time. I piped it in like a water softener w/ball gate valves so that I can cut off either furnace or water heater so I can use either. I have the water trickling through the furnace first to take the chill off it when the furnace is on.

We haven't had the oil burner on since I started the stove, and even through the 6 days w/o electricity we've been as warm as usual. Even had others staying overnight until their electric came back.

Since I only run 300 gallons of oil per season, I only have it cleaned every 3 years, saving that charge. The person who cleans it said I could even stretch that farther, as it's only 5 years old. I'm not forced to take the maintenance plan for $300, so I've been pocketing that money in escrow for any service I might need.

To further substantiate my OCD on trying to beat the energy thieves at their game, please see my other post:

Anyone attach aluminum or steel heat sinks to your stove?

I am seeing MUCH LESS coal usage after installing heat sinks on the slab sides of my stove. I'm using 1 less bucket for every 5 that I normally used at the same burn rate. Stack temperature is proportionately lower also, which means more heat is given off to the room in my estimation. I'm also emptying the ash bin less frequently. Without much calculation that's either 20 or 25% less coal being used?

Thanks for letting me brag...
John

Great post!!! Thanks for the tip, gonna pick up some of this, I've seen it on the shelf for sale at ACE Hardware around here.. Also, have a brand new piece of door glass for my Mag Stoker will be put in in the coming weeks before starting it up for the season... Old glass is only 2 seasons old and is shot!!! I faithfully cleaned it every week if not every few days at times and it is done, so this will be a good test for the new glass, see how long it lasts...

Thanks again

freetown fred wrote:Make sure you save that old piece in case something outlandish should happen--ask SMITTY

Yes Sir, for sure, always do... Nothing wrong with it other than it's etched to hell and back and looks like a horses ass!!!