How to SAVE MONEY by Replacing Your Outdoor Wood Furnace Door Seal
(Part 5 of 10 - 2023 Ultimate Summer Shutdown Checklist )
Why A New Door Seal Is Required Every 2-3 Years?
A door gasket ("Fire Rope" or "Door Seal") on an outdoor wood stove is the seal placed around the inside part of the stove door. It typically looks like a piece of rope stuck to the stove.
The rope is made of fiberglass material which is made to be extremely heat resistant which makes it perfect for a door seal.
When your wood stove door is closed, the door gasket provides an airtight seal so that all of the air coming into the stove is through the air vents, and not through the door, and therefore controllable. If your wood stove doesn’t have this door seal on the door then it wouldn’t be able to burn firewood as efficiently.
How Often Do You Need To Replace Your Door Gasket?
The door gasket on your outdoor wood burning boiler can wear out over time so it must be replaced typically every 2-3 years. This is a normal maintenance routine that we highly recommend so that you can keep your furnace healthy and efficient, and this also reduces your workload. But you may also replace it earlier if necessary.
If you notice discoloration on your door seal fire rope, it doesn't mean you have to replace it. That is normal.
Fiberglass material is made to be fairly soft and so it can help stoves to provide an airtight seal when the door is closed. So when you notice that the rope starts to harden or become brittle, you need to replace it. A hardened gasket can no longer provide a tight seal.
What Happens if Your Door Gasket is Failing?
If your door seal is failing, it will be unable to provide an airtight seal between the door and the body of your outdoor wood furnace. This will cause the AIR to leak into your boiler in the idle mode which will cause the following problems:
- Reduced efficiency
- Wastes your precious wood fuel
- Increases your workload
- Possible furnace overheating
- Possible loss of water (and water treatment!) that must be replaced
- In some cases, damage to overheated steel, particularly the door and door frame
Another problem with a leaky door seal is that in the firing mode, some of your heat will escape through the door seal, rather than sending those BTUs to your home.
This makes replacing the door gasket for your wood boiler a vital part of wood furnace care and our summer shutdown checklist because it can prevent further problems to occur. It will also help to bring the stove back to its fully operational efficiency. It will also help to ensure that no air is getting into the stove through the door.
In replacing your door seal, remember to remove your old gasket first and clean the channel where the rope seats including the door panel. You can use pliers, screwdrivers, or other tools as necessary in removing the old gasket.
In order to replace the gasket on your outdoor furnace door you’ll need the following:
-Replacement door seal gasket (of right size and length)
-A cutter or sharp scissors to cut the rope if it's longer than what you need
The process of replacing your door seal is simple - Easy Instructions are available on our website by clicking HERE.
Remember that the door seal replacement kit requires BOTH the fire rope, AND the high temp caulk. Both items are available by clicking HERE.
