Not sure what you could do with your current setup to “proof” it from the SIL, but your idea of placing a weld on the air intake control so it can’t be opened beyond a certain point seems like a good idea. I hear with a furnace in the basement, and shared last week how my 8 year old helped himself to loading it. Definitely scared me. Too many factors that could have resulted in a different ending. Thank God everything was alright, but I don’t have to worry about it as much with my wood stove upstairs. It is a moral model, and although the fresh air adjustment isn’t secure from tampering. The handle for the stove is removable, so after loading the stove, I take the handle out and nobody can open the firebox without it. Something to remember if you wanna keep burning like you do now.
Very good the ending ended up the good way with the young lad cut. She is here for Christmas as of this afternoon and we talked about the stove which she said she doesnt want anything to do with it. Still glad i stuck the dowel in it and after watching her for awhile around the house i am pretty sure she couldnt even attempt to put any wood in it anyways. Under 15c it is fine for 8-9hrs so there should be never a reason for her to worry about it anyways.
An interesting first night thats for sure as we have 6 dogs in the house now. Titan has a new buddy. Handed her a large split just for snickers and there is no way she will be able to handle the stove.
While that is good to have figured out, there are many things that could be stuck in a stove besides large splits. Not trying to be a smartazz...just thinking out loud. I think the air adjustment block is still a good idea, and maybe some kind of door lock/block?
Somewhere's between 2-6" of snow supposed to be coming here today...we are right on the line for 2-4", or 4-6"...looks like a white Christmas either way. I've heard of the dog days of summer, but looks like the Loon household will have the dog days of Christmas, New Years, etc! Good on y'all for taking care of her!
Sounds alot better than flooding out,thats for sure. i've known her half my life and we always got along. The dogs are doing alot better than yesterday so its not as Loud and Chaotic today.