I haven't cleaned the glass in awhile and it had that white glaze build-up that doesn't burn off. Also, there are a few areas of the door that get black over time; I guess the air wash flow is lacking in the corners. With these warm days, I have not been burning overnight. This morning since the stove was cold, I cleaned out the ashes and decided to also clean the glass. I do use cleaners but I double rinse afterwards with plain water to remove any chemicals left behind. I have never had an issue with using glass cleaners using my double rinse with plain water afterwards. It is nice having a clear view to the fire for a change.
A couple damp paper towels dipped into the ash’s and wiped down with a damp paper towel is all I’ve ever used and it gets it perfectly clear. Have you tried that and the cleaner works better for you? What type of cleaner do you use?
This season has been so mild I’ve had a hard time keeping the stove glass clean. I use white vinegar and water mix. I haven’t tried the ash. I love the clean glass, it’s like watching a 4K HD fire.
YMMV but 50/50 distilled vinegar/water on a paper towel cuts right through the stuff left on the glass on my Drolet. No worries about harmful chemicals needed. I looked at the msds on one of the wood stove glass cleaners once (I think it was rutland) and noticed it was just a mild acid with some alcohol and dipropylene glycol. Skipping the alcohol and antifreeze and just using a mild acid (diluted vinegar) is a no brainer.
Yes; I have always done that. I like using the clean-out plug as it is easier and less likely to dump ashes on the hearth. I use a shovel to rake the ashes into the plug hole and into the ash drawer. If there are coals I try to save them although I think I need to make a coal shifter to make the job easier. Should I be leaving a layer of ashes on the bricks?
If your stove manual doesn’t specifically say that, that’s a problem. Yes, typically 1” depth of ashes left in stove. It’s spoken of here on FHC from time to time. Necessity.
I have read the manual a few times and don't recall anything about leaving ashes; I will pull the manual out again. Also have never seen on FHC about leaving a layer of ashes. See, you do learn something new everyday.
A heavy duty pooper scooper does a brilliant job of separating the fairy dust from the coals. I found this one on amazon:
It's really just an extra layer of insulation. Some say that the wood burns better with an inch or so left of ashes. I personally see no improvement in the burning of wood when it's already dry. This is for both when I do take the ash out down to the fire bricks or leaving an inch or so of ash. The firebricks insulate and reflect. My quadrafire says to leave 1/8"-1/4" of ash at the bottom of the stove. Realistically, I probably leave about 1/8" of ashes left even if I intend to get all the ashes out.
I notice a huge improvement in holding coals if an inch or two of ash is left...which is nice when the weather is warmer...not so important when its real cold and you are loading every 8-10 hours...