HOW TO REPLACE A WOOD STOVE DOOR GASKET? 6 EASY STEPS

A wood stove door gasket can be replaced by, cleaning the channel for residue, and spreading gasket glue evenly in the channel, once the glue is tacky to touch the gasket can be loosely laid into the channel and then cut off when both ends that are touching, then close the door and wait 24 hours before use.

The gasket on your wood stove door is very important, whether you have a wood stove or fireplace insert all airtight wood stoves need a door gasket to burn correctly and efficiently, so if yours is looking old or starting to fall out keep reading, and will get you started on this DIY project that anyone can do with a little help.

Buy your wood stove door gasket here

So let’s start with why the gasket is important, without the wood stove door gasket air can filter into the wood stove firebox causing you to burn your wood much faster and become less efficient.

The reason why your wood stove becomes less efficient is that you lose control over your fire and that’s because your air controls on your stove become useless and there’s no way to dampen the fire down to save on fuel.

Read more about: WHAT IS A FIREPLACE INSERT? 4 IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW

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How do you know if you need to change your wood stove door gasket?

This is a very common question because if it’s not starting to fall out, then you might not be sure if you need a new one.

There are a few ways to tell if yours needs replacing, one is if it feels brittle and crunchy or overly dry, and another more obvious reason is if it’s falling out or is starting to peel away from the door.

Another way to tell If your wood-burning appliance door gasket needs replacing is if you may be noticing an air seepage through the edge of the door, sometimes it can be difficult to see, if that’s the case you can try a little trick below to find out if it’s still good or needs replacing,

Also read: CAN YOU USE A WOOD-BURNING STOVE WITH CRACKED GLASS? 4 EASY ANSWERS

Below are a few signs that indicate you may need to change your wood stove door gasket:

• Air leaks: If you feel cold air coming from around the wood stove door, it may indicate that the gasket is no longer sealing the door properly.
• Smoke leaks: If you notice smoke or soot coming from around the door, it may indicate that the gasket is no longer sealing the door properly and smoke is leaking out of the wood stove, this can become a safety hazard.
• Difficulty in controlling the fire: If you are having trouble controlling the fire, it may be due to air leaks caused by a worn or damaged gasket, first check the baffles inside the stove can become damaged or dislodged, leading to air leaks, second check the baffles for damaged or missing pieces and replace them as necessary, and third see if you have an air leak in your ash pan below the stove.
• Age: Over time, gaskets can become worn or brittle, and may no longer provide a proper seal, this is normal over 3 or 4 years of use.
• Visual inspection: Inspect the gasket for signs of wear or damage, such as fraying or tears.

Buy your wood stove door gasket here

Wood stove door gasket paper test

Try putting a piece of paper between the closed door and pull, if it comes out easy you have a problem because air is definitely leaking in, so at this point, you will need to change your door gasket because your stove is no longer airtight.

Once you determine whether or not you need a new gasket, you probably are wondering what size you need to buy, so let’s talk about that next.

How do I know what size of wood stove door gasket to buy?

So to get started if you have the owner manual that came with your stove you should be able to find the correct information about your gasket size you can look inside the manual and you will see the make, model, and information like the manufacturer’s phone number and email or website in that manual, try and contact them about getting the original gasket, an email should suffice to get the necessary information.

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Now If you don’t have the owner’s manual I would suggest looking on the back of your wood stove to find the certification label that is black with gold or silver letters in most cases, the certification label shows the make and model of the wood stove among many other details like clearances to combustibles, the year it was manufactured, etc.

Read more: IMPORTANT WOOD STOVE HEARTH PAD REQUIREMENTS YOU NEED TO KNOW

So once you have found the make and model you can look online for the correct wood stove door gasket from the original manufacturer’s website or ask your local fireplace store if they have it.

To measure a wood stove gasket, you will need a measuring tape or ruler, below are some useful measurements:

1. Remove the old gasket: Before you can measure the gasket, you will need to remove the old one from the stove door.
2. Determine the width: Measure the width of the channel where the gasket fits, this is going to be the distance between the two sides of the channel.
3. Determine the thickness: Measure the thickness of the gasket material, this is usually between 1/8 inch to 3/16 inch but can vary.
4. Determine the length: Measure the length of the channel where the gasket fits, this is the distance around the perimeter of the channel, then add a few inches to be sure, you will need to cut it once it is installed anyway, better to be safe than sorry.
5. Order the correct size: With these measurements, you should be able to order the correct size of gasket for yours.

See Hearth.com to see what people are saying about “What is your favorite stove door gasket & glue”

Buy an aftermarket wood stove door gasket

If you are still having trouble finding the original gasket for your door then you can always look for an aftermarket wood stove door gasket that is the proper size for your stove, most hardware stores sell them or you can find them online on Amazon, they may come in black or white and remember gaskets come in a few different diameters so finding the right one for your door is important.

To find that perfect aftermarket gasket you can cut off a piece and take it to your local hardware store and they should have the perfect fit in stock.

Another way you can get the right size is by taking your door to the hardware store which should be able to find you the right one.

The new rope gasket will look different maybe even bigger in diameter when you buy it but that is only because it’s new and hasn’t been smushed between the door yet, and that is a good thing because once you install it, it should seal tight and like new.

Wood-burning stove door gasket price

Gaskets come in kits with the glue and instructions and I do recommend following those instructions because most will tell you the glue requires drying time and how long you need to wait before you use your stove, these kits generally cost about $20 to $35 online but if you are looking for the original manufactures kit it’s possible that it could cost a little more, but to be honest, an aftermarket gasket will work just as good, I’ve personally installed hundreds of them and they work great and you really can’t tell the difference between them.

Top loading wood stove gasket

Now you may need to order your gasket from the manufacturer if you have a top-loading stove, which means you have a door on the top of the appliance that is made so you can lift open to drop wood into the firebox, these doors generally have a different type of gasket called a “griddle gasket” this is a rope gasket wrapped in a stainless steel mesh and is specific to each stove manufacturer, an example of this type of stove is a Vermont Castings because some of their models have a top-loading door.

You can find a gasket kit for Vermont Castings stove here

How do you install a wood stove door gasket?

This task should only take 30 minutes to finish and it is a great DIY project for most homeowners, try to have everything ready before you start.

Below I have provided a list of tools you will need to install a wood stove door gasket replacement, so take a look and then follow my easy-to-follow guide.

Tools you will need for this project

• Measuring tape or ruler
•  Latex gloves
•  Flathead screwdriver
•  Wire Brush
•  Woodstove Door gasket kit with glue
•  Some DIY attitude

1. Remove the stove door

Once you have your wood stove door gasket kit you can take the door off if it’s not hard to do, most doors sit on two pins and just lift off the stove, I recommend you take it off if possible because it is much easier to install laying it down, but it’s not mandatory it can be installed in place also without removing it from the stove. So once it’s off lay it on its face preferably on some plastic garbage bags to protect the surface from the glue and any mess.

2. Pull out the old stove gasket

Next at this point feel free the pull out the old gasket, you may need a pair of pliers to pull it out, now in the channel where it sits, you will need to clean out any excess glue so that the new glue is able to stick to the surface and create a strong bond.

3. Clean the door channel

Using a flat head screwdriver and wire brush you need to clean out the channel as well as possible, then wipe out the channel with a dry cloth or vacuum to get any access dust or debris.

4. Apply glue to the channel

The glue you will be using is probably clear or red, the glue can be spread evenly and generously in the channel if you like you can use a small paintbrush that would work great to spread it evenly, once the glue is applied to give it a few minutes to get tacky to touch.

Some glues have a liquidy texture if you have bought one that is I recommend you use a paintbrush, others come in a tobe and are almost like silicone and this type is easier to spread with your finger you can use a pair of latex gloves to do the job.

5. Install the new stove door gasket

Now comes the fun part, you can start laying in the gasket little by little wiggling it into place as you go along but not pulling it tight and not pushing it together, just allow it to sit freely.

When you reach the end and the two sides are touching just cut off the extra door gasket and tuck the two ends together, you can tuck the ends in with the point of a flat head screwdriver.

6. finishing touches

Another tip is that you might want to put a few pieces of masking tape around the gasket to hold it until it’s dry, this is optional.

So finally take the door and put it back on your wood stove close the door tight so the door gasket has pressure on it, it’s ideal to leave it closed for twelve to twenty-four hours so the gasket gets a firm hold, this is important before using the stove.

So that’s it you should be ready to light a fire after 24 hours or the time given in the gasket kit instructions.

Conclusion

You should be proud of yourself at this point because you have installed your own wood stove door gasket and completed this DIY project and your stove should be ready to burn for many years because you did it yourself.

Now if you still don’t feel comfortable doing this on your you can call your local handyman or chimney sweep for some help and they should be able to install it in no time.

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