# Cracked glass dangerous?



## dkf5

How dangerous is it to continue to run a wood stove with a cracked window? A co-worker of mine had this happen over the weekend and I know he is still using his stove. Now I don't know how bad the damage is just that he had a log roll into the window and he said that it had cracked. We usually place our wood in the stove n-s kind of for that reason. Just not sure if it really is safe or not. My husband and I were talking about this tonight and wondered if carbon monoxide could leak out, or what other damage could occur. Could the window explode causing a really bad situation? Thanks for any input. Donna


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## dkf5

Can you run a wood stove with the window cracked? Is this dangerous, unsafe? If so how. We thought maybe carbon monoxide could leak out. Maybe a fire hazard What could happen as a result if continued to use without replacing the glass? Thanks


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## mattinpa

repost


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## Soadrocks

I would take no chances with a crack, ours cracked not too long ago, ran to the store, got a replacement, and back on the road again....our stove is running continuously, therefore, while at work, we wanted to take no chances especially with 3 cats and a dog.

99 out of 100 times, cracked glass can still function normally, but I wouldnt take those odds.

I'm no expert by any means, but that's my 2 cents and Im sticking with it!


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## dkf5

Thankful it's not mine. A co-worker. I agree I wouldn't take any chances either. We run our stove 24/7 and we both work as well. It just isn't worth being foolish.


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## Lighting Up

General rule: if it's cracked?...replace it.   Is it unsafe?...yes.     Are you changing the way the stove burns with a crack glass door?...yes. 

All cracks in glass are different but I would stop and replace before I burn anymore...safety first...IMHO. Good Luck...
md


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## Slow1

I'm with Lighting Up - replace before burning.  I have seen suggestions on how to seal up a crack in a pinch, but unless you rely on your stove as sole heat and can't find an alternative, I'd leave the stove cold until you get it replace.  If you MUST burn then get that replacement ordered ASAP.

As to why - well, I wouldn't worry much about CO or other smoke escaping as long as you have good draft the issue will be the opposite - air being pulled in through the crack.  Then there is the general concern that cracks in most materials don't generally get smaller over time and can grow rather fast when under stress (i.e. high heat situations).  Now the good news is that it really isn't glass most likely - rather it is in most cases a zero (or very low) expansion ceramic which means the cracks won't have as much expansion/contraction stress to deal with.  However if the crack were to make much of a hole you could end up with some pretty serious increase in air (uncontrolled) into your firebox.  I'd really hate to have that happen during an unattended burn (well, anytime, but if nobody is there then you can't even do anything about the runaway stove).

Now of course there are "cracks" and "CRACKS" and everything in between.  You have to make your own call on it - but replacement is clearly the most conservative approach.


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## mattinpa

Truthfully, I've been running mine for a month now with cracked glass.  I cut a piece of sheet metal and covered the cracked glass on the inside of the stove.  No problems.  I have a piece of replacement glass, but just haven't had the time to put it in yet.  No difference in draw or heat.


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## EatenByLimestone

I wouldn't worry so much about CO, but would worry that I'd have a full burning load and the glass would shatter when the load shifted and hit it.  The missing glass could cause the stove to overfire easily.  

Matt


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## fire_man

This post reminds me of the one weak point of my old VC Resolute. The glass was held in by two tiny clips screwed into the doors.

One scary day the glass from one door fell into the fully loaded stove because those two clips had loosened. The fire went thermonuclear and scared the living @%$*& out of me. Fortunately I was present when this happened and jambed some aluminum foil over the opening untill the stove burned out. If this happened at 3am the story may have ended differently. After that I made sure to snug the screw clips every so often.


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## raybonz

fire_man said:
			
		

> This post reminds me of the one weak point of my old VC Resolute. The glass was held in by two tiny clips screwed into the doors.
> 
> One scary day the glass from one door fell into the fully loaded stove because those two clips had loosened. The fire went thermonuclear and scared the living @%$*& out of me. Fortunately I was present when this happened and jambed some aluminum foil over the opening untill the stove burned out. If this happened at 3am the story may have ended differently. After that I made sure to snug the screw clips every so often.



Scary stuff!

Ray


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## begreen

If it were my stove, I wouldn't be burning in it. Running the stove with cracked glass may be ok, IF you have someone on guard in front of the stove 24/7, and an extinguisher handy. Otherwise it's a very dangerous crapshoot gambling if or when a further crack might develop, log roll into the glass, or it just falls out. If that happens while you are asleep or away, the results could be devastating. DDT.


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## raybonz

BeGreen said:
			
		

> If it were my stove, I wouldn't be burning in it. Running the stove with cracked glass may be ok, IF you have someone on guard in front of the stove 24/7, and an extinguisher handy. Otherwise it's a very dangerous crapshoot gambling if or when a further crack might develop, log roll into the glass, or it just falls out. If that happens while you are asleep or away, the results could be devastating. DDT.



What does DDT mean?

Ray


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## firefighterjake

dkf5 said:
			
		

> How dangerous is it to continue to run a wood stove with a cracked window? A co-worker of mine had this happen over the weekend and I know he is still using his stove. Now I don't know how bad the damage is just that he had a log roll into the window and he said that it had cracked. We usually place our wood in the stove n-s kind of for that reason. Just not sure if it really is safe or not. My husband and I were talking about this tonight and wondered if carbon monoxide could leak out, or what other damage could occur. Could the window explode causing a really bad situation? Thanks for any input. Donna



Random thoughts . . .

Some folks here have reported using their stove with a cracked pane of "glass" for some time . . . as for me . . . I wouldn't chance it . . . but that's just me . . . I'm one of those belt AND suspenders sorts of guys . . . plus I like things to be right . . . not just sort of OK . . . especially when it comes to something in my house that is generating a whole lot of heat . . . and I mean enough heat to burn my place down.

I kind of wonder if the log just rolled into the "glass" -- I suppose this is possible . . . but most of the folks here who have had broken glass will admit that the cause was actually tossing the wood in instead of placing it into the firebox or putting the wood in and then slamming the door shut causing the impact . . . that said, I believe it is possible that a split could roll and break the glass . . . just not as common.

The chances of CO leaking out would be minimal unless there was a low draft or reversed draft situation . . . I would be more concerned with a crack and long/high heat exposure causing a major failure in the glass  . . . not to mention the possibility of the crack allowing air to enter the stove in an uncontrolled fashion which could lead to an uncontrolled fire and/or overfire situation. 

My own take . . . the glass is solid for a reason . . . for less than $100 I would fix the stove and get it fixed right.


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## begreen

raybonz said:
			
		

> BeGreen said:
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> If it were my stove, I wouldn't be burning in it. Running the stove with cracked glass may be ok, IF you have someone on guard in front of the stove 24/7, and an extinguisher handy. Otherwise it's a very dangerous crapshoot gambling if or when a further crack might develop, log roll into the glass, or it just falls out. If that happens while you are asleep or away, the results could be devastating. DDT.
> 
> 
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> What does DDT mean?
> 
> Ray
Click to expand...


Don't Do This!

(merged the two threads together)


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## raybonz

BeGreen said:
			
		

> raybonz said:
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> BeGreen said:
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> If it were my stove, I wouldn't be burning in it. Running the stove with cracked glass may be ok, IF you have someone on guard in front of the stove 24/7, and an extinguisher handy. Otherwise it's a very dangerous crapshoot gambling if or when a further crack might develop, log roll into the glass, or it just falls out. If that happens while you are asleep or away, the results could be devastating. DDT.
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> What does DDT mean?
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> Ray
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> Click to expand...
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> Don't Do This!
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> (merged the two threads together)
Click to expand...


I work for P&G and it is acronym hell there please do not add more lol...

Ray


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## begreen

Well, at least I don't rant at newbies to RTFM.


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## DanCorcoran

Read The Fact-filled Manual?


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## begreen

Fact yeah, you've got it.


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## dkf5

Thanks so much for all the input. We here in our house would not take any chances. Not worth being so complacent not with fire. This is such a fantastic place to put questions out and really get reliable information back.


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