Thinking that I might not wear out my stove door gasket as quickly, I sometimes close, but don't latch my door when the stove is empty and will not be used for a few days. Does this make sense? (I'm less inclined to do this during cooler weather when I might get a draft sucking air out of the house.)
Keep stove door not latched tightly during off season?
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I have never done this. Replacing a gasket every 5 or so years is not a big deal.
I had spoken with a stove shop rep about this last fall. He said a door gasket is similar to a coil spring in that if a spring remains loaded or unloaded, it will last indefinitely. What wears it out is the action or movement of the spring. So leaving your stove door shut tight for the off season is not a problem at all.
I understand the concept of doing this, but my thought is the gasket will compress much faster with the door shut and at stove temperatures. Leaving the stove shut while cool shouldn't compress it as much.
For reasons including limiting heat loss up the flue and possible smells coming into the house, I leave my door latched shut.
For reasons including limiting heat loss up the flue and possible smells coming into the house, I leave my door latched shut.
I am no expert at this but I would think that would put more weight on that door and warp the surround rubber piece around the door because of changes of pressure and humidity within the house on the off season--fluff it up so to speak and then when you shut it for the winter it might be a shock to it or something and I know very little about door mechanics and just imaging this on how I would feel about what you are doing...I would not do it...clancey
Sounds like the Saturday consensus is not to worry about it and just keep the door closed and latched. Thanks.
I think so if wide open, but I'd leave it lightly pushed shut without being latched.
BCC_Burner
Feeling the Heat
I leave my stove door lightly latched in the off season, but I don't fully lock the door like it would if there was a fire in the stove.
St. Coemgen
Feeling the Heat
Meh. I replace my gaskets every two to three years. They are too cheap and so easy to replace they are not worth worrying about wearing them out. It is a non-starter. A few good beers costs more.
Makes a lot of sense. Maybe the gaskets might puff up a bit. I do it with the side door when the stove is not running. I'm going to do it with the front door, for the summer, My front door latch is frozen in the fall. Maybe this approach will help.
Leave it shut . . . I have replaced exactly two of the three door gaskets on my stove in 13 years . . . plus the cost isn't that expensive to re-do in the long term.
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