Stove Newb...

In our last adventure, we walked down memory lane on how I came to be the proud owner of a Pellet stove.

In this installment, we learn how said stove has put me outside my element and challenging me in ways I'm not used to, and don't particularly like.

 

I've been thinking about this stove non-stop when I'm at home..mostly because I have reminders all around me:  The stove sitting there unplugged, the shiny stove pipe on the side of my house, Bags of Pellets sitting in my basement, and the sound of the boiler running while the stove is out of commission.

The Stove is my first real big expensive purchase since the house.  IT is meant to help curb us of our Fuel Oil ways, and save us money.

 

It's sitting there...broken.

I'm currently waiting for a new Controller board to arrive to fix it, but my confidence with the stove is extremely low.  Before I could call Support ( they are only open 8-5 m-f) I tried to use my Troubleshooting skills to determine the root cause of the issue.  I ran the diagnostics of the stove, and it appears that air was leaking out of the stove.  I checked the gaskets, and quickly decided that the Door gasket needed to be replaced.  I bought a replacement 5/8" rope gasket and installed it.

 

I'm pretty sure that made it worse.  With my confidence shaken, I started down the path of trying to correct the newly installed gasket.  I got some hi-temp silicone sealant and used that to push the gasket out more to create an airtight door seal.  I couldn't help myself and kept trying to "fix" it even more.

 

What I'm left with now is a gasket that is probably complete and udder shit.  It is airtight, but that is not the intended use of the sealant. It may melt onto the stove.

 

I can admit that.

 

It is ok.  This is my first stove, and I'm learning.  I need to take my work ethos and step back when I'm getting stressed/overwhelmed and re-evaluate the situation.

 

Worst case:  I need a new $8 gasket and $7 of sealant.

 

Deep breaths, Deep breaths.