Household Insulation?

[sap seeker]

Just got my new barrel cut and have an 1" or so space in each corner with my lasgana pan set on. Is it O.K. to just stuff a little insulation in there or is the heat loss so insignificant it won't even matter and to just leave it? :confused: Thank you

[PerryW]

That should work okay. Certainly, it will help your efficiency.

[SeanD]

Filling the space is definitely a good idea, but I don't think household fiberglass insulation is a good idea if it is exposed to the flame. It won't burst into flame, but it will burn away. It's fire retardant, but not fire proof. We're talking about a ton of heat in that firebox.

I'm also not sure what kind of fumes will come from it. Even my arch board crumbled and fell into the fire at times and let off a wicked smell and smoke. There are some firefighters on here who can chime in.

Sean

[birdmancf]

Hey Sapseeker,

I bet I have a setup similar to yours. I've attached a thumbnail. Last year I had steamer trays dropped down in a barrel, this year lifted them higher to avoid scorching on the sides of the pans when the level got too low. Like you it left me with square corners. This year before the season I cut out rounded corners that conformed closer to the pan and riveted them in place. No flames up the sides, no scorching and no use of fiberglass. I started witht he idea of using stove gasket, a fiberlgass rope, to fill the corners, had it all in place, but the sight of fiberglass fibers floating through the air as I was working on it was enough to inspire a different solution. I know that they might be filtered out, but the idea kind of wigged me out none the less.

The steel rivets have worked fine, even with forced air in the combustion chamber, and I'm never nervous about getting anything in the syrup when I pull the pan out.
Chris

[sap seeker]

I did think about flat gasket rope but could also fashion small pieces out of old stovepipe and pop rivet. Thanks all.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Household insulation should hold up for 1 season and works pretty good as I used in in the past many years ago when I was young and backyarding and didn't have access to anything else.

[JohnM]

I used fiberglass insulation in my first dry laid block arch. Worked fine. Did not burn.

There is a binder in the insulation that will burn off. The glass fibers will not melt much at wood fire temps and helps seal gaps in your arch.