Having a stove in your home has a lot of benefits: a great look, wonderfully inexpensive heat, and the pride that comes with owning (and using) this kind of old fashioned device. The downside of a stove (whether it's wood or gas burning) is that it does require some maintenance to operate properly and safely. Keeping your stove sealed against cracks is extremely important, because smoke and gases escaping from the stove can be dangerous.

Repairing Cracks in Your Stove

Cracks can appear in your stove for several different reasons. The most common reason is that you've just recently installed the stove, and all of the seals have not been filled. Another common reason is that they stove is simply old and worn, and cracks have formed in the seals simply due to normal use. In either of these cases, you can repair the cracks in your stove by using a special type of furnace cement.

Furnace cement is specifically designed for sealing cracks in metal stoves. It is made to bond to metal, so it can fill seams between two metal pieces easily. It is also made to resist extremely high temperatures--usually up to around 2,000° F--so it is safe for use even in large hot stoves.

Furnace cement usually comes in black, since most stoves are made of wrought iron that has a black coating. While furnace cement can be used to fill the seal between a newly installed door and your fireplace, it's important to remember that it is not intended for use on moving joints. Furnace cement should also never be used where water is present, since this can weaken the seal.