Sealing Cooking Chamber...

[Its_Raw]

So far, I have not been overly worried about the small amount of smoke I see at times coming from an area or two of the cooking chamber door on my smoker. The draft seems to keep it at a minimum. However, I do get a bit of creosote buildup in an area that the smoke escapes and I would like to avoid it if possible. Is preventing the escape and buildup the only benefit of sealing the cooking chamber door? I would guess the small amount of smoke that exits the couple spots in the door is negligible?? If I do seal the door, I believe I will use the high-temp tape.

Thank you!

 

[02ebz06]

I don't see any appreciable advantage to sealing.
You do loose some smoke and heat that could be going to the meat, but probably not enough to matter.
But for me, I'm kinda anal about things like that, hate seeing it leaking. Haha

I've used sealing kits before, one similar to this: Grill Sealer

 

[chopsaw]

I do get a bit of creosote buildup in an area that the smoke escapes

Keep cooking , it will seal itself .

 

[Up_In_Smoke]

Keep cooking , it will seal itself .

Yes, he must cook more and more.

It's for science.
:)

 

[1MoreFord]

You can also use Hi Temp silicone to seal leaks.
Thoroughly! clean the surface where you will apply the silicone and then use wax paper between the silicone and the other surface to be sealed or apply a release agent of some sort to the other surface. Crisco, spray oil, even Vaseline, etc will work. Let the silicone have plenty of time to set.

 

[Its_Raw]

I have let if ride for almost a couple of years now, but the space never seems to totally seal itself and the flakey creosote collects in a decent size area and def able to flake off onto the food. I do scrape it often, but wondering if I can avoid that by sealing.

 

[Its_Raw]

Curious Whether any of the silicone sealants or the adhesive on the tapes are not necessarily food safe, especially when heated. What say you?

 

[1MoreFord]

Curious Whether any of the silicone sealants or the adhesive on the tapes are not necessarily food safe, especially when heated. What say you?

I once worked for a food company.
I had to find a regular silicone sealer that was food safe.
Many did not say one way or the other but some said once cured they were food safe.
Never looked at the Hi-Temp versions til now.
If you are concerned here's a quick DDG search

food grade high temp silicone at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

 

[forktender]

My thought on this is, why bother sealing the door when there is a 3 to 5'' stack.
The smoke is supposed to escape. It doesn't matter is it is from a gap around the door or the stack, it's gonna escape somewhere. You aren't gonna get a smokier flavor by sealing the door, like you said. If you're seeing creosote, you need more air movement not less.

 

[Its_Raw]

As far as air movement, I get the creosote at the spot where the smoke escapes the cooking chamber in the area where it does not seal well.

 

[mike243]

Well the bigger the smoker the less a leak will impact it, on the other hand the smaller the smoker and firebox the more it will impact it, limited heat availability might make it tough to run a specified temp, I hate chasing temps but it's part of the game. As smoke is released places it shouldn't cold air is let in to replace it. hence you loose fuel mileage

 

[processhead]

If its an outdoor smoker and the leaks are small compared to the smokers vent size. Your heat and smoke losses through the leak are probably insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

I run my insulated electric smoker indoors and vent it to the outside. That means door leaks contribute to basement haze so I am a little more careful about keeping things sealed up tight.

 

[forktender]

Dirty smoke most likely, what type of smoker and wood are you using, again please.

Thanks.
Dan.

 

[Its_Raw]

I have a Brazos and use mainly well seasoned oak (as confirmed with a moisture meter that I keep on hand). I get very clean smoke coming out of the stack and temps hold well, but this is my first smoker and I have no other point of reference.

 

[1MoreFord]

My OK Joe Longhorn leaked some when I first got it. I spent a few weekends with a Big Freakin' Hammer beating the sealing strap around the inside of the cook chamber opening into and out of the chamber depending on which way it needed to be bent. I got mine down to the point it only showed a visible leak during the warm up period. You might try a version of that. A torch to heat the metal would make it much easier than the way I did it.
Do you run your stack damper fully open? Does your pit still leak after it's properly up to temp? If so that *may* also indicate your stack is slightly undersized allowing causing back pressure. Of course that would be major surgery for the pit.
As has been said, a little leakage doesn't really affect the way the pit cooks it just aggravates any OCD and I understand that from both sides.

 

[in. pred]

smoke comes out all over the one i been using. on its last leg mechanically but not any less of a cooker.

 

[forktender]

The stack on Brazos to short, so it's most likely no drawing enough air in through the fire box, which in turn is why you are getting creosote/ It's not evacuating the smoke fast enough, which is making creosote build up in the cook chamber. Find a piece of Aluminum heater duct and extend the stack 2 to 3', if that works you are good to go, or you can have someone fab you up, and weld on a steel stack extension, if that makes you happier. Personally, I'd just spray paint the aluminum duct black and call it good if it works.
Good luck.
Dan.

 

[Its_Raw]

I have a stack extension on the Brazos.

 

[Its_Raw]

I should have mentioned I have an extension on the stack and the smoker seems to draw plenty of air. I see the flame within the firebox being pulled toward the cooking chamber and it burns a clean fire. Since creosote is a product of the smoke cooling and condensing, I wonder if it is not air escaping the cooking chamber, but cooler air being pulled into the cooking chamber?

 

[forktender]

I should have mentioned I have an extension on the stack and the smoker seems to draw plenty of air. I see the flame within the firebox being pulled toward the cooking chamber and it burns a clean fire. Since creosote is a product of the smoke cooling and condensing, I wonder if it is not air escaping the cooking chamber, but cooler air being pulled into the cooking chamber?

Let us know what you find out, I'm out of idea's.

You could always buy a roll of 3/4'' wide stickie felt to see if sealing it helps before spending the money of wood burning stove gasket material.

Good luck.
Dan.