Replace Firebricks?

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Pavesa

Member
Feb 28, 2009
66
Nova Scotia
Hi

I have a Pacific Energy Spectrum woodstove and I've been taking a look around it before the season starts in earnest.

I noticed that all 3 of the firebricks at the back have horizontal cracks in them. The link below shows some photos. The one on the left (No 1) is scarcely visible and there's no disintegration along the crack so I think it's fine. The middle on (No 2) has some disintegration along the crack - maybe 1/8" deep and there's a some disintegration particularly on the right below the crack to a depth of maybe 1/4" (marked in blue in photo 4). The one on the right has somewhat less disintegration along the crack than the middle one but to the top left of the crack there's disintegration to about 1/4" (marked in blue in photo 4) and then a bit more serious disintegration to maybe 3/8" (marked in red in photo 4). photo 5 is photo 4 without the markings.

http://perso.wanadoo.es/andrew.bagley/FireBricks.htm

Photo 1 shows the view of the back.

Photo 2 is the left and middle bricks

Photo 3 is the middle and right bricks

Photo 4 & 5 are the middle and right bricks showing where the disintegration is

Photo 6 is a bit more detail (although photo a little bit blurred..)

The firebricks are 1 1/4" thick.

Thanks for any advice

Pavesa
 
Howsa bout rotate cracked bricks to the bottom where the gaps will fill with ash and moving uncracked bricks to the back. All but one brick I think are the same size.
 
Hi

I have a Pacific Energy Spectrum woodstove and I've been taking a look around it before the season starts in earnest.

I noticed that all 3 of the firebricks at the back have horizontal cracks in them. The link below shows some photos. The one on the left (No 1) is scarcely visible and there's no disintegration along the crack so I think it's fine. The middle on (No 2) has some disintegration along the crack - maybe 1/8" deep and there's a some disintegration particularly on the right below the crack to a depth of maybe 1/4" (marked in blue in photo 4). The one on the right has somewhat less disintegration along the crack than the middle one but to the top left of the crack there's disintegration to about 1/4" (marked in blue in photo 4) and then a bit more serious disintegration to maybe 3/8" (marked in red in photo 4). photo 5 is photo 4 without the markings.

http://perso.wanadoo.es/andrew.bagley/FireBricks.htm

Photo 1 shows the view of the back.

Photo 2 is the left and middle bricks

Photo 3 is the middle and right bricks

Photo 4 & 5 are the middle and right bricks showing where the disintegration is

Photo 6 is a bit more detail (although photo a little bit blurred..)

The firebricks are 1 1/4" thick.

Thanks for any advice

Pavesa
If the bottom bricks are in good shape and the same size I'd swap the vertical out with the horizontal brick then leave 1" layer of ash in the bottom which is a good idea anyways..

Ray
 
If the bottom bricks are in good shape and the same size I'd swap the vertical out with the horizontal brick then leave 1" layer of ash in the bottom which is a good idea anyways..

Ray

Lol beat ya!
 
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Hi,

thanks for the thoughts. If they aren't any good, I'd rather replace them than fiddle moving bricks around, they cost about $4 each to replace and probably the left one (No 1 is ok). More a question of whether I need to bother or if they're fine? I bought the stove 2nd hand 3 years ago and they were broken then but maybe have deteriorated a bit..

Pavesa
 
If money isn't a factor I would replace then, why run it with a cracked brick. Your call on the moving them around, gotta do that to replace them anyway.
 
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