Cracked Stone

I don't think it is a concern to worry much about. However being the type of fellow I am, I would spend the $5 and replace it.

John, it sounds as if you've done nothing wrong and for sure that pine won't hurt the stove. The only time you should have to be concerned about heating the stove up to fast is on your first fire in the fall of the year after the stove has been cold a long time.

You can always try sealing the crack by caulking it but perhaps the company will replace the stone. I'd check with your dealer before doing anything.

Whats involved? Simply take the old stone out and put a new one in. How old is your stove?

LIMITED FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY
HearthStone warrants the following parts of the Woodstove against the following occurrences that result from
defects in material and workmanship:
• Refractory brick – against breakage and deterioration not resulting from physical damage or over-loading of
the Woodstove.
• Firebox baffle (the baffle above the secondary air tubes) – against breakage, cracking or burn-through.
• Door handles and latch mechanisms – against breakage.
This warranty expires on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Purchase Date.

You may have cracked the stone while putting in a large split. I have two stones in the rear of the stove that are cracked. The seam on the crack is tight so I'm not concerned. If this were the baffle, it would be replaced asap. You can purchase stones in replacement sets or individually at masonary stores. You also can slap some furnace cement on the crack if you can cool down the stove for a day.

SKIN052 said:

Whats involved? Simply take the old stone out and put a new one in. How old is your stove?

LIMITED FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY
HearthStone warrants the following parts of the Woodstove against the following occurrences that result from
defects in material and workmanship:
• Refractory brick – against breakage and deterioration not resulting from physical damage or over-loading of
the Woodstove.
• Firebox baffle (the baffle above the secondary air tubes) – against breakage, cracking or burn-through.
• Door handles and latch mechanisms – against breakage.
This warranty expires on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Purchase Date.

Click to expand...

Unfortunetly, nothing in that warranty covers the stones. I don't know how they handle it. I know they say in the manual that surface cracks are no big deal, character, as it were...

out of my manual...

Soapstone
You only need to occasionally clean your stove’s polished soapstone finish to maintain its natural beauty. Clean the soapstone with water, any non-abrasive cleaner, and a soft cloth. Wipe dust from the stone with a clean cloth. Do not use chemical agents to wash the stone; do not use waxes or any polishing agents on the stone.
Take care not to scratch or chip the stone. Do not set items on top of your stove that can scratch or chip the stone, or its enamel finish.
Over time, and with use, subtle earth tones of brown, red, and yellow appear on the soapstone. This is a natural reaction in the soapstone and enhances its beauty. With normal use, hairline or surface cracks might appear on the stone. Such cracks do not affect the integrity or operation of the stove; there is no need to replace them.

Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the stove owner..lol

Ours has a couple "seams" in the stone that I suspect may crack at some time. My plan is to cement and go on.

My mistake, thought we were talking about a Fire Brick. Sorry about that.

First- good that the crack is not all the way through the stone. I know that the manual states that cracks can form and that it is ok. Sounds that you are running your stove correctly too. I would talk to your dealer and see how much money and effort it is to replace it than decide if it worth it to replace something that no one can see and is still safe. Maybe the cement is the way to go?

all stones have lifetime warranty

contact your dealer

Wood Heat Stoves said:

all stones have lifetime warranty

contact your dealer

Click to expand...

Really??!!

johnstra - can you post a pic of the crack? I'd like to see what you are dealing with. If it is hairline, I wouldn't worry. Perhaps some refractory cement on the inside of the stone, and then forget about it. But, if the crack is significant, I guess I'd look into replacement. Can't be cheap, and I've never heard of the stones being under a lifetime warranty (but I sure hope it's true!!). Cheers!
(P.S. - you are definitely running the stove correctly - assuming nothing happened differently (i.e. stove became too hot during sleep, etc.) - so, don't let this hurt your woodburning mojo!

NH_Wood said:

Wood Heat Stoves said:

all stones have lifetime warranty

contact your dealer

Click to expand...

Really??!!

Click to expand...

yes, all stones, all castings-lifetime
lets see if i can paste from the manual...

LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
HearthStone warrants the following parts of the Woodstove against the following occurrences that result from defects in material and workmanship:
• All cast iron parts   against breakage, cracking or burn-through. • All stones   against cracking or breakage due to thermal stress, excluding surface and hairline cracks and
scratches that do not affect the operation or safety of the Woodstove. • Primary and secondary air supply systems, including riser tubes, air wash system, secondary air manifold and
stainless steel secondary air supply tubes   against breakage, cracking or burn-through. • Glass   against breakage due to thermal shock.

refactory cement the crack and be on your way to other projects. I know that stove is expensive but its not going to hurt the performance at all. Soapstone is a soft stone, artists use it for sculpting, the natural qualities makes it vounerable to imperfections

SKIN052 said:

Whats involved? Simply take the old stone out and put a new one in. How old is your stove?

LIMITED FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY
HearthStone warrants the following parts of the Woodstove against the following occurrences that result from
defects in material and workmanship:
• Refractory brick – against breakage and deterioration not resulting from physical damage or over-loading of
the Woodstove.
• Firebox baffle (the baffle above the secondary air tubes) – against breakage, cracking or burn-through.
• Door handles and latch mechanisms – against breakage.
This warranty expires on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Purchase Date.

Click to expand...

How is the baffle replaced? I am afraid the whole top may hve to come off. I figure if they only warranty it for 5 years it must wear out.

I really have no idea. I really suggests you have a dealer come out and take a look. Can you get us a pic of the crack?

Wood Heat Stoves said:

NH_Wood said:

Wood Heat Stoves said:

all stones have lifetime warranty

contact your dealer

Click to expand...

Really??!!

Click to expand...

yes, all stones, all castings-lifetime
lets see if i can paste from the manual...

LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
HearthStone warrants the following parts of the Woodstove against the following occurrences that result from defects in material and workmanship:
• All cast iron parts   against breakage, cracking or burn-through. • All stones   against cracking or breakage due to thermal stress, excluding surface and hairline cracks and
scratches that do not affect the operation or safety of the Woodstove. • Primary and secondary air supply systems, including riser tubes, air wash system, secondary air manifold and
stainless steel secondary air supply tubes   against breakage, cracking or burn-through. • Glass   against breakage due to thermal shock.

Click to expand...

Sweet - thanks! I don't know how I missed that nice bit of info! Cheers!

blacktop37 said:

How is the baffle replaced? I am afraid the whole top may hve to come off. I figure if they only warranty it for 5 years it must wear out.

Click to expand...

Depends on the stove, some are real easy, some a pain. Mine is the pain type, top of the stove does have to come off. My bet is more get "broken", then wear out. If you post your stove type and specs, preferably in your signature, someone with experience with that particular stove may chime in.

I have a couple of small soapstone slabs i put on my cast iron stove. One has a very uniform grain, while the other has some interesting mineral patterns. The latter one seemed to do something like your piece once it got really hot, almost like some impurities boiled out in the form of a short, fat line of faint black goo. Don't know if that is common, or if it compromises the stone in any way other than appearance.

Lifetime warranty.

Be very careful to note that they will only send you the part. The labor is not included and it IS EXTENSIVE to replace a stone. So la de da, you get a slab of stone in the mail. Then a dealer sends out some kid with a tube of cement and a limited amount of time to disassemble your stove. Rebuilding a stone stove correctly is as much a skill as it is an art and the chance of finding an artist like this at a stove shop is pretty poor. Note that the top is that last thing to go on, so to replace that rear stone the stove will pretty much be a pile of little stones on the ground with only cast base remaining. Total rebuild. The stone leaking creosote means it is a complete crack and not a surface crack. Clean the inside well to find the crack and seal with cement. Or start interviewing the potential craftsmen that will be rebuliding your stove to be sure that you get a quality job.

Yes, the free part is better than nothing.

I have a similar situation with the door latch's catch on the side door frame. Big time diassembly required to replace and labor is not covered by the warranty.

Why not go ahead and make the warranty claim anyway? As Highbeam says, the free piece is better than nothing, and if you get it now you will have it on hand if/when you need it. Show them the pic and see what they say.

I reread my post and it sounded pretty negative. Sorry about that.

There is a full parts and labor warranty period as I recall. Has it expired? If not, make a claim with an excellent dealer that is very confident in his ability to actually rebulid a stone stove. Seriously, shop around and don't necessarily use the original dealer but try him first.

You can't really expect a lifetime parts and labor warranty on these things. So I can't blame Hearthstone for their policy. However, replacing a stone or any other part of the stone stove assembly is not like changing oil on your car, it is like getting a new paint job. The craftsman will either do a great job or a terrible job. Not a lot of craftsmen fall in between.

That crack is a through crack, a failed stone. Otherwise it wouldn't leak creo. The crack may plug up with creo or it may flow like that and make a mess forever. It is not a surface crack and I believe it would qualify for "needing" replacement if you demanded it.

If I was you, happy with the stove and out of warranty I would wait and see. Keep an eye on it. Try smearing some cement on the inside after you clean the stone really well. It could be worse after the professional repair. In the summer, reconsider your options.