Broken brick......Keep her crankin'????

[MrGriz]

I just went to stir the coals for a reload and a firebrick in the back of my insert broke in half. The brick is one of the vertical ones that lines the back wall of the insert and is near the center. It broke about half way up and the bottom half in still in place (held up by the brick on the floor). I tried to put the broken half back in place with the poker and tongs, but it won't stay put.

Should I keep on burning for the night and replace the broken brick tomorrow when the stove is cooler in the morning, or is it not a good idea to burn hot with the missing brick?

It figures, I had let the fire die down last night so I could scoop the ash out and clean the glass and hearth today.

 

[fish]

i had the same problem. i found out that you can swap the brick for one on the bottom and just use it till you get some new bricks.my local stove installer said it wouldnt hurt anything because the thickness of the metal on the bottom is always thicker than the sides. but i would get a brick in a timely manner

 

[Beanscoot]

The fire brick in my crummy old plate steel stove is almost entirely gone from the sides now. I plan on replacing the unit come summertime, it works okay as it is though.

 

[velvetfoot]

I think the ash fills in the cracks on the bottom too.

 

[Vic99]

I hadn't thought about this . . . I'd like to go out and buy 1 or 2 replacement bricks so that if this happens, I can fix it immediately.

Will any standard size brick do, or are some better than other? I will try and match color.

Thanks.

 

[MrGriz]

I ended up burning last night with no problem.

Since no one was home during the day today and the temps were warm (around 30*) I didn't re-load this morning in order to let things cool down. I picked up a new brick while I was out today and I'm back up and running again.

I didn't think about it today, but next time I'm near the hearth shop, I'll pick up a few extra bricks. Almost all of the vertical bricks in my insert are the same size, so having a few spares on hand will save me the time and trouble of making a special trip.

 

[eernest4]

clownfish99

I'd be more concerned about matching the size and composition of the fire brick than its color.

Try taking a ruler & measuring the brick for length,width & thickness. i don't think all bricks are standard, but rather ,there are several sizes to choose from.

Might be a good idea to write down the make & model # of your stove ,too.

And make sure the replacement brick is of the same material as the rest of the bricks.

 

[Vic99]

Sorry, I was unclear. I meant, are all brick the same composition wise? From Eernest's answer, it seems not. Thanks.