Broken Soap Stone

[Falcon72]

I own a Phoenix 8612 stove. I have owned it since 2012. I bought it used in good overall condition. We have burned it every winter since installing it without really any problems. I have of course replaced the door gaskets and the insulating blanket which is on top of the top fire brick. Then comes this winter.... 2018. I started using it about 2 or 3 weeks ago. Given the swings in temperatures we have let it go out a few days but for most days it has been burning. We let it go out a few days ago and when I went to start it up last night I noticed the middle soapstone on top was lifted and cracked. I have no idea what caused it. I was hoping someone might give me some insight into some possible causes. I have included some photos.

I will add the gasket that is on the top of the stove started coming out of the front of the stove a couple of years ago. I just used a piece of door gasket and pushed it up in the gap. I have attached a picture of the gasket coming out. Since I have to take the stove apart to fix the soapstone how do I get the top off to replace the gaskets?

Thanks for any help you can provide,

Mark Andrew

 

[webby3650]

We just had a Phoenix in for a rebuild. The stove was condemned upon inspection, every stone was cracked, top was heaved up, and the cast iron base was cracked. Not worth it, or uncommon either with a Hearthstone unfortunately.

We just had a Mansfield that’s less than a year old blow the top up when it back puffed. Pretty poor quality products coming from Hearthstone in my opinion.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

I live near the soapstone center of the country. It is soapstone everything. From my picture you can see our floor to ceiling 10 foot hearth is all soapstone.

In my experience, it is a very soft stone and cracks very easily under heating. My wife and I went through three soapstone griddles a few years back before just giving up after they all cracked when heated. Was talking to a friend this past year and he said the tile on his soapstone stove cracked.

In fact, the floor of our hearth is chipped and scratched from just setting our two stoves down on top of it.

Personally, I would stick to cast iron or steel when it came to my wood stove.

 

[Falcon72]

We just had a Phoenix in for a rebuild. The stove was condemned upon inspection, every stone was cracked, top was heaved up, and the cast iron base was cracked. Not worth it, or uncommon either with a Hearthstone unfortunately.

We just had a Mansfield that’s less than a year old blow the top up when it back puffed. Pretty poor quality products coming from Hearthstone in my opinion.

I think a back puff did this to mine too. I was asking my son if he heard or saw anything and he told me we was sitting on the coach in the room with the stove when he heard something in the stove. Then after he heard it he smelled smoke in the room. I am guessing this was the cause. The center stone is $200 so this won't be a cheap fix. I do love the way soapstone heats.

 

[webby3650]

I think a back puff did this to mine too. I was asking my son if he heard or saw anything and he told me we was sitting on the coach in the room with the stove when he heard something in the stove. Then after he heard it he smelled smoke in the room. I am guessing this was the cause. The center stone is $200 so this won't be a cheap fix. I do love the way soapstone heats.

Iron and steel feel really good too! And can handle a puff. I don’t think the stone is the problem, I think it’s the design. Wood stock doesn’t have problems with cracked stones and explosions..

 

[Falcon72]

Well its $350 for the parts to fix my stove. I could get away with less if I re-used the ceramic boards but since they are pitted on the underside and the stove is apart I am going to get new ones. If this happens again I think I may get a different stove.

 

[ratsrepus]

Well its $350 for the parts to fix my stove. I could get away with less if I re-used the ceramic boards but since they are pitted on the underside and the stove is apart I am going to get new ones. If this happens again I think I may get a different stove.

I think Id put the 350 towards a new one

 

[Highbeam]

I think Id put the 350 towards a new one

Fixing a 3500$ stove with 350$ in parts is like a 10% deal. Replacing the ceramic baffle board on my NC30 is over 100$ on an 800$ stove or 12.5% yet people do it all the time.

The phoenix looks really good and that one is enamel so it is sharp looking. I personally did my time with a stone stove and the performance and durability of the steel is just so much better in my application. The stoners look good though.

 

[Falcon72]

Fixing a 3500$ stove with 350$ in parts is like a 10% deal. Replacing the ceramic baffle board on my NC30 is over 100$ on an 800$ stove or 12.5% yet people do it all the time.

The phoenix looks really good and that one is enamel so it is sharp looking. I personally did my time with a stone stove and the performance and durability of the steel is just so much better in my application. The stoners look good though.

Yeah this is what I thought. It is a small percent of the cost of the stove. We love the look of the stove and we like the way soap stone heats. We like that it doesn't get blazing hot real fast but yet holds that heat for a long time once it is hot. Now if I have to fix something like this every 5 or 6 years it will get old. For now we are going to fix it. I ordered the parts today.