Hello all,
Thought I would ask for advice about a problem we just had with our Hearthstone Heritage wood stove. When the stove was warming up the other morning (flue temp about 400F) I could hear "typical" tink-tink-tink expanding metal sounds I'm used to with stoves, except this time the pitch was higher and quite rapid. Then the stove made a quite loud pop. I was near the stove and checked it out but could find not anything unusual. After I left for work 1 hour later my wife heard another loud bang again while the stove was on low burn. We then saw the crack in the lower cast iron frame at the back, extending all the way through to the ash grate in the center of the stove! I was totally shocked!
We did buy the stove second hand and therefore have no help from Heathstone except an offer of $400 replacement frame part or $900 repair (+ shipping). They said it must be from overfiring, but we are very careful with the stove and have put 4 cords of wood through it in 2 seasons without issue (I run 2 thermometers on the stone and in the flue). the stove is also in very good condition without any cracks in the stone except a 1" across the corner of a stone on the back. Not to write a book here, but I notice the crack widens (almost 1/4") when the stove is hot, and narrows to nothing when cool. I notice also the cast iron at the back heats up the fastest when the stove is warming. I'm not sure replacing the frame will cure the problem. I have a friend who can weld cast iron... maybe that's the best approach?
Appreciate any advice what may of happened here or similar experience you folks had.
-woodchopper
Thought I would ask for advice about a problem we just had with our Hearthstone Heritage wood stove. When the stove was warming up the other morning (flue temp about 400F) I could hear "typical" tink-tink-tink expanding metal sounds I'm used to with stoves, except this time the pitch was higher and quite rapid. Then the stove made a quite loud pop. I was near the stove and checked it out but could find not anything unusual. After I left for work 1 hour later my wife heard another loud bang again while the stove was on low burn. We then saw the crack in the lower cast iron frame at the back, extending all the way through to the ash grate in the center of the stove! I was totally shocked!
We did buy the stove second hand and therefore have no help from Heathstone except an offer of $400 replacement frame part or $900 repair (+ shipping). They said it must be from overfiring, but we are very careful with the stove and have put 4 cords of wood through it in 2 seasons without issue (I run 2 thermometers on the stone and in the flue). the stove is also in very good condition without any cracks in the stone except a 1" across the corner of a stone on the back. Not to write a book here, but I notice the crack widens (almost 1/4") when the stove is hot, and narrows to nothing when cool. I notice also the cast iron at the back heats up the fastest when the stove is warming. I'm not sure replacing the frame will cure the problem. I have a friend who can weld cast iron... maybe that's the best approach?
Appreciate any advice what may of happened here or similar experience you folks had.
-woodchopper
![[Hearth.com] Crack in Hearthstone cast iron frame](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/93/93847-3e84f5b893d7627cf0f575a462508984.jpg?hash=526TNLJXLm "[Hearth.com] Crack in Hearthstone cast iron frame")
![[Hearth.com] Crack in Hearthstone cast iron frame](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/93/93848-25d39035d10dc6069e0083abfcb4174c.jpg?hash=vupKw1kBBK "[Hearth.com] Crack in Hearthstone cast iron frame")
