Disappointing quadra fire service

[Johnpolk]

To begin, I love my isle royale stove. That said, Both of the fire brick that are in the rear of the stove, around the start up air inlets, suddenly cracked and now appear crumbly. The stove was new in summer 2012. Here's my problem, called the dealer to ask about buying some new ones, he quoted me $41! A piece!! For firebrick!! Soooo, I'm going to fleet farm and buying a few and drilling my own holes. Any ideas on how to drill 1.5 inch holes in fire brick? I'm just disappointed that quadra fire would want that kind of money, or dealer was pulling my leg

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Just use a dry diamond masonry drill bit. Here is a nice set for only $109.99
http://www.amazon.com/New-Diamond-Masonry-Core-Drill/dp/B00460Y99I

 

[BrotherBart]

Contact this guy.

(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quadrafire-Bricks-with-Holes-SRV436-0380-ACT-Wood-Stove-/180588126272)

 

[embers aplenty]

I remember having an issue with my Quadrafire stove when it was near new. I emailed Quadrafire and never got a response. They probably just leave stuff like this up to the dealers. You'd think your dealer could have pulled a few strings with it being that new.

Bought mine new off of Ebay. The seller which was a dealer did help me out. I'd try the ebay link that Brother Bart posted. Good Luck!!

 

[ddddddden]

Yeah, the pumice brick is a lil' more pricey than regular firebrick,
but for that kind of $, I'd expect a brick of something completely different.

 

[downeast]

Funny how that thing called "customer service" can affect a product's sales.
Happens all the time : vehicles, and stoves. When Vermont Castings was first sold (the first of many sales ), QC and service declined dramatically.
So when we look at a new or used wood stove the quality of service is vital in decision making.
The anecdotal evidence here and with dealers pushes us away from VC, Harman, QuadraFire.
Company responses ? JMNSHO.

 

[ddddddden]

Funny how that thing called "customer service" can affect a product's sales. . .The anecdotal evidence here and with dealers pushes us away from VC, Harman, QuadraFire.
Company responses?

uuh. . .those companies don't post here.
Here's a composite response, based on member reports:

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[Trilifter7]

Contact this guy.

(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quadrafire-Bricks-with-Holes-SRV436-0380-ACT-Wood-Stove-/180588126272)

I don't think those will work. The holes for the brick in the IR are in the middle and those look like they are more torwards the sides.

 

[Ashful]

One more reason to admire Woodstock.

I'm amazed they're not supporting this under warranty, having failed within the first year! People on this forum will remember stuff like this, when they shop for a new stove. Shame on Quadrafire!

 

[Johnpolk]

I wouldn't expect it to be covered by warranty, but I would expect the parts to be readily available and reasonably priced. At that price I get the impression they don't want to be in the business of servicing their customers. Ok, my complaining is over

 

[BrotherBart]

I don't think those will work. The holes for the brick in the IR are in the middle and those look like they are more torwards the sides.

Send the guy a note and ask if they have the ones for the IR.

 

[Johnpolk]

Ill email the guy on eBay and see. I'm curious, it sounds like quadrafire uses a fire brick made out of pumice. Anyone know where you can buy pumice firebrick?

 

[Ashful]

I wouldn't expect it to be covered by warranty, but I would expect the parts to be readily available and reasonably priced.

When I spend new woodstove sort of money on something, and it fails inside the first year of use, I expect it to be covered under warranty. However, I see they made specific exclusion to the firebricks:

This warranty does not cover the following:
• Repair or replacement of parts that are subject to normal wear and tear during the warranty period. These parts
include: paint, wood, pellet and coal gaskets, firebricks, grates, flame guides, light bulbs, batteries and the discoloration of glass.

 

[Jags]

I would like to know just how these bricks are failing so quickly. My IR is old - been worked like a rented mule and I have not had the need to replace any bricks, and none are cracked. Yes - I am started to see wear and rounded edges, but none have failed.

This is not a slam against any users, more curiosity. I wonder if the bricks of yesteryear are different than the current ones? For the record, mine are pumice.

And yes, Quad is known to work through their dealers. It is a bit upsetting that you can't call them directly. Your service experience is now directly related to your dealer. That can be good or bad.

 

[Johnpolk]

I would like to know just how these bricks are failing so quickly. My IR is old - been worked like a rented mule and I have not had the need to replace any bricks, and none are cracked. Yes - I am started to see wear and rounded edges, but none have failed.

This is not a slam against any users, more curiosity. I wonder if the bricks of yesteryear are different than the current ones? For the record, mine are pumice.

And yes, Quad is known to work through their dealers. It is a bit upsetting that you can't call them directly. Your service experience is now directly related to your dealer. That can be good or bad.

Well, I was out of town for work for the night and when I came home bothe of the firebricks with the holes drilled in them were cracked. I will have to direct all questions about mishandling the stove to my wife who ran it while I was gone. I'm sure she will testify that she was nice to it..... Honestly though, I don't think anyone was rough with it. I.e. slamming wood into it. I'm going to try to find some pumice fire brick and drill my own holes. There is pumice firebrick online but you pay more for shipping than you do for the brick. We'll see if menards or fleet farm has pumice

 

[Jags]

By no means was I suggesting that anyone was doing something they shouldn't be doing. Heck, its a wood stove. It should handle normal wood loading without question. My curiosity was more towards the makeup of the bricks being used. I wonder if the new bricks are a different make than the ones I have. Over the last couple of years I have seen a small handful of IR users bring up the same issues.

My stove is actually old enough that it was made by the previous owners of Quad, not the current owners. (hence my question of different bricks).

 

[Johnpolk]

Yeah, I would expect it to handle it easily, but I guess the fire brick would seem like the weak link. I don't know about different firebrick usage. Ill report back with what I find for a replacement

 

[Jags]

Yeah, I would expect it to handle it easily, but I guess the fire brick would seem like the weak link. I don't know about different firebrick usage. Ill report back with what I find for a replacement

Cool - at some point down the road, I may need to replace mine.

 

[Trilifter7]

Cool - at some point down the road, I may need to replace mine.

I'm curious to know what you find out as well. I would assume your 2012 and mine use the same firebricks

 

[Jags]

I'm curious to know what you find out as well. I would assume your 2012 and mine use the same firebricks

If that is a response to me, be aware, my stove is from 2002.

 

[Trilifter7]

If that is a response to me, be aware, my stove is from 2002.

No I know jags. I thought it copied JP's as well but I was referring to his stove.

 

[Jags]

No I know jags. I thought it copied JP's as well but I was referring to his stove.

Got it.

 

[3fordasho]

One of the reasons I sold my Quad Castile pellet stove. I saw lots of $$$ replacement parts in my near future.

One of my responsibilities at work is to replace packaging equipment, the last project was a $500,000 machine. In the selection process one of the criteria is maintainance costs over the machine life cycle. During the quoting process I select certain parts and ask for replacement pricing. I also visit other manufacturers that have similar equipment and talk to their maintenance folks.. I expect a 100% or more mark up on spares, but it's the ones that insist on gouging (400%+) that get ruled out almost immediately.. We have a couple of existing machines with spares pricing like that... most of the time we are forced to reverse engineer the parts and get them made locally. Other times we are forced to "bend over".. for some reason these overpriced machines/parts are almost always made somewhere in Europe.

 

[tekguy]

1.5" premium dry diamond core bit for concrete/masonry $40.50

 

[charly]

I would like to know just how these bricks are failing so quickly. My IR is old - been worked like a rented mule and I have not had the need to replace any bricks, and none are cracked. Yes - I am started to see wear and rounded edges, but none have failed.

This is not a slam against any users, more curiosity. I wonder if the bricks of yesteryear are different than the current ones? For the record, mine are pumice.

And yes, Quad is known to work through their dealers. It is a bit upsetting that you can't call them directly. Your service experience is now directly related to your dealer. That can be good or bad.

I wound up calling Quadrafire direct , that's the only way I kept my sanity when I had my stove! Here's the number 800-926-4356- Phillip . This is a customer care number..