Firebrick replacement PE Vista insert - wet firebricks

[KevinM]

Replacing the firebricks in my PE Vista insert manufactured in Feb. 2008. Saw that two back center firebricks were cracked so purchased a full set (12 1/2) from store I originally bought the stove from. Half of the bricks broke as I took them out of the stove. Then fought through the stretch wrap holding the bricks together to find the bricks were wet. Not dripping wet but enough to moisten your hands when you pick them up.

How long should I wait for them to dry before installing in stove?

Once installed I am planning on making a small fire, then a medium fire, and then full burn.

Any other advice?

Kevin.

 

[begreen]

Are these the lightweight OEM pumice bricks, or denser standard firebricks.

If you can put the bricks somewhere there is heat, like over a floor register, they will dry out quicker. I would wait a few days at least. A couple of small fires is a good plan to continue drying them out inside.

 

[KevinM]

Yes these are the lightweight pumice bricks from Pacific Energy.

I stood them up on their long edge like a large heat sink and have a space heater blowing between them. Their colour has lightened as the surface dries but the inside will take longer.

 

[Wildflush]

Replacing the firebricks in my PE Vista insert manufactured in Feb. 2008. Saw that two back center firebricks were cracked so purchased a full set (12 1/2) from store I originally bought the stove from. Half of the bricks broke as I took them out of the stove. Then fought through the stretch wrap holding the bricks together to find the bricks were wet. Not dripping wet but enough to moisten your hands when you pick them up.

How long should I wait for them to dry before installing in stove?

Once installed I am planning on making a small fire, then a medium fire, and then full burn.

Any other advice?

Kevin.

Glad to see the bricks last for a longtime. Got my Vista installed in June 2022 so hopefully I get the longevity out of them like you did.

 

[begreen]

Glad to see the bricks last for a longtime. Got my Vista installed in June 2022 so hopefully I get the longevity out of them like you did.

Try to not slam wood in the stove. The less the splits hammer up against the bricks the better. Another thing that helps is that I only need to clean out ash maybe twice a season as long as I am burning doug fir. Scraping the bricks frequently will wear the floor bricks down faster.

 

[Wildflush]

Try to not slam wood in the stove. The less the splits hammer up against the bricks the better. Another thing that helps is that I only need to clean out ash maybe twice a season as long as I am burning doug fir. Scraping the bricks frequently will wear the floor bricks down faster.

Great advice. I try to gently lay my splits on the bed of ash. When raking coals forward I try to rake just coals and not ash. I do use my ash shovel which does scrape the bricks. I got one bucket of ash this season so far. Maybe I should leave more ash in. I try to keep 1”-2” ash bed.