Firebrick replacement questions

[hilly]

Well, after my first full season of using my insert, I decided to really give my stove a good cleaning today, not quite up to Elk's standards (I don't think I could move the insert outside!) but as good as I could get with my shop-vac.

I was taking great pains to do the job correctly; I had drop sheets down, damp rags nearby and the shop vac "exhaust" pointed towards me just so I could see if there was any fine dust coming from it when I had a small mishap. The inside filter apparently became dislodged, which let a massive amount of dust, ash and various nasty, smelly pollutants into my house. I guess my stove cleaning became a stove and house cleaning process. I am thankful my wife is at work, because as much as she likes to do things together around the house, I don't think she'd be too cheerful about this particular task.

Anyway, after the air became transparent enough to see through I managed to take out the firebricks from the stove and I noticed the top 1/4"-1/2" of them was crumbling away. I guess between my hot fires (to prevent creosote of course) and my wifes load it and forget about it approach, the heat became a bit too much for the bricks and they began to fail. While, I don't think I overfired the stove (I used the laser thermometer like a tv addict with a remote control), I think I should replace the bricks.

Here's my questions:
1) Should I replace the bricks?
2) I believe they are pumice firebricks as they are very light and the dimensions are 1.25"x4.5"x9". Is this a standard size?
3) How much per brick should I expect to pay?

Thanks very much,
Hill.

 

[Todd]

I think those are the standard size. Firebricks are cheap, a buck or two a piece. You can find them at big box stores, hardware stores or brick yards.

 

[wg_bent]

I had similar breakdown of only two of my bricks the first year I owned the stove. I replaced them with the ceramic bricks and have not noticed any difference in the stove except that this past year the bricks did not break down. Elm seems to produce little klinker like things that stick to the pumice brick, but not the ceramic. The two I replaced were the center lower two bricks, and since they are mostly covered with ash I don't think the stove performance is degraded much if at all. Had the replacements been on the vertical surface I would have stuck with the pumice. The pumice is a better insulator.

I wonder what type of brick Corie will be recommending for his new stoves... and why.

Calling Corie!!

 

[elkimmeg]

Hilly I had an odd size in one of my past stoves Ccould not find anything close I built molds and purchased Refactory cement and one can purchase
pumice mixed them up and make your own bricks.. I took it one step further using Hardware cloth ( screen( to re-enrorce the brick Never cracked or disinergrated
One by one I replaced them all.. In the past I also have used a wet saw and cut Fire brick down to 1" thickness and used them to replace fire brick
I noticed no ill effects and fire brick lasted quite long

 

[BrotherBart]

Hilly I had an odd size in one of my past stoves Ccould not find anything close I built molds and purchased Refactory cement and one can purchase
pumice mixed them up and make your own bricks.. I took it one step further using Hardware cloth ( screen( to re-enrorce the brick Never cracked or disinergrated
One by one I replaced them all.. In the past I also have used a wet saw and cut Fire brick down to 1" thickness and used them to replace fire brick
I noticed no ill effects and fire brick lasted quite long

Gotta shut those stoves down Elk. Not being operated per the specs tested and certified at the test lab. Inspector or insurance company catches ya your in a heap of poop. :cheese:

 

[hilly]

Thanks for the help guys. I just got back from the stove shop and got 6 replacement pumice bricks at $4 each. I'll try these again this year, but if they break down again, I think I'll look at other options.