Heat Commander - Weld spots in firebox causing bricks to break?

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sleewok

Member
Jan 27, 2021
77
USA
Hey everyone, I recently did a deep clean of my Drolet Heat Commander. I pulled all the bricks out and repaired several that were cracked. As I was getting ready to reinstall them in the firebox I noticed that there are several weld spots that are raised up maybe 1/8" to 1/4" (see photo). They do not allow the bricks to lay flat against the bottom. I wonder if this will cause bricks to break since there is a very small point of pressure. Should I grind down the weld spots? Or should I put down a layer of ash on the bottom? Or just not worry about it? Thoughts?

[Hearth.com] Heat Commander - Weld spots in firebox causing bricks to break?
 
Update: After some research I decided to use sand as a base for the brick. It worked out really well. I also packed the gaps between the bricks with sand. The bricks are now tight against the walls of the firebox and I was able to fill the larger gaps in the front. Considering that sand will hold the heat I imagine I will get even better performance than previous years.
 
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Reactions: salecker
It’s super easy to grind out little reliefs in the firebricks.