newbie scared stiff

[smallstack]

I am new to burning wood, have been burning my fpx 44 elite for about 2 months. Last night I heard a very loud CRACK loud enough to make me stand up out of my chair. To set the scene- yesterday after returning home from work I stoked the remaining coals with kindling and medium splits. After about an hour and half of burning hot I reloaded with large splits. With the fire rolling I pulled back the air and engaged the CAT, business as usual. Maybe 3 hours later CRACK, I visually checked everything I could and did not notice anything, the fire/draft remained consistent seemingly unchanged. It is not unusual for me to hear the fireplace making some noise but this was exceptional. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? Is there anything I need to check further? Any ideas/advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[offroadaudio]

Was it a metal sound?

I'm thinking ice falling from pipe / roof outside? Do you have ice right now? Do you have a metal roof?

Every so often my Quadra Fire will let off a loud "ting" much like the standard warming up tings, but 10X louder - seems normal.

 

[hemlock]

Every so often my Quadra Fire will let off a loud "ting" much like the standard warming up tings, but 10X louder - seems normal.

My PE does that every once in a while. I think it's just one of those things.

 

[Hanko]

Maybe someone put a bullet in your firewood

 

[yooperdave]

don't know how cold it was at your locale, but when it gets real cold here, the house actually starts freezing and popping (cracking). the roof pops and cracks...lots of noises...nails popping etc. almost sounds like the rafters are cracking.

 

[begreen]

Hard to say what happened. Could be something simple like the grate expanding or maybe something else. If you are sure it's the stove, examine it closely. As soon as the fireplace can cool down completely, clean it thoroughly, then do an extra careful inspection with a good light. Look for any sign of a weld break, seam crack or something breaking free. Check the cat combustion chamber too. If all looks good, continue burning and watch for uneven burning, smoke leakage, etc.

 

[Battenkiller]

don't know how cold it was at your locale, but when it gets real cold here, the house actually starts freezing and popping (cracking). the roof pops and cracks...lots of noises...nails popping etc. almost sounds like the rafters are cracking.

In a wood tech book I have, the author describes hearing a thunderclap in the middle of the night. Next morning he discovered a huge crack in one of his hemlock structural beams.

I have a friend from Maine who says it's pretty common up there for the house to make loud cracking noises in cold weather. It gets cold down here, but I guess not as cold as up in Maine or UP because I only hear little creaks and groans.

 

[SpeakEasy]

Your firebox is lined with fire bricks. I would imagine that if a flaw existed in one of these bricks, and you got the fire hot enough, it could crack a brick. If that happened it might produce a loud CRACKing sound. Examine your bricks.

-Speak

 

[ControlFreak]

My Napoleon 1401 will sometimes make a pretty loud "bong" sound. Sounds like a panel of steel, which may be bent inward suddenly pops outward as the stove heats up, like these jumping disks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iftAfRfDn_A

Of course, a cast iron stove won't have this happening, but I'm pretty certain that you have a steel stove. The biggest fear with a cast iron stove is a cracking panel, but if it's a problem you'll be able to see the crack.

Relax and enjoy your fire.

 

[[email protected]]

what temps were you running when this happened?

 

[wahoowad]

Sometimes the wood itself will let off a loud 'pop!' when a little pocket of moisture is super-heated to the point of exploding. Not sure what causes it, maybe a clump of sap or a beetle body? I've had these pops go off loud enough that the report has a very sharp crack sound to it, sounds metallic when coming from the stove. Who knows. Visually inspect, see how the next burn cycles goes. probably nothing.

 

[spacecowboyIV]

My Napoleon 1401 will sometimes make a pretty loud "bong" sound. Sounds like a panel of steel, which may be bent inward suddenly pops outward as the stove heats up, like these jumping disks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iftAfRfDn_A

Of course, a cast iron stove won't have this happening, but I'm pretty certain that you have a steel stove. The biggest fear with a cast iron stove is a cracking panel, but if it's a problem you'll be able to see the crack.

Relax and enjoy your fire.

I agree with this one, my stove is cast iron, but the sheet metal shroud around it for the blowers will heat up and make a loud bang! when it expands on occassion.

 

[Mcbride]

Sometimes the wood itself will let off a loud 'pop!' when a little pocket of moisture is super-heated to the point of exploding. Not sure what causes it, maybe a clump of sap or a beetle body? I've had these pops go off loud enough that the report has a very sharp crack sound to it, sounds metallic when coming from the stove. Who knows. Visually inspect, see how the next burn cycles goes. probably nothing.

I to have heard the wood crack so loudly its like a small caliber rifle shot.
Get a real loud one maybe a few times per year, the rest are just the usual crackling, which is almost always unless down to coals.

 

[smallstack]

thanks for all the response. since the post I have let the fireplace cool and checked everything I could - nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She's back up and burning fine and thankfully no further crazy noises. YET.

 

[RAY_PA]

my Summit insert does this once or so a week. I think its just 'one of those things'. First time it happened, I let it go aut and checked everything over real good, found nothing, so fired it back up...that was a couple years ago...
I still jump a little when it does it as I sit in my relincer watching TV.