Not Happy... soapstone crack and red stuff.

[Ithaca]

Friday night I built a fire in my new Hearthstone Homestead. I got the stove up to 450 and had a nice long burn using techniques learned here.

Saturday morning I checked the stove for warmth/coals to discover a 2 inch hairline crack on the outside of the lower left side soapstone panel. For Homestead owners it runs along the line of the internal metal frame bar. I am hoping that this is nothing to worry about but there is some black discoloration along the crack making me wonder if it doesn't go all the way thru.

On inspecting the inside I also noticed what looks like a rusty film over many of the metal surfaces. Just a dusting. I don't know if this is normal or do I have a moisture/rust problem? I use an Outside Air Kit and wonder if the humid air is causing a problem.

It is a bad feeling to think that my 'high quality stove' is damaged BEFORE winter.

I don't have the balls to tell my wife, so I'm b!tchng here!

 

[Highbeam]

How about a picture of it? If you read the manual they talk about the cracks a little and that some may be normal but I am with you, I wouldn't want any cracks. You said this was your "new" homestead and in this fire you ran it to 450. Was it the first fire? Where is your thermometer? 450 is the running temp of these things for good heat and clean burn. That temp is not too high.

The inside of my stove gets all sorts of rust/brown/black/or white stuff on it depending on the previous fire mostly. Pretty extreme environment in there.

Hearthstone has a very good tech department and pride themselves in being an upper end stove so service seems to be a high priority. Take that picture and send it in to them with a polite note. They will be able to lend insight.

Sorry about the crack.

 

[SteveT]

Was this a first fire or did you have a break-in fire with kindling (per the manual)?

 

[swestall]

I've also got those hairlines, I've been told they are part of the stone; who knows. I went the season without problems. At some point I'm going to have them take it up to VT and rebuild it. Stoves are going fast and furious here and the service dept has not been able to get to it. Its a lifetime warrantee so just tell the dealer and get it on the record. It didn't hurt the function at all on mine. Looking forward to the heating season; must be crazy but then when Spring comes I look forward to the break. So, that's the life of a woodburner: season come, season go; life rolls on and on and hopefully on.....

By the way, its a bit late but Congratulations to Corie on his wedding and all this summer. We never did get together but I wish him and his family the best.

 

[Ithaca]

I have done the break-in fires according to the manual. I also did more than the 2 they suggest just to be on the safe side. I have been taking things slowly trying to learn how to use the stove. I have 2 thermometers (didn't trust one of them) on the center top stove and monitor/obsess about the stove like the rookie I am. "OOoooh Fiiire".

I frantically went thru the manual after I discovered the crack and found the clause you referred to:

"With normal use, hairline or surface cracks might appear on the
stone. Such cracks do not affect the integrity or operation
of the stove; there is no need to replace them."

This gives me hope, but I would rather not have it of course. I will take a picture and send it to them and see what they say. It looks like a grove has been cut into the stone on the inside face to allow for the metal frame rod. The difference in stone width at that point is a weak spot I bet. I can live with it as long as it doesn't go through or get worse.

I'll take a picture of it and post here later...

 

[Ithaca]

Here are the pics. First is a wide shot, second a close up. Hope they are not too big.

Not sure if this qualifies as a 'hairline' or not.

Wife asked, "why are you taking pictures of the stove...?" So the cat's out of the bag. She is as thrilled as me to see this expensive purchase with a crack in it.

 

[wellbuilt home]

I dont like the black , It means its leaking air . Id call them . I have a new EQ and im looking around it now .

 

[Catskill]

Is the black around the crack moisture? If so, the break in was not finished. hh:

 

[Catskill]

Just a theory here.... but assuming your break in fires were sufficient could there possibly be water leaking into your stove from down the chimney? If so that would be a mistake from the installer.

 

[Ithaca]

Is the black around the crack moisture? If so, the break in was not finished. hh:

I'm not sure if it is moisture or not. It doesn't wipe off.

My chimney has a rain cap and there is a T at the bottom before horizontal pipe to stove. I think the rain would go to the bottom of the T before it went to the stove. I'll check it out.

The dealer is coming out to inspect it today.

 

[Highbeam]

That is worse than I had thought. The dark stain around it makes it look much bigger than it really is and if it dries out then the crack may be difficult to see.

It looks bad and that's enough to tick me off. The bottom of these stoves are notoriously cooler than the top so perhaps after a long fire it will dry up.

 

[Ithaca]

Well after a visit from the Dealer, it's 'Wait and See'.

If fire shoots in from the side it is a problem, otherwise you're ok. hh:

He mentioned the bottom being cooler and maybe creosote formed.

There were wet spots under the stove during break in fires. Moisture was coming from a nut under the stove just under the crack. I thought it was part of the break in proces. It did smolder some during the fire that did the deed (split to big on coals... I'm still learning). Maybe creosote formed along that rod and moisture got into the stone to cause the crack.

The hope is that it will work ok for the season and then possibly replacing it under warranty come spring .

The best line of the visit: "Don't worry about it... but keep an eye on it". :-S

I am glad to have it recorded in case it does get worse.

No reply yet from the email I sent Hearthstone.

Thanks for the input and Highbeam for sharing my reaction. Sometimes you just want to 'Do Something' even though there is nothing I can do now. Posting here has helped.

 

[johnnywarm]

Good Luck Cookwood.

 

[bcnu]

CookWood, don't know if you've cleared up the crack issue - but I certainly inspected my one year old Homestead carefully. Didn't see anything. Good Luck.

 

[mikeathens]

I don't have any cracks in my Mansfield, but I did have a bunch of tarry black goo seep from the bottom of the stove during my first week of fires late this last season. Made a nice stain around one of the rear feet. I was told by others here that they had the same thing happen. Good luck with the stove.

Did you look any more at the inside to see if it goes all the way through? This crack would bug the hell out of me, too, but if it's not all the way through, it's probably not hurting anything (except pissing you off that you spent $2000+ and it's now cracked!!) Definitely keep an eye on it, though, and rest assured that if it does become a problem, it will most likely get resolved without any major hassle (unlike my experiences with VC).

Just curious - have you had the stove hot again for any extended time? I was wondering if that black area cleared up?

 

[swestall]

The cracks like the long one with whitish stain happen, you can polish off the white with a fine steel wool or synthetic fine pad and it will look better. It is stone.

The black does look nasty, and I suspect it is some kind of residue from the wood burning process mixed with moisture. Try a kerosene or denatured alchohol to rub it away.

The stones on the stove are warranteed for your lifetime, as I understand it, and if you don't get a good answer from the dealer, go right to Hearthstone. They are really very good about making sure their stoves and customers are taken care of.

Eventually, these stoves settle in to be a weathered piece of your house. They don't look brand new forever. Hearthstone will take care of a major problem; in fact if you are really unhappy they will usually go the extra mile even if the problem is marginal; you get the benefit of the doubt.

I hope your 2008-9 season is warm and cozy!

 

[Flame]

I can understand you being upset. I was extremely vigilant in doing my break in fires. I did quite a few extras even but I still had a crack appear near the middle of the season and then another at the very end. It looked very suspicious and dark like wood ash as you can see (actually looks a lot worse on camera). I continued to use the stove as it seemed just fine otherwise and waited to do a thorough inspection when the burning season was all over. After cleaning out the stove I could not see or feel the crack on the inside. I got lazy about it but after seeing your photos I thought it best to send some pictures and get it on record to my dealer and go from there. I do know that right where each of those cracks are is exactly where there where pretty straight white veins in the stone. I can still see some of the white vein at an end of one of the cracks. I am surprised how yours has so much dark around the crack itself like the stone is very wet. Let us know how you made out and I'll give you my follow up also. Best of luck to you. I know this is frustrating but it happens to some and from what I hear Hearthstone will take good care of you.

 

[bebopin]

I also got a crack(broken)area. as the photo shows.It does not go through the stone but it is loose.