Warped fireback

[Brian VT]

The bottom of my upper fireback is warped. I dunno if I did it or the previous owner.
The damper still seals well and all joints seem to be tight when I reinstall it.
The warp is at the bottom. It's bowed to the rear and pushes back on the ceramic fiber refractory box.
This creates a gap between the rear bricks and the refractory box.
Not a big deal, right ? Judging by the post I found when I searched, I can't get a replacement anytime soon anyway.
So...burn the wood or burn the oil ? Snow coming tomorrow night.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Without seeing it, it would be difficult for anyone to advise on it. Sometimes you just have to use your own judgment.

 

[Brian VT]

Yah, I hear you. I shouldn't have expected an answer to such a question in the litigious society that we live in.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Brian, while for some that is a worry, with me it is not. It's just that without actually looking to see for oneself I highly doubt there would be any way to really tell.

Did you by any chance try it before the install? For sure you could build a good fire in it then and be able to see what is happening. Chances are if the seams are okay, then it could work although not the best. Certainly I'm not familiar with that particular stove so can't really say.

 

[Brian VT]

The bottom of this cast "upper fireback" extends below the damper and behind the rear firebricks a couple inches.
Normally the back of the rear firebricks are pretty much touching the front of the ceramic-fiber secondary combustion box.
The warped section is bowed such that it pushes on the front of the combustion box and creates gap between the
rear bricks and the front of the combustion box. In theory, the exhaust headed under the firebrick and into the bottom entrance of the combustion box would have a chance to travel up into this gap. I'm thinking that even if it did there would be no problems created. It can't get to the flue from there. It could only get back to the fire.
I'm more inclined to think the exhaust would prefer to travel it's designed path through the secondary to the chimney.
I'm pretty sure this fireback was warped when I got it and I burned for a couple weeks and the stove seemed to behave fine.
Any thoughts of how the exhaust might behave would be appreciated. Is the rear firebrick supposed to conduct heat to the combustion box and therefor needs to be in contact with it ?
I'd bet there are many of these stoves out there running with the same problem and the owners are not aware of it but since I know about mine I'd like to know if there are any safety issues to consider.
Sure, I'd like to correct it but that won't happen any time soon.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi Brian -

Yes mine's warped also. I'm going to lay in some loose leftover gasket and call it good this year. I've no idea when it happened.

All the best,
Mike P

 

[Brian VT]

Where are you laying in gasket ?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Brian, just a hint, but the reason for firebrick is to keep the surface behind it from getting too hot. The gasket material just might work.