# How often do you change your fire bricks?



## RPM (Feb 27, 2009)

Every other year it seems I have to replace at least half of the fire bricks in my wod stove, usually both sides. This year (after replacing them last fall 07), half of them are pitted and a couple are cracked again. On occasion the stove gets a hot burn going in it after I have loaded up the stove and have forgotten to turn down the damper only to remember an hour or so later. I heat with wood so it is on 24/7 from mid-end of October through till the middle - end of April.

Are all fire bricks created equal? I do use the manufactures brick or at least what my retailer says are the correct brick. Are a couple of hot burns enough to cause havoc on them? Just curious as to the life expectancy others are getting out of theirs.

Thx.


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## husky455rancher (Feb 27, 2009)

ive had the same ones in my insert for 3 years now. only one of them is cracked. i have one thats cracked in the shenandoah. ive never given it much thought. are you possibly cracking them when throwing more wood in?

i also heat entirely with wood so one of theose 2 stoves is running all the time.


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## RPM (Feb 27, 2009)

husky455rancher said:


> ive had the same ones in my insert for 3 years now. only one of them is cracked. i have one thats cracked in the shenandoah. ive never given it much thought. are you possibly cracking them when throwing more wood in?
> 
> i also heat entirely with wood so one of theose 2 stoves is running all the time.



No, the opening is fairly small and I like to place my pieces and fill er up. My wife makes fum of me when she sees me putting wood in....she says it like watching someone put a jig saw puzzle together.


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## freemind (Feb 27, 2009)

My firebrick is pretty cracked. It is getting replaced this year, in my add on. 

It HAS been cracked up for three years now, and I have had no problems. By cracked up, I mean cracked, but no pieces falling out.


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## Mntn Man (Feb 27, 2009)

Usually it is just the 3 in the back that my wife breaks. I saw the other day that some of the side ones have broke now, but all of em are 3 years old except the back 3.


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## timberwolf (Feb 27, 2009)

Cracks are no big deal, there are cracks between the bricks anyway right? Long as they don't fall apart or out of place. 

Most years need to replace one or two though, if they look like they are going to fall apart.


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## Dan_IN_MN (Feb 27, 2009)

*Fire brick......*

Would there be a reason not to put fire brick farther up in the firebox? I'm thinking that it would protect the fire box a bit more.... and it might retain heat longer.

Thoughts?

Dan


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## volks-man (Feb 28, 2009)

*el-cheapo*

i am sure there is a better product like refractory cement ect....

but in a pinch i used plain old furnace cement out of a tube to glue a firebrick back together. it was a clean break and i figured it would hold up for a day or two till i replaced it. that was over a year ago and two others have been repaired since.
they are all in the rear of the stove, vertical. horizontal may not hold up.


all of my firebricks are shrinking. one day i will replace them all with new ones from tractor supply.


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## mowoodchopper (Feb 28, 2009)

Maybe every 20 yrs! Just joking but I do heat my house completely with wood and have never replaced a brick my stove is about 20 yrs old!


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## stihl sawing (Feb 28, 2009)

Just replaced most of them last year for the first time. it's 27 years old.


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## Vangellis (Feb 28, 2009)

Had the Olix Air Flo for 25 years now. I think one brick has a crack. Actually I have burned mostly coal over the years until 4 years ago when we finished the basement off. Well built stove, but I don't think they make them anymore.











Kevin


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## Works4me (Mar 1, 2009)

RPM said:


> Every other year it seems I have to replace at least half of the fire bricks in my wod stove, usually both sides. This year (after replacing them last fall 07), half of them are pitted and a couple are cracked again. On occasion the stove gets a hot burn going in it after I have loaded up the stove and have forgotten to turn down the damper only to remember an hour or so later. I heat with wood so it is on 24/7 from mid-end of October through till the middle - end of April.
> 
> Are all fire bricks created equal? I do use the manufactures brick or at least what my retailer says are the correct brick. Are a couple of hot burns enough to cause havoc on them? Just curious as to the life expectancy others are getting out of theirs.
> 
> ...



Well, after reading this I've decided it would be a good thing to have a couple of spares on hand. Where is a good place to buy fire brick. Is this something Home Depot and Lowes has in Stock?


:greenchainsaw:


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## Zodiac45 (Mar 1, 2009)

Works4me said:


> Well, after reading this I've decided it would be a good thing to have a couple of spares on hand. Where is a good place to buy fire brick. Is this something Home Depot and Lowes has in Stock?
> 
> 
> :greenchainsaw:



I would think so? My local hardware store carries it. I agree with Timberwolf and as long as they aren't falling out of place, I wouldn't be to worried.


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## Austin1 (Mar 1, 2009)

Vangellis said:


> Had the Olix Air Flo for 25 years now. I think one brick has a crack. Actually I have burned mostly coal over the years until 4 years ago when we finished the basement off. Well built stove, but I don't think they make them anymore.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have had my stove 10 years in the house and 12 in the shop and have yet to replace, also not a crack on them they are about 1 1/4'' thick. Are they all this thick? The ones I see most often might go 1'' thick.


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