When To Replace A Firebrick
- DennisH
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At what point, in forum member's collective experience, does a firebrick need replaced? What degree of cracking or deterioration? I have one large firebrick on the back wall of my furnace that has a visible crack, from bottom center to right middle of brick, that is visible but there's no gap. More or less a moderate hairline crack. To my thinking a firebrick needs to be losing chunks before it is no longer serviceable. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
- freetown fred
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Ditto on that!
- coaledsweat
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A hairline crack isn't a big deal. Once it starts to open it should be replaced. Getting a chunk of brick in the grate is not going to make you happy.
- Lightning
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I pull all the bricks out at the end of the heating season. If one is broke I replace it, but I'm kinda fickle like that lol. Burning with a cracked brick is no problem unless it's falling apart.
- michaelanthony
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If I don't have a new brick handy, I have furnace cement to keep 'em together. The way I look at it all bricks including new ones have cracks...where they come in contact with each other.
- Sunny Boy
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You can sometimes glue the breaks together to get another season out of a brick.
The 6 firebricks in my 1903 range are likely over 100 years old. There are several through-cracks in each.
I just dampened with water and then buttered both sides of each break with Hercules refractory cement (get it at Lowes or Home Depot). Then pressed the pieces back into place. That was two winters ago. The range runs about 9 months a year and all those broken bricks are still holding in place.
Paul
The 6 firebricks in my 1903 range are likely over 100 years old. There are several through-cracks in each.
I just dampened with water and then buttered both sides of each break with Hercules refractory cement (get it at Lowes or Home Depot). Then pressed the pieces back into place. That was two winters ago. The range runs about 9 months a year and all those broken bricks are still holding in place.
Paul
- wilder11354
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i pull all my bricks out end of heating season.. some will fall a part because of cracks... other will have smaller cracks. i usually replace all before next heating season..... save a few so so bricks just in case of a dig out and replace is needed in heating season.