Why Does My Wood Burner Need Firebricks?
All wood burning stoves need firebricks within the firebox and the concept is very simple. Firebricks whether they be made from vermiculite, clay or cast iron help to reflect heat into your room all whilst maintaining protection for the log burner. It is really important that you regularly spot-check your firebricks to ensure that they are not cracked or damaged.
Firebricks provide your wood burner with a space for air to flow up the chimney, by creating a draught and making the fire hot enough to produce enough heat to warm the room. Long after your fire has died the heat your firebricks have absorbed will continue to radiate heat into your room.
How to Prevent Firebricks From Cracking?
Firebricks within a wood burner are often used daily and are exposed to extreme changes in temperature, there is very little you can do to stop them from cracking over a long period of time. However, we’ve documented some simple steps below that will help reduce the risk of breakage.
Firstly, it’s essential to ensure that your firebricks sit evenly within your stove and are correctly fitted. If you are buying a property with a log burner having it serviced by a qualified and reputable professional is a good place to start. How you load and light your fire can reduce or increase the risk of cracked firebricks. It sounds simple but gently loading fuel into your stove can extend the lifespan of your internal liners. Finally, taking care to build up your fire slowly is a good way to keep your bricks in good condition. Extreme changes in temperature (cold to hot) can be one of the leading causes of cracks in the firebricks, ensure that you are using the correct authorised fuel within your stove too.
What Can I do About Cracked or Broken Fire Bricks?
If you are the lucky owner of a log burner or a multi-fuel stove, then at some point you have probably come across a broken or cracked firebrick. If you are interested to know what you should do about it then you’re in the right place.
Discovering that one of your new firebricks has a crack while loading your stove with fuel can be a worrying situation. However, the good news is that you don’t have to panic. Firebrick cracks are not uncommon and are not usually a cause for concern. A small break or hairline crack within a firebrick isn’t very different from the joins between firebrick. With the proper care, they can last for years before needing to be replaced. If you find a crack in one of your firebricks, the best thing to do is keep your eye on it. There shouldn’t be any issues if the damage remains small and the brick remains stable over time. If the condition of the firebrick becomes worse or deteriorates further, you need to be prepared to replace it.
Why do Firebricks Break?
No matter which material your firebricks are, like all internal components of your stove they are subject to thermal expansion. Due to the heat produced when burning solid fuel the materials within the stove expand and contract. Sudden changes in the temperature can lead to cracks in the bricks and heavy impact on the bricks due to incorrect fuel loading or poor quality fuel can also lead to cracks appearing.
When Should I Buy Replacement Firebrick?
You should purchase a new set of firebricks if your existing bricks have started to crumble, will not sit correctly in position or you can see the internal body of the stove through the crack that has developed. There should be no need to replace your cracked firebrick if it remains stable and isn’t exposing the stove body (i.e a hairline crack).
How to Replace a Broken Firebrick
Over time, you'll find that the firebricks within your wood burning or multi-fuel stove will need to be replaced, although most should last a while before you need to do this. Some firebricks can be a little tricky to remove and replace but usually by following the manufacturer's instructions you will be able to fit replacement bricks correctly. You won't need a specialist installer to fit or replace firebricks, it should be a job that can easily be done by someone in the household. Before you begin to fit your new firebrick set ensure the area where the old firebrick was is now free from debris to ensure that the new firebrick sits in place correctly.
Firebrick replacements can be purchased directly from the manufacturer or we can supply them if it is a brand we currently supply.
Are Firebricks Covered Under Warranty?
It can be very frustrating to discover that a firebrick within a brand-new log burner has cracked. Unfortunately, firebricks within a stove are rarely covered under the manufacturer's warranty. They are classed as consumable parts like car tyres are and they are subject to wear and tear from extreme temperatures and often logs being thrown at them. Replacements bricks are not supplied free of charge, even if your stove is only a few weeks old.
