Alderlea T5 Cleaning the baffle and flue myself.
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That's fairly normal, get the same here. Like jet engine exhaust shooting out the boost holes. There is also a gap between the manifold and the actual body holes, if they are clogged, someone let a crapload of ash build up and neglected it.[/QUOTE]Mine stay pretty clear. I know this because when I run er up really hot flames shoot out of the manifold holes just like secondaries.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
Yah. I like it when it's running hot. Throwing flames out of every hole while the body of the beast is tinging, ringing and booming!
Yes. I might have a problem. Lol.
Yes. I might have a problem. Lol.
[/QUOTE]
When I do a thorough cleaning, every 2-3 weeks or so, I take a vacuum and a crevice tool and put the suction right up to the actual boost holes. If I take a mirror and look, there is usually a little bit in there, but not much. I figure it's better to keep it really clean than to let things build up however. Note: If I'm doing a mid season clean out (my stove never gets too cold in the heating season), the vacuum gets set outside for a while before getting let back in it's closet. Shouldn't be a hot coal in there, but you never know.
Now that I'm looking really closely, I think k I need firebricks because two have horizontal cracks. Is there a good source online?
Squisher
Minister of Fire
Standard sized wood stove 'bricks' are referred to as a 1/2 firebrick at the local builder supply shop and ran me a whopping $1.90 a piece Canadian the last time I was there.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
The last guy I had clean ours hit the cap with his brush from below, hard, but I still had to go up there and clean it off better because it was clearly caked with creosote.
Is the firebrick a standard thing I can just buy anywhere, sizes sound the same as Rutland fire brick (intermediate duty which is rated to 2200*f) except for a partial piece near the ash cleanout that I almost never use. Is there an easy way to cut it?
Is the firebrick a standard thing I can just buy anywhere, sizes sound the same as Rutland fire brick (intermediate duty which is rated to 2200*f) except for a partial piece near the ash cleanout that I almost never use. Is there an easy way to cut it?
Squisher
Minister of Fire
Yes they are standard sizes. 9"x4.5"X1.25" is a fire brick half and 2.5" is a full firebrick. You want the half brick.
It's an acquired skill to cut it. I use a chisel. They are cheap enough that you can take a couple stabs at cutting/breaking one until you get an acceptable outcome.
It's an acquired skill to cut it. I use a chisel. They are cheap enough that you can take a couple stabs at cutting/breaking one until you get an acceptable outcome.
Is it normal to have a gap or more than an inch above the fire bricks? Did the previous owners replace with shorter bricks?
Squisher
Minister of Fire
A sweep should always get the cap. It would have to visually check out clean with binos and be death defying to get to before ever considering not inspecting the top and cleaning the cap in person, from the roof.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
There's no way the gap at the top of my bricks is more than an inch. You could always measure the brick if you were unsure.
I'll take a picture in the morning when the stove is cool. I'll also measure. Perhaps they put them in sides first and cut the bottom ones to fit? They'd be 1 1/4" short which is about the gap I have.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
There is a gap on mine. But I'd guesstimate 1/2-3/4". It isn't meant to be tight.
This is in my super insert and summit. The alderlea could have a larger gap for all I know.
This is in my super insert and summit. The alderlea could have a larger gap for all I know.
There is a gap at the top of the firebricks on all PE products. You can leave the cracked bricks in place, or even swap them some floor bricks. PE uses lightweight pumice bricks, more expensive than the standard ones. I don't see why standards would not work, but if you want to match the OEM then pumice is the ones. Cheaper to find online than from dealer.
edyit
Minister of Fire
I've found that a tile saw, or a chop saw with an abrasive blade makes a better looking cut on fire bricks when i've had to cut them. though i'm doing them in my own garage at my own leisure not in someone else's house on the clock.
Woody5506
Minister of Fire
My T5 has an inch or less gap above the bricks. Pretty sure the manual states to not load above the bricks which seems nearly impossible unless you're cleaning ash out every few days.
I couldn't take a small enough photo, but they're crumbling on the face that faces the fire. The outside of the bricks is totally smooth and the inside is bumpy and crumbles off when you touch it. I replaced them with heavier bricks. The ones that were in there were a lit lighter. Is that a problem? For the cut bricks I went to a shop that does fire places and had them cut on the wet saw since they are not easy to cut along the length the way I needed.
Edited to add the following :
I just refreshed and saw that the last three posts so I understand the difference between the pumice and the heavier standard bricks.
Edited to add the following :
I just refreshed and saw that the last three posts so I understand the difference between the pumice and the heavier standard bricks.
Last edited:
I have a PE Super 27 and the bricks need changing. I went to the store in my area that claims to be a PE dealer and they told me they don't stock the PE firebrick set and sold me some "standard" bricks (without any info; I think they're from US Stove Co. but have to confirm, as I will need more and don't want to mix types).
Is it dangerous or damaging to use standard bricks? Is it dangerous or damaging to mix old and new bricks, or different types of bricks?
US Stove sells replacement pumice bricks. They're ok to use in this stove. They are grey, rough textured, and light. Is this what they sold you? It's okay to mix some new bricks with old. I just replaced my rear bricks last year with the US Stove pumice bricks. They're doing fine.
U S STOVE PUMICE WOOD STOVE FIREBRICK [PP1901] WHOLE & UNCUT FBP6E 6 PACK | eBay
Many U. S. Stove models require Insulating Pumice firebrick for their stoves in order to maintain their high efficiency burn. These high quality insulating pumice are virtually identical to the OEM firebricks.
www.ebay.com
Thanks for that -- they certainly look like what I was sold. Can I replace the back and sides and leave the floor alone, do you think? (That's assuming I can get the back and side ones out without removing the floor.)US Stove sells replacement pumice bricks. They're ok to use in this stove. They are grey, rough textured, and light. Is this what they sold you? It's okay to mix some new bricks with old. I just replaced my rear bricks last year with the US Stove pumice bricks. They're doing fine.
U S STOVE PUMICE WOOD STOVE FIREBRICK [PP1901] WHOLE & UNCUT FBP6E 6 PACK | eBay
Many U. S. Stove models require Insulating Pumice firebrick for their stoves in order to maintain their high efficiency burn. These high quality insulating pumice are virtually identical to the OEM firebricks.www.ebay.com
Yes, no problem. I only replaced the most worn bricks. In our stove's case it is the rear bricks that take the most abuse from splits hitting them on hot reloads. The rest of our firebricks are going on their 16th season.
Great, thank you! Wow, 16th season! I've been feeling so remiss for letting mine go 10. I'll see if I can get the vertical ones out, and try to load more carefully in future.
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