Big deal? Or not a big deal?

[Oww My Back Hurts]

I just cleaned out my chimney in prep for the heating season, and saw a crack inside my fireplace insert. Is this in some way dangerous? I don't think it's a big deal but thought I'd ask the experts, just in case

 

[ctyankee]

Not sure about the crack but that is a nice looking surround/hearth. What is the size across? 1925 house? I'll eat my hat if that is a new house. Brick and tile is a great combo.

 

[xman23]

Not qualified to give an opinion. But if it was mine I would use it. Cracks in fire bricks is common. But I would look into fixing it.

 

[Oww My Back Hurts]

Thanks! The house was built in '97, we are not the original owners. When we moved in it, was just the fireplace -- we had the vermont castings merrimack insert installed and then my wife put up the tile. The insert is 32" wide, the fireplace is 54" wide, and the hearth is 99". Here's a pic from the install, and also the picture my wife took for her instagram thing. We, of course, move everything flammable away from the insert during the winter, when we burn pretty much 24/7

 

[peakbagger]

In my unprofessional opinion, I would not worry about it. If on the other hand the crack continues to propagate down through the brick below then its worth keeping a eye on it.

 

[ctyankee]

Thanks! The house was built in '97, we are not the original owners. When we moved in it, was just the fireplace -- we had the vermont castings merrimack insert installed and then my wife put up the tile. The insert is 32" wide, the fireplace is 54" wide, and the hearth is 99". Here's a pic from the install, and also the picture my wife took for her instagram thing. We, of course, move everything flammable away from the insert during the winter, when we burn pretty much 24/7

Kudos to your wife adding the tile. Thinking about it now a raised hearth is more a modern concept from what I've seen. Maybe I'll just chew on some crow haha.

 

[begreen]

I wouldn't worry about it at this point. Did you put some staples across the crack?

 

[Oww My Back Hurts]

Thanks all. The sides are hard, maybe stone?, I wasn't able to get a staple in it. But yeah, at this point I guess I'm not really worried, the walls are enclosed in the metal stove, which is sitting inside an outer brick fireplace, I can't really see anything dangerous about it. Cheers!