Fire Brick FAQ

Normal Operation

During the normal operation of your stove the fire bricks will experience rapid heating and cooling. Occasionally minor cracks can occur after repeated firings!

If hairline cracks occur, you can continue to enjoy the stove. Stoves have a metal structure behind the bricks; therefore, even if larger cracks appear the stove will still function safely.

Do they need to be replaced?

Fire bricks should be replaced when:

1. The cracks get wider than 3mm (the thickness of a pound coin).

2. When the crack is greater than 6mm deep.

3. When the surface of the brick has eroded more than 25% from the original thickness or

4. When it starts to crumble and fall away in chunks.

Prevention

To prevent the problem happening in the first place the homeowner should ‘condition’ the refractory bricks by building relatively small fires for the first few burns and gradually build up to larger fires.

When adding wood to the fire it is important to use caution. DO NOT throw logs into the fire, they may hit the hot bricks which will cause damage.

How do I replace broken fire bricks?

Fire bricks that need to be replaced are often something we look out for and can advise on when we visit for your annual maintenance (sweep and service). Quite often the cracks are only aesthetic and replacement is not required but when they are finally in need of replacement this is something we can bring along to your annual service and put in position for you.

This information has been adapted from Skamol Policy for SKAMOLEX replacement bricks.