Fireplace Repair: Cracked Firebox

Firebox Crack Repair

Hey There,

If you find yourself here, you likely have a firebox that looks something like this:

or this:

Possibly this:

or MAYBE this:

OK, so we've established by now that your fireplace has cracked panels.  You've got questions, right?  Not to worry.  We have all the answers you are looking for right here.

Fireplace Crack Repair

First, and foremost, there is NO REPAIR for cracked refractory panels in a per-fabricated or Zero-Clearance fireplace.  Whats a per-fabricated fire place?  Click here for a full photo comparing a per-fabricated vs masonry chimney.

So anyway, there is no repair.  No patch. No Spackle.  Put down that tube of caulking, Hoss, and listen up.  What I am about to say is very important:

All manufacturers of per-fabricated fireplaces have a specification for how big a crack can get before it needs replacement.  Most have a specification that is fairly easy to follow.  The one that we follow is the "Dime Width".  Any crack which exceeds a dime's width must be replaced with a new refractory panel. 

The purpose behind the panels in the firebox is to absorb heat and deflect it away from the metal box they are housed in.  When the cracks exceed a dime's width, heat may be allowed to penetrate the void and heat up the metal box.  And here is where it gets interesting:  The metal box potentially could have the framing of the house in contact with it.  The box can heat up and transfer that heat to the framing of the home. 

Here is a shot of what it looks like behind a panel that had a sizable crack in it.  What you are seeing is the smoke staining where hot, smoky air was passing through the crack and hitting the galvanized firebox:

 Fireplace Panels Replacements

Patching the cracks in a pre-fab fireplace is not allowed by the manufacturer due to the following:

1.  The panels are designed to expand and contract with the heating and cooling of the firebox.  There are no guarantees that the material you insert into the crack will expand and contract at the same rate as the panel.  

             For Instance:  You patch a crack, have a fire and all looks good right?  Well, when that panel cools down and contracts, if there is any foreign body in that void that IS NOT contracting at the same rate, the patch material may act as a wedge and can cause the cracking to worsen!

2.  There is play between the side walls and the back wall.  This "wiggle room" is required to allow the walls to expand and contract.  Sealing these gaps with mortar or cement is a surefire way to crack the entire firebox.

3.  They are the manufacturer.  They say don't do it.  They spent millions of dollars developing these fireplaces.  Testing them.  Torturing them.  They understand the conditions that can cause their products to fail.

Fire Place Repair Temecula, Ca.

It is best to have a professional chimney cleaning company, like ours, Advanced Chimney Cleaning perform this job.  

Call us now at 951-698-8676 to schedule an appointment.  We have been servicing chimneys and fireplaces near Temecula, CA for nearly 20 years.   If you are not sure about the condition of any part of your chimney or fireplace, it is best to have us inspect it's condition before use.

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Locally Owned in Murrieta, CA since 1997