Okay, here’s my blog post about experimenting with heat bricks for my wood stove:
So, I’ve been messing around with ways to get more heat and longer burn times out of my wood stove. I saw some folks talking about using heat bricks, and I figured, why not give it a shot? I’m all about tinkering and seeing if I can improve things.
Getting Started
First, I needed some bricks. I didn’t want to use just any old bricks, you know? I read that regular house bricks could crack or even explode from the heat. Nope, not risking that! I ended up grabbing a box of firebricks from the local hardware store. They’re made for high temperatures, so I felt pretty good about that choice.
The Experiment Begins
My stove is a pretty standard size, nothing fancy. I started by building a normal fire, just like I always do. Got a good bed of coals going. Then, I carefully placed the firebricks around the edges of the firebox, kind of like building a little wall. I left some space between them for airflow, because, well, fire needs air, right?
- Step 1: Build a regular fire.
- Step 2: Get a good bed of coals established.
- Step 3: Carefully place firebricks around the firebox edges.
- Step 4:Ensure some gaps are inbetween the bricks for some airflow.
My thinking was that the bricks would absorb the heat and then slowly release it, even after the fire died down. Kind of like those soapstone stoves, but way cheaper.
Watching and Waiting
I kept a close eye on things. I wanted to make sure the bricks weren’t blocking too much airflow or causing any weird issues. It took a little while for the bricks to really heat up, but once they did, I definitely noticed a difference. The heat felt more… even, I guess? Less of a blast furnace and more of a steady warmth.
The Results
The real test was overnight. Usually, I wake up to a cold stove and a chilly house. But with the firebricks, the stove was still warm to the touch in the morning! The room wasn’t toasty, but it was noticeably warmer than usual. It was pretty awesome. I didn’t use a thermometer to be very detailed, but it was for sure warmer.
I’m calling this experiment a win! It’s not a perfect solution, and I’m sure there’s room for improvement, like maybe trying different brick arrangements or something. But for a simple, cheap way to get a bit more out of my wood stove, these heat bricks are pretty darn good.I feel like trying other ways, and playing around with them more.