leer12•7d ago

Finally got my forge's firebrick to stop cracking on the first heat

Kept having the back wall split after a couple uses. Tried a slower pre-heat cycle, ramping up over 45 minutes instead of 20, and it held solid all weekend. Anyone else have a specific warm-up routine that works for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_brooke7d ago

My old apartment's water heater would bang like a drum if you turned it on too fast. It's the same idea, everything needs a gentle start. I see it with my car's engine in winter, even letting the coffee maker warm up before the full brew. Rushing the initial heat just sets up stress points that have to give way later.

david_adams7d ago

Sounds like your apartment was trying to start a one-man band with that water heater. My last place had a fridge that groaned like it was lifting weights every time the compressor kicked on. Guess appliances need a pep talk before they get to work, not just a sudden jolt of power. It's a miracle anything works right when we just expect it to go from zero to full blast instantly.