Wet ash?

[Trizzo]

Good afternoon,
I have owned my casa2G for about two months now. I have been using it weekly to every other week. I have not used it in about two weeks and today when I went to clean it out, I found that the ash inside was very damp. Is this caused by condensation? Or could I have water getting into my oven?.

[deejayoh]

I would doubt that condensation would cause wet ash - but it would help if you provided a few more details about your location, the location of the oven, and how it is protected from the elements.

[Trizzo]

The oven is completely enclosed in brick. You will see in the picture below. Also below is a picture of the wet spot on both the ceiling and on the floor tiles.
I am wondering if water is seeping through the brick arch, soaking the blanket and settling in the dome. Although I did mortar the seams...i cant imagine how it is getting in. The picture of the wet spot would suggest that the water is just soaking through the dome.

[Trizzo]

The oven is completely enclosed in brick. You will see in the picture below. Also below is a picture of the wet spot on both the ceiling and on the floor tiles.
I am wondering if water is seeping through the brick arch, soaking the blanket and settling in the dome. Although I did mortar the seams...i cant imagine how it is getting in. The picture of the wet spot would suggest that the water is just soaking through the dome.

[SableSprings]

Water is amazing stuff and it's surprising how much water can be transported by capillary action through tiny cracks. Since you've been having some pretty good rains this fall (by the weather reports I've seen) it wouldn't take much of a crack (in brick or mortar) to get the insulation wicking water inside. I'd look carefully at the chimney attachment, the mortar seams, and the actual bricks along the ridge line of the barrel facade you put on the Casa2G for hairline fissures/cracks. Don't forget that water can & will travel laterally for quite a distance. It wouldn't hurt to put a level on the back of the oven just to see the direction water will most likely flow "down" during a rainstorm.

I'd also seriously consider pulling a tarp over the oven this winter when it's not in use. If the leak stops with the tarp in place then obviously there's a crack or seam fissure in the oven's shell and you're going to have to locate and patch/seal it (or them). Not to be too negative here, but it's very possible that some water in a minor crack or two will expand & open up further with a good freeze allowing more water to enter later. Bottom line is the sooner you get that leak dried out or stopped the better. Since you do have water coming into the insulation (through the outer shell), remember to be careful about firing too fast...just like doing a cure again. It may take several slow fires to expel the moisture & recover the insulation properties before you can safely fire it up "normally".

Best bet right now, in my opinion, is to start curing the oven again and cover it when not in use so you don't lose ground. You might also think about installing a vent so moisture can escape the insulation layer more easily. Odds are water is coming in either through a crack or soaking through the masonry so you've got to be a "water Sherlock Holmes" on this to find the path it's taking into the oven. A tarp will buy you time to find & fix the problem.

[david s]

If you've had your oven for two months, that's 8 weeks and you haven't used it for 2 weeks that leaves 6 weeks and if you've fired it either weekly or fortnightly then you've only had a few fires in it. My guess is that your oven is probably still not properly dry, it takes way longer than most people think. You don't say what your weather has been like, but water intrusion from rain is most likely from either through the oven mouth if the rain comes at an angle, where the base of the dome meets the floor or supporting slab, or where the flue pipe penetrates the outer shell. It may also enter via small cracks in the outer shell, but check the former sites first.

As it's a Forno Bravo product you should really be directing your query to them as they will be more familiar with the particular oven design and its quirks.

[deejayoh]

I'm with SableSprings here. Based on the picture, it looks like maybe your entire enclosure is made of brick - with mortar seams over the top of the dome? If that is the case, my fear would be that the water is coming through the enclosure. Brick construction is not exactly waterproof - especially laid on the horizontal. And from the look of the second picture, there is defintely some source of new moisture. That's more than just residual moisture. I'd put some sort of cover over it for the winter, and re cure. Longer term, look into some sort of sealant or flashing for the top of the oven enclosure. I don't think you are going to have an easy time sealing up just brick.

[Gulf]

How about a pic of the seam where the flue exits the face brick? Though, it will require flashing between the roof and the flue, an open air roof over the build will go along way to solving much of your problem imo. And, it will give you something to work under during bad weather. That alone increases the number of days per year that you can comfortably work the oven.

[Trizzo]

Thank you everybody for your input. The chimney has no gaps. I've inspected where the chimney meets the stonework and it has been sealed up very well. I have noticed some cracks between the mortar and brick finish work up on the arch. It looks as though the mortar did not completely adhere to the brick in some places. This is probably where the water is getting in.
Do you think it is advisable to use a brick sealer on the entire structure?
For the time being I have a waterproof tarp over the majority of the arch.

[deejayoh]

Mortar, being a cement-based product - is not waterproof. It's going to wick moisture in any case, and if it's not adhered to the brick the water problem will be worse.

I don't know that you can seal it up. Most of the sealers that I have seen on the market are designed to seal a smooth surface with no voids - they're very thin liquids. I think a tarp/cover is your best bet. There are companies out there that will build custom fit covers for not too much money. You might investigate that.

But as Gulf says - more pics - particularly of the top of the oven - would help.

[Gulf]

It would be great to see some pics of the cracks that you have described.

I have noticed some cracks between the mortar and brick finish work up on the arch. It looks as though the mortar did not completely adhere to the brick in some places. This is probably where the water is getting in.

Small cracks can be sealed with mortar colored latex caulk. Larger cracks can be sealed with (sand added) mortar colored latex caulk. After that, a clear (block/brick/cement ) sealer will help seal the rest.