People having homes equipped with a fireplace heater have probably found that after a few years' service their heater loses its efficiency as a heat producer. In the case of a heater having an iron firepot. this is usually due to the iron being burnt out, causing it to lose its heat-retaining qualities.

To replace the old firepot with a new one, it is necessary to put in a new ring to hold the pot in place, due to the warping of the old ring from heat.

To have a stove repairer do this work is expensive, as the practice is to take the heater apart in sections by removing the bolts ./ (Fig. 287). to admit the ring B, which is of such dimensions as to prohibit its admission in front of heater. This ring is provided with recesses to engage the projections or pins C on the under side of firepot sections D.

Fig. 287 - Replacing a firepot.

The writer has found that by cutting through the ring B, as shown in the bottom plan view, so as to break joints with the firepot sections D, the two sections of the ring may be set in place through the door openings, and the firepot sections set in their respective positions one after the other, beginning with the section D', which bridges the breach in ring.

This method has its advantages over the old way in giving an equally strong construction, and being far more economical, as it does not necessitate the removal of the beater.