How to Prolong the Life of My Ceramic Kiln or Glass Kiln
Proper kiln maintenance is essential for its longevity and performance, regardless of the type of kiln you have. Before each firing, inspect and vacuum the interior, clean the shelves, and check the heating elements for damage. Inspect the lid and body for cracks on a monthly basis, ensuring proper closure and structural integrity, and examine electrical components for discoloration, heat, or loose connections. Regularly monitor elements for wear and replace them as needed. For significant damage or electrical issues, seek professional repair to avoid voided warranties or prevent further damage. Consistent care ensures safe and efficient kiln operation for years to come.
Proper Care for a Ceramic Kiln, Glass Kiln, and Dual Media Kiln
Your kiln is a vital addition to your studio, regardless of whether it’s a ceramic kiln, glass kiln, or a dual media kiln. And for what you probably paid for it, you want to make sure your kiln performs at its best for many years to come.
No matter your kiln type, proper kiln care is necessary and pretty easy to maintain if you follow the appropriate steps.
Look Inside Before Each Firing
You always want to inspect your kiln before turning it on for the next firing. It’s possible to have shards or fragments, dust, drops of glaze, or other materials left over from the previous fire. You may even find that an insect, spider, or rodent has made its way into your kiln, especially if it’s stationed outside with the lid up while not in use. If your kiln has attracted critters like mice or rats, they can leave behind droppings or puddles that you’ll definitely want to take care of first before you start your kiln back up for another firing.
Check for anything and everything and pay attention to what looks out of the ordinary.
Vacuum Out the Kiln Before Each Firing
Before placing your pieces in the kiln for firing, thoroughly inspect the kiln to ensure there are no shards, chips, dust, or drops of glaze inside.
Ceramic fragments or dust can affect the look and feel of the pieces you’re about to fire and lead to early wear of the elements in the kiln.
For optimal care, use a vacuum—preferably a shop vac with a soft brush attachment—to clean out your kiln before each firing:
- Turn off the power switch.
- Vacuum all brick areas.
- Vacuum around the elements on the sides and the lid, as well.
Wipe Down the Shelves Before Each Firing
If there are spots of glaze on any of the shelves inside the kiln, it can remelt and trickle into element grooves, leading to issues that can damage your kiln faster than not. Or, it can trickle onto your pieces, ruining the intended look.
Wipe down the shelves to remove anything that could lead to damage to your kiln or next project.
Check the Elements Before Each Firing
The coils and other heating elements on the sides or lid of your kiln need to be in their proper places and the channels cleared of fragments, debris, or foreign materials of any kind. If any of your element pins holding your coils in place are loose, push them back in.
How is your thermocouple looking? This crucial piece tells your controller what the internal temperature of the kiln is during firing. Check to make sure this component is not damaged—if it is, you could over- or under-fire all future projects until this piece is replaced.
Inspect Your Shelves for Cracks Before Each Firing
There is very little that’s more disappointing than losing your project mid-fire because of a broken shelf. Check your shelves for cracks before installing them for your next firing. Even the smallest crack or sign of damage can lead to disaster.
Treat your shelves by sanding down rough edges and recoat the surfaces with kiln wash. You don’t have to recoat your shelves every time you use them, but it’s important to do so on a routine basis.
Check in on Your Lid About Once a Month
If you use your kiln routinely, you want to inspect the lid band, making sure it closes correctly. Each time your kiln fires, the lid actually expands and contracts. Over time, the lid band can become loose, leading to improper closure. You will need to tighten the lid band fairly regularly.
Also, inspect your lid for cracks. It’s natural for a lid to develop small, shallow cracks over time. These are usually insignificant and will not impact your firings. However, these small cracks can become larger and may need to be treated with kiln cement.
If the crack becomes significant enough to lead to structural damage of your kiln, get in touch with a kiln repair expert. Repairs to this degree almost always require a professional. And if your kiln is still under warranty, the repair should be covered. Attempting to bypass a professional and working on a larger repair yourself could void your warranty and cause more problems for you than it solves.
Check in on the Body About Once a Month
Just like your lid needs a good lookover every once in a while, so does the body of your kiln. The sides and bases of your kiln can also develop small cosmetic cracks that are not harmful but have the potential to lead to issues later. If you need to use kiln cement to treat a small crack, be very careful not to get any on your elements, as this could destroy the element and cause bigger headaches than intended.
If a crack develops into something more structurally damaging, it’s time to call a kiln repair company. Don’t take it into your own hands, as this could lead to more damage and could void any active warranties, which should cover repair work.
During the body check, take a look at the elements, too. If any appear to be rusting, thinning, thickening, or bulging, that’s a sign that your element is wearing down. This is normal, as your elements will need to be replaced eventually, like the tires on a car. If you use your kiln more frequently, the elements will need to be replaced sooner.
Check in on the Electrical Components About Once a Month
You want to make sure your power cable, receptacle, plug, and other electrical components are not showing signs of damage.
Ways to check include:
- Looking for dark spots or discoloration on the receptacle or plug
- Ensuring the connection between the receptacle and plug is tight
- Ensuring there is no heat at the receptacle when the kiln is running
If there is discoloration, heat, or loose connections, it’s important to replace the receptacle, plug, or both. If the issue continues, it’s vital to contact a kiln repair company to fix the electrical components of the kiln. Do not attempt to fix an electrical issue yourself—this can lead to way more damage than intended and could void any active warranties.
If there is an electrical issue, don’t fire again until the problem is resolved.
Your ceramic kiln, glass kiln, or dual media kiln is a vital addition to your studio. Clay-King is here to help make sure yours can go the distance and perform at its best for a long time.
Clay-King is your source for high-quality pottery supplies and high-quality care advice for your kilns and larger equipment. Are you in the market for a new kiln? We carry kilns of all sizes and shapes from brands like Skutt, L&L, Olympic, Evenheat, Cress, and Amaco. We’ll be glad to talk you through your options and help you zero in on the kiln that will take pottery production to the next level.
Check out our selection or contact us to tell us about the kind of kiln you’re looking for today!
Call 888-838-3625 or email info@clay-king.com.
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