How to Make Your Kiln Elements Last Longer
Kiln elements are a consumable — but how you fire and maintain your kiln makes a big difference in how many firings you get. These habits stretch their life.
1. Vacuum the element grooves
Glaze chips, kiln wash flakes, and debris in the grooves attack the coil at high heat. Gently vacuum the grooves regularly (power off, of course).
2. Avoid over-firing
Every cone past what you need accelerates oxidation. Fire to the cone you actually need and use accurate cones or a calibrated controller.
3. Keep glaze off the elements
Volatilizing glazes and fluxes corrode element wire. Use proper ventilation, don’t over-apply glaze, and keep pieces off the walls.
4. Fire regularly
Oddly, kilns that sit unused can suffer — and very long, slow firings hold the coil at high heat longer. Consistent, efficient firing schedules help.
5. Replace as a full set
A fresh element next to worn ones works harder and fails sooner. When you replace, do the whole set so they age together.
6. Re-seat sagging coils carefully
Elements that pop out of the groove create hot spots. Re-seat them gently when cold — don’t stretch the wire.
When it’s time
Even with great care, elements wear out. Send us your kiln model and we’ll ship a matched set across Canada.
Related guides
- How to Replace a Kiln Element: Step-by-Step
- When to Replace Your Kiln Elements (and How to Tell They're Worn)
Related products
Need a replacement element? We ship across Canada and build custom elements for hard-to-find equipment.