Want to install so we can cleanout from in house

Get a rear-vented stove, then there's no jog, just a 90* tee into the back of the stove. Or no tee. With a slip-pipe, you should be able to remove that section and place a bag over the rest to minimize the mess when you clean it out.

Yeah, if you get a stove that the baffle can be removed from without too much trouble (especially a top vent stove) then you can clean bottom up like this (this is just the first vid I could find that showed bottom up, I have no idea about that particular product...)

Sue and Wayne in VT said:

Brenndatomu - I've used wire brushes for decades and never knew about these nifty rotorooter bottom up systems. Looks like this might be the charm. Haven't stuck my head back in the stove since reading this but I think we can get by the baffles to access the pipe.

Click to expand...

The Sooteater seems to be a pretty well liked tool around here...

ok, for the completely non-handy types, how do you know if the baffles are removable in your particular stoves? And if removing them is advisable if one is particularly clueless? Do you work from the bottom up, adding length to the flexible piping as you go? How messy is it really? I know it isn't as clean as it looks in that video...

I am wondering whether you are planning on using the Metalbestos inside, from the stove to the ceiling. That will work, but I would reconsider...you want to use single- or double-wall stovepipe indoors, up to the ceiling. The double-wall comes in a few lengths that are adjustable in length. You want one of those in your pipe, one section of it would be the adjustable pipe. Then, to clean, you simply remove any screws in the pipe connection and push the adjustable section [easiest I think if it's the lowest section, or the section right at the stove, that is how mine is] together, set it aside on the floor, clean the pipe from the bottom, put the adjustable section back in place and re-secure with the screws. The adjustable sections are pricier than the non-adjustable ones, but they are worth every penny when it comes time to clean. Also, using one, you don't have to cut any pipe to fit exactly to length.

I don't use any single-wall pipe on any of my three stoves, and I don't know whether they are available in adjustable lengths.

newatthis said:

How messy is it really?

Click to expand...

If you clean when it's cool out, your draft should pull most of the dust up the chimney.

It will just take a little soot inside of of house to get on every thing. You will be sleeping outside.

I have a telescoping section of pipe between my stove and the ceiling connector in the living room.

Never have cleaned mine from the roof.

A trash bag, some blue masking tape, some common sense, done. I do use the shorter "flexible" extension rods on the brush...

I don't know how others do it, but, yes, I tape a plastic bag around the pipe, and I cut a slit in the bag for the rod to fit through. Since the brush obviously won't fit thru that slit, I slide the first section of rod with the brush attached through the slit before taping the bag to the pipe. Begin the push the brush up the pipe, then it will stay there and you can use both hands to position the bag and tape it in place. I tear off a piece or two of tape beforehand to be ready.

There might be some ash filter down through the slit in the bag; just clean it up before someone walks through it.

Yup, nailed it. I disconnect my pipe at the stove collar and then raise the telescoping part from the bottom.

I use some blue tape to keep the pipe telescoped short while I am getting my act together.

The box my brush came in, well I taped the heck out of it with clear packing tape so nothing can leak out of it onto the living room rug.

Slit in side of trash bag about 1/3 of the way down from the top.

First rod through slit, then screw rod onto (still boxed) brush.

I kinda work it so everything in the box, including the brush, ends up in the trashbag, leave the box on the hearth and stick the brush into the pipe.

Tape top of trashbag to bottom/ open end of pipe, proceed.

I dunno how flexible a rod you can find. The two kinds I can find local are really stiff and the other is kinda flexible in three foot sections at either Lowes or Home Depot.

I own both, the stiff is from the roof only, no way can that work indoors for me. The brush for my stiff rod doesn't fit the flexi-rods, different threads. So i got two brushes too.

My mom has 10 feet of stove pipe running straight up through the ceiling. Then, 10 feet of double walled stainless steel pipe up above the roof. I have cleaned her pipe many times.
I get a 10 foot step ladder, and remove the inside pipe. Take that outside and clean it.
I get a 55 gallon trash bag. I get my 6 inch brush and attach one section of fiberglass rod to it. I Stick this rod into the bag, and poke it through the bottom.
Then, I tape the bag to the ceiling connector so that it surrounds the connector, tape it with duct tape.

I grab the rod that is sticking through the bag and run it up into the pipe. Attach a second section, and a third, and run them all the way to the top of the pipe.
Run the brush up and down four or five times.
The pipe is clean, and about 1/4 teaspoon of ash has fallen through the little hole in the bottom of the trash bag.
Takes longer to describe it than to do it, takes about 15 minutes.

I am not satisfied that an electric drill to spin the brush is really necessary, ass/u/me-ing I am burning dry wood and cleaning my pipes right regular.

Worst I ever saw I had about 1/4" of fluffy buildup- judging by the exposed ends of the screws holding my telescoping section to the chimney connector at the ceiling. One pass up and down with the brush, I had bare metal exposed on about 50% of the circumference or the pipe with fluffy buildup maybe 1/16" of an inch deep on the other 50%. Good enough for me to burn another cord or two.

With a new stove and known dry wood (again this year) I burnt one cord, swept, burnt a second cord, swept, I am going to let her burn three cords before I even look again, will probably sweep again sometime in March.

Take a real careful look at your sweepings and watch for the shiny black stuff. A few specks of shiny black is nearly unavoidable. A lot of shiny back specks, or sheets of the stuff should have you talking to your dealer, double checking your wood with a MM and maybe starting a thread here.

I see about 5% shiny black specks by volume and don't lose any sleep over that little bit.