Shutting down for the summer

I don't have a boiler, but a woodfurnace. I clean my heat exchanger, and cap my chimney with thick plastic to prevent any warm moist air from coming down the chimney and condensing. I also place a desiccant in the firebox and shut all intakes. If you cap your chimney, leave yourself a note.

Only thing I did was give it a good cleaning, never saw anything resembling condensation.

Would warm air really drop down a chimney?

It seems to at my place.

maple1 said:

Only thing I did was give it a good cleaning, never saw anything resembling condensation.

Would warm air really drop down a chimney?

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Oh yeah, I've seen puddles under our old woodfurnace at times. When I would smell creosote, I would see water. We did have a 7x11 liner I believe and air would come down the chimney all the time. Now with a liner, it doesn't happen as often, but I still cap to play it safe. I'll cut out the base of a milk jug and use crystal silica gel kitty litter as a dessicant.

I wonder if it wouldn't be better just to close off the chimney and leave the boiler door open-that way the inside would generally be the same temperature as the surroundings and no condensation. After all, the combustion air intake can't be blocked-on mine, I don't even know exactly where it is.

Good point.. Will be plenty dry in my boiler room. Nyletherm will be running to produce hot water.

I place metal cover plate on top of chimney after the annual spring cleaning. Close everything up, I am not in a humid basement though. If you are a 60w good-old-fashion Thomas A. Edison light bulb works wonders. I'd place it as low as possible in the boiler/stove. 40W may even work.

TS

I put a 5 gal. bucket over the chimney and clean it out a bit. No more. Some years I dont even clean out the chimney, but almost always do.