Hi there, need some advice, am new to wood burning, live in central maine. We have a 2k sq ft house heated by an old plate steel stove in the basement that goes into a masonry chimney lined with tile. Stove is relatively large, almost three feet deep, has a blower on it and a hot water coil that runs on the inside of the firebox. I had the chimney swept at the beginning of the season. House is a two story colonial with full uninsulated attic, so chimney must be 35 feet or so with the last 15 uninsulated.
Today, I opened up the clean out door to take a look up the chimney as we have been burning for 1.5 months or so. Before I could look up the chimney with my mirror, I pulled out a full kitchen sized garbage bag of dry crispy creosote that had accumulated below the thimble. I checked after he swept and it was clean, so this all built up in the last month or so. I have been burning dry wood and using an anti creosote powder from time to time. looks like there is additional blockage towards the top of the chimney, though hard to tell.
Thermometer on the stove pipe just above damper usually is in the 350 degree range and we try to burn it hot occasionally - 500 deg. or so for 15 minutes. I have been damping it down at night. I assume its a good thing that most of it is falling down the chimney rather staying up there, but I was shocked by how much had accumulated.
What should i do as far as changing habits, specifically in regards to proper burning temps to keep this from happening. Sould I have it swept again? I'd appreciate some advice.
Today, I opened up the clean out door to take a look up the chimney as we have been burning for 1.5 months or so. Before I could look up the chimney with my mirror, I pulled out a full kitchen sized garbage bag of dry crispy creosote that had accumulated below the thimble. I checked after he swept and it was clean, so this all built up in the last month or so. I have been burning dry wood and using an anti creosote powder from time to time. looks like there is additional blockage towards the top of the chimney, though hard to tell.
Thermometer on the stove pipe just above damper usually is in the 350 degree range and we try to burn it hot occasionally - 500 deg. or so for 15 minutes. I have been damping it down at night. I assume its a good thing that most of it is falling down the chimney rather staying up there, but I was shocked by how much had accumulated.
What should i do as far as changing habits, specifically in regards to proper burning temps to keep this from happening. Sould I have it swept again? I'd appreciate some advice.
