I just had my chimney swept this morning, and I am attempting to achieve some clarity and peace-of-mind. The chimney sweep came recommended by a relative, who has had a business relationship with the sweep for about 10 years. This fellow also has clearly been sweeping chimneys for some time; I'm sure he didn't just start up his business last month. This is the first time the chimney has been swept since my stove was installed last spring.
I have a Hearthstone Morgan. From reading here, typically, you remove the baffle and secondary burn tubes, go up to the roof, and use the brush; all the built-up material slides right down the liner and into the firebox of the stove for easy cleaning. Reassemble the burn tubes and baffle, reinstall into the stove, and Bob's your uncle.
However, after about 30 minutes of brushing and then vacuuming, the sweep called me into the living room, to show me what he had done: he maintains that on Hearthstone stoves (and some Jotuls, he also said), the baffle and tubes are not removable. Accordingly, he had sawn/drilled a hole, about three inches in diameter, through the baffle between the middle and rear-most secondary burn tubes. Had he not done so, he says, the material swept down the liner would have just come to rest on the top surface of the baffle, where it would be impossible to reach with the vacuum.
He says he will be returning with a piece of identical baffle material, which he will slide up onto the top surface of the existing baffle, thus covering up the hole he created, and restoring the function of the baffle, which is to keep heat inside the wood stove rather than letting it go up the chimney. He also states that this will make subsequent cleanings easier; remove the 'replacement' baffle piece, sweep everything down through the hole in the original baffle, vacuum, then replace the 'replacement' baffle.
Now, setting aside for the moment that he was cutting holes in my stove before either asking me or explaining it to me why it was necessary, which is obviously more than a little annoying, does he know what he is talking about; i.e., are the baffle and tubes in a Hearthstone Morgan removable?
If they are not removable, was his solution appropriate? Or was the correct solution to remove the entire stove unit, and clean everything the old-fashioned way?
Thanks for any and all answers.
I have a Hearthstone Morgan. From reading here, typically, you remove the baffle and secondary burn tubes, go up to the roof, and use the brush; all the built-up material slides right down the liner and into the firebox of the stove for easy cleaning. Reassemble the burn tubes and baffle, reinstall into the stove, and Bob's your uncle.
However, after about 30 minutes of brushing and then vacuuming, the sweep called me into the living room, to show me what he had done: he maintains that on Hearthstone stoves (and some Jotuls, he also said), the baffle and tubes are not removable. Accordingly, he had sawn/drilled a hole, about three inches in diameter, through the baffle between the middle and rear-most secondary burn tubes. Had he not done so, he says, the material swept down the liner would have just come to rest on the top surface of the baffle, where it would be impossible to reach with the vacuum.
He says he will be returning with a piece of identical baffle material, which he will slide up onto the top surface of the existing baffle, thus covering up the hole he created, and restoring the function of the baffle, which is to keep heat inside the wood stove rather than letting it go up the chimney. He also states that this will make subsequent cleanings easier; remove the 'replacement' baffle piece, sweep everything down through the hole in the original baffle, vacuum, then replace the 'replacement' baffle.
Now, setting aside for the moment that he was cutting holes in my stove before either asking me or explaining it to me why it was necessary, which is obviously more than a little annoying, does he know what he is talking about; i.e., are the baffle and tubes in a Hearthstone Morgan removable?
If they are not removable, was his solution appropriate? Or was the correct solution to remove the entire stove unit, and clean everything the old-fashioned way?
Thanks for any and all answers.
