Right flue temperature: Jotul 4

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Jerry045

Member
Oct 3, 2009
20
Quebec City
Hi everybody,

Just registered and I am in need for an answer to my problem. I have been using the Jotul 4 for over 30 years now. Two years ago, I neglected to sweep my chimney and, no surprise, got a chimney fire. The insurance paid for the replacement of the chimney (prefab, rated 2000 F, inox steel). For same years now I monitored the flue temperature with a thermometer which is installed about 24 inches above the stove, and tried to maintain the temp at about 400 F, and a bit over. Now I just have the chimney swept and cleaned by a man who works for a legitimate company here (Quebec City) and installed my prefab chimney, and he told me that is some vitrified creosote which does not want to go away, and that I should have a creosote treatment (for about 500$, CDN.) He has been using a soft brush to clean the chimney.

I am a bit surprised by all this, after all these years. The logs that I use are dry.

So some questions:
- What is the proper temperature for burning ? Is 400 F really too low ?
- For the creosote treatment, can I use (read is it safe) the Creosote Sweeping Log (http://www.cleanyourchimney.com/) or something like that; if so, what is the proper way to do it ? I know, there is a FAQ, but I would appreciate the answer from some connaissors here.
- Is it possible that the installation of the prefab chimney be at fault somehow ?

I would to resolve that real soon; the cold season is getting here pretty fast.


Jerry
 
Jerry045 said:
Hi everybody,

Just registered and I am in need for an answer to my problem. I have been using the Jotul 4 for over 30 years now. Two years ago, I neglected to sweep my chimney and, no surprise, got a chimney fire. The insurance paid for the replacement of the chimney (prefab, rated 2000 F, inox steel). For same years now I monitored the flue temperature with a thermometer which is installed about 24 inches above the stove, and tried to maintain the temp at about 400 F, and a bit over. Now I just have the chimney swept and cleaned by a man who works for a legitimate company here (Quebec City) and installed my prefab chimney, and he told me that is some vitrified creosote which does not want to go away, and that I should have a creosote treatment (for about 500$, CDN.) He has been using a soft brush to clean the chimney.

I am a bit surprised by all this, after all these years. The logs that I use are dry.

So some questions:
- What is the proper temperature for burning ? Is 400 F really too low ?
- For the creosote treatment, can I use (read is it safe) the Creosote Sweeping Log (http://www.cleanyourchimney.com/) or something like that; if so, what is the proper way to do it ? I know, there is a FAQ, but I would appreciate the answer from some connaissors here.
- Is it possible that the installation of the prefab chimney be at fault somehow ?

I would to resolve that real soon; the cold season is getting here pretty fast.


Jerry
Click to expand...

For my more modern Oslo I find that 400 degrees is really the cut off temp . . . ideally I like to get the flue temp (probe style mounted 18 inches up on double wall pipe) up to 500-700 degrees . . . supposedly I can go up to 900 degrees without risking a chimney fire but I like to play it safe and stay somewhere around 600-650 F.

Personally, I think you will find that most folks believe the chimney sweeping log doesn't work all that well . . . and that a better use of your money would be to do a manual sweep . . . either pay a sweep or buy the equipment to do it yourself. I do know that one stove shop I have worked with in the past has recommended a solution to spray or apply in the firebox from time to time ... but again, they also say it's not a replacement for sweeping.

I suppose it's possible to blame the chimney . . . but I honestly suspect it's more likely that the wood is not seasoned as much as you may believe and/or you're not getting the flue temps hot enough.
 
Thank jake for your answer. The chimney has just been manual swept, and the guy doing it told me that there is some vitrified creosote left. I would lilke very much to do it myself, but it is a two stories house, so I am a bit afraid of the height. In the future I think that I will try to set the flue temp at around 550-600 (that is what I have: probe style mounted 18 inches up on double wall pipe). I did the mirror test (45 degres) and the chimney looks fine from where I am in the basement, but I have not been able to look at it from above; I must trust the guy who did the job; or should I ?

Thanks for your time.

Jerry
 
I find that for a fire to be burning cleanly that the flue temp needs to be up above 500. My condar probe meter is located 15" above the stove and at 400 the fire has been snuffed or has run out of fuel. If snuffed, there is much smoke being made. So yes, send more heat up there.

On the vit creo, I don't know how he can tell that there is any, you can't see way down into the chimney. Maybe up above the roofline? If so, it is a long ways from your stove. You must have told him about the chimney fire and he was covering his bases AND trying to sell you a very high priced service.
 
The temp probe is located at about 18" above the stove. The guy who did the sweeping is the one who inspected my old chimney when I got a chimney fire some years ago, and replaced with a new one (prefab). What bothering me is that I used the same kind of wood as usual, about the same quantity and used about the same procedure to use my stove; last year when the sweepman came, there was nearly nothing to sweep (it was another employee from the same company), and this year I am supposed to have some vitr. creosote; go figure.
Anyway, I contacted someone else to have a second opinion; but I have to wait to october 27th.

I will then make a follow-up here.


Jerry
 
My chimney has just been inspected by someone who is in the trade here for sweeping chimneys. My chimney has no glazed creosote, so the guy who first came was just trying to rob me. There will be a report to the proper authorities for such behaviour. If there are some from Quebec City and neighborhood reading this, just contact me, and I tell you about that f**** company!


Jerry
 
Chimney sweeps and firewood guys, it's not rocket science so it brings in some shady folks.
 
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