My double wall stovepipe goes straight up off of my wood furnace, with a barometric damper just above the T, then a thermometer IN the pipe about 24" above that, triple at the rafters through the roof.
Usually I heat the pipe up around 500 or 600 once a day, or every other day, just to heat it up, keep it cleaner. Last night while I was doing that, the pipe started to crackle (pop, whatever expanding metal sounds like), and the pipe hit 1100. I shut the stove down, but left the barometric damper open (although I got ready to cover it) and it stabilized at 1100, then slowly went back down.
Admittedly my wood lately is less dry, mostly standing elm, so I am sure I am producing more creosote. And I had planned to clean the pipe this week, supposed to be very nice the next 3 days.
Did I have a chimney fire, or is this behavior now and then OK?
Usually I heat the pipe up around 500 or 600 once a day, or every other day, just to heat it up, keep it cleaner. Last night while I was doing that, the pipe started to crackle (pop, whatever expanding metal sounds like), and the pipe hit 1100. I shut the stove down, but left the barometric damper open (although I got ready to cover it) and it stabilized at 1100, then slowly went back down.
Admittedly my wood lately is less dry, mostly standing elm, so I am sure I am producing more creosote. And I had planned to clean the pipe this week, supposed to be very nice the next 3 days.
Did I have a chimney fire, or is this behavior now and then OK?
(I have a Chevy S10), yesterday 1 load of elm, the day before that 2 loads of thorny locust and hackberry, and the day before that 2 loads of elm and hackberry. Big heaping loads. One of my kids says I have more now then we had in October last year before we started burning, but I don't think so. Maybe 3 cords altogether, or maybe a little more? But I think I can get 5 more loads Friday and Saturday, and take Sunday off. My plan is to never have to worry about enough wood again, never to be burning standing dead stuff the year I cut it down, and to be at least 1 year ahead, so I am working my butt off this year to do that. I'm aiming for 8 cords, but 10 would be better. 
