Black Goo... ew

[tlv55]

Ok I need some advice/help, Pleeeeeeeeze! My husband decided to purchase a new woodstove (no i dont know the brand) with some kind of heatblower fan thingy in the pipe to allieviate our heat bills this winter . We've been burning (questionable) wood everyday in it for the past 2 months. He noticed a trickle of smoke coming from a joint in the pipe last week but "Nothing bumped the pipes hunni, really....(uh huh)" Im not quite sure how it got to this stage but he decided to buy some creosote removal log and burn it ok? My current problem is this.. when he did this what resulted was a gooey icky tar-ish substance that now has run from every joint in the pipe, and every draft crevice that exists on this stove and consequently on the floor.... how the *obscenity deleted* do i get rid of this stuff and is it safe to burn in this thing again?

 

[Jags]

.... resulted was a gooey icky tar-ish substance that now has run from every joint in the pipe, and every draft crevice that exists on this stove and consequently on the floor.... how the *obscenity deleted* do i get rid of this stuff and is it safe to burn in this thing again?

That would be creosote. Also it sounds like your pipe was installed upside down (male end should face down so nothing can "drip" to the outside) and NO it is not safe to burn without a proper cleaning.

Get that DANG magic heat reclaimer out of the pipe and burn the stack to proper temps and this problem should go away.

As far as cleaning the stuff up, YUCK, good luck. TSP and hot water would be my starting point. I'm sorry to hear of your plight, cuz it doesn't need to be that way. Give him a good finger shaking for me. ;-)

 

[edthedawg]

SOunds like a Magic Heat reclaimer device - it's a creosote-maker, as you're seeing... If you have that much gloppy, goopy tar pouring out, you sound pretty gunked up and probably need the chimney inspected before burning in it again.

(note: I predict a surge of common sentiment coming...)

the "creosote removing log" probably just dislodged a lot of material that was already gunked up in the flue - i doubt it did any harm to the system, but it appears to have unsealed any closed gaps you had in the pipes before now.

but to me, the real problem is how to avoid this just recurring? Your "questionable" wood - wet? unseasoned? both? rotting? pine? You need to seriously re-evaluate how and what you're burning before continuing to feed this monster. There are a variety of ways to avoid creosote buildup - almost all of them involve burning dry, seasoned hardwood in hot, clean fires, and running good and hot every day to burn out any buildups, or at least minimize their impact. You have a big, fast buildup and obviously are running too cool... I'd say "shut off that heat reclaimer and go burn some hot fires to clean it out!" but I'm more than a little concerned by just how much buildup it sounds like you have.

If you can do more to find out the model of the stove and reclaimer, the lengths and types of pipe involved, it would really help. If you can post a pic or twelve of the setup and your current conditions - that would help too.

Bottom line is you should NOT continue doing what you're doing. Modify your approach and proceed cautiously. Bringing in a professional sweep is highly recommended.

 

[tlv55]

Thanx Jags pretty much what i thought it was.... now can you tell me how to get past his "ego"? :coolsmirk: Hey, I'll just paint the floor black, lol. Told him about the reclaimer and pipes and "professional cleaning".. note to all you flea sale/bargain hunters... Monitor this user for future fire sale posts! Thank you again.

Btw, very nice site, very informative and very helpful people... Thank you again!

 

[Jags]

...pine? .... almost all of them involve burning dry, seasoned hardwood ...

Wood snob. %-P

Nothing wrong with burning seasoned pine. Just ask all the boys ooop Nort.

 

[tlv55]

Thanx Ed, i'll see if i can find the cam to do that... and no, I dont plan on letting anything burn real soon And i wouldnt bet on the stuff that he burned being "seasoned" or dry with the urgency he felt to get this underway in November of last year?

 

[Jags]

.... now can you tell me how to get past his "ego"? :coolsmirk:

I have a few ideas....but this is a family show. ;-)

 

[tlv55]

Czarcar... I was at several of those links you posted prior to registering for this forum, thank you again, the ones that didnt involve calculus were bookmarked.. ugh its 11am, gimme a break, I need more coffee J/K ;-) basic square box woodstove with "heat reclaimer" 2ft above firebox, straight shot thru the roof with triple wall pipe and, as I said the quality of the wood was questionable.

 

[Bubbavh]

...pine? .... almost all of them involve burning dry, seasoned hardwood ...

Wood snob. %-P

Nothing wrong with burning seasoned pine. Just ask all the boys ooop Nort.

I burn lots and lots of pine... no icky goo running down my pipe! Nothing wrong with it as long as you let it season.

 

[edthedawg]

LOL - I knew someone would jump on the "pine" comment. I'm not serious - I know lots of ppl live where nothing else grows. Smoke if you got 'em, right?? Burn what you got or don't burn at all...

But - Terri has more than just wood problems here. Burning questionable wood just means you have to be careful and monitor the system more often. The installation sounds like it was done wrong. The heat-reclaimer is doing exactly what it's designed to do - take heat out of the flue. the problem with that is the flue NEEDS THAT HEAT - that's what keeps the creo from condensing, and/or burns it out w/ daily 15-20 min super-hot burns. I doubt the stove is being run hot enough - and that is likely half wood, and half experience running it, I'd imagine.

I haven't heard one mention of stovetop or pipe temps yet - does Terri have a stove thermometer attached to this "basic square box"?

 

[rowerwet]

Is it true that an aluminum soda can will do the same thing as those creosote logs? anybody tried this?

 

[mike1234]

Way back up at the top Jags said he thought the pipe was installed upside down, thus the drip out the seams. I agree, when it is cleaned, have them look at the pipe, if it is upside down, fixing it will fix drips, but not the cause of the problem, which has been addressed already.

Terri, since you are reading and learning all this, you could just nudge the prideful man (by the way, I think everyone that has answered you so far probably falls in this category) "hey honey, I did this with the stove today, it worked so well..." Anyway that's how the wife manipulates me when I am too dumb to listen to her. Before you know it, the house will be warmer, and you might not have to sell his new hobby.

 

[edthedawg]

...and you might not have to sell his new hobby.

and if that fails, she's well on her way to tarring-and-feathering the guy...

 

[mike1234]

...and you might not have to sell his new hobby.

and if that fails, she's well on her way to tarring-and-feathering the guy...

That's too funny, and you should keep those kind of too funny ideas to yourself.
How are you going to feel when you read in the paper "Woman in Michigan Tar's and Feathers husband with Creosote and a feather pillow." ? Then what? And what if my wife reads this stuff, and she gets ideas. Then what? You want to loose your man card? ;-)

(just in case my dry sense of humor is not plain enough in type, and not to start some flame war, this is all just said in fun)

 

[edthedawg]

I'm LOL'ing it's all good.

Man card = well in hand.