Cleaned the chimney , Sooteater.

[valley ranch]

Greetings, We sent for a SootEater, the kind you cut to fit your chimney [8" triple wall ]. I've always used salt and newspaper.. NEVER DO THIS!!

The chimney was pretty clean a couple cups of ash, but a little over 3' above the stove is a bend, two ells on an angle for a foot and 1/2. Each time I'd do the chimney the fine ash would fall and sit there, for years. The opening was about a three inch oval above the ash. Would be good ,the ash, to as polishing compound.

Any way, used the Sooteater, it did good. Now it draws like an artist.

Richard

 

[fbelec]

hi richard
what kind of creosote did it remove shiney black tar or dull black?
how did you use salt and news paper?

thanks
frank

 

[valley ranch]

Frank, It wasn't creosote, it was ash, not light, but heavy fine grains like pumice. Heavy compared to ash.

NEVER DO THIS!!

The use of Rock Salt and Newsprint is Frowned upon by many, you might hear of that soon. A hot fire is started, a hand full of Rock salt is added, with the chimney hot, a sheet of newsprint is crumpled, held by tongs allowed to light and held to the stove outlet to be drawn up the chimney. Fresh air is added, the door is cracked open or if the stove has a secondary air valve, that allows air for during start up that, is opened.
When salt is added to the fire, as used in the firing of pottery, the fire burns, lemon yellow, clearner by lowering the kindling temperature of the fuel. The creosote burns like a cigarette with no flame. The burn can be watched if in the in the chimney cap from outside the house. The burn will be in a small area and burn slowly across. We have a metal roof, before that the comp roof would hold the snow, bits of material can break off and land on the snow pack if there is a large accumulation from wet fuels. Some times you might see this happen inside your stove,the powdery soot slowly burning. A fine ash is formed that you won't see, but after years of this, would accumulate at an ell in the chimney.

In a city or with a shake roof in very dry conditions this wouldn't be advisable.

NEVER DO THIS

In any case, the fine ash or pumice had piled up at the bend in the chimney when I dismantled it to use the Sooteater.

Note: with a pad of felt glued to the end of a dowel, a paste is made using olive oil or hand lotion and the pumice. With the dowel in a drill press, the action of a shotgun or revolver can be Jeweled. If you've worked as a machinist you know what I'm referring to. Thanks for your interest and understanding.

Richard

 

[bholler]

I am sorry but setting your chimney on fire is not advisable under any conditions. What type of liner do you have by the way? Never mind I just saw ss triple wall I would be concerned about what that salt has done to the stainless. I would inspect it very carefully.

 

[valley ranch]

Greeting, Thankyou for your concern. Almost 40 years and no problem. I agree with you, I have never set my chimney on fire. However, as you have read: I purchased a Sooteater.

Odi personam vulgar.

 

[bholler]

Well what you described previously was setting your chimney on fire unless I interpreted it wrong. Also if you took 10 pounds of ash out of your chimney you had a problem.

 

[bholler]

Ok I just reread your post and there is no other way to interpret it. If you feel the need to clean your chimney buy burning it out that is your prerogative but to give other people the idea that it is in anyway safe at all is in my opinion incredibly irresponsible.

 

[valley ranch]

Please calm down, no reason to bust a puffer valve. I just bought a sooteater. You are interpreting it incorrectly. I have described what I had done in the past for many years. I am now the proud owner of the soot wiper sniper. So the question is Moot.

I respect you, what you know and what you think. You and I are not the tallest, richest or smartest people here. I will add a caveat.

 

[bholler]

Ok I am glad you no longer do it I still strongly recommend you inspect very closely preferably with a camera. And if you were not burning the creosote out of the chimney what were you doing? I cant see any other way to interpret your description. And by the way I by no means disrespect you I just wanted to stress the point to anyone else reading this that this is a dangerous practice. I do not mean to offend or insult you in any way and I apologies if I did.

 

[bholler]

I just saw your edits I like that lol. I have a question is your chimney actually triple wall or is it double wall insulated? I only ask because what you are describing as pumice sounds a little like what they used in some of the older insulated chimneys and I am a little concerned that the inner wall could be compromised. I might be completely wrong I didn't see the stuff or your chimney but it is concerning to me.

 

[valley ranch]

Greetings, The chimney is Triple Wall, AmeraVent is the name, if spelled correctly. I Installed when I built the house in the 70ies. I have single wall up to 1' from the ceiling box. The triple was is stacked in a straight line, looking up the pipe with a light, it looks good. One year,years ago, I burned coal, that warped a thin steel wrap in the stove but did no damage to the stove pipe. I always checked it from the top, to see that it was clean, but wifey doesn't want me, running around on the 12" X 12" roof, checking it from the bottom, this time, required removing the single wall. I remember when I installed it, wondering how long it would last, but each time I looked down it it was just fine.
I had several sections of used triple wall, made by another company, stored under a building up back, and installed it at the Nevada ranch a couple years ago.

I did have a fellow at one time years ago show me a double wall pipe filled with something, it was heavy, maybe it was a good product, haven't seen it around, and have installed many and taken down a few.

Thanks for your concern, please be relieved, all is well here. I knew when described, the use of Rock Salt would draw criticism even outrage, so waited until it was mentioned in context with cleaning with SootEater. I looked forward to it's coming. When it came, it was with a sincere concern for others. There are a few things that are accepted, even made law, else where, that are not looked at in the same light up here.

I/we, wife helped, repaired a very new car, belonging to a lady we love, while at it I did a complete brake job as needed. She drove to Los Angles to her daughter. Her friends, held their hands over their mouths, when asking her in a shocked voice "They worked on your Brakes?" believing that a young fellow, having worked, in a Official Brake Shop, for 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years would be, without question, necessary, the only way, and that she was at risk! She answered " I trust them with my life. {I'm a Journeyman Mechanic}

Have a great day.



Richard

 

[bholler]

I work on every thing and have never paid for a brake job people do stuff like that everywhere but chlorides form salt if it actually got into that chimney will eat the stainless up especially if you combine it with sulfur from the coal. I doubt this will do much good but I strongly recommend you have I professionally inspected I have seen stainless fail in much less time and with much less abuse.

 

[valley ranch]

1. 
   
2. Rutland Safe-T-Flue Powdered Chimney Cleaner - 5 Pound Tub
   www.efireplacestore.com › Chimney Products › Chimney Maintenance‎
   Rutland Safe-T-Flue Powdered Chimney Cleaner - 5 Pound Tub Creosote build-up in your chimney can be dangerous and highly flammable. To keep your chimney clean add Powdered Chimney Cleaner at regular intervals.
3. Chimney Cleaners are Sodium Chloride [ Salt ] and Cupric [ Copper ]

 

[bholler]

yes but chimney cleaners for stainless chimneys are sodium based usually tsp. Most liner and chimney manufacturers say do not use the sodium based stuff and it will void their warranty if you do. I know olimpia asks for a sample of the pipe you pulled out and tests it for chlorides before they honor a warrantee claim.

 

[bholler]

http://static.hardwarestore.com/media/pdf-misc/251025.pdf
that rutland product is tsp based also according to their instructions