I just purchased my first woodstove and installed it at the beginning of November. I also installed a new 25 foot insulated liner. I stared the season with a half cord of ideal seasoned hardwood , but the last few weeks have mixed in some new wood that was near impossible to burn. I inspected my chimney today to find black flaky creosote lining the chimney and cap. I also received some ideal wood today to use while the bad wood seasons some more. With this new wood I should be able to fire the stove really hot, about 700F measured by stove surface. Will this clear out the thin layer of creosote or start a chimney fire? Should I get a sweep log? I'm new to this so I would love any advise I can get.
creosote build up
- Thread starter RubberDuck
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Welcome to the forum!
Just how much black flaky creosote did you see and did you also see any shiny tar like stuff? How did you inspect it? Did you climb up to the top and look down?
Matt
Just how much black flaky creosote did you see and did you also see any shiny tar like stuff? How did you inspect it? Did you climb up to the top and look down?
Matt
I inspected the chimney from the roof. It was all a shiny tar like substance about 1/16 to 1/8 inch on the inside of the chimney liner as far down as I could see and on the underside of the chimney cap.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Get that stack cleaned. The stuff you were looking at is like raw fuel waiting to be lit....and your holding the match.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Welcome to the forum Rubber Duck.
I just have to question how you know that the wood is ideal? Based upon what someone has told you or do you have experience in this? What kind of wood is it and when was it cut and split and stacked? Where and how was it stacked? If you know for sure on these things then we congratulate you but usually we find new wood burners go on some local guy's sayings. Not all local guys know themselves! I know plenty of guys who have many years of experience with burning wood and they still don't know what good dry wood is.
I just have to question how you know that the wood is ideal? Based upon what someone has told you or do you have experience in this? What kind of wood is it and when was it cut and split and stacked? Where and how was it stacked? If you know for sure on these things then we congratulate you but usually we find new wood burners go on some local guy's sayings. Not all local guys know themselves! I know plenty of guys who have many years of experience with burning wood and they still don't know what good dry wood is.
SKIN052
Minister of Fire
Rubber Duck, if you are still listening, stop burning. Get that cleaned and give the guys here more info. Type of stove, exactly how was the wood cut, split and stacked, how you light and run the stove, etc. Be careful.
greythorn3
Minister of Fire
would one of them electric soot eater cleaners do the job on that shiney stuff hes got? maybe he can post us a picture of it. i think if it was shiny it would be brittle and hard, mabey thats what the ol timers talk about when they say throw a chain down it and rattle it around.
I took your advice and swept my chimney from the top down, immediately. I then took a chimney sweep tube and threw it into a 500F fire. There was about 2 cups worth of build up that was removed. All of it was black and shiny.
As for the half cord I started with, I know it's ideal because of the source and most of all the resulting fires we had. Unfortunately , my uncle-in-law, stopped cutting. I then bought a full cord, knowing when I saw it, it went against everything I read good wood should be, I took it anyway out of desperation. My new full cord I bought and received today came from a highly recommended source and looked and felt 100% better. After stacking it this evening I know it's not perfect, but it's well seasoned and does burn well.
I have enlander woodsove insert: 13nci
And I can't figure out how to have it have it show up automatically.
As for the half cord I started with, I know it's ideal because of the source and most of all the resulting fires we had. Unfortunately , my uncle-in-law, stopped cutting. I then bought a full cord, knowing when I saw it, it went against everything I read good wood should be, I took it anyway out of desperation. My new full cord I bought and received today came from a highly recommended source and looked and felt 100% better. After stacking it this evening I know it's not perfect, but it's well seasoned and does burn well.
I have enlander woodsove insert: 13nci
And I can't figure out how to have it have it show up automatically.
Glad you swept it. Now you have a baseline. That's not too bad and probably if it were to light off w/ a proper install you would have had no troubles. However, it's much better to err on the side of caution as you did. Plus, you can now compare from here on out since you have that baseline. Well done. Sounds like you know what you need and are ahead of the curve. Start thinking about getting wood on hand for next winter now so that you can buy pretty much whatever comes available and not have to depend on someone else and their version of seasoned.
BTW, to get your stove to show up in your sig line click on "your control panel" at the top of the page, then look to the left for "edit signature"
If you were looking to edit a pic for an avatar shot or such check this out https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewannounce/13750_2/
pen
BTW, to get your stove to show up in your sig line click on "your control panel" at the top of the page, then look to the left for "edit signature"
If you were looking to edit a pic for an avatar shot or such check this out https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewannounce/13750_2/
pen
HighHeat22
Member
Get a moisture meter they are cheap I got the one at harbor freight that a lot of people on this forum have gotten it works good. It was $12.99 and I had a 20% coupon it came to $11.03 with tax. Make sure you make a fresh split and then check. Below 20% is what you are looking for.
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