exhaust pipe cleaning

So how often does everyone clean out their stoves exhaust system external to the stove? What do you use? Any tips I should know about? I have a Harman xxv and I am burning turmans.

I do it yearly. The flue police will say every ton.

Depends a lot on your set up.

Mine has some build up early in season when the stove is firing up from cold. Onced into the heart of season the venting does not get cooled down and seems to stay pretty clean. I clean once at the start of main heating period and once at the end but I keep and eye on things as when cleaning the pc45 you can look into the venting from the stove and pull the outside cap to check from outside. 8 foot of vertical and out with 3 foot horizontal.

After about every ton I inspect the vent pipe. I usually end up cleaning it about half way through the season. I have been burning the Ambiance pellets. Have had very good luck with them over the past few years. Great heat, low ash..... Got a 3 inch brush kit from Tractor Supply that works like a charm.

I usually clean once a year, brush the pellet vent pipe and then up on the roof and down the chimney. Though I burned some maine's choice this year and ash was horrible so will probably clean the pipe once during the season. Back to my energex pellets now!

I do mine once at the end of the season and plug the pipe outside for the summer. I do it again mid burn season. In both cases I use a brush and a leaf blower.

About half way through the burning season (did it a couple of weeks ago, buildup was not terrible). Will do it at end of season too. I think you should probably check it a couple of times during 1st year jus to get a feel how your setup is handling vent ash buildup.

Even with a very short vent pipe I get a buildup at the end, maybe occluding 25% or so of the area after a ton or so. Since its a straight out pipe with a down elbow on the end I just pop the elbow off and run the vacuum hose into it. Used the "lint eater" last time and vac'd after so it was like new. I do notice that I have to increase the air supply over time as the soot builds up in the pipe so its pretty easy to know when it needs to be done. This is with a Lopi Pioneer. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes so its not a big deal.

RT

Soot master gizmo, I have an insert.

Clean vent beginning and end of season or whenever I time alone

Every ton, it takes literally less than 2 minutes with my straight out vent. I get a fair collection of ash in the vent, and a lot more with these Instant Heats.

I have a 3 by 14 foot liner on my insert. Every ton, I disconnect the liner from the stove and tap the liner with a heavy screw driver and hold the shop vac up to it while the ash falls down. At the end of the season I will be either going with the leaf blower trick (now that I have one) or grabbing a brush and doing it that way.

I don't have a set schedule. I let mother nature decide that for me. Every season I start with a cleaning. Each winter there always seems to be one point where the outside temperature warms up, and that's where I do my mid season cleaning.
Many people including myself use a "lint eater" available a Lowes. Finally after doing that cleaning I finish off with the leaf blower trick.

Once i hit about 30 bags since the last vent cleaning i will clean the venting the next day that i have off and the weather is nice. I haven't gone more than 40 bags yet.

After each ton of burning. I use a vent brush & flexible rod and rotate it with a drill as it goes thru the vent pipe. That helps knock the crud loose. Then connect a Toro leaf blower on the outside end of the vent pipe on the suction side of the leaf blower and turn it to max. Does a nice job. The outside end of the vent pipe I remove & wash the black build up with a garden hose and nozzle that also does a nice job.

TMI!

About twice a season or about thirty bags. Shop vac and a pipe brush and takes no time at all.

Photo of the exhaust pipe

Is that thimble installed upside down? Looks like the hood for the outside air intake is not orientated right. Just curious.

Def upside down...

Clean before the season starts.

Ok. Thanks. Wasn't sure if i was awake our not. Looks to be under a good overhang so rain may not be an issue but snow might.

Yes the OAK vent is upside good eyes. The left side had no room the oak vent tube. All I have to do is turn the hood cover over. I looked at it this weekend and said well its been that way now for three years and no issues so I left it.

If it ain't broke don't fix it! :D

Concur.

every ton pipe brush atached to a drill then leaf blower.