Had to stop using my VC WinterWarm Small for a while. Starting to get a lot of "back puffing". This usually tells me that the top 6" of the liner is getting clogged up. Mostly the chimney cap I'm sure, but long and short of it, can't get on the roof until I get some snow melt. Which around here could be a month or so. Getting hammered with snow again today - another 10-12" by this afternoon...
Had to shut her down for a while...
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can't borrow a ladder from a neighbor?
I have hung a ladder over the peak of the roof before and just worked from it with ladder hooks.
good luck.
pen
I have hung a ladder over the peak of the roof before and just worked from it with ladder hooks.
good luck.
pen
I'm a firefighter and spend a lot of times on snow covered roofs, but don't have access to the equipment on the home front to use (i.e., ladder belts; roof ladder; 35 ft. extension ladder, etc.). Very safety conscious and will simply ride it out with the furnace running for a couple of weeks. If I bring a "sweep" in I'll be charged virtually what it would cost to run the furnace for the time frame - so no cozy fires for a while...
Sounds like a wise plan. Sometimes it's best to wait. A hospital bill would far exceed the oil bill.
Overall, how has the WinterWarm worked out for you. What caused the build up? Was the wood not quite seasoned? Or is there a lot of the flue exposed to the cold?
PS: can you add you locale to your user stats and your stove to your signature?
Overall, how has the WinterWarm worked out for you. What caused the build up? Was the wood not quite seasoned? Or is there a lot of the flue exposed to the cold?
PS: can you add you locale to your user stats and your stove to your signature?
I usually sweep the liner two to three times a year, and always find the biggest build up to be the chimney cap and first 6" of the liner. Wood is seasoned and dry, and burnt within proper operating range. Just can't overcome the coldest part of the flue - the top. I'm also looking for a different type of cap, one with larger "mesh". Hopefully that will cut down on the build up. By the way, natural gas furnace. The stove has worked out really well. Would have like to go bigger, but the existing fireplace wouldn't accommodate the WinterWarm large.
Cowboy Billy
Minister of Fire
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
It's too bad you can't snake something up from below. Most of that spark arrestor gunk can be knocked off with a very light touch. I used to have that same problem with the SA loading up.
Maybe you can push up a smaller, like 4", brush if the 6" won't work. Maybe nothing if the VC is too tight.
Not worth your livelihood, I agree. I would love to have NG for a backup.
Maybe you can push up a smaller, like 4", brush if the 6" won't work. Maybe nothing if the VC is too tight.
Not worth your livelihood, I agree. I would love to have NG for a backup.
spendaviscpa
Member
There was a product on the DIY channel's "Cool Tools" that cleaned your chimny from the bottom. I don't remember the name, but I remember some members here talked about it a month ago or so. It hooked to a drill and you snaked it up from the bottom. It reminded me of the weed-whacker the way it spun and knocked down the creosote. It might be worth looking at to get you through the next month until you can get up top.
I've seen that. It hooks up to a drill and comes with 18ft of flex rod. I think it's around $70 for the set up, but the extra rods are as costly as the entire set up. Might be worth looking into though...
We'll I'm back in business. Was able to get up on the roof yesterday to sweep the chimney. It was exactly as I suspected. The cap was clogged with only about a 3" area at the top of the flue showing any creosote build up. Only took about 15 minutes to accomplish.
On an unrelated note - so far this month I've responded to 5 chimney fires. People are just not educated about the appliances and how to use and maintain them properly. All 5 chimney fires involved heavy creosote build up, and one that was simply not installed properly. I go out of my way to give them the information they need to use their wood stoves. Hopefully the information takes - or I'll be back...
On an unrelated note - so far this month I've responded to 5 chimney fires. People are just not educated about the appliances and how to use and maintain them properly. All 5 chimney fires involved heavy creosote build up, and one that was simply not installed properly. I go out of my way to give them the information they need to use their wood stoves. Hopefully the information takes - or I'll be back...
isuphipsi1052 said:
It is good to hear that. Well, sorta. I mean as a citizen all we ever hear is what the news tells us. It is comforting for the regular burner who is doing a good job with maintenance to hear that those with a problem are typically those "asking" for it with improper practices.
pen
WoodMann
Minister of Fire
Glad ya got up there to clean out the flue. Gotta say, I'm surprised as well at the number of chimney fires in my subdivision. I always thought with the number of woodstoves everyone has; just about every house here- that folk would be up to par in the art of woodburning. BTW- send me some of that snow or yours..................
Believe me I'd love to. Fortunately, we finally had a bit of thaw for the past week (but going back down the toilet by week's end). So far we've had more than 89" of snow. Where I live I'm sure it's over 100" - due to lake effect.
gpcollen1
Minister of Fire
I just did the same thing, thought i did not need it as badly as you. Figured while the roof was clearing up, may as well give it a cleaning. Now I am all set for the next two months...
As for the 'mesh' on the cap, I cut mine off. All it does is collect creosote-icicles and subsequently clog up. Just installed my Duraliner in the other chimney the other day and cut the mesh off on that one too! I suppose I may not have needed to on this one being that the Duraliner is insulated and should not creosote up so much in this chimney - then again, it sticks up 18 inches or so...
As for the 'mesh' on the cap, I cut mine off. All it does is collect creosote-icicles and subsequently clog up. Just installed my Duraliner in the other chimney the other day and cut the mesh off on that one too! I suppose I may not have needed to on this one being that the Duraliner is insulated and should not creosote up so much in this chimney - then again, it sticks up 18 inches or so...
I think at the end of the season I'm going to get out the Dremel tool and knock off every other one. Don't want birds or squirrels...
WoodMann
Minister of Fire
Have the same issues here- I left the mesh off, for reasons of laziness and ended up with 2 birds in the stove. Couldn't figure out at first why the cat was checkin' out the stove so hard..............
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