I have recently moved into a 1972 house. I've gotten around to pulling out the non-EPA "slammer" insert that was direct vented to the flue. There was a rusted out block off plate, but that was it. I've spent many many hours now cleaning the chimney. Oh lordy how thick the soot and creosote was up in the smoke chamber
! It was a flue fire waiting to happen! I needed to cut the damper out anyway, and the first 2 rows of bricks below the smoke shelf to make room for the new liner. That gave me the room I needed to get up in there to clean it properly and repair a few cracks and crumbling refractory cement.
The fireplace brick was heavily stained with soot as well as the surround of the hearth which is made of white quartz stone. I'm now a true believer in TSP! I mixed up about 1/3 cup TSP to a quart of bleach and a quart of water into a garden sprayer. WOW! What a difference! Spray it down, wait, then a little elbow grease with a stuff nylon brush, then wash it away. Rinse. Repeat. Towels, and a wet/dry vac.
Now the chimney is clean I can feel good about putting the insulated liner in with the new stove. But I never expected I could ever get the white quartz clean. Its not perfect, but far better that I would have hoped. I'm convinced I can get it cleaner with more patience. In hindsight I wish I would have done before and after photos.
! It was a flue fire waiting to happen! I needed to cut the damper out anyway, and the first 2 rows of bricks below the smoke shelf to make room for the new liner. That gave me the room I needed to get up in there to clean it properly and repair a few cracks and crumbling refractory cement.The fireplace brick was heavily stained with soot as well as the surround of the hearth which is made of white quartz stone. I'm now a true believer in TSP! I mixed up about 1/3 cup TSP to a quart of bleach and a quart of water into a garden sprayer. WOW! What a difference! Spray it down, wait, then a little elbow grease with a stuff nylon brush, then wash it away. Rinse. Repeat. Towels, and a wet/dry vac.
Now the chimney is clean I can feel good about putting the insulated liner in with the new stove. But I never expected I could ever get the white quartz clean. Its not perfect, but far better that I would have hoped. I'm convinced I can get it cleaner with more patience. In hindsight I wish I would have done before and after photos.
