I cleaned the chimney for the first time.

[karl]

I got a 6" poly brush and a piece of plastic water pipe today and cleaned the chimney. The water pipe was a bit too flexible to go down past the curve in the bottom of the chimney. I figure that since the top of the chimney wasn't very dirty, the bottom should be even cleaner. I'm guessing I got about 2 cups or so of creosote out of it. The creosote was even finer than ash, if you can believe that. The baffle gasket on the Summit was torn. I had suspected this since I was getting a bit of secondary burn fromt he back of the box. I didnt have a new gasket handy so I shove the old one in there as best I could. Do you think I'll be ok burning it for a week or two without all of the gasket in there? Is 2 cups a normal amount for a little over 2 cords of wood? I'm thinking I have more creosote than some people since I have a flex liner and it seems to catch the stuff better.

Since these gaskets appear to be one time use items, do you think I could cut a rope gasket and put it in there in place of the other one? I'm thinking it would seal better and last longer.

 

[DriftWood]

I sweep as far as the rods will let me. Then I tie a weighted rope on to the brushes bottom and a second rope on to the top encase the brush gets stuck. Dropping the weight down the liner it comes out the bottom of the T. I then pull the brush down and out of the T. You could pull the brush down then back up.

The amount of ash you got out is the same I had for about the same wood burned.

 

[Gunner]

You are supposed to get secondary at the back. I believe someone discovered there is actually a row of holes back there.
I replace the gasket everytime I remove the baffle which is once a year to sweep.
I would not be concerned at all with 2 cups of powder, that is what you want to see...

 

[karl]

There aren't any holes on the back of the Summit. I did just light it and everything is doing as before.

 

[Hogwildz]

Tom at Chimneysweeponline has them, get the 3 pack for $12.00-$15.00 I think it was.
Tom's a great guy and contributor here, he deserves the business if your going to purchase them.

 

[Todd]

Sounds like your burning properly. 2 cups of fine powder is very good.

 

[Gunner]

There aren't any holes on the back of the Summit. I did just light it and everything is doing as before.

Can't find the post or remember who it was but apparently there is holes at the back of the baffle under the flange which can only be seen under close inspection. It may have been a spectrum tho.

 

[karl]

I remember reading that Gunner. I looked my baffel over pretty well and I'm pretty sure there aren't any back there.