Is this Creosote?

[sublme]

Just had chimney cleaned, and have been burning 2x4's for about a dozen fires. I looked up chimney and its looks to have buildup already. Is this creosote or just harmless buildup from burning pine. It wipes off easy with your finger. Looks to go all the way up. Fires not hot enough?

 

[begreen]

Looks like more soot than sote. What stove is this and how hot are you normally burning.

 

[sublme]

Looks like more soot than sote. What stove is this and how hot are you normally burning.

It's a heatilator EC36. Don't take temps to answer your how hot do I burn question. Is there somewhere I should take temp readings? I have a temp gun I could use. Am I not burning hot enough?

 

[sublme]

It's a heatilator EC36. Don't take temps to answer your how hot do I burn question. Is there somewhere I should take temp readings? I have a temp gun I could use. Am I not burning hot enough?

Still safe to burn? Or should I get a brush and clean it out?

 

[webby3650]

It look like normal buildup to me. But, not consistent with only a few fires. When the chimney was swept, was the stove pipe also swept? If the pipe has a 90 degree elbow, it would have been removed from the stove to be cleaned.

 

[sublme]

It look like normal buildup to me. But, not consistent with only a few fires. When the chimney was swept, was the stove pipe also swept? If the pipe has a 90 degree elbow, it would have been removed from the stove to be cleaned.

It's a open face fireplace. Its a straight shot up about 30 feet for chimney, 8" internal size of chimney no bends. I think I am going to quit with the 2x4 and get some hardwood delivered. I think I have just been burning too low of a temp. What is a good temp to burn at? Where do I check?

 

[Poindexter]

I would not be too terribly worried about the buildup you have pictured 12 fires after a thorough cleaning. Likewise, in an open fireplace it is difficult to burn kiln dried dimensioned lumber too cold. The bigger risk with kiln dried dimension lumber is building too hot a fire.

In my limited understanding any of the grey/brown fluffy stuff is fine, you just need to sweep it out regular to keep a good draft to your firebox and minimize the risk of chimney fire. The "bad" stuff, again limited knowledge, is the shiny black stuff. The shiny black gets really hot when it burns, making it more likely for a chimney fire to spread outside the chimney to the house proper.

A few shiny black specks in the mass of grey/brown fluffy is hard to avoid. Many shiny black specks, or sheets of shiny black suggests a fundamental problem that needs to be corrected.

To me, in my limited knowledge. If someone like begreen or grisu with comes along to point out somewhere I am wrong believe them first and give me some time to figure out what I missed.

 

[sublme]

Thanks for all the replies, really learning a lot on this forum.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I had me a nice chimney fire last winter with creosote like that, albeit quite a bit thicker than that, it was still the powdery stuff just like that.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like there might have been something much worse upstream, maybe near the top of the pipe?