Re-burning creosote?

[Jay106n]

I have never thought of using my chimney sweeping “harvest” of creosote from the firewood stove as a useful product, until I came across it on another site. As we all know creosote is highly flammable, so is there any way of making a useful fire starter out of our creosote byproduct, rather than just tossing it?

Before you all jump on me for saying the “C” word, I do have good burn practices, and don’t produce that much in the flu, but we all get it. Is there a productive use for it, or is it just garbage? I’m just curious what your thoughts are.

 

[peakbagger]

Yes you can reburn creosote. Get a good hot fire going with coals on the bottom and the creosote will burn quite well. The problem is its like dealing with rocket fuel. If you go overboard and add too much it could rapidly gasify and overfire the stove. Lot to be said for not messing with it. Far better to mix it in with ashes and use it for a soil amendment.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I have burned a small handful at a time, but it’s more hassle than it’s worth. It’s messy and you might as well dump it with the ashes.

 

[edyit]

i usually clean my chimney in the spring after i'm done burning for the year, i throw what i get into the outside fire pit and burn it up that way

 

[Manly]

Might possibly work for making some kind of July 4th celebratory device. Just saying

 

[firefighterjake]

Why bother . . . for what little I see (I mostly get fly ash and some of the dry, soot like creosote) I can think of 101 other things I would burn in my woodstove other than creosote.

 

[blacktail]

It falls into my insert when I clean the liner and it burns when I start the next fire.

 

[Chas0218]

Mine falls onto the ground outside of my house. It stays there until it is blown away or washed away by the rain. Too much like work to try and collect it all.

 

[Valhalla]

Never gave it much thought, as I clean the flue 2X a year: September and again late January. Some creosote drops in the Jotul 500 firebox, and it burns with the next fire, the remainder is vacuumed up during cleanup.