Just got a Insert it has s.s chimney liner. Do I all ways have to remove insert to clean or will the crap just burn next fire and be ash? There is not much build up in liner.
sweeping s.s chimney pipe
- Thread starter johnsopi
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Pulling the insert for each cleaning is a pita. A better option may be to remove the baffles when cleaning. Does your Osburn have c-cast or vermiculite baffles? If you burn well seasoned wood properly in a modern EPA stove the accumulation in the flue can be minimal. You may be able to skip a year if you know your wood supply is consistently dry.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
The insert if its newer should have a removable baffle board to let the stuff fall strait down, depending on the fire box size you may be able to do a bottom up cleaning and skip the whole climbing on the roof thing.
Consult your stoves instructions, that should direct you on the proper cleaning methods.
Consult your stoves instructions, that should direct you on the proper cleaning methods.
Climbing on the roof is eazier then understanding that babble.I had a lot of trouble installing because the way its writen.
Even if you climb on the roof, there is still the question of pulling the insert. Pulling the baffle eliminates this whether top down or bottom up cleaning. FWIW the Osburn manual was pretty good at detailing this process compared to some others. Mine may be out of date, but pages 18-20 outline the steps with illustrations for installation, just reverse the process. Pull the cotter pins on the tubes, remove the tubes, remove the front baffle support, lift and remove the baffle and baffle boards.
@Squisher have you cleaned an Osburn insert recently? Any tricks or catches that I may be missing?
Squisher
Minister of Fire
That front baffle support can be a bit of a pain I find on the bay window osburns. But other than that it's pretty much like you described and pretty easy to pull the baffle on to clean. Certainly much easier than pulling the insert. No need to do that.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
Regardless you definetly don't want to just clean down and leave everything on top of the baffle. For one cleaning down with the baffle in place is a real easy way to break the baffle when you get to it. And leaving the mess above the baffle is at worst going to completely plug the top of the stove and at best cause quite a restriction in there. It wouldn't be a effective cleaning IMO to leave the sweepings on top of the baffle. If you wanted to burn the cleanings you'd still pull the baffle clean the chimney and then burn the cleanings in the firebox after having reassembled the baffle and ensuring that the top of the insert/baffle area was cleaned right out.
Easy Livin’ 3000
Minister of Fire
No.
Don't move the insert.
Just remove the tubes and baffle, and get either a soot eater, or, some flexible rods and the appropriate sized nylon chimney brush. If you have a flat roof or some easy way to stand on top, go from the top. Otherwise, go from the bottom.
It's easy, but if you have a problem with reading the manual, and removing the tubes and baffle seems challenging, then, better to hire it out. Either way, get that liner swept from time to time.
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