What's that strange sound?

[n1st]

When my stove is really cranking (but not glowing by any means), the double wall flue pipe inside the room that goes up about 4 feet then turns and goes out the wall makes a strange, hard to describe noise. It sounds like millions of tiny ball bearings rattling around inside it. It's hard to determine where it emanates from. Even the vibration from walking across the floor will get the sound started. It lasts for a few seconds then dies out... until the next foot step. Any ideas?

 

[webbie]

Tough one - I would normally say a small creosote burn off in the pipe, but the walking bit has me confused.

 

[struggle]

It is the oil/gas company sending bad juju your way for trying to avoid the man when the monthly bill shows up hh:

It seem to be a thing that is normal and talked about around here but mine does not do that. Some claim it is creosote burning off and or falling down in the pipe.

 

[n1st]

I guess I should clarify - some kind of vibration has to start the noise. I'll get the fire burning nice and strong and when I get up and walk away from the stove, the slight movement of the floor starts the "rattle". It's a high pitch tinsley sound. It's rare, and only in the middle of the night when I get up to reload and get it hot so I can go back to bed. Hmm, it's starting to sound a little crazy, even to me!

 

[ROYJ24]

It the ghosts of your heating bills :gulp:
Tonight u will have 3 visit u - The ghosts of past, present, & future.
Ignore them Scrooge :lol:

 

[begreen]

Does this only occur with a pretty hot fire blazing? It sounds like a thin layer of creosote being burned off the pipe interior.

 

[bmwbj]

Sounds to me like normal sounds you get when the flue pipe is expanding and contracting, I believe the
the movement in your flooring is just helping the pipes "relocate" themselves. Mine does the same thing.
Normal sounds...IMOA...

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Next time your stove is cold pull some pipe. If you see big flakes of creosote you know what it is. My guess is when you turn the stove down at night you aren't burning as clean as possible. When you relode you send a bunch of heat up the pipe.

Matt

 

[babalu87]

You have double wall coming out of the stove into the double wall to a wall thimble?

 

[JimWalshin845]

Damn..... you got pipe gremlins... real tough critters to combat..... took me years to get rid of the SOBs. Chimney Sweeps hate the buggers.... very infectious too.

 

[n1st]

You have double wall coming out of the stove into the double wall to a wall thimble?

Yes, correct.