Clogged chimney cap!

Thats stage 2 creosote not the worst but not the best. I don't think I'd let it build up that much between cleanings, especially the cap. I would modify my habits to limit the amount of creosote your getting and stop the formation of that black shiny stuff. Want more of a brown ash.

More air and hotter burning. Test the wood while your at it.

Bmore said:

I normally cut it way way down and try to see how long I can go before reloads.

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Done the same (though not that bad ) while chasing burn times. I try to resist that now and my wood is better. You can shoot for long burns just sweep more often. Be careful you don't (or didn't) start making the gooey stuff, that won't just sweep out.

Is your liner insulated and/or have a block off plate? I have an exterior chimney too and I saw great improvement after stuffing the upper firebox and smoke shelf w/ Roxul and adding a metal block off.

I've seen that before with rods and a brush, cleaning bottom up. A rotary system like the sooteater might be a better option if you aren't into going up there each time.

Burn as normal and keep the stack cleaner?

CheapBassTurd said:

Burn as normal and keep the stack cleaner?

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If that's in regards to my comment. What I meant is a rotary system will clean a cap way better than a brush bottom up. If a brush is properly sized it's not going to do much for the cap. Also if there's heavy build up it can push creosote up into the cap in the last few feet where it's the thickest. Most rotary whips are slightly oversized for the flue and will expand out when they exit and bounce around a bit as they spin and clean the cap up really well.

Specifically I have gone with my rotary system and cleaned out a cap that looked similar to that that a homeowner had plugged with their brush cleaning bottom up. The visible chimney looking up through their ZC was spotless but their cap was plugged solid completely blocking the chimney. I put my rotary system bottom up and spun the cap clean from the bottom still no problemo. Verified before and after with binoculars.

Sorry, Squish.
Regards to no comment in particular.
It just crossed my mind that if he's running good to stay the course but keep the safety high.
The amount of buildup sounded thick so the chimney became my focus.
"Burn as normal" doesn't fit the rest of this expanded statement. I'd like to borrow a shoehorn
to get the foot out of my mouth/ keyboard.

I should have added some flavor from post #3 also to clean up the output also. I'm thinking any
chimney stack that high is going to have some sticky on the walls, putting a cleaning session towards the top
of the list of things to do. (making a drill adapter for my round wire brush too btw)

CheapMark

PS, I have to use a regular wire brush by hand in the cap.
The circular wouldn't fit without destroying the bristles, and the underside of the top
would still be untouched. Elbow grease on that piece.

I burn 3 year old wood and my screen looks like that at the end of 3 months of burning, I usually do a mid season chimney cleaning, the chimney itself isn't dirty but my cap clogs up like yours, like BG said, I attribute this due to low flue temps from my cat stove, I honestly don't have any problems with this, its just something else that needs to be watched and corrected, another idea is to lose the metal mesh on the cap, that will prevent clogging.

I think I agree with the Sooteater comment above - that looks like a place for one.

I think I would try that next time, before heading up that ladder again. Looking at that gives me the heeby jeebies, I don't think I could do it. (I'm not one for heights though). If the ladder was resting on the roof edge, maybe.

(Also don't think trying to rotate a typical brush will help or improve a whole lot either - the Sooteater is designed for it).

I'm not certain rotating a regular brush will help much either. For one they do a fine job on a chimney with normal use and rotating one isn't going to help it clean a cap effectively.

One warning about rotary cleaning is if you have certain types of class A chimney. Make certain you spin counterclockwise to avoid potentially 'unscrewing' sections of pipe. When cleaning from the botttom up.

You really should insulate that liner seeing since that is an external chimney and you are burning at lower temps with the buck 91, I saw the same until I insulated mine, keeps the flue gasses hotter all the way to the top and out. I now only get a slight buildup at the last 2 feet on my 25 foot run and my cap is cleaner as well.

I don't see the point of mesh if you are burning regularly. Isn't it just to keep birds out? Let all of that soot out and away from the house.

Based on MD weather, chimney height, coupled with no insulation around the liner, including burn temps or appliance ratings. With your senario, this type of build up is going to be expected, burning dead dry wood seems essential.
You'd be doing yourself a favor obtaining your own soot-eater brush tool, do your own bottom up cleaning every year or twice if that's not enough based upon future findings.

I had this problem at first. I removed the screen and have never regretted it. No screen = no clogged screen problems. Imagine if it was snowing, windy, dark, and cold out when this happened.