A warning for those of you that clean your chimney's from the bottom up.

[glacialhills]

I have kept my chimney immaculately clean from day one and my Vapor fire wood furnace does not produce any of the glassy creosote that plagues many, but it does produce a fuzzy soot that coats the inside. Since I clean the chimney from the basement I run my brush up to the top and usually only get 5 or 6 cups of deposits. The problem is that the cap and screen does not get cleaned. I am disabled and can not get up on the roof to clean it and in only 1.5 seasons the screen on the cap clogged with the fuzzy stuff and backed smoke up and out the barometric damper. I had to have a sweep come out to clean it. I had him remove the screen so hopefully I have solved the only problem with bottom up cleaning of my chimney that I can see. Keep a sharp eye for this problem and consider removing the screen from your cap if your local codes permit it.(and even if they dont.) I may try a smaller diameter brush to spin around to clean the screen if I have to reinstall the screen because of birds or spark elimination, the fuzzy stuff comes off with very little effort, but for now I am going without the screen to get fouled up.

 

[madrone]

My cap has a screen with about 1" holes. Keeps wildlife out, but won't clog. I clean bottom up as well, and hope I don't ever have to clean the cap. I hate heights.

 

[cmonSTART]

Gotta check the top.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Screens are okay if they have large enough holes but still can clog. We had one once and simply took the screen off and all was well. One thing you might do if you have long enough poles you can sometimes just reach up with the poles and tap the cap to knock off the soot (cover your eyes).

I am wondering why you have a barometric damper? Is it really needed?

 

[firefighterjake]

When I had my Class A installed I specifically asked that if possible any mesh guard be large mesh so it wouldn't clog up . . . and like Backwoods mentioned . . . when I clean my chimney I give the cap a few taps to knock off any Creosote Klingons.

 

[savageactor7]

One poster using that newfangled cleaning brush that fit's in a drill cleans out his cap. He figured out a procedure to do a decent enough job that kept the cap open. If I can find the link I'll edit and post it here... pretty sure it was in the gear room.

 

[thewoodlands]

I clean from the bottom up also, after cleaning at the end of December I checked the screen with Binoculars and it seemed fine. This spring I will go up on the roof for a visual.

Zap

 

[Fsappo]

I read on here about someone using a .22 with bird shot and shooting the cap clean. To me, thats the ticket right there.

 

[polaris]

One poster using that newfangled cleaning brush that fit's in a drill cleans out his cap. He figured out a procedure to do a decent enough job that kept the cap open. If I can find the link I'll edit and post it here... pretty sure it was in the gear room.

Yup it's called the Sooteater and it does do a servicable job of cleaning the cap without a lot of effort or getting out on the roof.
Joe

 

[savageactor7]

OK it this thread is a report from fossil cleaning out his cap with a 'sooteater' from the bottom up.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/51450/

 

[HeatsTwice]

I use a garden hose fitted with a nozzel which shoots the water about 30 feet. I shoot from the ground and always unpluggs the glogged screen. I've been doing this for years with the stove running. Of course my run is over 16 feet and no appreaciable water actually goes down the chimney.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Took my cap off today. 8 Hail Mary's for me...

 

[Captain Hornet]

I too have had problems with creosote plugging up my cap. After fighting it for a year or so, I finely just took the entire cap off and went topless. I find I have better draft and almost no creosote formation. In the off season I do cover with a bucket to keep moisture out . When burning I have never seen any rain or moisture down my chimney so I don't think it's a issue. Topless works for me. David

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

My cap has a screen with about 1" holes. Keeps wildlife out, but won't clog. I clean bottom up as well, and hope I don't ever have to clean the cap. I hate heights.

1" will allow bats and birds in, i have removed lots over the years

to the op
i used to sell a chimney cleaning system called the Boz. it will clean the screen and the pipe, no mess
guess they are still around
http://www.bozchimneysweep.com/

installed a few on 3 story 12/12 roofs etc

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Took my cap off today. 8 Hail Mary's for me...

Hey Carbon, I hope the inside of the flue doesn't look the same! You might get a couple more Hail Marys for that too. Nasty stuff.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Took my cap off today. 8 Hail Mary's for me...

Hey Carbon, I hope the inside of the flue doesn't look the same! You might get a couple more Hail Marys for that too. Nasty stuff.

Nope, just swept it - was dry crumbly stuff in the first few feet - not much came out at all. Strangely, the fire's drafting much better now....

 

[glacialhills]

Carbon, That's about what my screen looked like. It isn't creosote , just that sooty, fuzzy stuff that comes off with a gentle scrub. I hope I can do without the screen and should never get clogged like that again.

 

[cmonSTART]

Took my cap off today. 8 Hail Mary's for me...

Hey Carbon, I hope the inside of the flue doesn't look the same! You might get a couple more Hail Marys for that too. Nasty stuff.

Nope, just swept it - was dry crumbly stuff in the first few feet - not much came out at all. Strangely, the fire's drafting much better now....

Yikes! Personally, I would just remove the mesh like I did on my own cap, unless there's some local ordinance.