Advice for cleaning a new to us chimney...

[tod osier]

First post here... I'd like to get set up to clean our chimney on this new to us stove. We have owned the house a couple years, but have not wintered in it or used the stove much because I haven't cleaned it. I'm unfamiliar with a setup like this. Tips, tricks, tools suggested, critique of what is there - I'll take anything you have (I do clean our masonry chimney at our other house). This is in Wyoming so we will be burning dry softwood (mostly lodgepole pine). I did experience a chimney fire as a teen home alone in a masonry chimney with an insert, so I'm familiar with that aspect of burning wood.

 

[begreen]

That's a Pacific Energy Alderlea T5. It's a great stove. Cleaning is different than a lot of other stoves due to its unique baffle/secondary air system. There is a pin at the rear of the firebox that holds the baffle captive. This is removed, then the baffle is lifted off of the secondary air supply tube at the back while pulling it forward to clear the secondary feed tube.. The baffle then gets lifted on the left side and moved leftward until the right side clears the support rail and can be lowered to remove the baffle. Once the baffle is out, stuff a rag in the secondary tube before proceeding further. You don't want soot going down it. Now the flue exit is unobstructed and easy to run a Sooteater up for cleaning.

Replacement is the reverse after the soot and sote from the cleaned flue is cleared out. Remove the rag, put a fresh baffle gasket to seal around the secondary tube, and install the baffle, taking care to gently push the side insulation pieces back against the baffle once the baffle is seated on the secondary tube.

Note that the baffle is heavier than it looks. And it can take a little jiggling of the baffle to get it square so that the pin goes back in.

Moving this thread to the Pacific Energy sub-forum where there is a lot more info on these stoves. Note that the firebox on this stove is the same as the PE Super, Spectrum, and Super 27. And welcome!

 

[begreen]

Here's a video on the baffle removal in a larger T6. It's the same process and design, just larger.

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[tod osier]

That's a Pacific Energy Alderlea T5. It's a great stove. Cleaning is different than a lot of other stoves due to its unique baffle/secondary air system. There is a pin at the rear of the firebox that holds the baffle captive. This is removed, then the baffle is lifted off of the secondary air supply tube at the back while pulling it forward to clear the secondary feed tube.. The baffle then gets lifted on the left side and moved leftward until the right side clears the support rail and can be lowered to remove the baffle. Once the baffle is out, stuff a rag in the secondary tube before proceeding further. You don't want soot going down it. Now the flue exit is unobstructed and easy to run a Sooteater up for cleaning.

Replacement is the reverse after the soot and sote from the cleaned flue is cleared out. Remove the rag, put a fresh baffle gasket to seal around the secondary tube, and install the baffle, taking care to gently push the side insulation pieces back against the baffle once the baffle is seated on the secondary tube.

Note that the baffle is heavier than it looks. And it can take a little jiggling of the baffle to get it square so that the pin goes back in.

Moving this thread to the Pacific Energy sub-forum where there is a lot more info on these stoves. Note that the firebox on this stove is the same as the PE Super, Spectrum, and Super 27. And welcome!

Many thanks! I'll get the things needed and get to it.

I wasn't thinking you would clean from the bottom up, since I've only used threaded fiberglass rods from the top. I watched a sooteater video and it all makes sense now.