Any tips for Sooteater cleaning of a smaller BK?

[BC_Josh]

So, I took a hand-held bathroom mirror and a strong headlamp, opened the bypass door, then shone the light up the chimney and used the mirror to see how I've been doing. I've been burning for two and a half months and wanted to see about creosote buildup. It kind of looks a little like those old "popcorn stucco" ceilings we used to see in old motel ceilings, but not as bumpy. And, of course, a kind of dull grey colour. Inside the fire box, I've got more buildup, looking a little tarry in the corners and chunks are peeling off.

Anyway, I'm looking for some tips to clean with a Sooteater or similar tool. I still have to buy one and I want to clean out the chimney. It's been a very mild winter here so far (was 7° C/45° F) for the last two days. Anyway, I have a stainless steel double walled chimney which is good, hard to damage them, I've been told. But, best to avoid chimney fires anyway, of course. Anyway... please let me know if you've cleaned out a chimney through the firebox in a BK and what to avoid, what to expect, etc. Any tips gratefully accepted!

 

[Highbeam]

So, I took a hand-held bathroom mirror and a strong headlamp, opened the bypass door, then shone the light up the chimney and used the mirror to see how I've been doing. I've been burning for two and a half months and wanted to see about creosote buildup. It kind of looks a little like those old "popcorn stucco" ceilings we used to see in old motel ceilings, but not as bumpy. And, of course, a kind of dull grey colour. Inside the fire box, I've got more buildup, looking a little tarry in the corners and chunks are peeling off.

Anyway, I'm looking for some tips to clean with a Sooteater or similar tool. I still have to buy one and I want to clean out the chimney. It's been a very mild winter here so far (was 7° C/45° F) for the last two days. Anyway, I have a stainless steel double walled chimney which is good, hard to damage them, I've been told. But, best to avoid chimney fires anyway, of course. Anyway... please let me know if you've cleaned out a chimney through the firebox in a BK and what to avoid, what to expect, etc. Any tips gratefully accepted!

I’ve done it many times. Works great. The only trick is that debris will fall into the cat chamber that needs to be removed before returning to operation. I lift the stove pipe off the stove and vacuum it all out. You don’t need to remove the catalyst but can remove the catalyst to vacuum out the debris if removing the pipe is too hard.

 

[BC_Josh]

I’ve done it many times. Works great. The only trick is that debris will fall into the cat chamber that needs to be removed before returning to operation. I lift the stove pipe off the stove and vacuum it all out. You don’t need to remove the catalyst but can remove the catalyst to vacuum out the debris if removing the pipe is too hard.

So, you have to order a new gasket for the catalyst, right? My manual says if it's removed, it should have a new gasket replacement... or can you get away with not replacing the gasket after a removal?

Also, I'm wondering if you can't tape off some plastic over the cat chamber, and/or cardboard or something to block it off, so that all the debris just spills out into the bottom of the stove?

 

[Highbeam]

So, you have to order a new gasket for the catalyst, right? My manual says if it's removed, it should have a new gasket replacement... or can you get away with not replacing the gasket after a removal?

Also, I'm wondering if you can't tape off some plastic over the cat chamber, and/or cardboard or something to block it off, so that all the debris just spills out into the bottom of the stove?

If you remove the cat you need a new gasket. The gasket material does a one time expansion when it gets hot the first time. Some other brands use a regular fiberglass type gasket which would be great but not BK. I don’t ever remove my cats until they are in need of replacement. That gasket is about 20$ each!

You can suck out 99% of the sweepings from below if your shop vac hose is flexible and you are detail oriented. I used to do that but lifting the flue is pretty easy and it lets me peak inside to verify a good cleaning was done. I also lubricate the bypass lift mechanism while I’m there.

Just lift the pipe off. Anything else is way harder. Is there a reason you can’t?

 

[Highbeam]

So, you have to order a new gasket for the catalyst, right? My manual says if it's removed, it should have a new gasket replacement... or can you get away with not replacing the gasket after a removal?

Also, I'm wondering if you can't tape off some plastic over the cat chamber, and/or cardboard or something to block it off, so that all the debris just spills out into the bottom of the stove?

One more thing, your scirocco is in the basement. I’m not sure how the sooteater would do going through a 90 degree bend if you have any.

 

[BC_Josh]

Just lift the pipe off. Anything else is way harder. Is there a reason you can’t?

Well, I'm not sure. It looks like the bottom piece of pipe slips underneath the other pipe above it. And, there are screws holding it in place on the bottom. Is that normally how it's done. Just unscrew, then slip the pipe upwards and/or remove it? I've included a pic to help explain.

One more thing, your scirocco is in the basement. I’m not sure how the sooteater would do going through a 90 degree bend if you have any.

No, my stove is on the main floor, then the pipe goes through the attic and out the roof.

I also lubricate the bypass lift mechanism while I’m there.

Good idea. What sort of lube do you use for this and where do you get it? It's funny (odd, I mean, not "ha ha" funny), there aren't any gaskets or lubricants or anything various and sundry that I can see on the BK website, so I'm doing research now to find out where to get stuff before I need it. Sorry, I'm getting Google-weary, so I thought I'd pick your brains, Highbeam.

Also, thanks so much for responding and have a great Christmas! Josh in BC

 

[Highbeam]

Well, I'm not sure. It looks like the bottom piece of pipe slips underneath the other pipe above it. And, there are screws holding it in place on the bottom. Is that normally how it's done. Just unscrew, then slip the pipe upwards and/or remove it? I've included a pic to help explain.


No, my stove is on the main floor, then the pipe goes through the attic and out the roof.



Good idea. What sort of lube do you use for this and where do you get it? It's funny (odd, I mean, not "ha ha" funny), there aren't any gaskets or lubricants or anything various and sundry that I can see on the BK website, so I'm doing research now to find out where to get stuff before I need it. Sorry, I'm getting Google-weary, so I thought I'd pick your brains, Highbeam.

Also, thanks so much for responding and have a great Christmas! Josh in BC

View attachment 321351

For lubricant I use the copper automotive anti seize grease from the auto parts store.

If I needed a cat gasket I’d buy it from Midwest hearth which is where I buy catalysts. They’re on Amazon.

That looks like a slip section of double wall pipe and looks just like mine. Those empty screw holes in the overlap should be filled to fix the pipe length but regardless, I would remove the screws below it and lift the bottom up by telescoping the slip section. You only lift it far enough to get the vacuuming done. On mine, the slip is tight enough to hold it there. After vacuuming and lubing just lower the slip section back home and reset those screws.

 

[BC_Josh]

I would remove the screws below it and lift the bottom up by telescoping the slip section. You only lift it far enough to get the vacuuming done.

So, let me get this procedure straight:

1) open bypass
2) clean the chimney through the firebox with a Sooteater (or comparable brand of flexible rotary cleaner)
3) after cleaning, remove screws in bottom chimney pipe section and slide the section up so that a flexible vacuum hose will fit into the firebox and suck up all the debris from behind the combustor and in the rest of the firebox
4) lubricate the bypass door lift mechanism
5) slide the chimney section back down and replace the screws

Or maybe I'm missing something? Also, doesn't sliding the bottom chimney section underneath the one above leave scratches on the sides of the outside of the bottom section?

 

[Highbeam]

So, let me get this procedure straight:

1) open bypass
2) clean the chimney through the firebox with a Sooteater (or comparable brand of flexible rotary cleaner)
3) after cleaning, remove screws in bottom chimney pipe section and slide the section up so that a flexible vacuum hose will fit into the firebox and suck up all the debris from behind the combustor and in the rest of the firebox
4) lubricate the bypass door lift mechanism
5) slide the chimney section back down and replace the screws

Or maybe I'm missing something? Also, doesn't sliding the bottom chimney section underneath the one above leave scratches on the sides of the outside of the bottom section?

That is exactly my procedure. I do have a probe thermometer that I have to remove.

Be sure to clean all the way to the cap, especially the cap. And reverse the spin coming down.

Mine doesn’t scratch when slipped. Mine is duravent brand. There is a risk of scratches.

 

[BC_Josh]

That is exactly my procedure.

You've never found a way to block the combustor from behind it, with taping off some plastic or inserting a piece of cardboard? Would that make cleaning/vacuuming it out easier by any chance? I'm thinking of some kind of barrier so the falling soot and debris misses getting trapped in that part of the stove.

 

[moresnow]

You've never found a way to block the combustor from behind it, with taping off some plastic or inserting a piece of cardboard? Would that make cleaning/vacuuming it out easier by any chance? I'm thinking of some kind of barrier so the falling soot and debris misses getting trapped in that part of the stove.

Another method to consider. I've never cleaned up from inside a BK. Initially I had concerns of dorking up the bypass gasket. Appears that is really not much of a concern.

Anyhoo. I push the slip joint connector pipe up off the stove collar far enough to access the cleaning operation with a Sooteater.

I slide an old sheet over the stove first to keep residue from falling in the stove blowers.

Next, I take a small kitchen trash bag/Wallymart bag or whatever you can find and poke a small hole in the side approximately halfway down the side of the bag.

Drop the fee end of the cleaning rod down through the hole in the bag. The other end of the rod has the cleaning head on it. Cleaning head gets put up the pipe far enough to let me tape the open end of the bag around the pipe.

Start cleaning and adding rods as necessary. You will be adding rods from next to the stove. Very little bend in the rods.
Most debris lands in the bag. Some debris will escape the bag at the hole for the rods and I vac it up. Also wrap up the sheet for tossing what's on it outdoors.

I still must vac out the inside of the stove like everybody. Down through the collar.

just another opinion/option.

 

[Highbeam]

You've never found a way to block the combustor from behind it, with taping off some plastic or inserting a piece of cardboard? Would that make cleaning/vacuuming it out easier by any chance? I'm thinking of some kind of barrier so the falling soot and debris misses getting trapped in that part of the stove.

Unfortunately, the bypass only opens a little bit. If the bypass plent went vertical or even farther it might act to funnel the debris into the firebox. You can reach your hand in there but don't have much room to work from below. After you've done it once or twice you'll see that it's actually pretty easy to lift the pipe off the stove for this cleanout.

If you want to get crazy and are not needing to adjust or lube the bypass mechanism (I have skipped years) ... I actually can get 99% of the stuff from below with the shopvac hose. It helps to actually grasp the open bypass plate and lift it up towards the flue collar to expose the back of the catalyst to the bypass opening. Jamb a stick in there to hold the bypass up while you suck it out. So long as the bypass gasket is clear and the back bottom of the cat is not piled with debris, you're ready to burn.

 

[BC_Josh]

Unfortunately, the bypass only opens a little bit. If the bypass plent went vertical or even farther it might act to funnel the debris into the firebox. You can reach your hand in there but don't have much room to work from below. After you've done it once or twice you'll see that it's actually pretty easy to lift the pipe off the stove for this cleanout.

If you want to get crazy and are not needing to adjust or lube the bypass mechanism (I have skipped years) ... I actually can get 99% of the stuff from below with the shopvac hose. It helps to actually grasp the open bypass plate and lift it up towards the flue collar to expose the back of the catalyst to the bypass opening. Jamb a stick in there to hold the bypass up while you suck it out. So long as the bypass gasket is clear and the back bottom of the cat is not piled with debris, you're ready to burn.

Thanks again for the tips. I really should clean the bugger out soon. I don't do a three hour hot burn every week. The installer said that would make it so it would only need one cleaning a year, but instead, I do a half hour hot burn every load (2x/day). It doesn't seem to be enough.

 

[Highbeam]

The firebox can be a gooey mess burning our softwoods slowly but the chimney, after the ripping hot catalyst, can look much different.