Just wondering ....... is it better if you clean your chimney right away after burning season, or is it OK to wait for 6 months or so. Is the creosite buildup more difficult to clean if it sits in the chimney for a long time (6 months) ?
Can I Clean The SS Chimney In November ?
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I find it's better to not try to predict this stuff. Could be burning by late Sept. depending on how the weather works out. Plan on getting it done in advance of that time. There's plenty other fall activities that can distract from this chore like school starting, leaf raking, harvesting, snow tires, etc..
Clean & inspect in the spring. That way if you run into problems or find a problem, you have plenty of time to get it taken care of.
Better than finding a problem when ready to burn. I learned that first hand last year.
Better than finding a problem when ready to burn. I learned that first hand last year.
The manufacturer of my SS chimney (Hart & Cooley) recommends a cleaning as soon as the heating season is over. They also recommend wrapping the brush in a rag sprayed with WD40 and running this down the chimney to give the inside some corrosion protection. Your mileage may vary, of course.
yanksforever said:
I'm not a metallurgist or a chemist, so I honestly can't give you a "true" answer on that. I can only tell you that it is what the manufacturer recommends. Also, from what I recall reading, creosote and other deposits left from burning wood, when combined with a moist environment, are corrosive by nature.
EDIT: http://www.azom.com/details.asp?articleid=1177 examples of corrosion types in SS.
There are a lot of grades of SS. There are two maybe three for car exhausts alone. From stuff that will lightly rust to some that never will. As far as WD 40 it does not have a lot of staying power it tends to evaporate in a week or so. PB blaster would be a better choice.
Be glad you are only burning wood. I am burning 50 to 60% soft coal. And thats a real mess to clean!
Billy
Be glad you are only burning wood. I am burning 50 to 60% soft coal. And thats a real mess to clean!
Billy
- Jun 12, 2006
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Why should it corrode if it is made of Stainless Steel?
SS while much less given to corrosion, can still corrode. When it does it is more likely to corrode in a 'pitted' fashion instead of forming a rusty surface. In a layer of 5-7 thousandths of an inch that could be a problem.
ATB,
Mike
SS while much less given to corrosion, can still corrode. When it does it is more likely to corrode in a 'pitted' fashion instead of forming a rusty surface. In a layer of 5-7 thousandths of an inch that could be a problem.
ATB,
Mike
I'm a firm believer in doing a final cleaning in the Spring.
1) It's ready to go in the Fall . . . since you never know when you may want to start burning.
2) I'm always figured it makes sense to clean out as much creosote as possible to reduce the chance of the smell coming into the house . . . probably not a great risk . . . but I figure every bit helps.
1) It's ready to go in the Fall . . . since you never know when you may want to start burning.
2) I'm always figured it makes sense to clean out as much creosote as possible to reduce the chance of the smell coming into the house . . . probably not a great risk . . . but I figure every bit helps.
firefighterjake said:
I also like doing it in the spring. That way all I have to do is a quick inspection to make sure some critter hasn't made a home in there during the summer and I'm ready to go in the fall.
pen
We had a mild winter last year so I didn't use ym stove as often...but I clean/inspect in the spring so the heat in the summer doesn't give the creosote an opportunity to harden and become semi-permanent over the summer. I also use a poly brush rather than stainless steel to avoid the scratch/corrosion potential - like dragging nails along a chalkboard effect.
Ditto Hog's post. I used to wait until fall. I never had a problem with this timetable, until I noticed issues with my stove last fall. It is a lot easier to pursue warranty issues etc. when it is not peak season for your dealership and manufacturer. Also, if your stove etc. is being fixed, you won't really miss it as much in the spring /summer as you would in the fall/winter!
Maybe by using November in the original post I got a little carried away. Shouda used September as the month. My main concern was if creosote hardens during the warmer months. An above poster stated this was the case, so I'll clean it in April. Possible toxicity backup is also a reason just to get the damn thing done early.
Another reason to clean in the Spring is to eliminate the creosote smell from reversing down the chimney on cool summer nights.
The contra point is that the crap is a lot dryer and easier to brush out in the summer or fall. But finding out that you have a busted chimney or stove in October ain't the way ya wanna do it.
Brush it in June.
Brush it in June.
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