chimney, creosote, etc

[ssupercoolss]

this is my first year with my wood boiler so i am trying to keep an eye on things, i would prefer not to have a chimney fire. i run a brush through my chimney about every two weeks or so to be safe. all i ever really see is basically a very dull dust inside the pipe. in fact i clean out the pipe from my boiler to the breeching pipe with a toilet bowl brush. i really dont let my boiler idle, just load it up and let it run flat out until it runs out of wood. is the dust i see a pre-cursor to creosote, or is this normal for regular burning? what are the first signs of creosote? i always hear of some liquidy type goo running out from pipe joints. i have none of that. help the rookie out. this is looking in through my baro.

 

[ikessky]

I believe the dust shows that you are burning correctly. I think sweeping every two weeks is a little excessive. The manual for my furnace states that you should sweep when the creosote gets to be around 1/8" thick.

 

[Duetech]

Creosote is black like tar and will burn like it. (Put that picture away before it offends someone it doesn't even look like you are burning wood-LOL). If I could get my chimney to look like that I could rent out my chimney brush but alas I must let my boiler idle. You are doing quite well! Maybe you should rent your brush out???

 

[sdrobertson]

Creosote is black like tar and will burn like it. (Put that picture away before it offends someone it doesn't even look like you are burning wood-LOL). If I could get my chimney to look like that I could rent out my chimney brush but alas I must let my boiler idle. You are doing quite well! Maybe you should rent your brush out???

Out of curiosity - how much are creosote are you getting from the idling your doing? I'm not idling at all but I was considering it to help with start-ups.

 

[Fred61]

Out of curiosity - how much are creosote are you getting from the idling your doing? I'm not idling at all but I was considering it to help with start-ups.

Believe me, you don't want to idle! My Eko 25 with inadequate storage has been a pleasure to operate during this cold weather but this morning after a 30* night and too much wood in the firebox, I have what appears to be another 1/4 inch of creosote in the firebox and since it is in my basement I have a foul odor throughout the house.