Chimney Sweep questions

[OilNoMore]

Just starting to think about sweeping out the chimney for our new stove. It is 6" double wall pipe but has an elbow bend in it to avoid ceiling joist in the attic. I have no experience cleaning out an interior chimney, just lots of winters doing it on a exterior masonary chimney with a clean out door. I know I'll have to get on the roof, but will I have to remove any sections of the pipe or can I allow it to just fall into the stove? We have a Hearthstone Shelburne and the owners manual did not mention anything on this, other than to call a professional chimney sweep which I'd prefer to avoid as I feel I can learn to do this myself. Any tips are appreciated. My wood has only been drying since May but I still doubt there is much creosote build up. I just want to take my first try at sweeping it in November cold rather than January cold (hopefully there is so little build up there will be no January clean outs).

 

[philaphire]

Basically you can just let everything fall into the stove - but generally you have to remove the baffle for the creosote to have a clear shot. If you're stove is like mine, that's a simple matter of removing some bricks but not every stove is like this. I don't know about elbows and whether it's recommended that you actually remove that section of pipe and clean separately but I'm sure someone on here has had to deal with that! Having cleaned both masonry and prefab - they're pretty much the same deal - just make sure you have the right size brush!

 

[BrotherBart]

Were it mine:

I would remove the baffle from the Shelburne, drop a rope attached to the brush down the pipe into the stove, push the brush into the top of the pipe and go down and pull the brush down into the stove. It will make it through that elbow that way but I wouldn't want to try to push it down through it with cleaning rods.

Otherwise, disconnect it at the box at the ceiling and try to figure out how to not end up with a mess in the room when you sweep it.

That is the way I clean my liner with a 30 degree elbow and the liner into my basement stove with a 90 degree turn into the thimble.

 

[OilNoMore]

I think I'm just going to remove the bottom section of pipe and hope that cleaning out the rest of it does not make too big a mess. I don't know how I'll get a bucket to stay in that spot and not make a mess, but we'll see. Maybe taping a garbage bag around the pipe or some other set up might work. I don't think I want to get in to taking the baffles out until after the winter. I had a neighbor tell me the best way to clean off the chimney cap was to remove it, douse it with gasoline and light it in the driveway. Not wanting to a) get arrested for doing something dumb b) not burn my house down and c) remain on my wife's good side, I'll think I'll ignore that advice. Thanks for the tips.

 

[philaphire]

that gasoline on the chimney cap advice is almost as good as the advice that a "controlled" chimney fire is the best way to clean a chimney. i've actually had someone tell me that they would just light a bunch of newspaper in the chimney to set it off to clean it!

Taping a garbage bag to the bottom of that section is a great idea - that and a drop cloth are probably your best bets. Good luck!

 

[firefighterjake]

I think I'm just going to remove the bottom section of pipe and hope that cleaning out the rest of it does not make too big a mess. I don't know how I'll get a bucket to stay in that spot and not make a mess, but we'll see. Maybe taping a garbage bag around the pipe or some other set up might work. I don't think I want to get in to taking the baffles out until after the winter. I had a neighbor tell me the best way to clean off the chimney cap was to remove it, douse it with gasoline and light it in the driveway. Not wanting to a) get arrested for doing something dumb b) not burn my house down and c) remain on my wife's good side, I'll think I'll ignore that advice. Thanks for the tips.

You forgot d) sustaining 2nd degree burns and having to take time out to go to the Emergency Department at the local hospital.

 

[firefighterjake]

that gasoline on the chimney cap advice is almost as good as the advice that a "controlled" chimney fire is the best way to clean a chimney. i've actually had someone tell me that they would just light a bunch of newspaper in the chimney to set it off to clean it!

Taping a garbage bag to the bottom of that section is a great idea - that and a drop cloth are probably your best bets. Good luck!

Up here in Maine I've had old-timers tell me about taking hay and stuffing it into the chimney and touching it off to clean their chimney . . . same idea as the newspaper. Not a philosophy I would subscribe to.