clean out Tee's

[irenearcher]

Which type of clean out Tee should one get for a pellet stove? I believe there are two options. One allows you to clean it out one way (i think just vertical pipe) and the other allows you to clean it out with 2 caps, one for the vertical and one for the horizontal pipe. My pipe will come out the stove a little bit horizontal but then go straight up. Thanks! Irene

 

[MainePellethead]

Which type of clean out Tee should one get for a pellet stove? I believe there are two options. One allows you to clean it out one way (i think just vertical pipe) and the other allows you to clean it out with 2 caps, one for the vertical and one for the horizontal pipe. My pipe will come out the stove a little bit horizontal but then go straight up. Thanks! Irene

Here is a picture Irene of the "T" I have on the outside of my home. I have approx. 3 ' of horizontal coming out from stove and then it "T's" upward 8'

 

[MSmith66]

Doesn't matter, one is a sigle tee(photo), the other is a double tee. The double cost more that the single. Either or the other will work.

 

[Xena]

If your T is inside the house then most likely
it's positioned in such a way that you can't
get a brush in the horizontal cleanout anyway.
Most people on this forum including myself
have the single cleanout and do fine with it.

 

[irenearcher]

So i guess you are all saying that you don't worry about that horizontal stretch of pipe getting cleaned out? I would think that stretch would get the most build up. According to my manual they want you to silicone it coming out of the stove so you would not easily be able to take it off the back of the stove to clean it either.

I notice in the photo above where the pipe comes outside 3 feet and then goes up 8 feet. DOes that mean your pipe then goes through the roof outside? One Harmon guy said that if you put much pipe outside as opposed to indoors that you will have more build up of creosote from the cold outdoors. Does anyone agree with that? Also i see the porch jutting out next to the pipe. That is exactly how ours would look if we put it outdoors instead of indoors as i was planning (very cold in Iowa keep in mind). In our case the screened porch would be just 12 inches from the pipe. Also do you have mulch and bushes under that pipe on the ground? I guess the 36 inch clearance from combustibles is just if the vent terminates rather than goes though the roof outside. Am i confusing anyone? Probably.

 

[MainePellethead]

So i guess you are all saying that you don't worry about that horizontal stretch of pipe getting cleaned out? I would think that stretch would get the most build up. According to my manual they want you to silicone it coming out of the stove so you would not easily be able to take it off the back of the stove to clean it either.

I notice in the photo above where the pipe comes outside 3 feet and then goes up 8 feet. DOes that mean your pipe then goes through the roof outside? One Harmon guy said that if you put much pipe outside as opposed to indoors that you will have more build up of creosote from the cold outdoors. Does anyone agree with that? Also i see the porch jutting out next to the pipe. That is exactly how ours would look if we put it outdoors instead of indoors as i was planning (very cold in Iowa keep in mind). In our case the screened porch would be just 12 inches from the pipe. Also do you have mulch and bushes under that pipe on the ground? I guess the 36 inch clearance from combustibles is just if the vent terminates rather than goes though the roof outside. Am i confusing anyone? Probably.

I have enclosed a couple pictures. My installer went up 8' just to be safe with the oil filler next to it. The State Fire Marshal said there was no code on being near an oil fill but my installer did it just to be safe. Also....I may this summer add more pipe on top to bring it above the roof. But for now....no soot so far. The ICC pipe is made so I can take that T off easily and clean out the horizontal if needed. I have shrubs below that pipe yes but I'm not concerned with sparks on them as I have watched and with an 8' rise(over 10' from ground surface) I am not concerned. My porch is going to change very soon. I have ordered 7 big slider windows and I will be turning the porch into a glassed in porch/room and insulate it etc.

 

[irenearcher]

I have enclosed a couple pictures. My installer went up 8' just to be safe with the oil filler next to it. The State Fire Marshal said there was no code on being near an oil fill but my installer did it just to be safe. Also....I may this summer add more pipe on top to bring it above the roof. But for now....no soot so far. The ICC pipe is made so I can take that T off easily and clean out the horizontal if needed. I have shrubs below that pipe yes but I'm not concerned with sparks on them as I have watched and with an 8' rise(over 10' from ground surface) I am not concerned. My porch is going to change very soon. I have ordered 7 big slider windows and I will be turning the porch into a glassed in porch/room and insulate it etc.[/quote]

Thanks. Yes i see from the photos that yours would be much safer than mine would be if installed in the same manner. Mine would be closer to the screened porch and also could not go up high enough for clearance to the bushes below (unless i went through the roof over hang). If i went through the overhang of the roof I guess i wonder with the cold, wet weather in Iowa i wonder if it would get more creosote than just going indoors with it.

 

[petejung]

I have a 3' run of horizontal pipe that I am able to clean out thru the T that came with my duravent kit. I bought a pretty flexible nylon rod to which my cleaning brush attaches. It's a tight turn, but I can make that short 90 degree turn if I do it slowly. And yes, there is a lot of buildup in there, at least in my pipe there is.

 

[pegdot]

The cold pipe building up more soot makes sense to me but I don't know if I'd let that stop me from putting it outside. Even though it wasn't strictly necessary I've already cleaned my exterior pipe twice since November. With the single T and a pellet brush it takes all of about 5 minutes. If you are willing to keep an eye on the buildup and clean it yourself it's just not a big deal. My only advice is not to do it on a windy day unless you really like being covered in soot! lol

I'd be leery about having the vent terminate only a foot away from a screened porch. Mine terminates about 3' from an open porch and while it's not putting soot on the porch ceiling it is getting soot on the overhang of the roof directly above it. I'll have to extend the pipe above the roof this summer. What I failed to take into consideration when installing mine was the prevailing wind direction during the winter months. Our winds tend to come out of the west or northwest and my vent is on the west side of the house so the wind drives the soot back against the house. If your winds would blow the exhaust away from your porch you might just get away with installing it there though.

 

[irenearcher]

The cold pipe building up more soot makes sense to me but I don't know if I'd let that stop me from putting it outside. Even though it wasn't strictly necessary I've already cleaned my exterior pipe twice since November. With the single T and a pellet brush it takes all of about 5 minutes. If you are willing to keep an eye on the buildup and clean it yourself it's just not a big deal. My only advice is not to do it on a windy day unless you really like being covered in soot! lol

I'd be leery about having the vent terminate only a foot away from a screened porch. Mine terminates about 3' from an open porch and while it's not putting soot on the porch ceiling it is getting soot on the overhang of the roof directly above it. I'll have to extend the pipe above the roof this summer. What I failed to take into consideration when installing mine was the prevailing wind direction during the winter months. Our winds tend to come out of the west or northwest and my vent is on the west side of the house so the wind drives the soot back against the house. If your winds would blow the exhaust away from your porch you might just get away with installing it there though.

thanks Peggy. I dont think i would have it terminate near the porch since i am pretty sure that would violate the manufacturers instructions. By the way in their manual they mention to keep in mind the prevailing winds! i would have it go through the roof overhang cause of the clearances. I guess i am still leaning towards indoors... where do you get these special pellet cleaning brushes? Especially the one mentioned in an earlier post with an angle. Thanks!

 

[Xena]

.. where do you get these special pellet cleaning brushes?
Especially the one mentioned in an earlier post with an angle. Thanks!

Nothing special about them. They come in either 3" or 4" and you can
get them most anywhere that carries pellet stoves or stove accessories. Never saw one
with an angle, but the flexible ones will do a 90 degree turn if you take it slow.

Google is your friend. Here are just a few places I found doing a quick google search:

(broken link removed)

(broken link removed)

(broken link removed)

(broken link removed to http://www.rutland.com/brushesandrods_html/17409.html)

 

[pegdot]

Yep, those brushes are like mine. No angle just a VERY flexible rod that will make the turn into the horizontal part of the T.

On mine the T is outside and the bottom of it is roughly 3' from the ground so having room to maneuver the brush isn't an issue but I wonder how folks who have their T inside near the floor do it. I opted to put my vent on the outside simply because I didn't want to deal with the mess from cleaning the pipe being on the inside of the house. It does make a mess too. The stuff that comes out of mine is extremely fine and wants to drift every where. I finally figured out that if I work the brush with one hand and hold the nozzle of my shop vac just below the T with the other that it will catch about 90% of the mess. I'd be really curious to hear from those that have their T inside about how they manage their cleaning and whether or not they regret putting it inside.

 

[Xena]

I'd be really curious to hear from those
that have their T inside about how they manage their cleaning and whether or not they regret putting it inside.

Mine is inside. No regrets. Best install ever imo because
most of the piping is concealed inside my chimney.
I have a very strong Loveless shop vac that sucks up all the dust when I
just place the hose down on the hearth near the T.

 

[irenearcher]

Ok now you all have me wondering about indoor installation vs outdoor. I imagine there are people out there who have put the pipe outdoors with at least 9 feet going vertical (and then through the sofit). Do any of you live in a cold damp climate that have done this? Anyone find the creosote build up an issue with this outdoor pipe installation? Also if you install the stove in a corner how does that horizontal pipe go out the side wall? It would have to curve rather than go out straight. Is there some starting piece for that? Or would a corner installation have to have the pipe indoors as i was planning to do. Are there any advantages to having the pipe be indoors? It sounds like cleaning the stove will be more of a challenge with the pipe indoors.

 

[pegdot]

Irene in order to have the stove sit catty corner and have the exhaust exit through a side wall you add a 45* angle to the pipe.

Thanks, Zeta! I've often wondered about the inside install. Do you have any problems working the brush into the pipe?

BTW, I'm still plotting ways to steal your pellet container! ;-)