Clean your chimney!

[vbu]

Last night I decided to sweep my chimney since it's looking like it'll finally get cold enough next week to have our first fire.
After I removed the tube assembly and the baffle plate with the ceramic blanket, I started getting suspicious. There was a twig at the very bottom of the liner. Long story short, I ended up pulling down a squirrel nest and 2 baby squirrels. Just about filled up a 5 gallon bucket with leaves/twigs/etc.You absolutely could not see this from the ground. This is an exterior chimney roughly 30ft tall, so I'm not up for getting a ladder out and climbing that chimney.
The chimney itself was really clean just like last year, but I sure am glad I decided to sweep it anyway. Really pleased with how the liner looks after sweeping it with the chimney.

Also looked over the insert to look for cracks etc. Luckily everything looked good. I also took some pics of the welds. This is a quadra fire insert, I'll let you guys judge those welds...

 

[EbS-P]

You need a better chimney cap!

 

[vbu]

You need a better chimney cap!

Agreed! I had a new chimney cover plate put on this year. I asked them to replace the cap since I was afraid something like this may happen. They refused, stating that what I wanted to put on (just a classic square cap with mesh on 4 sides) was going to restrict draft too much. I said it would not, but they said it would and I did not want to argue so I left it at that.

 

[vbu]

This is the cap I have now. The cap can be taken off and be replaced with something better, right? I'm not sure how the liner is held up top.

 

[GrumpyDad]

man that depressed me

 

[vbu]

man that depressed me

I should've mentioned, squirrels are alive and well. Made a nest for them last night and gave them goats milk. Their mama came back for them last night and got them.

 

[Ashful]

Another good reason to wait until fall to sweep your pipe. Never understood people who take time to do it in the spring.

In my imagination, I do the sweeping in the fall to eliminate potential hornet nests plugging the pipe, or a bird's nest woven into the cap mesh at the top. Never thought of having a squirrels nest in the pipe.

But in my system, your squirrels would have had a less happy ending. To avoid sweeping that potential live hornets' nest down into my living room, I have one small fire before the fall sweeping. Glad to hear they're fine.

 

[vbu]

Another good reason to wait until fall to sweep your pipe. Never understood people who take time to do it in the spring.

In my imagination, I do the sweeping in the fall to eliminate potential hornet nests plugging the pipe, or a bird's nest woven into the cap mesh at the top. Never thought of having a squirrels nest in the pipe.

But in my system, your squirrels would have had a less happy ending. To avoid sweeping that potential live hornets' nest down into my living room, I have one small fire before the fall sweeping. Glad to hear they're fine.

Yes exactly. I try to time it to where I'll be burning right after I sweep it.

I don't want to know what would've happened if I made a small fire first. All that material was extremely dry. It either just wouldn't have drafted and smoked out my living room (best case scenario), or there would've been a heck of a chimney fire

 

[EbS-P]

This is the cap I have now. The cap can be taken off and be replaced with something better, right? I'm not sure how the liner is held up top.

View attachment 300513

Liner is held by the square top plate. Should have a pipe clamp. Cap is then attached to the round part of top plate.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I should've mentioned, squirrels are alive and well. Made a nest for them last night and gave them goats milk. Their mama came back for them last night and got them.

oh yay! That's awesome. I love those little devils. The come rushing into our bird feeder, scare away the monks and the blue jays, then the blue jays gang up and scare away the squirrel. We have a bad red squirrel too, he waits for the gray squirrel then DARTS after him. So funny.
Then the eagle comes and ruins everyone's day.

 

[vbu]

Liner is held by the square top plate. Should have a pipe clamp. Cap is then attached to the round part of top plate.

I gotcha. When they put the new chimney cover plate on they took the square plate off. I wonder if they used a clamp or not. Either way the liner is all the way up for sure so I'm not too worried about that.
If I replace my cap with something like I've attached, I should be good to go right? I wanted a cap like that, but they claim it'll kill the draft and it won't burn right. I don't think it'll be an issue, but wanted to double check with you guys

 

[EbS-P]

I gotcha. When they put the new chimney cover plate on they took the square plate off. I wonder if they used a clamp or not. Either way the liner is all the way up for sure so I'm not too worried about that.
If I replace my cap with something like I've attached, I should be good to go right? I wanted a cap like that, but they claim it'll kill the draft and it won't burn right. I don't think it'll be an issue, but wanted to double check with you guys

View attachment 300533

Those are made to secure to the outside of the clay tile flue that usually sticks above the crown. I’d probably go with a screened round one.

 

[stoveliker]

I (basement stove tho) do sweep in the spring. And then I keep the stove pipe off (keep off because I take the 2 ft up, and 2.5-ish ft horizontal to the thimble off, so I only have the soot eater go thru one 90 where the snout meets the liner). I cap the stove and the thimble. Keeps humidity out of the stove during summer (in which I also put damp rid in the stove). Can't have my baby rust...

But, that means that before I burn, I reinstall the stove pipe. And I stick a mirror in and look up the 27 ft.

No squirrel or hornet netsts that way. And a clean chimney during summer humidity.

Finally, there's no way squirrel nests would happen in my chimney: rigid smooth (double, thick) wall liner. One squirrel might get in, but it's not coming out. (I also have a screen tho, of course.) Hornets - no way to prevent them. Hence the mirror exercise before putting it back together.

 

[vbu]

Those are made to secure to the outside of the clay tile flue that usually sticks above the crown. I’d probably go with a screened round one.

Yes this was just for illustrative purposes only, grabbed a picture from internet real quick. Just wanted to make sure this style wasn't going to give me trouble

 

[EbS-P]

Yes this was just for illustrative purposes only, grabbed a picture from internet real quick. Just wanted to make sure this style wasn't going to give me trouble

They can clog if you burn wet wood. Burn dry wood and it should not be a problem. But the mesh it probably worth putting your eyes on once a month.

 

[vbu]

They can clog if you burn wet wood. Burn dry wood and it should not be a problem. But the mesh it probably worth putting your eyes on once a month.

Thank you sir. Yes I burn dry wood only, chimney is always really clean when I go to sweep it and I was considering skipping it this year. Glad I didn't.

 

[fvhowler]

The only critter I've found in the wood stove is a bluebird that somehow breeched the chimey cap last spring. I just happened to see the bird moving in the stove. The bird was removed unharmed. Its a good idea to check the stove, even in summer to make sure critters have not made their way in.

Just ran the sooteater through the pipe yesterday. I do this once a year in the Fall just before burn season. Found typical amount of soot, just enough to cover bottom of stove. Also cleaned the baffle, repaired some firebricks and replaced some gaskets. The Hampton wood stove is ready for another season.

 

[stoveliker]

Looking good!

 

[Ashful]

Finally, there's no way squirrel nests would happen in my chimney: rigid smooth (double, thick) wall liner. One squirrel might get in, but it's not coming out.

I didn't want to steal the OP's thunder, but now that the thread has played out, that's exactly what happened to me. We had an odd warm day mid-winter 2012, and I let one of the stoves go out. Came home from work that evening, and was just about to open the stove to load it, when my eye caught movement behind the glass. It was an effing squirrel in the stove!

My wife and I had all sorts of fun debating what to do with him, as we imagined a soot-covered squirrel getting loose in the house, and ruining every piece of furniture and fabric surface he could find.

My father-in-law had what seemed like a good solution, to drop a rope down the chimney, and let the squirrel use it to climb out. Getting said rope into the stove (Jotul downdraft catalytic) was a bit of a challenge, but I got it done. Unfortunately, the squirrel didn't seem to know what to do with it the first day with the rope, his second day in the stove. The following day, his third in the stove, I decided that he'd be more convinced to "go toward the light" if I wrapped the stove in a blanket, such that the only light he could see would be that coming down the chimney. That apparently did the trick, as he was gone when I came home from work that night.

The subsequent repair of the stove cost me several months in waiting on $650 in parts, to be shipped from Scandinavia (damn Jotul), and untold more dollars in burned heating oil.

 

[vbu]

I didn't want to steal the OP's thunder, but now that the thread has played out, that's exactly what happened to me. We had an odd warm day mid-winter 2012, and I let one of the stoves go out. Came home from work that evening, and was just about to open the stove to load it, when my eye caught movement behind the glass. It was an effing squirrel in the stove!

My wife and I had all sorts of fun debating what to do with him, as we imagined a soot-covered squirrel getting loose in the house, and ruining every piece of furniture and fabric surface he could find.

My father-in-law had what seemed like a good solution, to drop a rope down the chimney, and let the squirrel use it to climb out. Getting said rope into the stove (Jotul downdraft catalytic) was a bit of a challenge, but I got it done. Unfortunately, the squirrel didn't seem to know what to do with it the first day with the rope, his second day in the stove. The following day, his third in the stove, I decided that he'd be more convinced to "go toward the light" if I wrapped the stove in a blanket, such that the only light he could see would be that coming down the chimney. That apparently did the trick, as he was gone when I came home from work that night.

The subsequent repair of the stove cost me several months in waiting on $650 in parts, to be shipped from Scandinavia (damn Jotul), and untold more dollars in burned heating oil.

Ha that's quite the story! Glad he made it out. When the first baby squirrel fell down in the pile of leaves, I was like what the f was that?? Then I saw it moving too!
What damage did the squirrel manage to do to your stove?

 

[Split]

I should've mentioned, squirrels are alive and well. Made a nest for them last night and gave them goats milk. Their mama came back for them last night and got them.

That's awesome! I was just about to ask.

 

[stoveliker]

I didn't want to steal the OP's thunder, but now that the thread has played out, that's exactly what happened to me. We had an odd warm day mid-winter 2012, and I let one of the stoves go out. Came home from work that evening, and was just about to open the stove to load it, when my eye caught movement behind the glass. It was an effing squirrel in the stove!

My wife and I had all sorts of fun debating what to do with him, as we imagined a soot-covered squirrel getting loose in the house, and ruining every piece of furniture and fabric surface he could find.

My father-in-law had what seemed like a good solution, to drop a rope down the chimney, and let the squirrel use it to climb out. Getting said rope into the stove (Jotul downdraft catalytic) was a bit of a challenge, but I got it done. Unfortunately, the squirrel didn't seem to know what to do with it the first day with the rope, his second day in the stove. The following day, his third in the stove, I decided that he'd be more convinced to "go toward the light" if I wrapped the stove in a blanket, such that the only light he could see would be that coming down the chimney. That apparently did the trick, as he was gone when I came home from work that night.

The subsequent repair of the stove cost me several months in waiting on $650 in parts, to be shipped from Scandinavia (damn Jotul), and untold more dollars in burned heating oil.

Good story.
WIth 4+ ft horizontal, two 90s, followed by 27 ft (with a cap), all smooth wall, I don't think even light would help. And a rope would be impossible.

If this were to happen here, I'd close all doors that are possible, cover all windows, but one - and keep that one open. I.e. indeed a "go to the light" incentive.

 

[Split]

I didn't want to steal the OP's thunder, but now that the thread has played out, that's exactly what happened to me. We had an odd warm day mid-winter 2012, and I let one of the stoves go out. Came home from work that evening, and was just about to open the stove to load it, when my eye caught movement behind the glass. It was an effing squirrel in the stove!

My wife and I had all sorts of fun debating what to do with him, as we imagined a soot-covered squirrel getting loose in the house, and ruining every piece of furniture and fabric surface he could find.

My father-in-law had what seemed like a good solution, to drop a rope down the chimney, and let the squirrel use it to climb out. Getting said rope into the stove (Jotul downdraft catalytic) was a bit of a challenge, but I got it done. Unfortunately, the squirrel didn't seem to know what to do with it the first day with the rope, his second day in the stove. The following day, his third in the stove, I decided that he'd be more convinced to "go toward the light" if I wrapped the stove in a blanket, such that the only light he could see would be that coming down the chimney. That apparently did the trick, as he was gone when I came home from work that night.

The subsequent repair of the stove cost me several months in waiting on $650 in parts, to be shipped from Scandinavia (damn Jotul), and untold more dollars in burned heating oil.

Not to change topics again but obtaining parts from Jotul was why I didn't go with the brand. My dealer said with covid and shipping things got backed up with foreign stoves. They're nice though.

 

[Ashful]

What damage did the squirrel manage to do to your stove?

Completely destroyed all of the soft refractory components which make up the secondary burn chamber. In those old stoves, the combustor got inserted into a refractory chamber, and covered with another slab of refractory. I may have replaced the combustor as well, can't remember all details now, as this was ten years ago. I took the chance while waiting two months for parts, to do a nearly-full tear-down and rebuild of the stove, which meant miles of gasket, cement, some paint, etc.

 

[ispinwool]

I gotcha. When they put the new chimney cover plate on they took the square plate off. I wonder if they used a clamp or not. Either way the liner is all the way up for sure so I'm not too worried about that.
If I replace my cap with something like I've attached, I should be good to go right? I wanted a cap like that, but they claim it'll kill the draft and it won't burn right. I don't think it'll be an issue, but wanted to double check with you guys

We got a "bird proof" cap when we had our chimney installed...every year we get at least one bird in the stove. Generally they're Grackles which are kinda big.