creosote check

[tabner]

I've been burning since November, about 2 cords so far, haven't cleaned anything. I looked down my chimney liner, from the roof, in late December, and it looked really good. Haven't checked anything since then. Took my stove pipe apart today to take a quick peek, pics are below.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being perfect, and 10 being "i don't know how you haven't burnt your house down yet"...what would you all rate this?

I cleaned this all out really well, and vacuumed out through the thimble and the bottom of the T. Am I OK to burn a little bit more over the next couple weeks? or based off these pics, should I keep the stove cold until I have a chance to clean the full chimney in the summer?

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I’m a layperson so take this with a big grain of salt. It sounds like you swept the stovepipe clear of the drier powdery buildup. I looks like you have some glazing in your stovepipe, which if that remains could be an issue.
Another unknown is how the liner itself looks now. Sounds like you felt good about it staying pretty clean by mid-season but it’s unclear what buildup may have developed since then.
I’d be curious how the professionals on here feel about the glazed buildup in some of the pics.

 

[tabner]

I’m a layperson so take this with a big grain of salt. It sounds like you swept the stovepipe clear of the drier powdery buildup. I looks like you have some glazing in your stovepipe, which if that remains could be an issue.
Another unknown is how the liner itself looks now. Sounds like you felt good about it staying pretty clean by mid-season but it’s unclear what buildup may have developed since then.
I’d be curious how the professionals on here feel about the glazed buildup in some of the pics.

Thanks, i agree with you. I do have some glazed creosote, but it doesn’t come off easily. I have a a sooteater, but it doesn’t seem to do much to the thin glazing.

 

[stoveliker]

The question is whether that thin layer will be grown twice as thick next season, three times the season after that.

So, while this does not seem bad *yet*, and I think (@bholler?) you can burn a few more weeks without significant risk, I would look into burning habits (how much air/smoldering) and/or wood dryness (moisture meter?) and/or flue temps (probe; hotter) to avoid further build up.

 

[MAD MARK]

I give it a 5.

Id continue to burn this season but would change something come next year.

 

[tabner]

The question is whether that thin layer will be grown twice as thick next season, three times the season after that.

So, while this does not seem bad *yet*, and I think (@bholler?) you can burn a few more weeks without significant risk, I would look into burning habits (how much air/smoldering) and/or wood dryness (moisture meter?) and/or flue temps (probe; hotter) to avoid further build up.

Thanks. Yes I certainly agree I need to improve a few things. Mainly I’m finding that my wood under tarps is not as dry as I thought - gonna build a woodshed. Also my top down fires are not taking off as quickly as they should - more practice, I am getting better.

 

[stoveliker]

The latter could also be due to the former.

 

[bholler]

I would give it a 5 as well. But I would atleast check the top it could be pretty bad from what I see there

 

[MongoMongoson]

A creosote catalyzer used before you sweep can help you remove light glazing.

I have observed one spot in my stove pipe where I get light glaze. It is where I have a 45 entering a cleanout T. I likely have turbulence combined with leaky fittings drawing in air there. The consumer-grade double wall stove pipe I use doesn't fit together snugly at all joints.

I have noted the light glaze, burned a CSL (creosote sweeping log) then 5 days later looked at the pipe again. The light glaze puffs up and gets converted into something the soot eater can remove.

The product does NOT remove creosote. It does not sweep it. All it does is to make it easier to remove mechanically.

Consider giving it a try to help you get the glaze you currently have removed. Then keep working on your wood storage and burning techniques to prevent future glaze.

 

[tabner]

photos from down the top of the chimney. So definitely has an even coating of glazed creosote down the whole thing. However it's not super thick. I scratched through some with my screwdriver, and it's about as thick as a coating of oil based paint. Maybe a mm or less.
How do we feel about burning now?
Also, how on earth do you clean this stuff, no way is a sooteater going to scrape this out of the valleys in the liner. Is the Creo log the best thing?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I think you'll be fine to burn the rest of this year. The above advice is good.

 

[tabner]

This is the product I grabbed. Is it ok to run this thru my cat?

 

[bholler]

This is the product I grabbed. Is it ok to run this thru my cat?

View attachment 293358

Nope. Can't use any of those products with a cat

 

[stoveliker]

That's what my manual says too.

I wonder though (minds wander...) if I save an old cat and a piece of gasket. What if I take my good cat out, put a dead cat in (the rectangular kind...), build a nice hot fire (because I don't have a working cat in there), use the log, build another nice hot fire without the log (cleaning the firebox of any remnants of the creo log), cool down, sweep, put my good cat back in.

Would that be a problem?

I have no need for this, but I often think about what can go wrong, contingencies etc...

 

[tabner]

Nope. Can't use any of those products with a cat

Thanks. So what would you recommend for removing the creosote glaze I have? Would you agree that my sooteater is really not going to do much on the smooth glaze?

 

[bholler]

Thanks. So what would you recommend for removing the creosote glaze I have? Would you agree that my sooteater is really not going to do much on the smooth glaze?

A rotary cleaner will probably get most of it off

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'd just pull the cat and burn the log. Then brush the pipe. Run a small, hot fore after you're done cleaning if you're worried about residue.