creosote or just soot?

[kversch]

temps were warm today so I took the time to clean out the chimmney. I was wondering if you guys could give me some insite as to how I'm doing. I've been burning wood that's a bit on the high side of moisture reading but not crazy high mostly in the mid 20's

Is this kind of build up something I should be worried about and be on the look out for? Or is the shinny crunchy black coal like build up what I should be on the watch for?

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[webby3650]

That looks like normal build up. How tall is the chimney?

 

[zig]

Looks fine depending on how much wood have you gone through.

 

[saskwoodburner]

Doesn't look too bad to me. I get fine fluffy stuff all the way up except for the top couple inches, and then it's like the bigger stuff you have there.

 

[kversch]

That looks like normal build up. How tall is the chimney?

Around 15 feet outside.

Looks fine depending on how much wood have you gone through.

Since last clean out around one cord. Hard to say exactly since I've been pulling out the oak to let sit another season.

Doesn't look too bad to me. I get fine fluffy stuff all the way up except for the top couple inches, and then it's like the bigger stuff you have there.

That's exactly how this was all the big darker stuff came from the top 4-6 feet.


So if this is normal build up. Would it be safe to say I can burn for the re,winder of the winder season 2ish months without doing another cleaning till the end of the season. Then next year with better wood do I still need to clean so much or can I just do it one time?

 

[zig]

Not too shabby for a cord. Your on the right track. Hell my cap gets that much off it.

 

[BobUrban]

"So if this is normal build up. Would it be safe to say I can burn for the re,winder of the winder season 2ish months without doing another cleaning till the end of the season. Then next year with better wood do I still need to clean so much or can I just do it one time?"

The answer to your question above is: YES. NO. MOST LIKELY MAYBE

There is no one answer so it is really up to you. Best practice until you are certain what is going on up there is to clean. But we(myself included) can get rather anal about the cleaning. Especially in the first few seasons. I cleaned 3-4 times my first year then changed stoves so did the same my second season w the 30. Now I don't worry much about it because I know the stove. The system and my wood and how it does bla bla bla. But if you are still getting a feel for all of that and burning different wood and moisture levels etc. it is best to at least take a peak. If you have access w a flashlight just look. If it looks like it did before this clean out then keep on burning.

My personal rule is looking rather than guessing is a best practice when it comes to staying alive and protecting my family. Even if my family is just me and a dog. I sleep better after a peak.

 

[jatoxico]

To me that looks like creosote but not too bad. If it's sweepable (no glaze) you're doing pretty OK. My first three seasons or so that's what I got. After adding a block-off plate and insulating above the damper etc I started getting the more chocolate brown fluffy stuff which is better.