Our New Fireplace Insert was installed last August. We can burn wood for only one month and the cap at the top of the chimney is blocked with creosote and I have to go up on the roof and take off the cap and clean it. We only burn dry wood, Only burn hot fires now, tried using creosote powder, But I can't go for four weeks to a month with out having to clean the clogged cap . Is the problem that I have only a 6 inch tube coming from my insert to the 6 inch cap??? Any one have a good solution?? Would the creosote logs help? How about the creo soot spray? I'm desperate for a solution.
Creosote Problem
- Thread starter MartyinDivide
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Need some info here. What insert? What wood and how do you know it is dry? Type and height of chimney? What stove top temps do you run?
That'll get us started.
That'll get us started.
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
Also, is it a screen that is clogged? And have you inspected the rest of the chimney for creosote build-up?
Screens sometimes get clogged with light fluffy material that can be blown off although one month seems a little soon. We really need to know about the wood supply because it may not be as dry as you think. The wood's moisture content is the number one culprit for creosote.
Screens sometimes get clogged with light fluffy material that can be blown off although one month seems a little soon. We really need to know about the wood supply because it may not be as dry as you think. The wood's moisture content is the number one culprit for creosote.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
USMC80
Minister of Fire
as others stated we need more info. My money is on the wood.
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
At this point i am wondering if the question was real? Why has the OP not checked for responses? Maybe he thinks its like one of those dead forums where it takes 2 days to get a response or 2?
I hope you are not burning cardboard in your stove. That could be one option not mentioned yet. Otherwise, how do you know that your wood is dry? Just because your supplier said so is no guarantee. In fact, most firewood you buy as "seasoned" rarely is. Buy a moisture meter (~$20), split some pieces of your wood and measure the freshly exposed surface. That will tell you if you really have dry wood.
NortheastAl
Minister of Fire
Marty, welcome to the forums. I hope you are not feeling intimidated by the questions, cause everyone here is very knowledgeable and helpful. If your problem is this severe, there is something amiss. We wouldn't want you having a chimney fire. So please, let us help.
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
moisture meters can be had even cheaper on ebay, you have to wait for them to come from HOng Kong but for $13 on an item that you dont need today its no big deal.
Looking at the time he posted, perhaps he has limited time to spend on the computer. He'll probably be back this evening and we wish him luck. Rather than state the obvious, I'll wait until we get more information.
![[Hearth.com] Creosote Problem](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/106/106952-7efb58bd31d9dbc2b70e14e8ca2cdb95.jpg?hash=fvtYvTHZ28 "[Hearth.com] Creosote Problem"){kind=small}
ridemgis
Feeling the Heat
At this point Marty might be afraid to come back! ;-)
I do think its pretty awesome that I'm not the only one so jazzed about wood burning that I'm making popcorn as this thread develops. What a great place to hang around and learn new stuff!
I do think its pretty awesome that I'm not the only one so jazzed about wood burning that I'm making popcorn as this thread develops. What a great place to hang around and learn new stuff!
He'll be back. He hasn't logged in since the post. Probably has, like, a job or something.
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
wonder if the liner is insulated (maybe exterior chimney) how much liner is exposed at the top,? blockoff plate installed?
need to find where the heat is being diffused from the stack to carry enough stack temp out the top he's in Co where exempt units aren't sold, said was a "new" insert so should be an EPA unit, OP says burning dry wood (taken with a grain of salt as without a meter is dry really seasoned?) assuming so, we need to look at temp loss in the flue IMHO. altitude and negative pressure could play into this but the OP doesn't mention sluggish light offs so im thinking thats not the cause. just gotta keep more heat in the top of the flue
need to find where the heat is being diffused from the stack to carry enough stack temp out the top he's in Co where exempt units aren't sold, said was a "new" insert so should be an EPA unit, OP says burning dry wood (taken with a grain of salt as without a meter is dry really seasoned?) assuming so, we need to look at temp loss in the flue IMHO. altitude and negative pressure could play into this but the OP doesn't mention sluggish light offs so im thinking thats not the cause. just gotta keep more heat in the top of the flue
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
Don't think its altitude or a warm flue? We don't here the guys in cantinadia or Alaska saying that their caps block after a month
key is staying out of the creosote zone <212F through the duration of the fire a flue liner by itself does not necessarily hold heat all that well by itself. it relies on trapped heat surrounding it so if the heat is not trapped its hard to keep that temp high enough. i did mention that it could come into play but with the other details the OP gave us it leads me away from that as the primary cause
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