Creosote problem

[Woodsplitter]

New member here -- not new to wood heat

A friend has a Vigilant stove that produces a LOT of creosote in the chimney. It is an 8" single wall stove pipe 9 feet straight up from stove to ceiling flange then about 3 feet of double wall pipe outside. The stove is satisfactory otherwise, but the creosote buildup is excessive -- a double handful of good sized flakes every few days.

Does anyone have comments or suggestions?

 

[MrGriz]

Sounds like he's not burning hot enough for one reason or another. With that short stack the stove may not be drafting well. I would check the manual and see what their minimum recommended chimney height is. It could also be wet wood.

 

[KeithO]

Try burning seasoned wood.... ???? Load fewer (possibly smaller) splits and burn with more air (not chock full and with the air closed). Get a Condor flue thermometer and use it. Keep the flue gas between 400 and 900F and you should have no problem. Check for other "operator error" like leaving the bypass open. Thats all I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[babalu87]

Wood isnt dry enough , needs to be 20% moisture or less
Not burning hot enough

 

[BrotherBart]

Try not burning wood in a stove that was designed for coal.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Also just double wall pipe above the roof line. Should use something like a metalbestus (spelling?) chimney. With double wall pipe at the top this would cause the smoke to cool pretty fast resulting in creosote.

 

[swestall]

Are those flakes falling back into the stove? What is actually in the stack?( is it black and shiny or flaky?) You could use double wall part way up inside and triple wall outside, extending outside another foot or so. Agree with other comments on stack temp and Condar therm, wood and etc. But, you have the wood, you have: keep the stack temp up and you should not have such a problem. Perhaps its not cold enough yet and they are damping down to control heat: comment on smaller fires applies then. Hope your problem goes away...when it actually gets cold...

 

[struggle]

I had a Vigilant and all it did was create creosoote. I rebuilt the stove entirely peice by peice and it was even worse then. I also had problems with the existing chimney as well with some cracked clay tiles. I relined the chimney and bought a new stove and it burns super clean.

When I brushed it last year all I had was powder from the chimney that might fill a pop bottle up but that was it.

I could fill a five gallon bucket with the Vigilant.

My sugestion is to replace it if possible. Hands down the newer stoves are far better in performance than the non epa ones. I also use at least a 1/3 less wood and get more heat now.

 

[Harley]

That seems to be a lot, and like others, Id first check the wood and make sure it is well seasoned. The could be some blockage in the air inlet holes in the bottom of the firebox. The older Vigilants are a decent heater, but they are far from really clean.

 

[Woodsplitter]

Thanks everyone. You have provided food for thought and some likely directions toward solution. The stove owners are watching this thread and appreciate all information provided.

Their wood is well seasoned. Stack temp seems like a place to start. The creosote flakes are large (and shiny if I remember correctly) and they drop into the stove if the pipe is hit or the bore brushed (hands full).

I'll report back. If other ideas occur to anyone, we will keep watching the thread and have email notification of posts to the thread turned on.

BTW, my ID refers to splitting with a maul -- several to many cords per year.

Thanks again.