Hello everyone. Over the weekend I noticed a few of these chunks in the yard. They were very light and crumbled in my fingers. I'm guessing it was buildup around the screen on the chimney cap that broke loose with a good hot fire and some wind. I just wanted to gather opinions on it? I do plan to have the chimney cleaned at some point before next burning season. Our burning season is about to wind down. Burn mostly dried hardwoods, although the past month I was running low so wood was mediocre. Also burn some dried pine or cedar to get a really hot fire sometimes. My wife will run a slow fire during the day and when I get home the glass on the stove is dirty, so I have explained to her slow fires cause more problems than my burning dried pine, which she still believes the myths about. Guessing I had a hot fire after some of her slow burns and it busted the stuff off the screen. Any thoughts? Been burning a season and a half in a 6" triple wall pipe. Have a drolet savannah stove. Been very satisfied with it. Thanks for any input!
Creosote stuff
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![[Hearth.com] Creosote stuff](/talk/data/attachments/155/155493-eefe0d5b4dddb277df2c1233a0d05261.jpg?hash=e5JZ-a_PcB)
Is that chunk really light?
If it is it might be stage two.
It could be creo that has caught on fire and then expanded.
If it is it might be stage two.
It could be creo that has caught on fire and then expanded.
Warm_in_NH
Minister of Fire
Looks like the flaky powdery chunks I've seen build up on our cap in CT where the wood is sub par oak.
Blows off in the wind, turns to power in your hands.
Is is a sign of poor burning techniques and or wet wood, but I've had it on the cap and have found the pipe to be fairly clear. But it's worth checking the pipe out if it's easy enough to do.
The cap is usually the coldest spot and has the most contact with the smoke, thus, it is often the fist place to show signs of build up.
Blows off in the wind, turns to power in your hands.
Is is a sign of poor burning techniques and or wet wood, but I've had it on the cap and have found the pipe to be fairly clear. But it's worth checking the pipe out if it's easy enough to do.
The cap is usually the coldest spot and has the most contact with the smoke, thus, it is often the fist place to show signs of build up.
Thanks for the replies guys. This is what I had suspected. The wood we have been burning of late hasn't been the best, not the worst, but not optimal either. I didn't plan accordingly last year for this winter. It literally will crumble in my hands, so very fragile stuff. I can probably inspect my pipe this week and its going to be warm enough I may not burn but a day or so this week. Thanks again!
Warm_in_NH
Minister of Fire
What do you mean by burnt? Lime chimney fire burnt? It looks exactly like the stuff on the cap of my stove in CT where the wife burns wet oak all day long.
It was a brand new system (class A exterior) and was getting build up ok the cap within a 1/2 a cord of burning and the pipe was still good. I know for a fact there was never a fire.
I value your posts and find them very informative, just trying to figure out what you mean by "burnt"? Is the pic of something other than cap build up?
Pic is of smaller chunk as it's not as dirty as it was last time when there were fingers of flaky creosote between the baffles.
![[Hearth.com] Creosote stuff](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/155/155544-312d0aabd7f610a9e2d2ff8c0141cfa7.jpg?hash=h38m6z02Tr "[Hearth.com] Creosote stuff")
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I am with bholler on this one. Had enough chimney fires and cleaned that expanded sote out of the chimney with the old stove enough to recognize it in a heartbeat.
If the flue lit off the pipe is gonna be sqeaky clean. After one I used to have a clean chimney and a pile of that stuff behind the insert.
Warm_in_NH
Minister of Fire
Huh. I get what you're saying. I think I'm interpreting the posters pic to what I know, not what it could be.
The stuff I found was quite happy just hanging out and growing know the cap but came off real easy with a little nudge or wind.
From what you guys are saying this stuff is more like a cheeto or one of those magic snakes. A solid that burnt and puffed up to ne what it is now?
I apologize for my ignorance, but at least I'm trying to do something about it.
The stuff I found was quite happy just hanging out and growing know the cap but came off real easy with a little nudge or wind.
From what you guys are saying this stuff is more like a cheeto or one of those magic snakes. A solid that burnt and puffed up to ne what it is now?
I apologize for my ignorance, but at least I'm trying to do something about it.
I've only had one chimney fire but as mentioned several times above, it appears you have to.
After I lit the pipe off there was a load of that stuff still in the flue. The hole that was left through the center was so small in diameter that it reminded me of that expanding foam sealer.
After I lit the pipe off there was a load of that stuff still in the flue. The hole that was left through the center was so small in diameter that it reminded me of that expanding foam sealer.
Good morning guys, I'm attaching some pics of the inside of the pipe. It looked decently clean to me. I opened it up yesterday evening. I could take my finger and swipe out anything that you see in the pictures. I'm thinking this junk just fell off the cap. I'm a firefighter too by the way and have seen my share of fires. I'm generally paranoid enough it irritates my wife.
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![[Hearth.com] Creosote stuff](/talk/data/attachments/155/155595-c6b2615e9103f252390d279768a42ba9.jpg?hash=65ZMB8oWIf)
Also, what was interesting to me, when I removed the clean-out cap, there was very little soot and ash, maybe an inch worth sitting in the cap. I've been burning almost non-stop since the last week of October this season. Last year we burned for 6-7 weeks and I had about 2-3 inches of soot and ash when I took the clean-out off.
Looks good! That piece of creosite in your hand still looks burnt to my eyes. But I doubt it came out of that chimney, probably off the cap.
If it was burnt creosite it should have been thick and puffy, obviously expanded. It would break something like dried up styrofoam in your hand.
If it was burnt creosite it should have been thick and puffy, obviously expanded. It would break something like dried up styrofoam in your hand.
I appreciate everyone's time and input on this. This is truly a great place that not only provides information for folks learning, but in that educational process I'm sure many a fire has been prevented thus saving property and potentially lives, so thanks for all you guys do in providing guidance. After having a look up our pipe I feel much more comfortable in lighting off another fire or five, depending if we get anymore hints of winter. Its too early for us to be done, but we've warmed substantially around here after thawing out last week and I know we are done burning 24/7 for any extended period for this season. Time to go prepare for next season!
What some would call "paranoia" I call being "proactive" when it comes to fire safety and fire prevention.
I would rather deal with folks thinking I was going a little overboard . . . than deal with the aftermath of a house fire.
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