- Dec 1, 2005
- 71
I’m new to the world of wood stoves, and am wondering how to keep my newly installed stove and chimney liner clean. So I have a few questions for the veterans about how creosote buildup happens
I understand that running the stove hot will reduce creosote. Is that because the gasses that end up in the flue are cleaner, or because hot stove means hot flue with good draft, so less lingering, cooling gasses? what exactly is it and under what conditions does it form deposits.
I usually keep my stove running around 500 degrees, almost completely dampered down (burning oak for the most part). I have a 30 foot interior chimney w/ an insulated flex liner in it. When the stove is at 500, the stove pipe a few feet up will be only at around 200. I assume it just gets cooler the higher up the flue one measures. But I have very strong draft (hence need to damper down). So what should I do to minimize creosote buildup, and how often should I clean (and how can I tell when it needs it—i.e. what counts as dirty? A thin film, ¼ inch chunks?)
also, do these burn-one-a-month creosote reducing logs work? worth using or not?\
thanks
I understand that running the stove hot will reduce creosote. Is that because the gasses that end up in the flue are cleaner, or because hot stove means hot flue with good draft, so less lingering, cooling gasses? what exactly is it and under what conditions does it form deposits.
I usually keep my stove running around 500 degrees, almost completely dampered down (burning oak for the most part). I have a 30 foot interior chimney w/ an insulated flex liner in it. When the stove is at 500, the stove pipe a few feet up will be only at around 200. I assume it just gets cooler the higher up the flue one measures. But I have very strong draft (hence need to damper down). So what should I do to minimize creosote buildup, and how often should I clean (and how can I tell when it needs it—i.e. what counts as dirty? A thin film, ¼ inch chunks?)
also, do these burn-one-a-month creosote reducing logs work? worth using or not?\
thanks