Creosote

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Trey1979

Feeling the Heat
Sep 20, 2018
273
Mississippi
All this came off the top of the baffle insulation is this normal could it be from the cap? Could this be dangerous ?
[Hearth.com] Creosote
 
Looks more like soot and ash than creosote. Not dangerous.
 
Is that before sweeping the chimney or after?
 
Is that after you had swept the chimney? If so, nothing to worry about. If not, you need to sweep your chimney.
 
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I just cut the top out of a gallon milk jug and it filled it 3 quarters full is that alot considering i burned 2 year old dead fall trees mostly pecan and ash?
I burn oak, seasoned for 2 years before I used the kiln, in a stove under 22 foot chimney. Never had more than 2 - 3 cups soot.
 
3 quarts would be a lot for our chimney too.
 
I had an external chimney that would produce that. I always figured it was due to a lot of horizontal single wall before it entered the chimney.
 
If I recall correctly you started out last season with purchased wood of uncertain, interior moisture content. That may explain the larger batch of soot. If you are going into this season with well-seasoned wood then the accumulation should be less.
 
If you are going into this season with well-seasoned wood then the accumulation should be less.
that alot considering i burned 2 year old dead fall trees mostly pecan and ash?
Even deadfall will need to be split and stacked for a couple years, three for Red Oak. Get a moisture meter and check a fresh split yearly to see where you are at.
What is a good moisture meter to buy?
I got a Harbor Freight cheapy for $14 but it uses button-cell batteries, which I don't like. A box-store building center should have other brands. I got a General from HD or Lowe's, don't recall which, years ago. The wires for the 9V battery crapped out after a while, though. It was about $30 at the time.
 
If I recall correctly you started out last season with purchased wood of uncertain, interior moisture content. That may explain the larger batch of soot. If you are going into this season with well-seasoned wood then the accumulation should be less.
Im going to get me a meater but probably going to be the same situation this year because we had a flood from December until July a record number of days the Mississippi river was above flood stage so next year i plan on getting ahead
 
Yes, it has been very damp. Get some cords now for next year. A lot of hardwood takes 2 yrs to dry out.
 
I've never used a moisture meter before....what's the method and what is the acceptable moisture range?
Moisture readers are easy to get (Amazon, Harbor Freight, etc.) and you should have 20% or below before the wood is ready to burn.