Did you brush the chimney yet?

[jetsam]

There is a clay liner. Also I’m in the process of having the chimney lined with insulated pipe, thinking that will help too. I was going to replace my stove this fall because it’s oversized but after talking to the manufacturer I decided to try a few things they suggested first. But that’s for another thread.

I think after making the changes I did then I’ll probably be making less creosote. Also the chimney just would not come clean when we bought the house so I have been running some of the creosote chemicals to try to get some of the really hard stuff to loosen up and I think that’s contributing to it. I use a spot eater and brush both fwiw.

See all the people up the thread that are getting a cup or two of ash and creosote when they sweep?

An insulated liner is going to help you a lot. Creosote needs cool temperatures to condense, and a big old clay chimney is perfect.

A big short hot fire is going to make less creosote than a long cool fire with the same wood because the flue stays much hotter for the first one.

With an insulated liner you won't have to worry about it and you can burn however you like.

 

[Doc C]

How long has the wood been seasoned after splitting and stacking?

My wood is all very well seasoned and I use a moisture meter on all my rows randomly. Most of my wood is 3 years old and my moisture is usually considerably less then 10%. The hardest wood we have in our area is paper birch. We have mainly pines and fir trees.

 

[begreen]

My wood is all very well seasoned and I use a moisture meter on all my rows randomly. Most of my wood is 3 years old and my moisture is usually considerably less then 10%. The hardest wood we have in our area is paper birch. We have mainly pines and fir trees.

Could be fine. Fir usually dries quickly after being split. How are you testing the wood? 10% is very low. Is it being tested on a freshly split face of the wood and not the end grain? If the wood is skookum then it's likely that the flue system is cooling down the flue gases too much. 30' can be a long run thru masonry, especially if the chimney is exterior.

 

[Doc C]

Could be fine. Fir usually dries quickly after being split. How are you testing the wood? 10% is very low. Is it being tested on a freshly split face of the wood and not the end grain? If the wood is skookum then it's likely that the flue system is cooling down the flue gases too much. 30' can be a long run thru masonry, especially if the chimney is exterior.

I am on a rotating 3 year burn cycle and some wood goes into the 4th year depending on the weather.

I test the way you mention above. Also I drop trees in the winter and then late winter early spring I CSS.

My wood is VERY dry. I almost wondered if some is getting too dry. My shed is open on the sides and faces the prevailing wind and gets lots of sun. The top is covered well.

Chimney is interior until the attic obviously.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

cleaned mine in may, don't want that creosote sitting in there any longer than needed and i like to get it done while im able. Never know when something happens and you're not physically able to get up there and do it.

 

[Gotrek]

I sooteatered mine for the first time. Didn't want o disconnect the pipe so I ran it up the bypass door on my BK, gave it a good cleaning, got maybe 1/4 cup of stuff. Then used my hand to clean around the bypass and get the junk out from up there. Then I ran a really hot fire since it was cold that day