Exterior Chimney Residue

[Sconnie Burner]

Noticed some transparent light brown drips about halfway around running down from the cap area on my stainless chimney. The run down about 1.5 feet or so. I had some icicles on it earlier when it was really cold. I don't want to stain anything if possible.

I had the same thing in the little bit I burned last year but it seemed to more or less washoff in the spring/summer rains. My wood is all near 20% (+/- 2%) on random checks before going in the stove.

Exterior pipe temp is 350 and stove is between 600-675 while cruising. I do see spikes a tad over 400 on the pipe while getting back to temp on reload. When checking my chimney, I sometimes see a really light white smoke or possibly vapor coming out when its cruising. Am I doing something wrong? I plan on getting up on the roof to check into it more this weekend and investigate. Just wondering what I should look for.

 

[pen]

I don't see a need to climb up there other than it never hurts to look at things if it's safe to do so.

In all, that's the nature of the beast and it sounds like things are spot on.

The main thing to check with a new install, if there are concerns, is the cap. If things are burning cleanly, it'll show up on there and obstruct flow. Rather than climb on the roof, if you can view it with binoculars, I'd start there.... but again, in all, it's just the nature of the beast and nothing about what you described gives me a reason for concern.

Good luck,

pen

 

[Sconnie Burner]

Thanks pen. I appreciate the info. I will still go up on the roof if weather permits. I pulled the clean out cap off the T last night and had about half a tablespoon of flakey creosote sitting on it. This was after a half month of shoulder fires morning and night. And 3 weeks of 24/7 burning. Not really concerned, but going to run the brush down it for piece of mind. As I am still learning how to run the stove and was shutting it down a bit early on reloads I think. I have definitely gotten it dialed in a little better now though than a month ago.

 

[pen]

Does your setup permit you to run the brush up through the chimney? If you can view the cap and see it's clear, and doesn't need it's own scrubbing with a brush, then I'd clean things from the bottom up.

Don't forget to check connector pipes in the house at some point too.

pen

 

[Sconnie Burner]

I am renting the property from a friend and he left a brush on a rope that I used from the top down. I could buy the fiberglass rods to do it from the bottom. Do they go through 45 degrees okay? Only have one to go through. I cleaned the connection pipes in the house this spring and the were very clean. I plan on checking them mid season.

 

[pen]

I am renting the property from a friend and he left a brush on a rope that I used from the top down. I could buy the fiberglass rods to do it from the bottom. Do they go through 45 degrees okay? Only have one to go through. I cleaned the connection pipes in the house this spring and the were very clean. I plan on checking them mid season.

Naw, I thought by you saying that you took the T off that maybe you had a straight shot up, from the bottom of the chimney. 45 is going to be too much for any rods that I've used / owned.

Sounds like you have a good plan. Stick to it.

pen