Fighting creosote mid-winter

[shredit]

any products that work that I can burn that will help fight creosote? I'm trying to avoid having to stop burning. I've always seen these logs, sprays etc but wondering if anybody has actually used them or if it's just a gimmick.

 

[edyit]

what are you burning that is giving you so much creosote? can you describe your set up and burning habits? maybe an adjustment to something there will be of more help. as for the creosote burning products, i believe that they don't get rid of creosote, they just turn it into an easier cleaning form.

 

[jcapler]

I can’t say that this works for sure but I do burn a product in my stove that may or may not help. I lean toward the fact it helps but I have no proof and wouldn’t bet my life on it. I can send a picture of the container when I get home.


Woodpro WS-TS-2000

 

[Doc C]

I use the spray from Rutland daily. Also use the powder a couple times a week. Then clean my chimney in January and spring. I have a masonry chimney for now so I get more creosote then the average bear with the EPA stoves.

I have seen a noticeable difference in amount of cresote but there is no way it will replace a good cleaning once or twice a year.

 

[begreen]

In a cat stove you'll want to be careful about poisoning the cat. The best solution is to eliminate the causes of creosote buildup. Keep the flue gases hot enough to stop creosote condensation. Double-wall stove pipe, softening 90º turns, insulated liner (if appropriate) and dry wood make a difference. Dry wood burned right without smoldering in a modern stove with a good flue system will eliminate most creosote issues, especially in winter when one is burning hotter.

 

[firefighterjake]

No replacement for displacement . . . oops . . . wrong forum for this.

As others have said the general consensus here and at the local woodstove shop is that the sprays, powder and logs (i.e. Chimney Sweeping Log) don't magically clean the chimney with all of the creosote loosening up and falling down contrary to the nicely done cartoon pictures, but they do help convert the really bad creosote into a more sweepable form. Generally, it doesn't hurt to use these . . . but . . .

As BeGreen mentioned if you burn well seasoned wood at the right temps (not too hot, not too cold -- just Goldilocks Zone) you will greatly reduce the amount of creosote produced . . . but again . . . it may still not be enough to forego a mid-winter sweep.

Me . . . I sweep every month . . . but I have to confess I don't really need to (and have been known to skip one month) . . . I mainly do the sweep since it's quick and easy for me . . . and if I ever had a chimney fire I would never hear the end of it from the guys at work. In my case I can do the sweep after an overnight fire . . . sometimes the chimney is warm, but not hot . . . this may not work for you however if you have to partially dismantle your stove or move it out of the way obviously.

 

[jcapler]

Finally made it back to posting that pic. This is the stuff I have used. I don’t follow the direction on usage, recommended every 3 burn. I use it about once a month, I had almost no build up last year. Can’t say if this helped or not.

 

[webby3650]

Adjusting your burning practices is the best remedy. Even in a masonry flue you wouldn’t have much build up if the wood was dry.

 

[Doc C]

Adjusting your burning practices is the best remedy. Even in a masonry flue you wouldn’t have much build up if the wood was dry.

I would add the caveat that you shouldn't get much creosote with a masonry chimney and dry wood burning in the proper temp range.

I had very dry wood but had to burn way to cool and ended up with a ton of creosote in my masonry chimney.

 

[webby3650]

No replacement for displacement . . . oops . . . wrong forum for this.

As others have said the general consensus here and at the local woodstove shop is that the sprays, powder and logs (i.e. Chimney Sweeping Log) don't magically clean the chimney with all of the creosote loosening up and falling down contrary to the nicely done cartoon pictures, but they do help convert the really bad creosote into a more sweepable form. Generally, it doesn't hurt to use these . . . but . . .

As BeGreen mentioned if you burn well seasoned wood at the right temps (not too hot, not too cold -- just Goldilocks Zone) you will greatly reduce the amount of creosote produced . . . but again . . . it may still not be enough to forego a mid-winter sweep.

Me . . . I sweep every month . . . but I have to confess I don't really need to (and have been known to skip one month) . . . I mainly do the sweep since it's quick and easy for me . . . and if I ever had a chimney fire I would never hear the end of it from the guys at work. In my case I can do the sweep after an overnight fire . . . sometimes the chimney is warm, but not hot . . . this may not work for you however if you have to partially dismantle your stove or move it out of the way obviously.

Holy crap! I clean annually only as a preventative. I’m certain I could go 2 or 3 years without any problems.

 

[Doc C]

I have to clean 2 times a year. Once in January and once in spring or summer. With the smaller stove I'm thinking I can cut that down to just summer. We will see.

 

[Poindexter]

When my combustor face gets gunked up with fly ash and i am looking at an uscheduled shut down to deal with that (twice last season) what i do is not load any more wood in the am, leave the air at wide open, and then when i get home from work just shovel everything out of the firebox and carry it to the metal ash can out doors.

Get the maintenance done and relight. Probably good for the oil furnace to get a little exercise every once in a while too.

 

[begreen]

Holy crap! I clean annually only as a preventative. I’m certain I could go 2 or 3 years without any problems.

Likewise. The cleanings from the last 3 years combined would be just over a quart.

 

[firefighterjake]

Holy crap! I clean annually only as a preventative. I’m certain I could go 2 or 3 years without any problems.

Truthfully . . . once a year would most likely suffice. I get very little creosote . . . some fly away soot. But I've kinda got into a routine, a habit, if you would . . .

 

[aansorge]

I clean my Blaze King twice a year and it needs it. My non-cat EPA fireplace makes almost zero creosote so I clean it once every two years just to get nothing. I do burn more in my Blaze King, but it definitely has lower flue temps so plates out more creosote.

A good EPA non-cat on dry wood should make next to nothing in creosote production so your wood is wet. Use wood that has dried 2 to 3 years.

 

[kennyp2339]

I clean twice a year weather permitting, I'm confident I can go a whole season without sweeping but I choose to do a mid winter clean out just to see how I'm doing. As a fire fighter I like to have that peace of mind of not worrying about a potential chimney fire. In my opinion I think that manual sweeping is much better than shoving a chemical log and hope that it burns / works correctly

 

[webby3650]

I clean twice a year weather permitting, I'm confident I can go a whole season without sweeping but I choose to do a mid winter clean out just to see how I'm doing. As a fire fighter I like to have that peace of mind of not worrying about a potential chimney fire. In my opinion I think that manual sweeping is much better than shoving a chemical log and hope that it burns / works correctly

The chemical logs and spray were never intended to replace a chimney cleaning. Although, many folks mistakenly believe that.

 

[BKVP]

No replacement for displacement . . . oops . . . wrong forum for this.

No it's not!