Glazed creosote and new liner

[2broke2ride]

I have a masonry chimney with 8x8 clay tile liner. I have been using it for two seasons with an old smoke dragon and who knows how much the previous owner used it. I would like to reline it with a flex liner but it has a buildup of glazed creosote, what are my do it myself options here? Break out the tiles? Start hammering it with creosote removal powder? It has had this buildup since I was trying to burn crappy wood last year and struggling with the thermostatic draft on my stove shutting itself off, even had a minor chimney fire on Christmas Eve last year[emoji53] I've been running it hot hot, like 500 surface temp on the single wall and putting in creosote powder every load in hopes to have the glaze broken down by the time I'm ready to do this in the spring. I'm re lining my other chimney right now and need to save money to do this one.

 

[jb6l6gc]

Could you not just manually brush it as clean as possible and put an insulated liner down it???

 

[Starstuff]

I think if you insulated the liner (which you might need to do anyway) you'd be good to go. I'm assuming you plan to attach the liner to a new EPA stove/insert, right? Because if you plan to use a stainless liner with a smoke dragon....

 

[rwhite]

Pull the insert, brush the living H**l out of the chimney, have inspected, and clean behind the smoke shelf (removing the damper if necessary). Install an insulated liner with block off plate then reinsert stove. Easy Peasy.

 

[2broke2ride]

I think if you insulated the liner (which you might need to do anyway) you'd be good to go. I'm assuming you plan to attach the liner to a new EPA stove/insert, right? Because if you plan to use a stainless liner with a smoke dragon....

What is wrong with using a stainless liner with a non-epa stove? My creosote problem is because I can't keep the oversized clay liner hot enough all the way up and out even with my "smoke dragon" so creosote forms mostly at the top two or three tiles. Anyway, short answer, yes I intend to keep my current wood furnace at least for a few years yet. I have modified it so it no longer relies on a thermostatic draft control, it now has a screw knob so I can put it where I want it and it stays. And I run it hot so now it runs pretty clean, very little smoke even with my marginal wood.
Thanks for the advice on the liner, I thought I read that the glazed creosote had to go even if one was gonna insulate which I am hopefully.

 

[BrotherBart]

The liner will make a fantastic improvement in the burning characteristics of that ole furnace. In fact keep an eye on it for a while. You will have to re-learn how to control it with the improved draft.

But for sure get that stuff out of the chimney before lining it. It WILL light off from the heat of the liner at some point. Chimney cleaning logs for a few burns may dry it up so that you can brush it out. Or the spray stuff like Anti-Creo-Sote. Hard to tell not knowing how much buildup you have.

 

[bholler]

Could you not just manually brush it as clean as possible and put an insulated liner down it???

not good enough the glaze has to be removed. And an insulated 6" liner will not fit in an 8x8 flue tile.

Because if you plan to use a stainless liner with a smoke dragon....

Why not we do it all the time no reason it wont work.

Pull the insert, brush the living H**l out of the chimney, have inspected, and clean behind the smoke shelf (removing the damper if necessary). Install an insulated liner with block off plate then reinsert stove. Easy Peasy.

Not an insert

Thanks for the advice on the liner, I thought I read that the glazed creosote had to go even if one was gonna insulate which I am hopefully.

Yes that is right the chimney needs to be clean. have a pro come out and asses it it may need mechanical or chemical cleaning. But honestly i would remove the tiles so you can insulate properly

 

[BrotherBart]

Yes that is right the chimney needs to be clean. have a pro come out and asses it it may need mechanical or chemical cleaning. But honestly i would remove the tiles so you can insulate properly

Agree.

 

[Starstuff]

What is wrong with using a stainless liner with a non-epa stove? My creosote problem is because I can't keep the oversized clay liner hot enough all the way up and out even with my "smoke dragon" so creosote forms mostly at the top two or three tiles. Anyway, short answer, yes I intend to keep my current wood furnace at least for a few years yet. I have modified it so it no longer relies on a thermostatic draft control, it now has a screw knob so I can put it where I want it and it stays. And I run it hot so now it runs pretty clean, very little smoke even with my marginal wood.View attachment 168960
Thanks for the advice on the liner, I thought I read that the glazed creosote had to go even if one was gonna insulate which I am hopefully.

Didn't realize it was a furnace that runs hot (not that you were obligated to mention that in your post). When I think smoke dragon, I think of my neighbors burning long smoldering fires all day, and with the smaller surface area a liner would create I'd have to imagine you'll be cleaning it A LOT. I'm not saying it wouldn't work or improve the draft or be unsafe, just that it seems like it'll create a hassle. But sounds like that won't be an issue for you.

 

[bholler]

I'm not saying it wouldn't work or improve the draft or be unsafe, just that it seems like it'll create a hassle. But sounds like that won't be an issue for you.

Putting a properly sized liner on any stove regardless of what it is will make it able to preform better. Now if you still use bad wood and poor burning practices then no a line rwont fix it but a liner will make it much easier to burn it correctly and to maintain it correctly

 

[Starstuff]

Putting a properly sized liner on any stove regardless of what it is will make it able to preform better. Now if you still use bad wood and poor burning practices then no a line rwont fix it but a liner will make it much easier to burn it correctly and to maintain it correctly

I have to imagine it's still going to require cleaning more often than an EPA stove, no?

 

[bholler]

I have to imagine it's still going to require cleaning more often than an EPA stove, no?

if good fuel is used and proper burning techniques you can easily go a year between cleanings even wit hold stoves. And a modern wood stove burning wet wood or being run incorrectly will make just as much of a mess as the old ones. But yes when set up properly and burnt correctly a non epa stove will put more dirt into the chimney than an epa approved one set up and run correctly as well

 

[jb6l6gc]

not good enough the glaze has to be removed. And an insulated 6" liner will not fit in an 8x8 flue tile.

What about a 5.5" liner?

 

[2broke2ride]

What about a 5.5" liner?

This was kinda where I was heading, not sure I wanna start breaking out tiles.

 

[bholler]

I would not downsize on a stove like that

 

[jb6l6gc]

I thought it was acceptable to go from a 6" to a 5.5" liner

 

[bholler]

I thought it was acceptable to go from a 6" to a 5.5" liner

if the manufacturer of the stove says it is ok yes it is. Some stoves will work fine with reduced volume and others will not that is why the stove manufacturer has the final say. From lots of experince i have found that very few non epa stoves work well with a downsized liner. How tall is your chimney?

 

[2broke2ride]

I'm right at 20 ft

 

[jb6l6gc]

Just curious bholler. My hotblast is on a 5.5" approx 24' installed professionally, non EPA non insulated liner in outside masonary chimney with no real issues. Have the ocaasional draft reversal on start up but very rare. I guess I must be the exception

 

[2broke2ride]

Just curious bholler. My hotblast is on a 5.5" approx 24' installed professionally, non EPA non insulated liner in outside masonary chimney with no real issues. Have the ocaasional draft reversal on start up but very rare. I guess I must be the exception

I'm actually glad to hear this, my old Shenandoah is similar to the hot blast size wise.

 

[bholler]

Just curious bholler. My hotblast is on a 5.5" approx 24' installed professionally, non EPA non insulated liner in outside masonary chimney with no real issues. Have the ocaasional draft reversal on start up but very rare. I guess I must be the exception

How often do you clean it? I am curious only because the few that we see that are on undersized liners need multiple cleanings a season

 

[jb6l6gc]

I clean twice per season. Once before and once midway through. I'm hoping when I upgrade to tundra next year to only have to do once per season

 

[bholler]

Th

I clean twice per season. Once before and once midway through. I'm hoping when I upgrade to tundra next year to only have to do once per season

that is not to bad for that setup i am surprised