How often to clean chimney with re-burn stove

[thoner7]

I have a new house with a newer re-burn stove. The kind with the stainless pipes on the top, not a catalytic stove.

How often should I sweep the chimney in this thing? I assume it's less often than with an older styler stove, because they burn cleaner...?

Anyone know if I need to remove those pipes from the stove when I do it?? And whatever that white foam looking panel is??

 

[begreen]

I have a new house with a newer re-burn stove. The kind with the stainless pipes on the top, not a catalytic stove.

How often should I sweep the chimney in this thing? I assume it's less often than with an older styler stove, because they burn cleaner...?

There is no set formula because variables like the dryness of the wood being burned, interior vs exterior chimney, the quantity of wood burned and how the stove is run all affect build-up in the pipe. If one is running the stove correctly burning fully seasoned wood with an interior chimney then once a year may be sufficient. Conversely, if one is trying to burn wood with >20% moisture content and smolders the fire with a cold exterior chimney, then once a cord or even more frequent cleanings will be necessary. A chimney can gunk up in just a month if the wood is damp.

Anyone know if I need to remove those pipes from the stove when I do it?? And whatever that white foam looking panel is??

What stove make and model is this?

 

[thoner7]

There is no set formula because variables like the dryness of the wood being burned, interior vs exterior chimney, the quantity of wood burned and how the stove is run all affect build-up in the pipe. If one is running the stove correctly burning fully seasoned wood with an interior chimney then once a year may be sufficient. Conversely, if one is trying to burn wood with >20% moisture content and smolders the fire with a cold exterior chimney, then once a cord or even more frequent cleanings will be necessary. A chimney can gunk up in just a month if the wood is damp.

What stove make and model is this?

Sorry for the late response. I'm back after a bout with the Covid.

It's a country hearth 2000.

 

[begreen]

I'm sorry to hear that. Glad you are back and hope all is now ok. Fully seasoned dry wood is going to be your best bet for keeping the chimney clean. Have you run a modern stove before?

 

[thoner7]

No this is my first modern stove. Dry wood isn't a problem I don't think. Just needing to get an idea of how often to clean.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

With any stove that is new to you, I’d inspect chimney monthly when burning until confident you have the hang of it and not producing much buildup.

 

[kborndale]

No this is my first modern stove. Dry wood isn't a problem I don't think. Just needing to get an idea of how often to clean.

You don't think dry wood is a problem? If you don't already have your wood split and stacked then dry wood will be a problem this winter.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I think he meant that he already has dry wood.

 

[PaulOinMA]

As begreen posted, way too many variables for one forum member to tell another how often to clean. Best one can do is tell another their set-up, burn pattern, and how often they clean.

I have a tube insert (Lopi Answer). Less than 30-foot liner. Chimney is in the garage then outside, so it's semi-inside/outside. I burn in the evening. I don't burn 24/7. I average 160 or so fires a year. Last two years with the new insert were 140 and 151 fires. I clean annually.

 

[thoner7]

Ok thanks. My chimney is mostly inside. I have plenty of dry wood. We don't use it very often. Once a year will be more than enough for me I bet. But I'll c
Keep an eye on it

 

[BIGChrisNH]

I clean my NC30 chimney twice a year. Once before the season starts, once late in the year, repeat. It’s worked for me. I have about 35 feet of insulated steel liner going up through an old masonry flue with a slight offset at the bottom. It’s a basement install, pulls like crazy so easy to get a nice clean burn. I agree with the ”inspect monthly” advice above though, at least until you get used to how your particular setup is going to run.

 

[begreen]

No this is my first modern stove. Dry wood isn't a problem I don't think. Just needing to get an idea of how often to clean.

For the first year, try cleaning once per cord burned. If you find that the flue is pretty clean then you can extend this. Modern stoves burning dry wood in an interior chimney can burn quite cleanly. Your mileage might vary from mine, but we are only getting about a cup of soot and sote per ~5 cords burned.