I Just cleaned the chimney
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![[Hearth.com] I Just cleaned the chimney](/talk/data/attachments/10/10944-df5d748b1103081d908b23353e295f97.jpg?hash=UScvLmqFhA)
![[Hearth.com] I Just cleaned the chimney](/talk/data/attachments/10/10945-7a8506303eb9b97a6fbdeba01939834b.jpg?hash=aQsKsFhKkt)
I dont think I have ever seen it brown. You have a lil more than I did. What does the liner look like?
Beats the hell out of me Bart. When I cleaned it out, I was thinking that is was some cheap fire brick and I would have to replace it next year.
The liner looks great.
Got any ideas on what caused it? I really do not think I over fired it last year. I didn't have a thermometer on it, but I kept the air control within an inch of closed all the time except when first getting a fire going.
The liner looks great.
Got any ideas on what caused it? I really do not think I over fired it last year. I didn't have a thermometer on it, but I kept the air control within an inch of closed all the time except when first getting a fire going.
karl said:
I am puzzled. I don't think it is from overfiring. I overfired the crap out of my old stove for 20 years and it didn't hurt the bricks. And I am going into season three with the 30 and the bricks look like the day they were made. I have to suspect that PE has started using the softer pumice bricks but haven't heard of it.
If you pass by a stove shop pick up a regular firebrick for a couple of bucks and see it is heavier than the ones in your stove.
PE does use the "softer" less dense bricks. But hell my bricks going on 3rd season are not that bad. I know from throwing bigger splits in and ones with jagged limbed nubbs and such they beat up the side bricks.
And of course the poker I used to situate things around, sometimes I end up catching the brick. I know these things cause some of the brick chipping & deterioration.
But man, those look like they were beat with a ball peen hammer.
And of course the poker I used to situate things around, sometimes I end up catching the brick. I know these things cause some of the brick chipping & deterioration.
But man, those look like they were beat with a ball peen hammer.
Bashing it with a poker? using splits 1" too long?
Looks like a reasonable amount for a cleanout- dusty is good. This is a testament to burning hot, even with sub-optimal wood.
Looks like a reasonable amount for a cleanout- dusty is good. This is a testament to burning hot, even with sub-optimal wood.
I don't use a poker. Just a little scooper to take the ash out with. I know the chipped brick in the back is from splits hitting it when I put them in. That one happened pretty early in my burning and I started being much more careful after that.
I think I'm going to turn them around and see how they hold up this year, then probably replace them.
These are really light bricks.
I think I'm going to turn them around and see how they hold up this year, then probably replace them.
These are really light bricks.
You just shove the brush all the way into the stove- or pull it in with a pull rope. Keep the door closed, and when the dust settles- open it and remove. no problem.
Chimney crumbs. I like that. I think I'll mix them with some hickory chips and make a wood loaf for dinner.
- Feb 10, 2006
- 259
I will be cleaining my PE from the bottom up. I'm not getting back on the roof of my house. When I installed my liner it was too high for my taste. Still wondering how I'm going to clean this oval then round liner configuration from the bottom as well. I guess just buy a 6inch round brush and trim it to something that works...
CK-1 said:
Buy a three inch pellet stove brush. Stick it up in the flex and scrub one side of the oval and then move it over and scrub the other side.
There won't be anything but ash or dusty stuff that close to the flue collar anyway. For the rest of the way to the top you are going to have to force a six inch brush through the oval.
- Feb 10, 2006
- 259
BrotherBart said:
Thanks for the info. BB.. Glad to have you back. What 6inch brushes are flexible enought to fit in a oval opening?.. poly? wire?..
Think I might have to trim the brush as well...
Any web links you can provide would be helpful as well...
woops, forgot to put the link.
(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5RU-PB-6P50)
(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5RU-PB-6P50)
High_Iron said:
That is the one I use also. Since its softer bristles work well in my 5.5 liners you ought to be able to pack it through the oval section.
Any way you look at it shoving that stuff from the bottom ain't gonna be easy. I am not a big fan of being on the roof either but zipping up there, removing the cap, dropping the rope, pushing the brush into the liner, replacing the cap and going down and pulling it through is a heck of a lot easier than ramming the whole rig up the pipe and pulling it back down.
Especially true with the stiffer poly brushes. Those things do not like to change direction once they are inside a flex liner.
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