I figured since this is my first year of burning, I would sweep the liner once a month to keep an eye on things. Is this excessive/anal retentive? The roof is easy to get on and the liner is only about 18', so it shouldn't take very long.
Is sweeping once a month excessive for your first year?
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burntime said:Boarderline excessive compulsive
Yes...I agree with the part about the "excessive" chimney cleaning.....BUT NOT about letting Favre go back to Wisconsin!! Besides...Favre wants a RING before he retires
Go Jetskev
Go ahead, and your first couple sweeps will tell you how often you actually need to do it.
But with a good stove and a good chimney and good wood, you'll likely find no problems. I did mostly "bad" fires last winter as I was learning to use the stove and with a mostly inadequately seasoned wood supply-- rarely managed to even get the thing above 350 stovetop and mostly lower than that-- so I was worried about creosote build-up. But when my sweep came this fall, he found very little at all, less than a quart of powdery deposit from all 15 feet of chimney and no glassy crap at all.
But with a good stove and a good chimney and good wood, you'll likely find no problems. I did mostly "bad" fires last winter as I was learning to use the stove and with a mostly inadequately seasoned wood supply-- rarely managed to even get the thing above 350 stovetop and mostly lower than that-- so I was worried about creosote build-up. But when my sweep came this fall, he found very little at all, less than a quart of powdery deposit from all 15 feet of chimney and no glassy crap at all.
Checking it once a month is a good thing. Sweeping it if if doesn't need it is just undue wear and tear on the liner and the brush.
It depends. If the wood is crappy, once a month is not excessive. If the wood is dry and the stove is being run at good operating temps, once a year may be fine. Also, full exterior flues in cold climates may need more cleaning than full interior flues. Old smoke dragons may need lots of flue cleanings if left to smolder.
From the flue picture you posted a couple days ago, it looks like your furnace is running ok. I'd wait until mid-season at this rate.
PS: Can you add the Daka to your signature line so we don't have to hunt for old posts? My ancient braincells forget who owns what too quickly.
From the flue picture you posted a couple days ago, it looks like your furnace is running ok. I'd wait until mid-season at this rate.
PS: Can you add the Daka to your signature line so we don't have to hunt for old posts? My ancient braincells forget who owns what too quickly.
njkev said:burntime said:Boarderline excessive compulsive
Yes...I agree with the part about the "excessive" chimney cleaning.....BUT NOT about letting Favre go back to Wisconsin!! Besides...Favre want a RING before he retires
kev
I inspect my chimney and how Favre is doing about once per month. Probably overkill on both. Enjoy Favre.
I hated the idea of giving up that old smoke dragon Favre for the more efficient Aaron Rodgers, but I'm comfortable
with it now.
Can you tell I'm a little nervous by nature? One of my buddies at work said today, "Zach, you are one of those people that say 'I'm going to jump, so put the net out. Make sure there's a mat underneath it. Make sure there's a pad underneath that. Better attach a bungie cord also.'"
I'll try to not think too much about it anymore. I'll just stick to my process and keep heating the house.
BeGreen, for all your excellent help, I bestow upon thee my signature. I was hoping someone would chime in about the flue pictures I took.
Finally, you guys just had to wreck my thread by bringing up the "F" word didn't you?!?!? Unfortunately for me, I'm a Detroit Lions fan living in Wisconsin.
I'll try to not think too much about it anymore. I'll just stick to my process and keep heating the house.
BeGreen, for all your excellent help, I bestow upon thee my signature. I was hoping someone would chime in about the flue pictures I took.
Finally, you guys just had to wreck my thread by bringing up the "F" word didn't you?!?!? Unfortunately for me, I'm a Detroit Lions fan living in Wisconsin.
ikessky said:
.....DUDE?!?!???
!??.....yer not obsessive compulsive....YOU ARE TRULY SICK!. Get help immediatly.
woodconvert said:ikessky said:
.....DUDE?!?!???
Wow, I forgot about Detroit. I was thinking all year that the only "d" in football was Dallas! Oh well - back to my basket making.
northwinds said:njkev said:burntime said:Boarderline excessive compulsive
Yes...I agree with the part about the "excessive" chimney cleaning.....BUT NOT about letting Favre go back to Wisconsin!! Besides...Favre want a RING before he retires
kev
I inspect my chimney and how Favre is doing about once per month. Probably overkill on both. Enjoy Favre.
I hated the idea of giving up that old smoke dragon Favre for the more efficient Aaron Rodgers, but I'm comfortable
with it now.
Favre may be less efficient, but he sure throws some heat on a cold day!
I inspect my cap once a week, but that's only because I love climbing on my roof like a kid. A little snow and ice will cure that real quick. Then, it'll be "see you in the spring".
BeGreen said:
Forgot to mention that at least one face cord is stuff that has been sitting for at least 2-3 years. This is the stuff I'm burning first. I still have my dehumidifier in my furnace room so it is still pulling air and circulating the radiant heat coming off the furnace. If anything in my piles still needs some drying out, I'm pretty sure this will do it!
Take a look at in January. It might need cleaned then. After that you're good for the rest of the year. I think most of the creosote build up we get is in November and December because it's not really cold out and we aren't running are stoves hot. April and May are probably good creosote months too, but by then who cares it's almost over for the year.
Besides that stainless liner is designed to live through a couple of chimney fires. lol
Besides that stainless liner is designed to live through a couple of chimney fires. lol
I swept mine every month my first year. I didn't want to take the chance. My wood was a bit wet that first year and I was getting a good amount in my singlewall.
After the small fires of fall I run a brush up to knock anything down that may have formed so I'm ready for hard burning.
Matt
After the small fires of fall I run a brush up to knock anything down that may have formed so I'm ready for hard burning.
Matt
I like the inspect monthly (especially if the fuel isn't quite up to par) but sweep only if needed.
As a first year wood burning newbie I'm also doing the check/sweep once a month deal . . . mainly because I'm convinced my wife is running the stove at too low a temp. However, so far the creosote isn't really much of an issue (maybe a cup's worth of creosote).
That said, I'll probably continue to check and sweep since I can check/sweep from the ground outside and if I'm going to open up the T-plug to check I figure I might as well spend an extra few minutes sweeping . . . and yes I do have a touch of that OCD at times. 
That said, I'll probably continue to check and sweep since I can check/sweep from the ground outside and if I'm going to open up the T-plug to check I figure I might as well spend an extra few minutes sweeping . . . and yes I do have a touch of that OCD at times.
I admit...I am a once a month kind of guy.....I am a worry wart...i worry about anything and everything, I couldn't sleep at night if I wasn't sure my chimney was clean and smoke detectors were working (my wife is good at checking the smoke dectectors right around dinner time)
it doesn't take long to clean and I sleep a lot easier at night when i know my pipes are clean.
it doesn't take long to clean and I sleep a lot easier at night when i know my pipes are clean.
ikessky said:
That's unfortunate regardless of where you live.
Like you, I was overly worried about my flue as well. I swept mine last Saturday, after about 6 weeks of on/off burning. I removed virtually nothing. I am content now. I will likely check it mid-winter, snow and ice permitting, then clean it good in the spring.
I have to finish Chrismas lights after hunting season, so maybe I'll bring the brush and rods up with me and do a quick sweep at that point. I did look down the liner a week or so ago and everything looks OK. No real accumulation except for the cap, but it's an open design, so no worries there.
I don't know what happened to make me a Lions fan. I've liked them since I was a little kid though. My family members are all Packer fans, my in-laws are Packer fans, most of my friends are Packer fans..... I have even tried to convert, but it makes me physically sick to say positive things about them durning their games.
I don't know what happened to make me a Lions fan. I've liked them since I was a little kid though. My family members are all Packer fans, my in-laws are Packer fans, most of my friends are Packer fans..... I have even tried to convert, but it makes me physically sick to say positive things about them durning their games.
Hello my Name is Sublime,
on my first year of burning I cleaned my the first weekend of every month.
I can due mine from the garage floor though and dont have to climb up a ladder or hang out on a snow covered slippery roof.
took me about 20 minutes all said and done.
after the first year I'm more of a clean it when you start burning and then at mid point also.
though it can also depend on the type of wood I am burning.
on the Farve deal.
wait till the end of the season we'll C where he's at. for the last 6 years his first 8 games are alway's around 20pts better in passer rating than his last 8 games. He fades in the 2nd half the season when the Wins and Loss seem to have more of an impact on thing's.
though I'd never bet against that guy.
though now I can listen to the Packer games on the radio and be working in the woods where in years past when Farve Played and the game was on TV I watched cause Good/Great or Bad he was gonna go down swinging.
sublime out.
Lions Fan's ?
there still out there?
Must be under Gov't protection or something.
on my first year of burning I cleaned my the first weekend of every month.
I can due mine from the garage floor though and dont have to climb up a ladder or hang out on a snow covered slippery roof.
took me about 20 minutes all said and done.
after the first year I'm more of a clean it when you start burning and then at mid point also.
though it can also depend on the type of wood I am burning.
on the Farve deal.
wait till the end of the season we'll C where he's at. for the last 6 years his first 8 games are alway's around 20pts better in passer rating than his last 8 games. He fades in the 2nd half the season when the Wins and Loss seem to have more of an impact on thing's.
though I'd never bet against that guy.
though now I can listen to the Packer games on the radio and be working in the woods where in years past when Farve Played and the game was on TV I watched cause Good/Great or Bad he was gonna go down swinging.
sublime out.
Lions Fan's ?
there still out there?
Must be under Gov't protection or something.
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