Is this Normal Creosote for BK Stoves?

[Locust99]

This is my third time cleaning the chimney this year just to be safe. Every time I clean it I get a similar creosote to this where it is somewhat flakey. Is this normal for these stoves?

I have an auber flue thermometer and have been keeping my flue at least 450+ for the majority of my burns and hotter now that the temps are dropping. My previous non-cat stove always had a brown fluffy powder. So I am not used to seeing this. Here are a couple of pictures, the creosote is mixed with some ash in the one photo .

 

[Dieselhead]

Looks about right for a Bk flue. What’s your chimney setup? Height, interior/exterior, etc...

 

[Locust99]

I have about 7 ft inside which includes 2 45 degree elbows to the ceiling box of duravent double wall pipe. And another 12 feet exterior of pipe of duravent class A. So in total about 19 feet with 2 45 degree elbows of pipe.

 

[Warm Floor]

I get the same. And on occasion there will also be some of the brown soot with it. I take a wire brush to it when it builds up.

 

[Dieselhead]

That exterior run probably does it for you. I know the top 3’ or so of my chimney gets the most creo, it’s exposed to cold temps unlike the rest that is in a wood frame interior chase.

 

[Locust99]

Yes, the exterior part is definitely where I am getting the build up. The double wall pipe looks like it’s mostly soot, I don’t get much there. Once I hit the 45s the flakey stuff starts dropping.

I’ve been using a soot eater, but it doesn’t look like I am getting it back to bare metal, but rather cleaning the majority of the creosote off.

Thanks for the replies, I was just surprised with burning hotter, i still get the flakey creosote.

 

[DonTee]

I have my Princess run into an exterior Duravent chimney. In my tee outside I’ll get a cap full of flakey creosote a few times a winter. It must just fall down from the chimney into the tee cap, because when I sweep the chimney it’s usually pretty clean.

I burn about 12 face cords through it a year.

 

[Highbeam]

I switched from a modern noncat to the BK and noticed more creosote but also much darker. It’s never excessive but it is black. My sooteater breaks the flakes up smaller though. Try running the sooteater clockwise going up and then reverse the spin coming down. Spend extra time at the cap because these BKs can sure mess a cap up.

 

[Locust99]

The last time I cleaned it I did that trick. Maybe I need to spin it faster when cleaning ? I usually go up and down as I am cleaning several times before adding more sticks.

Since I may have had a small chimney fire I haven’t been taking chances , and check the flue( what I can see from below) and clean whenever I have a little buildup. I have been getting maybe a cup or two each cord I burn.

Next time I will hit the top of the chimney more. I am guessing I’ll end up burning 3-4 cords a year