Let someone else run my Clayton last night!!!

[Raithi]

So I had to spend the night in the hospital last night, my wife gave birth to our son early this morning. I have other children and needed a baby sitter, no problem, my moms new husband came up stayed with the kids, took care of the house.

He SAID he knew what he was doing with the stove (old clayting 1600 or 1800 model wood/coal with blower). I had it set pretty much where it needed to be for the night. But I swear to god as soon as I left he must have picked through my stack and grabbed every under-seasoned piece of ash there and threw it in all at once, then turned the damper ALL the way down.

I got home this morning and there is literally creosote running down the outside of the pipe, and dripping onto the top of the stove from where it was collecting on the cap. I mean, he had a stove as a younger man, I told him to call if he had a question or it was too hot / cold and I could tell him how to adjust it.

But no... some people just have to folk with things instead.

He had just loaded it before I showed up, so the stove is still just jam packed full...

So now, here I sit, trying to figure out exactly what Im going to do.

 

[Zack R]

Here's what you do.... help your wife out for the next few days and enjoy the birth of your son. Congrats!

I can't offer much info on the stove you have but it sounds like you'l need to let it cool all the way down for a good cleaning.

 

[toddnic]

Congrats on your son!! The sooteater will handle the stove

 

[becasunshine]

Here's what you do.... help your wife out for the next few days and enjoy the birth of your son. Congrats!

I can't offer much info on the stove you have but it sounds like you'l need to let it cool all the way down for a good cleaning.

You are a wise man, Zack R. Bless you! <3

 

[HomeinPA]

Here's what you do.... help your wife out for the next few days and enjoy the birth of your son. Congrats!

Best advice you can have right there!

As far as the stove goes.... open the air a little and bring the fire up slowly and maybe you can dry it out. Don't overfire it or you may cause a BIGGER problem, if you know what I mean. Let the fire go out and then inspect the flue and clean it if necessary. If you don't have a stovepipe thermometer that may be something to consider using especially for someone who doesn't know what to do. At least they have some type of guide to work from that is less arbitrary than what the fire looks like.

 

[Zack R]

I usually have the opposite problem when I ask someone to tend to the stove.... They leave the air control fully open (or open too wide for conditions) and when I come home I ask why is it so hot in here?

I've used phrases such as "when the temp passes 500F turn it down" or "turn down the air control after 15min" with some success. I agree with @HomeinPA that a temperature gauge is very useful for someone to have when tending the stove.

 

[Raithi]

I think I should be in the clear now. I cut the cap off of the stove pipe, I could see a ton collected on the underside of it from outside the house. Thats why it was running down the outside of the pipe, it was dripping from the pipe cap. My pipe is a straight shot up, no elbow. Ran the stove up for a while untill the tarry creosote dried to the black shiny so I could brush off the outside of the pipe and the top of the stove.

 

[brenndatomu]

Ran the stove up for a while untill the tarry creosote dried to the black shiny so I could brush off the outside of the pipe and the top of the stove

Better brush out the inside too...that black shiny is very flammable...

 

[brenndatomu]

Oh, and congrats on the new future wood chopping assistant!

 

[Raithi]

Oh, and congrats on the new future wood chopping assistant!

Thanks, he's going to be a big boy, he was 10lbs 10oz, 21 inches. Big like my other 4

I plan to sweep the inside when time and temperature allow. Im not too pressed about a chimney fire just because of how the stove is setup. Its in a 14x14 room that I framed up 6 feet off of the back of the main house. Only connected to the house by a narrow walkway and a framed box for the duct work below it.

House is tin roof. Stove room is also tin roof but I didnt even bother to put insulation in the roof or finish it, just 2x8s and metal roof.

 

[moresnow]

Congrats on your new arrival.

Big reason to take the unseasoned wood back to your next year pile!

 

[firefighterjake]

Congrats . . . as others have said . . . don't sweat the small stuff . . . right now your wife and child are the thing to really think about.

 

[begreen]

Had this happen with a housesitter on the Jotul the season after I rebuilt it and put on a new back. Came back and saw the enameled back blistered and cracked. Couldn't complain, they did take very good care of the house and cat.

 

[kennyp2339]

the real question is why or how did the creosote make it down the outside of the pipe and onto the stove?

 

[Raithi]

the real question is why or how did the creosote make it down the outside of the pipe and onto the stove?

It collected on the on the stove cap, and was dripping off of it, onto the outside of the pipe, then running down it.