I'm going to need some cleaning equipment and would like some recommendations. New to wood burning so any explanation of the the parts required for cleaning in appreciated . I have about 25 feet of double/triple combo. 6 Inch pipe.
Looking for a good place to purchase chimney cleaning equipment
- Thread starter waltdog
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There's a whippersnapper device called the Soot-eater that a lot of people here are partial towards. I'm not sure if it's available anywhere but through mail order. It fits on the end of a drill motor and it rotates up and through and spins the inside of the pipe clean kind of like an electric trimming whip for lawns.
I just cleaned mine last week, and I found the following items essential:
<6" metal brush;
<5 48" extension rods;
<plastic garbage bag for catching soot;
<masking tape for holding bag to stovepipe;
<nut driver for removing screws holding stovepipe together;
<strong vocabulary.
Optional, but nice to have:
<an ash vacuum (I got the cheap one from Lowes instead of the expensive one from the stove store with the same features; I know there are Very Expensive ones out there, but the cheap one worked great and goes together and comes apart easily--I liked it a lot!)
Since I have a telescoping joint for accessing the pipe from below, I had to work really hard to get the metal brush up through that section. Once it hit the chimney at the first ceiling level, it slipped up very easily. If I had the Sooteater instead, I think that would not be such a struggle. However, if I were a big strong man, I don't think it would have been an issue. I am none of the above.
I put an episode of Bones on to keep myself entertained during the process, and emptied the house out. Took three times as long doing it the first time as I probably will in the future. Figured out that it's easier to attach the rods and then bend them to get them up the chimney rather than trying to position the brush in the stovepipe and then rotate the rods in to fasten them. The rods will bend some. Don't cheap out (like I did); buy at least one more rod than you think you might need. (I was lucky--I was one rod short, but found spares in the Magic Garage that PO left full of cool stuff.)
Know what's in your stove if you're coming in from the top down (fragile baffle or cat that could get punctured by cleaning). Talk to other owners of that specific stove about the cleaning process.
There's a powder you can throw in your stove that will convert creosote to ash. If you use this a handful of times before you clean, it's reputed to help. (I did not do this.)
Put the brush in the bottom pipe, fasten the plastic bag around the base of the stovepipe, and make a hole for the rods, and feed them up through that hole. This helps containerize some of the mess.
I would have been sad had I not had an ash vac. It allowed me to get into nooks and crannies of the stove and clean that up well. It also allowed me to clean up the spills I created, despite the bag.
Go for it--you'll be glad you did. I pulled out about a quart of particulate after a year and a half of burning (wrong of me to let it go that long, but the truth is I did. Do as I say, not as I do in this matter, and pick a better role model), which seems pretty decent to me. I plan on doing it more frequently now that I have the tools.
As to where to find them, the local Lowes, HD, stove store, hardware stores carry these around here, but it's a strong wood-burning population in this area. YMMV.
I just cleaned mine last week, and I found the following items essential:
<6" metal brush;
<5 48" extension rods;
<plastic garbage bag for catching soot;
<masking tape for holding bag to stovepipe;
<nut driver for removing screws holding stovepipe together;
<strong vocabulary.
Optional, but nice to have:
<an ash vacuum (I got the cheap one from Lowes instead of the expensive one from the stove store with the same features; I know there are Very Expensive ones out there, but the cheap one worked great and goes together and comes apart easily--I liked it a lot!)
Since I have a telescoping joint for accessing the pipe from below, I had to work really hard to get the metal brush up through that section. Once it hit the chimney at the first ceiling level, it slipped up very easily. If I had the Sooteater instead, I think that would not be such a struggle. However, if I were a big strong man, I don't think it would have been an issue. I am none of the above.
I put an episode of Bones on to keep myself entertained during the process, and emptied the house out. Took three times as long doing it the first time as I probably will in the future. Figured out that it's easier to attach the rods and then bend them to get them up the chimney rather than trying to position the brush in the stovepipe and then rotate the rods in to fasten them. The rods will bend some. Don't cheap out (like I did); buy at least one more rod than you think you might need. (I was lucky--I was one rod short, but found spares in the Magic Garage that PO left full of cool stuff.)
Know what's in your stove if you're coming in from the top down (fragile baffle or cat that could get punctured by cleaning). Talk to other owners of that specific stove about the cleaning process.
There's a powder you can throw in your stove that will convert creosote to ash. If you use this a handful of times before you clean, it's reputed to help. (I did not do this.)
Put the brush in the bottom pipe, fasten the plastic bag around the base of the stovepipe, and make a hole for the rods, and feed them up through that hole. This helps containerize some of the mess.
I would have been sad had I not had an ash vac. It allowed me to get into nooks and crannies of the stove and clean that up well. It also allowed me to clean up the spills I created, despite the bag.
Go for it--you'll be glad you did. I pulled out about a quart of particulate after a year and a half of burning (wrong of me to let it go that long, but the truth is I did. Do as I say, not as I do in this matter, and pick a better role model), which seems pretty decent to me. I plan on doing it more frequently now that I have the tools.
As to where to find them, the local Lowes, HD, stove store, hardware stores carry these around here, but it's a strong wood-burning population in this area. YMMV.
Ratherbfishin
Member
I ordered my stuff off Amazon...7'' poly brush, five 4 foot rods..free shipping...about 30 bucks.
Steve
Steve
Treacherous
Minister of Fire
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Bought my gear at Northlineexpress.com . . . they are/were a sponsor here. Fair prices, decent quality, fast delivery.
I went with the traditional chimney brush (only in poly) and several fiberglass rods.
I went with the traditional chimney brush (only in poly) and several fiberglass rods.
Local lumber yard had a decent deal and the stuff is USA made as well.
As a side note they had nickle finish NC-30's in stock for $949.00
As a side note they had nickle finish NC-30's in stock for $949.00
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