Hello all, just registered and new to the forum, learning to cut, split, cute and burn wood from our property, slowing moving toward the homesteader lifestyle. Have a Dutch West Stove made by Vermont castings which seams to burn great, interested in learning how to clean the flu myself, local sweep charges $185 and my old time neighbor says to drop a steel chain down the flu and whip it around which seems like it could cause damage. Any video or book recommendations for DIY cleaning?
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- Thread starter Manbow
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Yeah the chain thing is not effective and it can damage the chimney. There are many different cleaning options. I pretty much only use a rotary cleaner now.
Have you atleast had the whole system inspected for safety? I see nothing wrong with diy cleaning but you should have the system inspected to start with
I have not but great idea, now that know how hot the stove and pipe really get I’m quite nervous, thanks for the suggestions
What model Dutchwest? I have the one listed in my signature (cat stove.) You can add your stove to your sig if you wish, just click your username up in the black strip above, then click signature.
Have you got dry wood, split and stacked in the wind, top-covered, for a couple years? (Three years is best for Oak.)
If you need more dry wood, go out and find some 8" or smaller dead-standing trees with the bark falling off. Those will be fairly dry.
For chimney cleaning, a poly brush and a few rods will do the trick, depending on your chimney, for not much money invested.
What's your chimney setup? Stainless liner in a masonry chimney? BTW, we love pictures..
Only time I have seen someone "clean" out a chimney with a chain is when we have a plugged chimney and a chimney fire . . . and at that point we need the weight of the chain and steel at the end to break through the plug. Needless to say when the firefighters get done there is a good chance the chimney will be condemned. Incidentally, it's pretty cool to see them haul up the chain and it's glowing cherry red/orange.
As suggested I might have a professional sweep check the set up . . . clean it if necessary . . . and then if you feel comfortable for a very modest investment in some rods and a brush you can save a little money going forward by doing it yourself.
As suggested I might have a professional sweep check the set up . . . clean it if necessary . . . and then if you feel comfortable for a very modest investment in some rods and a brush you can save a little money going forward by doing it yourself.
Also you might want to know how the stove was installed.
Did they just drop the stove in and use the slammer meathod.
Did they use the direct connect method.
Or did they install a liner.
If they installed a liner its pretty easy to clean using a drill and a rotory cleaner like the "sooteater".
Did they just drop the stove in and use the slammer meathod.
Did they use the direct connect method.
Or did they install a liner.
If they installed a liner its pretty easy to clean using a drill and a rotory cleaner like the "sooteater".
He said stove pipe. So it is a freestanding stove so chances are not a fireplace involved. So it can't be a slammer or direct connect
I saw the chain rotory cleaner and made some assumptions. I never heard of anyone using one in a steal chimney system.
Who said it was a steel chimney system? There are tons of masonry chimneys that aren't fireplaces. They also aren't talking about a rotary chain cleaner. They are talking about a logging chain.
And btw I have used rotary chain cleaners in stainless liners and chimneys when need be
Again, never heard of someone using a steal chain in a class A chimney. I can tell you I wouldnt use one in mine. lol
Well now you have. I try not to but there are times running rotary chains is the only option.
And again no one said this is a metal chimney.
If it was a stove, not a direct connect, not metal chimney, what type of chimney would it be?
A masonry chimney made to have a stove connected to it. In many areas like ours they are more common than metal prefab ones.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
We see a lot of masonry chimneys with clay liners, built on the gable end of a house, and with a clay thimble thru the wall into the house. These often include a clean-out door on the outside, below the thimble. Pretty common ca.1770’s up thru 1980’s, but seems to be less common in the last 20-30 years.
But like you, I’d have called this “direct connect”.
There are still more built like that in this area than prefab chimneys. And no a connection through a crock is not a direct connect. A direct connect is a specific way an insert is installed into a fireplace with a stub of pipe run from the insert through the damper.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
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