Old Timerbline Wood stove/New liner Creosote issues

[RIGUY39]

Hello All,

New to the forum but have lurked around here in the past for the great content and information from you all.

I am having a ton of creosote build up in my new chimney liner and was looking for some help/insight...

I have a 1970's era Timerline single door monster stove that was running and 8 inch pipe into my center of the house 11x7 flue brick Chimney. Never had creosote buildup. Always burned dry wood, mostly oak and ash. I was able to damp down and control airflow to have a nice slow, long burn. I need a slow burn because the stove is located in the center of the house on first floor. Burn temps are around 300 - 500. Any hotter I'd have to open windows.. lol

I was inspecting the chimney two years ago and noticed a few cracked tiles in the flue about 3 or 4 down that are within the house. Had a chimney guy come and say a liner would be best rather than tearing apart the house to re-build the chimney. He dropped down a 6 inch un-insulated liner and tied it into the 8 inch pipe with a reducer.

Since then I have had excessive creosote build up in liner, and in the 8 inch pipe going from stove into the liner. I've have been running it with less wood and leaving damper and air open to keep more draft going, but feel i am will be feeding it constantly.

I am leaning toward replacing the older stove with a more efficient one with a 6 inch pipe, but wanted any opinions prior to just ripping and replacing.

Would adding insulation around the 6 inch pipe in chimney help?

Thanks B

 

[Ctwoodtick]

How dry is your firewood?

 

[begreen]

It's time to retire the old stove. You will get more heat burning less wood with a modern stove. As long as the wood is well seasoned, creosote buildup should be minimal. And there is that nice view of the fire you will be gaining which is priceless.

 

[kennyp2339]

The stove isn't venting correctly, its reduced with the 6" liner, since it isn't insulated is still gets cool enough to condense the smoke and form creosote, further restricting the draft.
Best bet is like what others said, get a stove that's made for a 6" liner, Englander nc30 or drolet ht2000 / ht3000 are great units.
If you have cracks in the clay tile a insulated liner should be installed, a chimney fire can burn upwards of 2,000 def f, any cracks can conduct enough heat to catch the nearest combustibles on fire, (see it all the time at the fd) it doesn't take direct flame impingement.

 

[Supersurvey]

How tall is your chimney? I think you will have to go with an ovalize liner. Im told a 6 inch insulated will not fit in 7 inches.

 

[RIGUY39]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the great replies..

My wood is seasoned for at least a yr and half and is covered.

From where the pipe stack goes into the wall to the top of the chimney is about 30 feet. The chimney guy said that small size was why he went with the 6 inch liner. In hindsight, wish I would have pressed him for an insulated option.

Would pulling the existing liner out and try a wrap insulation be an option or should i just look for a pre -insulated option?

Sometimes you just need that little push to do it... I'm on the hunt for a stove.

Part of me just hates replacing this old but beautiful beast that has done nothing wrong. LOL..

It might get a second life in the barn.

B

 

[begreen]

This may seem a bit obvious, but air leaking into the liner could be a cause. Is there a cap on the bottom of the tee?

 

[RIGUY39]

Yes, the bottom of the tee has a cap.

 

[RIGUY39]

Hi All,

Just an update...

I have been researching stoves and decided on the F500 Oslo. My brother in law has one and loves it. The amount of info on this site is incredible. I looked at several different stove options.

I loved the look of the Oslo. Found a used one and did a some rehab on it.

Hopefully getting old one out and new one in this weekend.

Thanks for all the info on this site.

 

[begreen]

Was the interior gone over too, or did it just get a paint job? Before buying take a long hard look at the base around the grate. Make absolutely sure there are no cracks there. Bring a rag, wet it down and wipe the area to see better. And bring a bright flashlight. Also look over the baffle and make sure it looks good with no warps or cracks.

 

[coaly]

We don't know how well sealed the air is around the liner to prevent cooling all the way up. Is it blocked off top and bottom? The new stove may very well require insulation around a 30 foot flue liner as well.
Reducing the pipe right at stove with no 8 inch connector pipe may have helped as well. How far does it run horizontally, and is it pitched upward at least 1/4 inch per foot? Are there 2 or 3 eight inch elbows before reducing at the liner?
The larger diameter allows the flue gasses to go slower, giving up more heat to the pipe inside, taking needed heat away from the chimney. Are you using any stove pipe damper? If so, open it. You now have much less capacity of the smaller chimney, which requires higher velocity to increase draft, (the damper slows velocity to reduce daft) having a greater affect with a smaller diameter chimney.

 

[RIGUY39]

Hey All,

To follow-up on a couple of the questions/observations..

Yes, I inspected the stove prior to purchasing. I researched all the great info on here regarding all the points you made. It was in great shape internally. I vac'ed it, cleaned it and painted it after I bought it.

We don't know how well sealed the air is around the liner to prevent cooling all the way up. Is it blocked off top and bottom?
It had a stainless steal plate on the top of the Chimney stack and it is located in the center of my house.

Reducing the pipe right at stove with no 8 inch connector pipe may have helped as well. Great idea and I didn't think of that.

How far does it run horizontally, and is it pitched upward at least 1/4 inch per foot? Are there 2 or 3 eight inch elbows before reducing at the liner?
Here is the set-up. Comes out of the wall stove with a few bends then goes straight up.
The larger diameter allows the flue gasses to go slower, giving up more heat to the pipe inside, taking needed heat away from the chimney.

Are you using any stove pipe damper? If so, open it. You now have much less capacity of the smaller chimney, which requires higher velocity to increase draft, (the damper slows velocity to reduce daft) having a greater affect with a smaller diameter chimney.
Yes, I was using a damper and always had it open with the new SS liner setup. Prior to that I could crank down the air intakes, close the damper and it would cruise along nicely with no creosote buildup.

I started pulling the 8 inch liner collar to replace with a 6 in collar. I noticed some creosote build-up behind the liner. I thought the Chimney guy that installed the liner swept the chimney prior to dropping it down. Not sure if this is before or after stuff. But I think I will be doing the following:
1 . Pull liner and inspect it for any issues.
2. Sweep the existing chimney liner.
3. Wrap the existing SS liner- Can this be done? What are any recommendations?
4. Reinstall.

Any thoughts/comments/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks Barry

 

[begreen]

Did you loosen up the tee snout from the tee body or is this the way you found it? If it is the way you found it, that is a problem. I'm glad to hear you want to do this right.

 

[RIGUY39]

The Tee snout and the tee body were tight together. Assuming the creosote in flue was pre liner. I hope.

 

[begreen]

Good. Just checking. Make sure the tee cap is snugly fastened too.

 

[RIGUY39]

I finished the install of the new to me Jotul f500.

Looks good and thanks for the all the info on this site. I read countless threads of F500 operations/tips. It is humming along between 400 to 500 degrees with ease. Need to work on my long burns but believe that has to do with all the large splits I have from feeding the previous smoke dragon. I don;t have enough small splits to stuff around the big ones. I'm amazed at the little/if any smoke coming from the stack when it's cruising at 450..

Thanks for the info All. Happy to answer any questions.

 

[begreen]

Congratulations, that is a fine heater. The hearth will need to be extended on the left side. It needs to be at least 16" past the side door. Maybe start a new thread in the main forum on your Oslo?