Opinion on this creosote buildup

[Moranaj]

As many of you know from my last thread I'm new to burning and likely do not have the best quality wood. I took these pictures tonight since I finally didnt have a fire going.
I've been burning since october 20th every day at least and running the stove on a few occasions for 5 or 6 days straight. Is this creosote bad to the point where I need to have it swept immediately? I burn when I'm not home and a chimney fire is not something I'm interested in experiencing.

Admittedly the first few weeks I was definitely a creosote making machine as far as how I was burning and trying to get the fiance involved has lead to some smokey fires.
Not sure if its applicable to a creosote buildup thread but I'm running a manchester stove with a double wall ~15ft stovepipe

 

[Ludlow]

Looks like ash with a little glazed creosote at the very top. Probably pretty normal, but Im not a sweep.
Did you clean the cap before you put it back on?

 

[bholler]

Yes it needs cleaned. It isn't horrible but should be done

 

[maple1]

I would definitely sweep that.

 

[Ludlow]

Do you have a brush?

 

[Moranaj]

Yes it needs cleaned. It isn't horrible but should be done

Copy that. Im not trying to skimp on service for the chimney. If it needs it I want to get it done. Is it excessive though for just under 2 months of burning? L

 

[bholler]

Copy that. Im not trying to skimp on service for the chimney. If it needs it I want to get it done. Is it excessive though for just under 2 months of burning? L

Yes it is excessive for that time period. But I see way worse daily. Just clean it and do better.

 

[thewoodlands]

As many of you know from my last thread I'm new to burning and likely do not have the best quality wood. I took these pictures tonight since I finally didnt have a fire going.
I've been burning since october 20th every day at least and running the stove on a few occasions for 5 or 6 days straight. Is this creosote bad to the point where I need to have it swept immediately? I burn when I'm not home and a chimney fire is not something I'm interested in experiencing.
Admittedly the first few weeks I was definitely a creosote making machine as far as how I was burning and trying to get the fiance involved has lead to some smokey fires.
Not sure if its applicable to a creosote buildup thread but I'm running a manchester stove with a double wall ~15ft stovepipe
View attachment 235557 View attachment 235558 View attachment 235559

When we started burning wood years back, we had some wood that was seasoned 1 year but most was 6 months so someone on hearth.com recommended using anti creo soot which we still use today even though our wood is seasoned. IMO, it works and even though it's extra money when you clean the chimney/pipe the majority of what comes down is all ash.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SICUIK/?tag=hearthamazon-20{creative}&hvpos={adposition}&hvnetw=o&hvrand={random}&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl={devicemodel}&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584070137939835&psc=1

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

Reminds me i need to get up on my roof and sweep my chimney this weekend too. I been burning since mid Oct too and im sure my pipe looks a lot like yours. Im not worried yet but i like to sweep it out every 2 months cause i burn all day long when im at work. Your chimney cap gunk is what grabbed my attention, never seen mine that crusty before. I'd get it swept out in the next week or so, just for the peace of mind more than anything.

 

[Jotul Man]

I do not think that this needs cleaning immediately. I do think that if this was a clean pipe and only used for 6 weeks that is a bit too much build up. If you are using a high efficiency stove then I wonder if your wood is seasoned well enough. Seasoning isn't just about how long the wood has be cut but also ventilation and direct sunlight. I can have very fresh wood in July but it is single stacked among a line of trees that gets full sunlight 4-7 hours per day depending on the time of the year. My wood is covered only the top. So I can have very dry wood in 4-5 months.
If you have glass on the front door of your stove and your wood is too wet you will likely see it turn black with every burn assuming you are using a an EPA stove. I would also open it slightly when you get a good burn going listening for any hissing which would be water burning off. I used to clean my stove every 4/5 months. I can tell when it needs cleaning when I open the door and a bit of smoke whiffs out the door. With a clean flue I do not have any back draft. Now I use a product by Rutland that reduces how often I need to clean the stove. It helps turn that build up into ash . I haven't cleaned it in 2 years but I am due to get up there and clean it soon. I've been burning wood for over 40 year straight so I do not want to hear that I am a nut job. I had only one chimney fire in all those years and it was on an old style Buck 30 years ago. I accidentally left the front door open and laid in the tub and forgot about it. I heard a roar and knew what I had immediately. I shut it down and the fire went down considerably. But I still called the fire department and they threw a flare in the flue to starve the fire of O2. The flue was not damaged. Those old Bucks made creosote like an engine on full choke. When I moved to an EPA stove Jotul F500 I went from 3 gallons of creosote/year to 1/2 gallon/year.
Look into https://www.rutland.com/product.php?id=25