Rust inside wood stove: Was it safe to paint or should just use oil (overlong story ensues)?

[Mike Lawson]

Good morning!

So I purchased a brand new PE Super27 for my home. It was installed in Jan.
Because I have been relying on wood heat and trying to use very little of my oil as possible, I burned wood until May.
All of the wood was most likely green, may at best had 3 months to dry and was exposed to the elements with no cover.

To say the least, the wood was wet. 20-30%. Ay time I tried to buy "Kiln" dried from the box stores, it was left in pallets outdoors where one bundle was over 50% moisture. I can stress it enough, I burned wet wood. Keeping the stoves between 200-300 degrees Fahrenheit was a chore.

So I decided to get my chimney cleaned early instead of the schedules September because all the doom and gloom tin hats on YouTube said I was a chimney fire waiting to happen. Also read about the three stages of creosote and was convinced that I was stage 3. I used MANY containers of creosote powders. One made locally and the other Rutlands just to try to make sure I could do what I can to keep the creosote at bay.

So the chimney cleaner comes and says: "it's common, you're fine".

Frustrated is an understatement. All this doom and gloom and although I burnt wood that you can swim with, I'm fine?
I don't get it.

Any way, I also decided to take the parts out of the stove so that I could take a look around and clean whatever was needed to be cleaned. When I took the baffle off, a 1/4" of white ash was on top of it. Is this normal?

Also above that near the stove pipe, there was flakes of creosote. black paper like flakes hanging off the top.

I sanded and brushed and used a steel wool but couldnt get it all off.
So I used Easy Off Pro.
After three applications, it all came clean.

However, there was strips of area where it was at the bare metal and other areas including the entire bottom that was below the firebrick where it was starting to surface rust.

I researched how to prevent and had three answers:

1.) Paint with Rustoleum
2.) Paint with High Heat Ultra Rustoleum
3.) Use some form of oil to coat like you would a cast iron pan

So I used High Heat Rustoelum, the 1200F kind. Then found out there was a 2000F Ceramic kind. Confused, I wrote to Rustoleum.
Their Answer:

"Hi, Michael. Thank you for contacting Rust-Oleum Product Support.
I'm sorry to disappoint but neither the High Heat Ultra or the High Heat Ceramic paints are recommended for the inside of a wood stove.
They are heat resistant, not flame resistant so they are for the exterior of the stove only.
We do not make any product that is flame resistant that would be for the inside of the stove.

We hope this information has been helpful and please do not hesitate to reach out with any further questions or concerns.

Thank you,
Diana D.
Product Support Representative"


Any advice would be appreciated.

Should I worry about the paint when it burns off?

Thanks.

 

[brenndatomu]

The ash on the baffle is normal.
I'd just use oil in the stove, if anything at all.
So are you getting 3 years ahead on your wood supply so that you never have to burn wet wood again?

 

[bholler]

Good morning!

So I purchased a brand new PE Super27 for my home. It was installed in Jan.
Because I have been relying on wood heat and trying to use very little of my oil as possible, I burned wood until May.
All of the wood was most likely green, may at best had 3 months to dry and was exposed to the elements with no cover.

To say the least, the wood was wet. 20-30%. Ay time I tried to buy "Kiln" dried from the box stores, it was left in pallets outdoors where one bundle was over 50% moisture. I can stress it enough, I burned wet wood. Keeping the stoves between 200-300 degrees Fahrenheit was a chore.

So I decided to get my chimney cleaned early instead of the schedules September because all the doom and gloom tin hats on YouTube said I was a chimney fire waiting to happen. Also read about the three stages of creosote and was convinced that I was stage 3. I used MANY containers of creosote powders. One made locally and the other Rutlands just to try to make sure I could do what I can to keep the creosote at bay.

So the chimney cleaner comes and says: "it's common, you're fine".

Frustrated is an understatement. All this doom and gloom and although I burnt wood that you can swim with, I'm fine?
I don't get it.

Any way, I also decided to take the parts out of the stove so that I could take a look around and clean whatever was needed to be cleaned. When I took the baffle off, a 1/4" of white ash was on top of it. Is this normal?

Also above that near the stove pipe, there was flakes of creosote. black paper like flakes hanging off the top.

I sanded and brushed and used a steel wool but couldnt get it all off.
So I used Easy Off Pro.
After three applications, it all came clean.

However, there was strips of area where it was at the bare metal and other areas including the entire bottom that was below the firebrick where it was starting to surface rust.

I researched how to prevent and had three answers:

1.) Paint with Rustoleum
2.) Paint with High Heat Ultra Rustoleum
3.) Use some form of oil to coat like you would a cast iron pan

So I used High Heat Rustoelum, the 1200F kind. Then found out there was a 2000F Ceramic kind. Confused, I wrote to Rustoleum.
Their Answer:

"Hi, Michael. Thank you for contacting Rust-Oleum Product Support.
I'm sorry to disappoint but neither the High Heat Ultra or the High Heat Ceramic paints are recommended for the inside of a wood stove.
They are heat resistant, not flame resistant so they are for the exterior of the stove only.
We do not make any product that is flame resistant that would be for the inside of the stove.

We hope this information has been helpful and please do not hesitate to reach out with any further questions or concerns.

Thank you,
Diana D.
Product Support Representative"


Any advice would be appreciated.

Should I worry about the paint when it burns off?

Thanks.

No need to do anything to the interior of the stove unless it is in an extremely humid location

 

[Mike Lawson]

The ash on the baffle is normal.
I'd just use oil in the stove, if anything at all.
So are you getting 3 years ahead on your wood supply so that you never have to burn wet wood again?

Thanks for the response!

 

[Mike Lawson]

The ash on the baffle is normal.
I'd just use oil in the stove, if anything at all.
So are you getting 3 years ahead on your wood supply so that you never have to burn wet wood again?

I finally got about 6 cord but didn't get until the month of May. All green.

 

[brenndatomu]

I finally got about 6 cord but didn't get until the month of May. All green.

Do you know what species you have?
Some of the faster drying species could be half decent this winter, assuming its CSS'd (cut, split, stacked, and top covered, sides open)

 

[Mike Lawson]

Do you know what species you have?

Some of the faster drying species could be half decent this winter, assuming its CSS'd (cut, split, stacked, and top covered, sides open)

I believe it mostly pine with some birch and various local Maine wood. Sadly, we have had a lot of rain and upper low pressure sporadic storms so it has been completely covered top and sides with a 24'x24' tarp. The 5+ cords sits on a 12'x16' platform. The days where it has not rained has been few so far. I believe that it would be best since the hard 2-4+ inch rain storms are over, I'd figure out a way to have it only on top when it will be showers. The time I took it off after the 4" storm it was all condensation underneath the tarp. Maybe Ill just fold the side up on top so it can get some air. The reason why the complete tarp coverage is because in the winter, it is in an area where snow would go to it sideways and wanted to avoid that this winter.

 

[brenndatomu]

The time I took it off after the 4" storm it was all condensation underneath the tarp.

Yup...that's why the sides need to be open...gotta have air flow.

 

[begreen]

Always cover the secondary pipe that connects to the baffle with a rag before any cleaning. That stops crud from dropping down the pipe and into the EBT.

 

[Mike Lawson]

Always cover the secondary pipe that connects to the baffle with a rag before any cleaning. That stops crud from dropping down the pipe and into the EBT.

Thanks for the reply! The side pieces that have loose insulation above them and the baffle I did not treat nor spray or coat because the chimney sweep felt it may void the warranty.... maybe he was just referring to the baffle?

Is it ok to cover/light coat with WD40 to stop the progress of the surface rust? Any suggestion or product suggestion is appreciated.
Thanks for everyone's time on this, it is appreciated.

 

[bholler]

Thanks for the reply! The side pieces that have loose insulation above them and the baffle I did not treat nor spray or coat because the chimney sweep felt it may void the warranty.... maybe he was just referring to the baffle?

Is it ok to cover/light coat with WD40 to stop the progress of the surface rust? Any suggestion or product suggestion is appreciated.
Thanks for everyone's time on this, it is appreciated.

Yes wd40 would be fine but absolutely is not nessecary

 

[begreen]

WD40 stinks. I wouldn't want to smell that all summer in my house. It really isn't necessary. All critical components in your stove are stainless steel.