I know there's lots of posts on the site about the Sooteater and pretty much all positive from what I recall. I thought I'd just throw another "thumbs-up" at the product for anyone still on the fence and also throw in an idea I don't think I've heard yet.
Bottom line, I'm running a PE Super 27 with a 28' straight vertical shot, and I've got a bag full of extra gaskets I made. With that it's pretty quick and easy for me to pop things apart, grab a spotlight and a mirror and get a pretty good look up the pipe all the way to the top. Things looked reasonably good but I wanted to do a mid season clean out just for peace of mind.
I bought two SE kits so I'd have enough rods for the job. From the time I got home from work, unpacked the new toys, trimmed the lines, set up a drop cloth, scooped out old ashes, popped the stove apart, cleaned it, and put everything back together -- one hour off the clock. I was pleased with that and I didn't have to get on the roof!
My other idea was to put a box fan in a window and put a little positive pressure ventilation into play. I didn't use any plastic over the stove opening, just a wide open door. It worked really great. Not one bit of soot into the house. Just about three tablespoons of "crumblies" falling into my stove scoop pan. I had my wife step outside with the spotlight on the top cap and she occasionally saw a small "poof" of black soot but nothing much to speak of.
My rookie opinion thought that was pretty good for 3+ months of near steady burning with almost all of it Pine and Aspen. Any of you long time burners have any "crumbly analysis" for the attached photo, I'm certainly open for comment.
Bottom line, I'm running a PE Super 27 with a 28' straight vertical shot, and I've got a bag full of extra gaskets I made. With that it's pretty quick and easy for me to pop things apart, grab a spotlight and a mirror and get a pretty good look up the pipe all the way to the top. Things looked reasonably good but I wanted to do a mid season clean out just for peace of mind.
I bought two SE kits so I'd have enough rods for the job. From the time I got home from work, unpacked the new toys, trimmed the lines, set up a drop cloth, scooped out old ashes, popped the stove apart, cleaned it, and put everything back together -- one hour off the clock. I was pleased with that and I didn't have to get on the roof!
My other idea was to put a box fan in a window and put a little positive pressure ventilation into play. I didn't use any plastic over the stove opening, just a wide open door. It worked really great. Not one bit of soot into the house. Just about three tablespoons of "crumblies" falling into my stove scoop pan. I had my wife step outside with the spotlight on the top cap and she occasionally saw a small "poof" of black soot but nothing much to speak of.
My rookie opinion thought that was pretty good for 3+ months of near steady burning with almost all of it Pine and Aspen. Any of you long time burners have any "crumbly analysis" for the attached photo, I'm certainly open for comment.
