stainless chinmey blueing?

[vasten]

I am noticing that my double wall chimney is blueing at the very top, right under the storm cap and about 5-6" down. Being a first time wood burner I am not sure if that is normal or not. Most of the people in the area have masonry chimneys so I can't look at the neighbors to compare.

This chimney is a straight up and out and is only showing this at the very end no wheres else in the pipe does it show signs of blueing.

 

[begreen]

Somehow, I think BB's going to come up with a song out of this.

My flue's got the blues who whoeoeooz
and I don't know why,
Can't tell why it's happening,
but it hurts my eye.

 

[vasten]

my thought is that there is a secondary combustion happening in that area. As the stove cools for the night the smoke condenses there being the furthest from the stove and exposed to cold wind. Then when the flue heats up the next day a small fire occurs there cleaning that out and temporarily super heating the end causing the blueing. Ofcourse i could be way wrong but it sounds good huh.....

 

[kevin fitzsimmons]

Mine does the same , and i had wondered if this was anything to question. Last week wile out for a stroll with my 2 year old ( well a stroll is really him farting around the same piece of ground for 20 min, then we make 10 ft of progress and repeat). Wile we were doing this i have ample time to look around. I notices another wood burner in the neighborhood with a bran new chimney doing he same thing. the bluing seemed to go away over the summer time. could be the hot gasses discoloring the metal, could be some condensate adhering the stainless as the gasses leave the chimney ad are eddying around the top of the pipe. this thin layer of creosote may be refracting the light differently. I seem to notice that the bluing is not homogeneous, rather it varies in colour. I would burn the best you can and not worry to much about it.

 

[rdrcr56]

Mine did it too, and after a good wet snow or rain it was gone.

 

[JimWalshin845]

I am noticing that my double wall chimney is blueing at the very top, right under the storm cap and about 5-6" down. Being a first time wood burner I am not sure if that is normal or not. Most of the people in the area have masonry chimneys so I can't look at the neighbors to compare.

This chimney is a straight up and out and is only showing this at the very end no wheres else in the pipe does it show signs of blueing.

It may be a good idea to include the make/model of stove, the flue length and what type of fuel you are burning.

 

[vasten]

It is a regency FS1100, wood burning stove. I have been burning wood that was standing deadwood on my property and as of lastnight purchased wood from a neighbor that had his land logged in January.

Total lenght of flue is approx 20' of 6".

 

[BrotherBart]

Somehow, I think BB's going to come up with a song out of this.

My flue's got the blues who whoeoeooz
and I don't know why,
Can't tell why it's happening,
but it hurts my eye.

Well is my stovepipe tarnished?
I have no way to tell
It's up at the top of that stainless stack
Where I can't see so well

It makes me suspicious baby
It looks suspicious
It looks suspicious and I don't know why

(Apologies to Elvis and Heartbreak Hotel)

 

[Corie]

Well, I've seen similar discoloration before, but much closer to the stove than the top of the chimney. In my case, the cause of the external discoloration was a few voids in the insulation pack. Just a simple manufacturing defect, probably resulting from the insulation packing auger running low on insulation (At least that's what I was told). In any case, I would certainly get a few good pictures of the discoloration and send them to the manufacturer with your conerns. They may be able to replace the pipe under warranty if they think it is a safety concern. Not trying to get you nervous, but it would be worth keeping a keen eye on it, just in case.

 

[n6crv]

I have the same trouble with my chimney. I called the manufacturer and was told that the chimney was 1' short. Well I went up with a 3 foot section. Had to add the support kit as I was now over height. Well as you might guess I still get the discoloration. I called them back and was told this time that it was from the weather not being real cold yet and the smoke is settling on the top of the chimney. I have noticed that the section that was getting the coloring at first is now clean. So what ever causes it, it does wash off.
Don

 

[myzamboni]

apoligies to the Stones:

I see a blue pipe and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I see a line of cars and theyre all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby it just happens evry day
I look inside myself and see my hearth is black
I see my blue pipe and it has been painted black
Maybe then Ill fade away and not have to face the facts
Its not easy facin up when your whole stove is black

 

[DriftWood]

Just wait untill the brown creosote icicle's show up this winter after a snow storm. Or the black top and sides from a dirty burn, or a good black sooty plugged spark screen, You ain't seen nothing yet.

 

[Lignums]

All the chimneys on my street look that way until they eventually paint them. All were stainless steel, until the last 6 inches on the opposite side the wind blows gets discolored. After a few years, almost everybody has them painted white, or the ever popular matte black.