Still hearing creosote falling after chimney cleaning

[Ricky8443]

Chimney was cleaned April 17th, 2015. Started burning again in October 2015 and I heard creosote falling down the insulated liner during the first burn. I've heard it almost weekly since. My question is this: Why was I hearing creosote immediately after the cleaning? Is that normal? No other issues or complaints (seasoned firewood, perfect draft, good stove temps, etc).

I'm about to schedule another cleaning this year but was thinking of using a different sweep.

 

[webby3650]

Sometimes there are some deposits of creosote that are stuck to the corragations in your liner. The brush has some trouble with these areas. The heat from your fire makes the liner expand and contract and the creosote falls to the bottom. It's a very small amount, but sounds like a lot when it hits the metal liner.

 

[Ricky8443]

great info, very helpful, thanks webby3650.

 

[drz1050]

You sure you're hearing creosote falling, and not the flue coming up to temp? Mine cracks and pops a lot when it's getting hot- just the metal expanding.

 

[Ricky8443]

You sure you're hearing creosote falling, and not the flue coming up to temp? Mine cracks and pops a lot when it's getting hot- just the metal expanding.

The sound I'm hearing is like a miniature avalanche of small pebbles suddenly falling through the chimney from top to bottom in a single 3-4 second time frame.

 

[tarzan]

I agree with DRG. While there could be a little creosote left behind that dislodged one the flue started heating up, the flue itself can make some pretty weird sounds while coming up to temp. and the "creosote falling" sound seems to be a prevailing one.

I think you should give the sweep another chance and either watch or check once he is done. Entirely possible he did his job well.

 

[Ricky8443]

I agree with DRG. While there could be a little creosote left behind that dislodged one the flue started heating up, the flue itself can make some pretty weird sounds while coming up to temp. and the "creosote falling" sound seems to be a prevailing one.

I think you should give the sweep another chance and either watch or check once he is done. Entirely possible he did his job well.

In your opinion, is prevailing "creosote falling" just the metal expanding as it comes to temperature? Does creosote actually make a sound falling would be the follow up question.

 

[Sprinter]

Does creosote actually make a sound falling would be the follow up question.

I'm not saying that this is the problem here, but yes, that crinkly, crumbly stage 2 type creosote definitely makes that falling sound. Back in the 80s when I had an older Earth Stove and didn't know much about burning properly, I got that all the time. I would often slap the pipe and listen to it fall as it loosened from the pipe. A very distinctive sound. But that was a freestanding stove with an exposed pipe. I'm not sure what it would sound like from an enclosed chimney. Probably more muffled I expect.

 

[begreen]

It does seem to be more prevalent with single-wall pipe. FWIW, with an EPA stove I've only heard this when burning poorly seasoned wood.

 

[Sprinter]

If this actually turns out to be creosote, I'd take another look at the wood's moisture and maybe some other factors. I assume that this stove has a baffle, so any fallen creosote would be found on it

 

[CenterTree]

Anyone think it may just be the creosote that forms more readily on the rain cap/mesh?

Even after a sweeping, the under side of the cap may have enough built-up black flakes to release (with heat) and cause the falling sound as those pieces tumble down the pipe.

 

[Sprinter]

Anyone think it may just be the creosote that forms more readily on the rain cap/mesh?

Sure, that's the first place creosote will form. My first couple of months of burning, my cap screen would get clogged up pretty quickly, but I was burning iffy wood and was just learning how to burn properly. I haven't had any at all for nearly 4 years now. Even then, the flue itself only had a handful of powder soot.

Sounds very plausible.

 

[tarzan]

In your opinion, is prevailing "creosote falling" just the metal expanding as it comes to temperature? Does creosote actually make a sound falling would be the follow up question.

l

IMO, creosote falling IS creosote falling BUT from many posts here over the years very similar to yours ( clean chimney but hear creosote falling) I suspect that many folks are hearing the sounds of the flue coming up to temp.

To answer your follow up question, yes! Just as a tree in the woods, whether your around to hear it or not

 

[webby3650]

With an insulated liner I've never noticed any sounds coming from the liner while its heating up. Junk falling from the cap is very plausible. While these Blaze Kings burn really efficiently, they often have dirty caps. Particularly if the wood is less than stellar.

 

[begreen]

I got the sound with double-wall stove pipe a couple years ago when burning damp soft maple. It was brief and happened on startup once the fire started getting hot. It only happened a couple times. A while after that my cap clogged. I cleaned the chimney and that was the end of it.

 

[NHcpa]

It's creosote! ... I get the same pinging noises and it's not the tooth fairy. I especially get it just after a brush clean. Not asked, but do you clean from the top down or bottom up? I clean from the bottom up and figure the heaviest build up is at the top at my exposed 4' or so chimney. If I did a top down, I bet dollars to doughnuts (I like both), there would be little creosote clanging down on start up (especially so with high temp before cat engage). Anyway, late spring, I will do a top down clean. I also agree with an earlier post that a brush will loosen things up but will leave loosened residue in the nooks and crannies.