Stove Pipe Dripping Identification

[Dobish]

I walked past my stove pipe the other day, and noticed that there were 2 strips of white "drippings" coming down the pipe. There is a black dripping too, which is sticky. The white was sort of chaulky.

We haven't burned anything in the stove for a few months, and it was last cleaned in February. I haven't pulled the pipe off to see if anything was in there, but it just seems like an odd place to get dripping.

This single wall goes into the ceiling support box, then directly to the double wall pipe and up 6'.

 

[Ludlow]

Looks like condensation drips to me. What brand chimney pipe?

 

[begreen]

Or perhaps seam leakage. Is this Selkirk chimney pipe?

 

[Ludlow]

When it is cold outside and the stove is not being used, you can sometimes see water dripping like rain from a ceiling box with unheated space above. Due to the cold metal growing condensation. This can really show up if you are boiling water for pasta on the stove, taking a hot shower without using ventilation fans etc. I have to insulate the whole house attic fan louver in my hallway in the winter because it will literally RAIN in my hallway if I dont.

Or the leaky selkirk issue. I am curious what brand like I said above.

 

[Dobish]

it is a MetalFab Temp Guard

 

[Dobish]

i will also note, that it has been extremely hot outside, but not inside. I did have a really bad build up of creosote when someone was staying at our house and clogged the stove pipe with paper and crap. That was when I cleaned it out in feb. I think i will try and clean it off, and pull the pipe to see if there is anything obvious.

 

[begreen]

Do you have access to the chimney pipe above the ceiling, before it goes through the roof? If there is no sign of any drips on the chimney pipe in the attic then condensation could be the issue.

 

[Dobish]

Do you have access to the chimney pipe above the ceiling, before it goes through the roof? If there is no sign of any drips on the chimney pipe in the attic then condensation could be the issue.

no access to the attic, as there isn't really an attic. it goes straight up from the support box through the flashing and out the roof.

 

[begreen]

Looks like easy access for visual inspection. Go up and look at the storm collar. Is it sealed well at the chimney pipe? Also see if the chimney pipe has a seam on it.

 

[Dobish]

Looks like easy access for visual inspection. Go up and look at the storm collar. Is it sealed well at the chimney pipe? Also see if the chimney pipe has a seam on it.

Attached photos. Looks like it was from when the chimney pipe was clogged, and just finally changed color.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Maybe it’s just me, but your cap looks all gunked up.

 

[Dobish]

Maybe it’s just me, but your cap looks all gunked up.

There were a few chunks, but it's mostly clear. The whole thing will be cleaned before winter and be all shiny again.

 

[begreen]

The storm collar seal looks wimpy. Before the rains start I'd clean off the old seal and put a more generous bead of good quality silicone around the collar.

 

[Dobish]

The storm collar seal looks wimpy. Before the rains start I'd clean off the old seal and put a more generous bead of good quality silicone around the collar.

I was noticing that when I was up there yesterday... its like the guy who installed it ran out of silicone when he was putting it in.... oh wait, that was me! It has been so hot up on the roof this summer, I have been staying off of it. I have to get the silicone out for a few other things soon, so when I do that it will happen. funny thing is, below the storm collar, there are no drips, so it must be working!

 

[Dobish]

well, i had a few minutes and got around to checking out what was going on. I got up on the roof and decided to tear the whole stack apart. Short answer: it was creosote from when the chimney cap had been plugged up by the sister in law loading up a ton of cardboard boxes and newspaper to start it.

Long answer:
I pulled off the top and cleaned it out. While I had gotten the majority of it out last february, I gave the top a good scraping, shaking and cleaning. There are still a few little crusties in the corners, but it wasn't that bad.
I ran the brush down the top section, and the top had some big crusties, but not as bad as I was expecting. I took off the chimney braces and removed the top section of the pipe. I really had to work on this, because it was stuck together from some nasty creosote that had gotten in there. There was almost nothing in the pipe on the top of the first section. the brush ran clean down to the junction. Once it hit the single wall, i felt it get a little snug.
I ran the brush down through the single wall, and felt a bit down towards the bottom that snagged a little bit, but after a few pulls, it moved easily.
All in all, I got this much: about 3-4 handfuls. Is it strange that it was built up at the bottom of the stove? the top makes sense to me...


On another note, I had not cleaned the ash out of my stove since we last burned.... now the glass is nice and clean and I can see the grate again!

 

[bholler]

I am curios how you think newspaper and cardboard made allot of creosote. It is much more likely it started a chimney fire which expanded creosote that was already there

 

[Dobish]

I am curios how you think newspaper and cardboard made allot of creosote. It is much more likely it started a chimney fire which expanded creosote that was already there

given that the chimney cap was blocked by charred newspaper and cardboard pieces, I am going to assume that was the case. Sister in Law didn't realize that it was clogged because she had put loose newspaper and cardboard on top to start it up. It all got sucked up and into the chimney cap. Since she doesn't use a wood stove very often, she thought she was doing something wrong when the fire kept going out and smoke was backing up into the house. She then kept trying to get the wood in the stove to burn, but it just smoldered for about 3 days.

 

[bholler]

given that the chimney cap was blocked by charred newspaper and cardboard pieces, I am going to assume that was the case. Sister in Law didn't realize that it was clogged because she had put loose newspaper and cardboard on top to start it up. It all got sucked up and into the chimney cap. Since she doesn't use a wood stove very often, she thought she was doing something wrong when the fire kept going out and smoke was backing up into the house. She then kept trying to get the wood in the stove to burn, but it just smoldered for about 3 days.

Oh ok if it was blocked with newspaper that is a different story.

 

[Pertzbro]

I've never heard of blocking the chimney cap with paper.... heck.. I start every fire with a crumpled up ball of news paper shoved in my bypass hole (directly below my flue pipe in the firebox) to start a draft at the same time i light the newspaper in the firebox with small splits and a few pieces of fatwood.

I could be lucky or it could be cause i have more chimney - 25 or so feet from the top of my insert.

 

[Dobish]

I've never heard of blocking the chimney cap with paper.... heck.. I start every fire with a crumpled up ball of news paper shoved in my bypass hole (directly below my flue pipe in the firebox) to start a draft at the same time i light the newspaper in the firebox with small splits and a few pieces of fatwood.

I could be lucky or it could be cause i have more chimney - 25 or so feet from the top of my insert.

i do the same thing. 1 small ball of newspaper. We only have about 16ft to the top of the chimney, but have decent draft.

She mush have thought she needed what appeared to be a box of newspaper loosely tossed on top of the wood to get it going, and with the draft sucking it up, it all ended up in the chimney cap. Our cap clogs more often than I would prefer, but with dry wood, we don't really notice it.

 

[Pertzbro]

Just noticed you're in Golden. How often do you get days where burning is not allowed? Lived in Denver for 6 years. I miss Colorado but also glad to be off the front range due to population growth.

 

[Dobish]

Just noticed you're in Golden. How often do you get days where burning is not allowed? Lived in Denver for 6 years. I miss Colorado but also glad to be off the front range due to population growth.

we haven't had too many days, maybe 2 or 3 over the last couple of years.
We use our stove for primary heat in the winter, and when the cat is engaged, there is very little indication that the stove is burning. It is also on the EPA list, so it is exempt from the burn restrictions so I don't have to worry about that.

 

[begreen]

We only have about 12ft to the top of the chimney, but have decent draft.

That stove needs more chimney. Normally it needs at least 16' but due to the altitude it needs more like 20'. With a short chimney it's going to perform poorly.

For proper draft and good performance, any chimney used with a Encore® should extend at least 16’ (5 m) above the flue collar of the stove.

 

[Dobish]

That stove needs more chimney. Normally it needs at least 16' but due to the altitude it needs more like 20'. With a short chimney it's going to perform poorly.
View attachment 228671

sorry, friday math- it is 16'. i have had no issues with the performance or draft with dry wood. when the wood is not good, it is noticeable for sure.

*note. i edited my previous post