I'm getting confused about how often I should expect to have to sweep the flue. It sounds like some folks sweep every month, others every year. I'm not a 24x7 burner and I only burn dry wood. I'm leaning more towards once a year due to that and other factors. That said, I am able to inspect the top of my pipe to see what state at least the last few feet are in. What should I be looking for? What's 'normal'? Right now, after only a few fires, I basically have a nice black pipe interior.
Sweeping frequency
- Thread starter heffergm
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firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
heffergm said:
There really is no "right" answer.
It depends on how often you burn, the type of wood you're burning (seasoned vs. semi-seasoned) and how anal retentive you are . . . and in some ways how long you've been burning for.
In general, I think a new burner should be checking at least once a month and sweeping when there is a quarter inch or so of build up.
If you've gone a whole year and seen very little build up on those checks and sweeps, you might get by with an annual sweep.
If you're burning on weekends/nights you might only need to check and sweep the chimney annually.
If you're burning 24/7 you might need to check and sweep the chimney more often -- maybe twice a year like many folks here do.
If you're burning well seasoned wood you might want to only sweep annually to twice a burning season.
If you're burning with questionable wood, it might be a good idea to check and sweep monthly . . . or maybe even more often depending on how how your wood is seasoned . . . or not seasoned.
If you're a what will be, will be sort of personality . . . twice a season sweep or an annual sweep would be OK.
If you're an anal retentive type of personality like me who thinks it would be really embarassing to have a chimney fire, you would want to check and sweep monthly.
If you're a complete moron, burning wood for the first time and plan to burn wood 24/7 and the wood was just cut and split three weeks ago and you have great faith in your fire department, you may not check or sweep your chimney until February 14th at which point at 2:23 a.m. you will wake up to hear what sounds like Amtrak running through your chimney, flames shooting out of the top like a Roman candle and your spouse crying, "Why? Why? Why? I just know we're going to have to live in a hotel for several months."
Would it be correct to say that the worst buildup will be at the highest point of the chimney, and thus is a good barometer for how the rest of it looks? I don't really have any way to sight down the whole pipe... I can check the top and that's about it. But given that I'll probably only be burning for 3 or 4 months, and not 24x7, with well seasoned wood, I suspect I'll be fine with once a season. I'll keep checking the pipe regularly.
savageactor7
Minister of Fire
We burn on the hot side and clean once a year...that yields about 2 gal or less of creosote/dust.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
heffergm said:
In general, yes . . . typically the worst part for creosote build up is the top of the chimney and cap.
Based on your planned burning pattern and fact that you plan to check the flue regularly I would suspect that you will be able to get by with an annual sweep providing of course you are using well seasoned wood . . . but make sure you continue to check the chimney occasionally.
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