tar on chimney flue

[jdtractor]

hey guys,
Ive been burning wood for about two months in a fireplace insert that was instaled into a spottless fireplace/chimney
area .the weather turned warm so I took advantage and checked out the flue on top.I found a tar like sub. coating the top area of the flue and was wonderinghow dangerous or normal is this. Ive been burning 99 percent dead elm.is there any was to clean this up or should i not be concerned? it is not flaky or crusty like just sap like....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yup. Creosote. As long as it is not flaky and crusty you probably do not have to worry. Our old chimney was like that on about the top 4 feet and was like that for many years. We simply did not worry; just cleaned the chimney as normal. However, pay extra attention to the cap as that will build up with flaky sooty stuff and sometimes needs to be cleaned a couple times during the winter.

Also, you are burning dead elm. Does that mean you are burning it without seasoning? If so, that is what is causing the tar. Even though the elm is dead and the bark has fallen off, that stuff still has moisture in it and will cause lots of creosote. Better to cut this year to burn next year. btw, we also burn a lot of dead elm. Cut a couple of them this winter and will cut a couple more yet this Spring if this snow and ice ever melts.

 

[jdtractor]

thanks for the reply,and no we were not able to season are wood very long(3 months) but we were able to cut enough this winter to last us the next five years or so.there is dead or dying elm where ever you look around here (thumb area)hope fully we will be done burning for this season soon and next year on track with better seasoned wood, thanks again.....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You are right. That elm is all over Michigan. It pains me to drive down the roads and see dead trees all over the place and nobody taking advantage of it.

Sounds like you have the right idea with what you cut this winter. I wasn't able to cut much because of the deep snow, but we have over 5 years on hand anyway so I won't worry.

And we also have a whole bunch of dying white ash now, compliments of the Asian ash borer. Woods really look sick.

 

[jdtractor]

the tar seems to be paper thin and hard like a glaze already .we do not use a cap either, should I be?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes, you should. Keeps the weather out and stops most of any possible downdrafts.

 

[jdtractor]

10-4 thanks

 

[milner351]

also keeps critters out.

when I was a kid we decided we wanted to start having occasional fires in the old masonry fire places in our 20's built home. The fireplaces had not been used in many years, so my folks had a chimney sweep come out and clean / inspect the chimneys.

Darned good thing they thought ahead -- the sweep found 14 dead blackbirds in the upper portions of the flue!

The chimneys had no caps, the birds got drunk eating the fermenting mulberries from the neighbors tree - and fell down the flue pipes!

We also had the occasional squirrel fall in.

Best to have a cap - and best it be stainless on the stove chimney.

You guys have piqued my interest - so far I've not heard or seen any dead Elm - I'm near Ann Arbor - perhaps there aren't many of those around here - but boy do we have a lot of dead ash!

 

[jdtractor]

been reading other posts on the ''cap''subject and find pros and cons to it.maybe ill try to find one that is more of a rain/weather cap.the house is a 45 yr old ranch and the flue,brick and mortar were all in new condition with zero debris. as for dead ash trees in the area there are very few here now,but i was told that will change because of the ash borer.