Too much creasote?

[ridensnow23]

So I decided that since the weather broke, I would go up and clean my flues today. Well that turned out to be mistake. There was still snow and ice at the edge of my roof which made getting on and off the ladder way too dangerous. Won't ever do that again.

Anyways, I had the top taken off of my multi-flue cap and was getting ready to start the sweeping before I nixed the idea. I have my brush attached to ropes so I have to pull the brush down from below, and then back up from the top. Before I closed everything back up, I took the wrench I had with and banged it around in the top of the flue to knock some of the loose stuff down. I was unpleasantly surprised to see how much creosote came down the flue just from that.

So my question is, is it too much for not even having run the brush down yet? This is about a 20' flex liner. We've been burning pretty much 24/7 this season whenever the temps are below freezing. There wasn't this much creosote last year when I cleaned in the spring.

I've been wondering if we had been burning too low. Also worth mentioning the last load of wood I brought up was kinda wet. Split it and it measured ok, but the bark was wet and so was the wood right under the bark.

 

[BrotherBart]

That is the dictionary definition of a mess. Since you had the cap off anyway why didn't you at least drop the rope and drag the thing down into the firebox with out the pull back up to the top?

If that just came from banging the top, pull the baffle, get a mirror and flashlight and angle the mirror to get a look up from the bottom.

 

[Charles1981]

Subjectively that seems like a lot (did you put it in a container? gallon bucket, coffee can ect? to quantify it?), and it looks kind of shiny rather than a dull gray color ... I'd want to sweep that liner... but I would also want to be careful and not fall off the roof too! be careful.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

I went up as well today since it was beautiful out. Finally a chance to sweep for the first time since owning the stove. It was installed December 2012 and I would say that maybe 1 1/2 to 2 cords had gone through it so far. I purchased a sooteater and ran it down from the top. I also got that fine flaky shiny stuff and did not get all of it as it it a flex liner and ribbed. I would say I got close to half a gallon of it and it is a 21 foot high flue.
Considered normal? Good? Bad? Also please tell me if this is normal wear and tear for the ceramic blanket after this amount of time.

 

[osagebow]

1/2 gallon of shiny stuff sounds like a lot for 2 cords,even if you swept! Is the liner insulated? I stuffed roxul around the top 6' of mine and saw a marked improvement in my cleaning today. Hard to get all of it in a ribbed liner, but that's ok. Good luck and welcome, these guys will get ya fixed up right.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

1/2 gallon of shiny stuff sounds like a lot for 2 cords,even if you swept! Is the liner insulated? I stuffed roxul around the top 6' of mine and saw a marked improvement in my cleaning today. Hard to get all of it in a ribbed liner, but that's ok. Good luck and welcome, these guys will get ya fixed up right.

No not insulated. Just plain old flex liner run up inside of chimney.

 

[fossil]

Why hijack the OP's thread?...just start your own.

 

[osagebow]

Get 'er insulated- keeps the flue gasses hotter = less creosote. Knowing the stove is operating at the right temp is crucial also. I burned mine way to cool my first year. Also had fresh wood. My flue looked like the la brea tar pits. Once you get a few years ahead on wood, everything gets better. What is your wood supply like? It's the biggest factor in having a clean flue, efficiency, and SAFETY.

 

[BrotherBart]

I usually get some crusty shiny 'sote just in the top four or five inches below and where the liner collar is over the top plate. This year I did something I have intended to try for years. Rolled some fiberglass insulation in aluminum foil and wrapped it around that collar with aluminum tape a couple of months ago.

Went up yesterday after most of the snow was off of the roof and found no crusty crap at the top of the liner. And a heck of a lot less flaky stuff laying on the top plate from falling off of the cap. Cap was glazed but no flakes in it either. After the coldest windiest month we have seen here in years.

Uninsulated liners but Roxel stuffed into the top two feet of the flue tiles around the liners.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

Why hijack the OP's thread?...just start your own.

Kinda thought it was being efficient. Didn't mean to offend you big guy.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

Get 'er insulated- keeps the flue gasses hotter = less creosote. Knowing the stove is operating at the right temp is crucial also. I burned mine way to cool my first year. Also had fresh wood. My flue looked like the la brea tar pits. Once you get a few years ahead on wood, everything gets better. What is your wood supply like? It's the biggest factor in having a clean flue, efficiency, and SAFETY.

Wood is dry and I burn hot. I am sure that insulating the liner would help, but I wouldn't do it myself, and it is not priority right now. Several other projects taking precedence and if I can get along with a good cleaning or two every year I think that should be fine. This should keep the flue safe from any chimney fires though shouldn't it?

 

[Bagelboy]

I only do mine once a year, never any problems.

 

[ridensnow23]

I didn't measure out what was there. I'm going to wait until I sweep it later today. It's been raining here which melted the snow, so I'll be able to get up there safely.

Yeah the stuff the was in the ridges is definitely shiney. I had a bunch of flakes on the cap above this flue. Also looks like some of the creosote hit the cap cap and eventually dripped down onto the top of the chimney.

Supposedly the installer put insulation in the top portion of my flue. I get stink bugs crawling out behind the insert surround when we fire up for the season which leads me to believe there are some gaps. I see block off plates and poured insulation in my future.

 

[ridensnow23]

Well, flue number 1 is clean. I scooped the creosote into a trash bag. I'd say it was the size of a mini basketball. Maybe a little smaller. Too much in my opinion. Flue number 2 had a light glaze on it, but not nearly as bad since we use it less.

There will be some retraining amongst the family this week to avoid this in the future. I'll also be much more diligent about keeping the wood dry.

 

[Dhide371]

Is it ok to sweep without taking pipe apart and letting it fall into firebox like that?

 

[gandrimp]

Is it ok to sweep without taking pipe apart and letting it fall into firebox like that?

This will depend on what stove you have.

 

[Hogwildz]

Not so much for build up, but is a good bit for just the top. The color and texture is what would concern me.

 

[BrotherBart]

Is it ok to sweep without taking pipe apart and letting it fall into firebox like that?

Yep.

 

[ridensnow23]

That is the dictionary definition of a mess. Since you had the cap off anyway why didn't you at least drop the rope and drag the thing down into the firebox with out the pull back up to the top?

If that just came from banging the top, pull the baffle, get a mirror and flashlight and angle the mirror to get a look up from the bottom.

My flue has some bends at the bottom and I've never been able to pull the brush through the bends and out through the insert. Going to try a different method. I ordered a sooteater.

I had the baffles out when I took this picture. Hard to tell, but there are in the bottom of insert. The creosote is on top of them. I had looked up in the flue with a mirror, but I could only see so far up thanks to a 30 degree bend. It didn't look terrible but it didn't look great either.

I'm going to pick up some Rutland Creosote Remover and start using it to dry out any remaining creosote before I sweep it the next time.

 

[Hogwildz]

A brush with a rope tied on each end pulled down and back up will do a good job also. Soot eater prolly easier though.

 

[Kosmik]

It's condensing in the chimney. BB's solution is worth a try.
If you don't remove the stovepipe make sure you get a mirror and flashlight on every bend. Many a story here on packed creosote in flues from well meaning cleanings. My bends are where the most ash/soot collects too. That is why I take mine apart.
Also my EPA stove would pile all that crap on the baffles not dump it into the firebox for vacuuming. So make sure it has a clear path into the firebox like the OP if you do.

 

[Hogwildz]

Baffle or baffle board(s) need to be removed prior to sweeping.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

Not so much for build up, but is a good bit for just the top. The color and texture is what would concern me.

So if I take a match to the black shiny flaky crud it will torch?

 

[oppirs]

I get that junk in my pipe once a month (non insulated)... Just clean it. Often. Mine is easy, I have a clean-out 3',from base. and outdoors.

 

[BobUrban]

Wet wood - as in a little snow on it or it rained last night is not the issue if the wood has been CSS for 2-3yrs. This is just a bit of surface moisture and unless you are packing your stove 1/2 full of snow this burns right off. It is the "green" wood or wood that has a true interior moisture content that is being referred to here as wet(above 20%). Many a 15% split has been placed inside stoves this winter with a little snow or moisture on the outside with nary a hint of creo being developed. Get the inside dry and worry less about the outside - your stove, flue and warm family will thank you.

If you do not have inside storage for your current years burning fuel ie. shed, garage, basement, under deck, etc. many here use a tarp of some sort to protect the wood from the elements. Not so much for keeping creo away if the wood is under 20% but more to keep from needing to dig it out of the snow and keep snow out of the house.