What about a reverse leaf blower trick?

[GMadd]

For fear of getting laughed off the forum.....

My outiside vent is very high and hard to access due to placement over an AC unit. Not sure I can get a leaf blower on it from the outside. What about opening the clean out cap inside, connecting a leaf blower, adding duct tape and blowing the pipe out. I'd imagine I'd cover the stove with an old sheet or something first. Begin humiliation.......

 

[Husky]

I use the inside method myself. I do a thorough cleaning of the inside making sure to get out as much ash as possible using a brush and my shop vac. After I have cleaned out the stove, the best I can, I then insert the hose in the exhaust port. It fit nice and tight but I do get a little blow back. I shut the door as fare as I can and then cover with one of those heavy moving blankets. It seems to work great for me. I go outside and watch top of chimney until it is blowing clear and then I am done.

 

[KodiakII]

Do you guys have any lawyers (divorce) on retainer?

 

[GMadd]

Do you guys have any lawyers (divorce) on retainer?

A little ash inside is way better than cheating or something, no?

 

[KodiakII]

A little ash inside is way better than cheating or something, no?

Past experience has proven a little ash can get ME into a lot of trouble!!

 

[Ranger72]

Positive pressure and ash can be disastrous. There are some guys that do exactly as you describe, but if you do it, be REALLY careful. Haha

 

[Husky]

Past experience has proven a little ash can get ME into a lot of trouble!!

If wife doesn't like the way I do it then she is always more than welcome to do it herself. She has certain things she does around the home that I know better then to question and I have things I do around the house that she doesn't question. We call it marriage. Seems to work well for us. Going on 25 years with 3 kids and a dog. Anyways, I have very little ash to none that gets in the house. We use to have a wood stove that was way dirtier than the pellet stove. With the little dust and ash we have now she sees it as a huge improvement.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Ah, more Geek wannabes.

His boss was none too impressed.

 

[Ranger72]

Ah, more Geek wannabes.

His boss was none too impressed.

Does anyone have those pics?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Always willing to help out in the how not to do it department https://www.hearth.com/talk/posts/65092/

 

[bogieb]

A little ash inside is way better than cheating or something, no?

Definitely!

 

[lectraplayer]

I keep seeing that cartoon. Man turns on leaf blower, a big black cloud results, and when it goes away, there she is with a rolling pin.

 

[moey]

I stuff a rag in the exhaust pipe outside at the tee and will blow out my vertical pipe after I have hit it with a scrappy thingy..

 

[OhioBurner©]

I was wondering about using the leaf blower into the OAK since its nice and accessable on the front porch. But I suppose a chance if a pipe comes apart or something would make a big mess. Now its warming up though I should be able to get back on the roof. Just a pain when its cold and blowing, and about impossible if there is any snow on it to get up to the top of the chimney.

 

[Ranger72]

Sucking air from the exhaust creates negative pressure inside the stove which eliminates any chance of ash being forced out seals etc. Blowing air into the stove via the outside air port creates postive pressure. In this scenario, even if your seals are in perfect shape, ash can still be forced past them into your house.
I may or may not have climbed on my snowy roof this season to use the leaf blower.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Was your roof metal? Mine get really slick.

 

[Ranger72]

Was your roof metal? Mine get really slick.

No way man. I'm nuts, but not crazy. Haha. Metal roofs aren't common in my area.

 

[tjnamtiw]

using the method described, you're not sucking any ash from the many hidden, inaccessible areas in the heat exchanger. It's better than nothing but not really the intent of the LBT.