When Do You "Clean" with a High Burn?

[Jutlin]

Hey folks,
I know we all have different rigs and so I don't want to ask how often people do a high burn with a window open to clean out the stove/pipe/chimney a bit, but I will ask:

What makes you think you should? Is it just a routine? Is there a sign? What signals are you using to make a decision that your stove needs a high burn?

When you do them, do you wait until a warmer day? A colder day?

Thanks.

 

[bholler]

Hey folks,
I know we all have different rigs and so I don't want to ask how often people do a high burn with a window open to clean out the stove/pipe/chimney a bit, but I will ask:

What makes you think you should? Is it just a routine? Is there a sign? What signals are you using to make a decision that your stove needs a high burn?

When you do them, do you wait until a warmer day? A colder day?

Thanks.

Just burn dry wood and bring it up to temp with every fresh load and you wont need anything more than a cleaning once a year. The only exception is with cat stoves but that is to clean buildup out of the stove not the chimney.

 

[Ashful]

I run cat stoves, which have a unique ability to burn at crazy low rates. So, while my chimneys always stay clean, my fireboxes can get pretty badly caked up with creosote glaze. The manufacturer of my stoves recommends simply running them on high for 30 minutes, after engaging the combustor, at the beginning of each load. So, this is what I do.

This 30 minute on high run seems to have two effects. First, it nicely chars the load, and drives out any remaining moisture, even beyond what is done during the initial bypass startup phase. Second, as mentioned, it nicely cleans the firebox and most of the viewing window.

I occasionally burn much longer on high, but that’s about trying to heat my home, and not for the purpose of cleaning out the stove.

 

[firefighterjake]

1. Burn well seasoned wood.
2. Burn at the proper temps -- not so cool that you're making excess creosote and not so hot that it will ignite any built up creosote.
3. Inspect chimney regularly . . . clean when necessary.

Do Steps 1-3 and you should have no need to do a hot "burn" to clean out your chimney and pipes . . . or in other words if you do steps 1-3 there is no need to try to attempt to have a chimney fire to burn out the creosote.

Follow Steps 1-3 . . . burn as normal.

 

[Ashful]

1. Burn well seasoned wood.
2. Burn at the proper temps -- not so cool that you're making excess creosote and not so hot that it will ignite any built up creosote.
3. Inspect chimney regularly . . . clean when necessary.

Do Steps 1-3 and you should have no need to do a hot "burn" to clean out your chimney and pipes . . . or in other words if you do steps 1-3 there is no need to try to attempt to have a chimney fire to burn out the creosote.

Follow Steps 1-3 . . . burn as normal.

You speak from the non-cat perspective. Cat stoves can gum up a firebox on the driest of wood. But, on perspective of stovepipe and chimney... yes. We’re all in agreement, there.

I only point this out because the OP asked about all three.

 

[bholler]

You speak from the non-cat perspective. Cat stoves can gum up a firebox on the driest of wood. But, on perspective of stovepipe and chimney... yes. We’re all in agreement, there.

I only point this out because the OP asked about all three.

Yes i agree like i said i just would like to point out that the build up in a stove offers no danger so as long as you follow those 3 you will be safe. But again yes it is common to run hot to clean out a cat stove.

 

[Doc C]

Every morning when it's not shoulder season I have a really hot fire. Not chimney fire hot but hot enough to set off a smoke detector near by from the heat.

And then I throw on my cresote converting powder while it's blazing.

Then in January and summer I clean my chimney.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Every morning when it's not shoulder season I have a really hot fire. Not chimney fire hot but hot enough to set off a smoke detector near by from the heat.

And then I throw on my cresote converting powder while it's blazing.

Then in January and summer I clean my chimney.

That sounds way too hot. Maybe just add another cleaning per season and burn in normal range.

 

[Jutlin]

Thanks for all the thoughts. I have quad adventure 2, and it's pretty self sufficient and runs pretty clean. But I just restacked some outside wood into my garage and I guess some of it was a little more damp from recent rains. I have to adjust to running a little hotter to start my fires for a bit to make sure the water's out and then stuffing it, or I get a dirty door. I ran it hot to clean the window but I have to adjust my technique until the wood dries out a little from being outdoors.

When I had totally dry wood I could just start it up, let it run for about five minutes with the door open, stuff it and it walk away for about 10 hours and it would burn clean the whole time.

 

[Chimney Smoke]

Surface moisture should have no impact on soot/creosote. Bring it inside and the surface moisture should be dried in a day or two.

 

[jetsam]

I too gunk up my stove with super-low burns.

It cleans itself when it gets cold outside and I turn up the heat... no other scheduling required.