When should the summer cleaning take place?

[Backwoods Savage]

Naturally I say this in jest. However, I have not done any stove cleaning yet this summer. And the way the weather is going it may be fall before we do any of the annual cleaning. I'm spending most of my spare time now just hauling water to try to keep things alive. We're not very far from peach picking time and they need lots of water. Raspberries look like they are drying up in spite of the water we give them. I see these pockets of rain in many places on the radar map but none seems to come this way at all. Maybe it will wait until winter and then come as all snow.

All kidding aside, all I really need to do is vacuum out all the ashes and fly ash then check the gaskets. If any needs changing, I have them already. I will replace the cat this fall though so I'll finally get a chance to check out the new steel cats. Other than that, I could probably go ahead and burn without cleaning anything. Well, I should at least clean the glass as there is some ash on it. Maybe I'm getting lazy, or old, or both.

 

[amateur cutter]

Uhhhh......... you're supposed to clean these things?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

:lol: :lol:

 

[Swedishchef]

Glad to see I am not alone....

The ash from my last burn is still sitting in the stove...and I know my door gasket needs replacing. I am thinking within 3 months it will get done Just need to add it to me "1 000 000 things to do" list.

Andrew

 

[PapaDave]

In the fall.
Shouldn't rush into these things. :lol:

 

[Swedishchef]

I agree with PapaDave.

Cleaning a stove in the summer would be like cleaning out a pool in Feb! You're not gonna use it for at least a few months!

 

[BrotherBart]

I may be sorry since I am the one that rags on people to clean and check out everything in the spring so if they have a problem with the stove they have time to work it out. I haven't laid a hand on the 30 since the last fire and will clean the pipe in September. I looked at it after the season was over and could run till December or January but I just can't stop the habit of starting the season with a clean flue and hitting it again mid-season. The wobblier these knees get the more I may change that routine.

The basement flue hasn't been swept in three seasons since I only build fires down there to keep the outside cat comfy on really cold nights anymore. But since I am going to be using the pellet puppy down there this year I will hit that liner a lick in September also.

 

[begreen]

Summer cleaning should take place at the beginning of the summer. Clean off the picnic table and grille. Fall cleaning is when our stove gets done too.

 

[rdust]

My stove is cleaned out but I haven't touched the pipe or chimney yet. I plan to get them cleaned up when I get the new stove placed on the hearth pad. If a new stove wasn't getting installed I'd be cleaning it in September.

 

[btuser]

The problem with letting the pipe sit is the creasote sucks up the water in the air (in my experience) and can turn to almost tar. Instead of just flakes and dust your brush gets gummed up and it can be a yucky mess. That being said I still have to clean mine and yes, my stove is still full of ash.

 

[Stump_Branch]

I cleaned the ash out, built a match ready fire for looks i guess. Too hot to scrub. I have however been cleaning, the new to me stove. She will get new gaskets, just finished a fresh coat of paint. Shame though, i dont know how long ill have to wait to get her going. Like christmas, except you know what you got, just cant play with it till christmas morning.

 

[Todd]

I always clean mine late Spring otherwise I get a little creosote smell on those hot humid Summer days.

 

[fireview2788]

Well, I've got gunk falling from the chimney, does that count as cleaning? Seriously, mine will get cleaned as part of the install of the new stove.


fv

 

[Danno77]

Or you can just follow my lead and install all new everything

 

[BrotherBart]

Or you can just follow my lead and install all new everything

That is what BrowningBar does. Every year. :lol:

 

[PapaDave]

I actually cleaned the stove and flue in late May. Ran the brush down the flue, cleaned the cap, and the inside of the stove. I just need to take a look at the gaskets and I'm gooder to go.
I'm pretty lucky in that the flue is at the peak of the house in the front and as long as I'm able to climb the ladder, I can clean the flue easily.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The problem with letting the pipe sit is the creasote sucks up the water in the air (in my experience) and can turn to almost tar. Instead of just flakes and dust your brush gets gummed up and it can be a yucky mess. That being said I still have to clean mine and yes, my stove is still full of ash.

No creosote problems here so don't worry about that and we also do not get any smell in the house during the summer.....at least any smell from the stove. I usually clean early summer or late spring but this year I'm slow.

 

[firefighterjake]

I had everything cleaned back in June . . . and then we had a spell of cooler weather and I ran a couple loads of wood in the stove . . . at this point I'm just going to wait a few more weeks to clean everything out and up and then we'll be back up and running.

 

[tfdchief]

In the fall.
Shouldn't rush into these things. :lol:

Well, I always have good intentions, but I am with PapaDave, in the fall. My grand kids call me PapaSteve. Maybe age has something to do with when you clean ???? This year, I just hope I can clean mine when fall gets here, that will make me very happy.

 

[Milton Findley]

I had my wife up the ladder last weekend. That woman can run a sooteater as well as anybody I know. I ran the vacuum cleaner at the other end. Everything is nice and shiny up and down, but I haven't done the connector pipe, all two feet of it, yet. Pain in the neck to do all that unscrewing and re screwing while bent over a soapstone stove.