Would you burn with this stove pipe before cleaning?

[Washxc]

Hey all,

Newbie question here. We installed our first wood stove last December and we are scheduled to have our first chimney sweep next Friday. I'd like to watch it done right before doing it on my own. I kept an eye on the t clean out last winter, monitoring it for creosote buildup every few weeks.
Anyways, it's going to b cold this weekend and I want to know if you'd be comfortable burning with this stove pipe. Pictures are taken from bottom of t looking up and from t looking into the house.

 

[webby3650]

No, I would not. That second pic looking into the house looks pretty bad!

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah I would wait for the cleaning. If it has that much stuff in the thimble the connector pipe inside is a mess too.

 

[fossil]

Bottom up doesn't look too bad to preclude a fire or two. Up top is to be expected, but it's not the really dangerous flavor of creosote. I'd be comfortable with another couple of fires before the cleaning...but I certainly wouldn't put it off much longer. Rick

WAIT...I went back and re-read what you posted. I thought that second pic was looking down from the top of the chimney (exit to daylight). Apparently not...it's right off the stove headed for the vertical run. In that case, I retract my previous comments and recommend waiting.

 

[BrotherBart]

I am thinking that second pic is down bottom looking back into the thimble. At first I thought it was up top.

 

[webby3650]

Bottom up doesn't look too bad

But it sure does looking in! That horizontal section looks pretty bad to me and you know the connector pipe is gonna be loaded.

 

[Washxc]

Thanks for the quick replies. The first pic is from the bottom of the t looking up towards the roof. The second pic is looking in through the thimble.

 

[fossil]

Right, I'm properly oriented now. Don't mess with it, get it cleaned. Rick

 

[xman23]

I would wait and see what and how much comes out. That stuff looks thick. The first year of burning you can gum up the chimney real fast, and not know it. The wood you burned was not seasoned, causing smoldering fires, not hot enough burns are just a few of the issues. If you blackened the glass most every fire, beware. We have all been thru this learning curve.