lazy mans way of cleaning stove pipes

haypoint · #21 09/16/08, 01:14 AM

My apologies to Stef. The pictures didn't load the first time and without the pictures I thought it was an open endorsement of chimney fires to remove creosote. The added chimney fire comments made by others strengthened that assumption.
I've used a chain to clean a chimney before. It did a lousy job. A metal bristled chimney brush, made to clean chimneys seems to work best. Chains or sacks of bricks are better than nothing, but you risk damaging your clay liners. You can pound nails with a large stone, but you can do a better job with the correct tool. Same way with cleaning a chimney.
Since a chimney fire can burn down your house, it is important to check it during the season. A neighbor, tiring from climbing onto his snow-covered roof to shine a light down his chimney for his monthly creosote check, came up with an easier way. In the basement, near the floor was the chimney's clean-out door. The opening was big enough for his head and during the day there was enough light to do an inspection in the comfort of his own basement floor, by simply sticking his head into the clean-out opening. He was so proud of this newly discovered labor saver that he shared it with me. I commended him on his ingenuity, then explained that I do the same thing, except I stick a hand mirror into the opening, avoiding getting ashes in my hair.

poorboy · #22 09/16/08, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

I like the "Tim the Toolman" method of cleaning the stovepipes. I have found that rapping the sides of singlewall stovepipe with a rubber mallet is usually all it takes to knock stubborn creosote deposits off the interior of stovepipes.

I use apiece of flat wood strip and rap the pipe gently every couple of weeks and the build up falls down in to my stove and burns. I have and ole time woodstove and in cold weather a hot fire every morning allows for no buildup. have to clean my chimney cap once er twice a month under certain weather conditions..

michiganfarmer · #23 09/16/08, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragonflea

Why do you let it get that dirty in the first place?

thats my thought. Before I built my outdoor wood furnace, I burned my forced air furnace hot enough all the time that it stayed clean.

Michael W. Smith · #24 09/16/08, 01:22 PM

As someone who almost had a house fire as a teen due to creosote buildup, the suggestions of letting the "jet plane" "clean" your chimney is a poor choice - if you value your house!!

Growing up with not much, Dad tried to heat the house as best he could. In addition to the natural gas furnace, a coal/wood stove was put in the basement hooked up to the house chimney (the chimney that went directly up the middle of the house.)

As a kid, I remember the stove pipe going to the chimney sometimes getting red hot (along with the roar). I can't remember Dad doing any kind of chimney clean out between seasons.

When I was a teen, I came home from school to find out our house could have burnt down. A flue fire had got started (unnoticed by my Mom and Dad (who luckily happened to be doing work from home that day.) By the time my mother smelled smoke, about the only thing that could be done was to call the fire department - remember the chimney was directly in the center of the house with multiple rooms around it (2 story house). The fire department got there, and luckily found that the wood was just smoldering not on fire, but the fire department had to cut the wall out of the kitchen, the hallway floor and wall upstairs, and a bedroom wall to get to the smoldering spots.

WE WERE SO LUCKY!!!!!

When we replaced the chimney, we found a brick chimney with clay liners. I'm sure over time, those clay liners got weak and eventually failed. Once heat got against the brick and heated the bricks, it was only a matter of time until the wood of the house against the brick chimney got too hot.

I would highly recommend not using a chimney that goes up the center of the house with a wood or coal stove. To be safe, it would be better to build a lined block chimney on the outside of the house (yeah, it might look ugly, but if your house burns down, not only are you losing your shelter, but ALL of your possessions.)

Please be careful and SAFE!!!

neolady · #25 09/16/08, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael W. Smith

As someone who almost had a house fire as a teen due to creosote buildup, the suggestions of letting the "jet plane" "clean" your chimney is a poor choice - if you value your house!!

Growing up with not much, Dad tried to heat the house as best he could. In addition to the natural gas furnace, a coal/wood stove was put in the basement hooked up to the house chimney (the chimney that went directly up the middle of the house.)

As a kid, I remember the stove pipe going to the chimney sometimes getting red hot (along with the roar). I can't remember Dad doing any kind of chimney clean out between seasons.

When I was a teen, I came home from school to find out our house could have burnt down. A flue fire had got started (unnoticed by my Mom and Dad (who luckily happened to be doing work from home that day.) By the time my mother smelled smoke, about the only thing that could be done was to call the fire department - remember the chimney was directly in the center of the house with multiple rooms around it (2 story house). The fire department got there, and luckily found that the wood was just smoldering not on fire, but the fire department had to cut the wall out of the kitchen, the hallway floor and wall upstairs, and a bedroom wall to get to the smoldering spots.

WE WERE SO LUCKY!!!!!

When we replaced the chimney, we found a brick chimney with clay liners. I'm sure over time, those clay liners got weak and eventually failed. Once heat got against the brick and heated the bricks, it was only a matter of time until the wood of the house against the brick chimney got too hot.

I would highly recommend not using a chimney that goes up the center of the house with a wood or coal stove. To be safe, it would be better to build a lined block chimney on the outside of the house (yeah, it might look ugly, but if your house burns down, not only are you losing your shelter, but ALL of your possessions.)

Please be careful and SAFE!!!

A center chimney actually produces less chimney fires and less creosote than an exterior chimney does. All chimneys need regular maintenance. Personal preference for us is an interior chimney. The exterior chimney cools much quicker than an interior one, operates at cooler temperatures and more creosote is produced as a result.

Building codes have changed over the years with today's code requiring an air gap spacing between the brick and framing - 2 inches comes to mind, but since I don't have the code available that is just a guess - you don't state the age of that dwelling, but if it was built more than 2 decades ago, likely the house framing/walls etc were constructed right up tight to the masonry chimney.

Would you recall how many flues were in that chimney and how many appliances were on each flue? The gas furnace would have required its own flue, and the wood/coal stove would have required its own (I love today's high efficiency gas furnaces - most of them don't require a chimney thus freeing up that flue for another appliance). If they were both on the same flue, this would also have been a contributor to a chimney fire (yet one more reason for those pesky codes over the years).

Michael W. Smith · #26 09/16/08, 11:46 PM

The event probably happened 25 years ago. The house was in no way new at that point, so yes, it is an older house. And as you stated, the house framing/walls were right up against the chimney.

There was only one chimney/one flue. Both the natural gas furnace and the coal/wood stove were hooked up to it.

Today's outdoor boilers certainly make things much safer!!!! And when the heat is in the floor, oh so toasty!!

But getting back to the program, I don't think I would want to reuse stove pipe that has been "cleaned" as the OP posted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolady

Building codes have changed over the years with today's code requiring an air gap spacing between the brick and framing - 2 inches comes to mind, but since I don't have the code available that is just a guess - you don't state the age of that dwelling, but if it was built more than 2 decades ago, likely the house framing/walls etc were constructed right up tight to the masonry chimney.

Would you recall how many flues were in that chimney and how many appliances were on each flue? The gas furnace would have required its own flue, and the wood/coal stove would have required its own (I love today's high efficiency gas furnaces - most of them don't require a chimney thus freeing up that flue for another appliance). If they were both on the same flue, this would also have been a contributor to a chimney fire (yet one more reason for those pesky codes over the years).

steff bugielski · #27 09/17/08, 05:43 AM

The pipe did not get rd hot, I've seen that happen. the torch only light the creosote and let it heat up. I was able to touch the pipe within a few moments. I do not think it was damaged.

francismilker · #28 01/03/12, 09:15 AM

I've heard you can throw used alkaline batteries in the fire or stove to clean the creosote off will work but I haven't tried it yet. Something about burning a battery doesn't sound very healthy for one's lungs.

MO_cows · #29 01/03/12, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

I like the "Tim the Toolman" method of cleaning the stovepipes. I have found that rapping the sides of singlewall stovepipe with a rubber mallet is usually all it takes to knock stubborn creosote deposits off the interior of stovepipes.

We had a system like that at one time. Stovepipe came out the basement window and was a galvanized, corrugated steel pipe the rest of the way up. There was a T that one end sat on the ground and supported the weight. Once a month, DH would bang on the pipe and then shovel out all the deposits that dropped down.

big rockpile · #30 01/03/12, 09:35 AM

Ok first use Seasoned Wood.Burn Hot fire in the morning,thing is I don't think alot of Newer Stoves really get Hot enough.About half way through the Heating season,clean Flue and Pipe.

big rockpile

Alice In TX/MO · #31 01/03/12, 09:39 AM

Just saying that any alternative methods of cleaning chimneys are not as effective or safe as doing it the RIGHT way.

**Cabin Fever** · #32 01/03/12, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Just saying that any alternative methods of cleaning chimneys are not as effective or safe as doing it the RIGHT way.

Did you say "SAFE?" How'd you like to climb up on my roof to sweep the chimney when it has a foot or tow of snow on it? I make sure that WIHH is on the ground to catch me if I ever happen to slide off!

lamoncha lover · #33 01/03/12, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beeman

Now you know why we don't teach science in US schools. Takes all of the fun out and leaves nothing but work.

LOLOLOLOL

big rockpile · #34 01/03/12, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Did you say "SAFE?" How'd you like to climb up on my roof to sweep the chimney when it has a foot or tow of snow on it? I make sure that WIHH is on the ground to catch me if I ever happen to slide off!

She would do this?

Tina would kick the Ladder down and leave me

big rockpile

anniew · #35 01/03/12, 10:29 AM

I clean my chimney about every three weeks. It is a triple thick stainless steel chimney that is mostly outside after going up from the stove, then through the wall and up again. Because it is mostly outside creosote builds up faster as mentioned in an earlier post because the cold air cools it faster. But my cleanout at the bottom allows room for me to clean it with a metal brush with pole extensions from the ground.

RebelDigger · #36 01/03/12, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldcountryboy

Am I the only one who climbs up on the roof and runs a long chain down inside the flue? Swirrel it around and around for about a minute and "Presto", I have a clean chimney! Been doing it this way for years and have never had a major suet buildup or fire.

No, not the only one, that is the way DH and I used to do it at our other place when we had a stove with a flue pipe. Logging chain is what we used cause it was big and beefy and could really whack the sides good.

Here at Hatchie Hills Farm, we have a masonry fireplace and I plan to use the method I saw on Victorian Farms, climb up there with a big wad of cedar brush tied to a rope with the brush in the middle and two ends of rope and have someone down below to pull it through. Then the person above can pull it back up and so one. On Victorian Farm they used holly but since we don't have holly bushes but plenty of cedar trees I plan to use them. Anything that scours would work so I think it is a plan. Worth a try anyway, the price of chimney cleaning brushes is something else and we don't have chimney sweeps locally.

I would be very hesitant to purposefully start a flue fire, too dangerous.

artificer · #37 01/03/12, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RebelDigger

...
Worth a try anyway, the price of chimney cleaning brushes is something else and we don't have chimney sweeps locally.

??? Are you talking about the complete brush and rod system? Just the brush at Menards is $10, and you can use a rope/chain to pull it through the chimney. This is a steel brush, the poly bristles are even a bit cheaper. The only reason I can think of that brushes would be expensive is if you have a rectangular flue. Even then... $25 isn't that much.

Michael

suitcase_sally · #38 01/03/12, 04:55 PM

Ever been riding around in the countryside and notice all those basements with no house on top? Chimmny fires.

Pony · #39 01/03/12, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldcountryboy

Am I the only one who climbs up on the roof and runs a long chain down inside the flue? Swirrel it around and around for about a minute and "Presto", I have a clean chimney! Been doing it this way for years and have never had a major suet buildup or fire.

We (okay, I should say, "Nick") use chains in our brick chimneys, too. Some good heavy chains and some He-Man swirling them around knock the junk and gunk right off the chimney walls.

Nick does this once a month, and it's very effective. And it sure beats heck out of having chimney fires!

Pony · #40 01/03/12, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artificer

??? Are you talking about the complete brush and rod system? Just the brush at Menards is $10, and you can use a rope/chain to pull it through the chimney. This is a steel brush, the poly bristles are even a bit cheaper. The only reason I can think of that brushes would be expensive is if you have a rectangular flue. Even then... $25 isn't that much.

Michael

None of the brushes at Menards (or any other hardware store) fit our 5"x12" chimney flues.

We have a collection of brushes that don't fit.