After foregoing my annual cleaning last year, the system was cleaned before this year's start of burning.
Last season the season since 2006 that I did not sweep, clean & inspect everything. I am pleased with the results, but will still sweep every year, as I consider it cheap easy insurance, and offers many good nights sleep. As we always discuss, a rag is stuffed in the rear vertical channel opening, which I leave mushroomed over the edges so that when I pull the rag away, nothing accidentally fall into the channel. ON top of that I rest a defector plate I made out of some scrap aluminum I had laying around from my roofing days. It also protects from crud going down into the channel.
A couple years back I replaced the eroded 1/2" opening cap screen with some galvanized 1/2" I had laying around. It is holding up okay, and it was free. Since my 2nd year of burning, I never had issues with a clogged cap screen. I was actually very surprised with the limited build up after 2 years burning without cleaning.
I burn mostly pine, poplar and light stuff in the shoulder season, and fill ins between loads on the single digit windy days. Night loads a re mostly oak if not all oak. Daytime loads are usually maple, cherry, ash, walnut, and other woods I am not super high on due to the amount of ash they leave, but they serve the purpose.
I am on 4 or 5 year old wood this year, I lost count.
I may get a new load this year to process, as it has been a few years since I have had a load of oles delivered, and I am down to about 3 or 4 years supply.
Surprisingly, the sweepings didn't amount to much more than 1 yrs worth. Same old fine ash with a small amount of coffee grind consistency included. What I expect to find every year. Nothing exciting there.
I made a new gasket with the high temp ceramic paperboard I purchased off ebay. I get about 2-3 years out of 1.
I vacuumed out the fans, which is done every year, or minimal every other year.
I am planning in my mind that I will install cultured stone on the block chimney with copper flashings at the bottom, and a copper cap at the top to cover the aging crown cement. Not sure when I will get to this, but it will get done before I bite the dust.
And a few shots of the peaceful roof top view while I was up there sweeping.
Last season the season since 2006 that I did not sweep, clean & inspect everything. I am pleased with the results, but will still sweep every year, as I consider it cheap easy insurance, and offers many good nights sleep. As we always discuss, a rag is stuffed in the rear vertical channel opening, which I leave mushroomed over the edges so that when I pull the rag away, nothing accidentally fall into the channel. ON top of that I rest a defector plate I made out of some scrap aluminum I had laying around from my roofing days. It also protects from crud going down into the channel.
A couple years back I replaced the eroded 1/2" opening cap screen with some galvanized 1/2" I had laying around. It is holding up okay, and it was free. Since my 2nd year of burning, I never had issues with a clogged cap screen. I was actually very surprised with the limited build up after 2 years burning without cleaning.
I burn mostly pine, poplar and light stuff in the shoulder season, and fill ins between loads on the single digit windy days. Night loads a re mostly oak if not all oak. Daytime loads are usually maple, cherry, ash, walnut, and other woods I am not super high on due to the amount of ash they leave, but they serve the purpose.
I am on 4 or 5 year old wood this year, I lost count.
I may get a new load this year to process, as it has been a few years since I have had a load of oles delivered, and I am down to about 3 or 4 years supply.
Surprisingly, the sweepings didn't amount to much more than 1 yrs worth. Same old fine ash with a small amount of coffee grind consistency included. What I expect to find every year. Nothing exciting there.
I made a new gasket with the high temp ceramic paperboard I purchased off ebay. I get about 2-3 years out of 1.
I vacuumed out the fans, which is done every year, or minimal every other year.
I am planning in my mind that I will install cultured stone on the block chimney with copper flashings at the bottom, and a copper cap at the top to cover the aging crown cement. Not sure when I will get to this, but it will get done before I bite the dust.
And a few shots of the peaceful roof top view while I was up there sweeping.
