cleaning pipe from bottom????

[argus66]

the way the stove is positioned in my house the pipe on the roof is at the lowest point on the roof about 2 ft over my head when i stand on roof next to pipe., i always clean pipe from the bottom (stove end and UP) im just never sure if im getting all stuff out. all i ever get is about a cup of mostly ash and barley any creosote, but i burn good 1 to 3 yr seasond wood with good hot fires and some enviro logs now and then, i see no build up on top of pipe or anything, just trying to be sure i get everything, very hard to see up pipe due to 1 45 degree elbow. i clean 2 time a yr but thinking of going to once.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'm not sure there is a question in there, but I clean from the bottom.

Matt

 

[quads]

I clean my chimney from the bottom up when the roof is covered with ice and snow, otherwise I prefer top down. Since the top 12" of mine gets cruddy, I give it a good scrub when the brush reaches the top.

 

[argus66]

im just trying to see if bottom up is as good as top down, do u think im getting everything off? just thinking out load i guess.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

If you go up and down enough times I don't see why you wouldn't. The brush wouldn't care.

Matt

 

[argus66]

great alli need to know

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I clean from bottom up most of the time but occasionally do top down.

I tend to stop the brush before reaching the top on the first time up and then bring the brush all the way out to let out all the soot. Then I run the brush all the way up and do a scrubbing action starting at the top and working all the way down. But most of the scrubbing I do with the brush in the top 2 feet of pipe as that is where any gunk or creosote will form.

Now that I do bottom up most of the time, I'll clean the cap maybe once every 2-3 years but only if it needs it. So far this new cap has been on over 2 years without cleaning (no need to).

 

[snowtime]

Bottom up here. I measured the distance precisely so I can give the cap a good going over with out putting much strain on it. I also screwed the cap down with 6 screws this is because I once pushed the cap off being to vigorous with my action. I have a 12/12 pitch and we have no possible outside medical help if something happens so I do not try to clean from top.

 

[argus66]

good to see im not the only one.

 

[firefighterjake]

I think you're fine . . . I only do bottom-up cleaning and things look very good. If you're burning seasoned wood and burning at the right temp you shouldn't have a lot of creosote. About the only negative I can see from the bottom-up cleaning is the cap isn't cleaned as well as I would like . . . but I don't have much creosote on it . . . generally I give it a few taps with the brush and some wispy bits of creosote come gently floating down to the ground, but that's about all. A positive for me with the bottom-up cleaning is that from first screw taken out to the brush put away is 10-15 minutes which means I am more than happy to do this "chore" once a month . . .

 

[argus66]

ya i think i may get that sooteater thing and try that.

 

[f3cbboy]

i am with snowtime, i had 6 screws put into hold the cap on so that i could hit it pretty good with the brush when doing a cleaning from the bottom. i clean when the stove begins to "choke" and i can't see through the screen on the cap while looking at it from the ground. by choke i mean i have to run with the air more open then usual to get temps. When the mesh gets plugged, I let the pipe cool for about a half a day and then just give a good rap with the brush and about 90% of the soot and creosote comes off with no problem. (it just doesn't look very good around the house if it just snowed)

 

[Gooserider]

I agree with the bottom up approach mostly, and that is what I do, as I have a pretty near unreachable chimney top (needs 40' ladder and nerves of steel...) However there is one significant "gotcha" - you need to be sure that any creosote you push out the top can either fall back down the flue when you get rid of the brush, or fall over the side of the chimney onto the ground... If you have a cap with a screen that is bigger than the chimney outlet the creosote builds up in the gap and can cause significant clogging issues...

Gooserider