Checking chimney creosote

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oilcan1001

Member
May 2, 2023
83
Prescott, AZ, USA
I didn't want to hijack someone else's thread so I started my own.

It's been a couple of months of burning in my new Drolet 1800 and this week I began longer overnight burns due to the colder temps.
Today I went up top and looked down my chimney to check creosote build up. It's fluffy and comes right off when I blow on it. The thicker stuff in the pics are right at the top edge about 2-3" of it and it blows right off also.

Almost a full cord and I think it looks pretty good so far.
Whatcha think ?

IMG_3431.JPGIMG_3433.JPGIMG_3434.JPG
 
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Looks perfectly fine. You could go more than a month but if the access to the roof is safe than why not
 
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Looks perfectly fine. You could go more than a month but if the access to the roof is safe than why not
Access is pleasant with single story 6/12 pitch. I'm surprised I waited 2 months before checking, but first month I was only burning small loads in the evening.
 
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Since last time I checked I've been burning a lot of pine because I'm running out of my harder woods.
So I decided to clean out my flue yesterday and sure glad I did.

Removed almost half of a 5 gal bucket of dry flakey stuff most of which was located from stove top up to 4' or 5'
I'm going out to the nat'l forest today to get some shaggy juniper for the rest of the season. (just located a good stash a few weeks ago)
 
Since last time I checked I've been burning a lot of pine because I'm running out of my harder woods.
So I decided to clean out my flue yesterday and sure glad I did.

Removed almost half of a 5 gal bucket of dry flakey stuff most of which was located from stove top up to 4' or 5'
I'm going out to the nat'l forest today to get some shaggy juniper for the rest of the season. (just located a good stash a few weeks ago)
So? In a month and a half, you accumulated 2.5 gals of buildup? Wow! Something is off.
Begs to be asked? What was the cure time after being split/stacked for the wood (Pine) you have been using?
Moisture content on room temp splits that have been re-split and tested immediately on the freshly exposed inner surface?
You are going out to cut wood for immediate use? ?
Good luck from here on out.
 
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I'd say those long overnight burns aren't working out. The first pics and cleaning must have been with short hot small loads.
 
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If you are going to turn down your stove for a longer burn, it's critical that you get your firebox temp high and all of the wood charred before turning down. In any case, if you are burning a low density wood, you can't expect burn times or heat outputs that a higher density wood will bring. Then of course the obvious moisture level.

I'm burning virtually all pine in a drolet myriad and I get no deposits to speak of. But my wood is bone dry.
 
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So? In a month and a half, you accumulated 2.5 gals of buildup? Wow! Something is off.
Begs to be asked? What was the cure time after being split/stacked for the wood (Pine) you have been using?
Moisture content on room temp splits that have been re-split and tested immediately on the freshly exposed inner surface?
You are going out to cut wood for immediate use? ?
Good luck from here on out.
- The pics from my first post were from top down and I did NOT sweep flue at that time. This is first cleaning since Late October.
- My pine was split & stacked at beginning of last summer. Full sun and wind exposure with hot, dry summer.
- I keep a close eye on my mc (using suggested method) and the pine is less than 15%

- Maybe I'm not getting stove hot enough and my single wall stove pipe might be contributing. All the material was dry, flaky and in the first 4' above ss

- The juniper I cut yesterday has been dead standing for unknown time, but plenty dry. Fresh split piece 12% mc