Creosote build up

[Netra1053]

I have a Home Heater woodstove, made in bennington vermont. It is plate steel with cast iron door. Shaker grates, and an upper and lower damper, one on the fire box door and one on the ash pan door. I spoke to the manufacturer and was told when burning wood to keep the upper closed at all times and just use the lower, they said the upper is only needed for coal burning. I am using wood that air dried through 2 summers. I have a brand new double wall stainless chimney that is about 25 feet tall, running through the interior of the house and out the ridge of my roof. I run the stove hot when I get up in the morning for about an hour, then I damper it down for the day while I'm at work, then crank it back up when I get home for a couple hours before bed when I damper it down again. I am getting a pretty good build up of creosote in my single wall pipe between the stove and the double wall. To point of big flakes falling off and needing to remove the pipe and clean it out every couple weeks to prevent a plug. Previously I had an old riteway stove that never caused this problem and I rarely had to open the damper way up and burn it hot. My question is do you think this stove just requires a hotter fire to burn clean? Am I being unreasonable to think that a few hours a day with the fire cranking is enough to keep things clean? I am frustrated because the old stove seemed to heat better with less wood and less creosote but it began to get holes in it so I replaced it thinking this would be great. Any ideas would be great. Thanks

 

[all night moe]

Coal/wood stoves burn coal better than wood. Seem when burning wood you should be doing the opposite of what you were told for the air dampers. Coal needs air from below to burn. Wood does well with air fed directly into the firebox.

With you creosote build up....I'm betting it's not seasoned enough for the amount you are choking it down of air. If it's oak, 2 summers are not enough seasoning time. It's also possible that you may be closing the damper to much and starving it for air. Even seasoned wood will have some moisture. Without enough air, you create a creosote factory.

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

Am I being unreasonable to think that a few hours a day with the fire cranking is enough to keep things clean?

Occasional hot Burns do a good job of cleaning up your Firebox but should not be considered something that cleans your flue. The two things that clean flues are sweeps and chimney fires.