Creosote from clean out

[Havlikn]

Pacific energy Neo 2.5. I did a chimney sweep today. We have been burning nonstop since mid October in Wisconsin. All the Creosote was light and fluffy. What are your thoughts?

 

[begreen]

How many cords burned? That would be several years of soot in our system, but each situation is unique. In WI the liner is exposed to much colder temperatures than we see. If the liner is uninsulated, the heat loss of a colder liner will also contribute to buildup.

 

[stoveliker]

The good news is that I think you're burning sufficiently dry wood.

 

[Havlikn]

Five cords of wood at minimum. We get a lot of build up at the top of the flue which I wonder is cooling of the heat

 

[begreen]

Five cords of wood at minimum. We get a lot of build up at the top of the flue which I wonder is cooling of the heat

Is the liner insulated? Is it in an exterior wall chimney?

 

[Havlikn]

Is the liner insulated? Is it in an exterior wall chimney?

Exterior wall. Brick wall. West facing so cold wind hitting against it hard

 

[begreen]

Exterior wall. Brick wall. West facing so cold wind hitting against it hard

Is the stainless steel liner insulated?

 

[Havlikn]

Is the stainless steel liner insulated?

Not positive. I did not do the install. The unit was brand new a couple years ago so assuming yes.

My receipt says 6”x20’ ss liner kit

 

[begreen]

There is a good likelihood it doesn't. Most installers skip this step so that their bid is more competitive or because a flue tile dimension is restrictive.

You're burning properly, but will need to clean frequently enough to reduce build up. Maybe try once every 3 cords.

When convenient, It would be good to remove the surround and take a looksee up the liner. If there is no block-off plate in the damper area, then the heat output of the insert can be improved by installing one. If there is room behind the insert for a layer of insulation, the improvement can be greater. With those changes wood consumption can be notably reduced.