Hi everyone --
We're getting ready to install our VC winterwarm small insert into our masonry fireplace with a stainless steel liner. We had the chimney cleaned by a chimney sweep but he said it was "the worst he'd ever seen" and so we needed to use "CreAway" (a chemical lime-based product that loosens up glazed creosote) and have some big fires and then have him back to clean again. So we did all that, but when the sweep returned he didn't seem to do a very thorough cleaning job and said that our chimney is still pretty dirty, and that we could install the liner and the insert with the chimney as is, but he would have some more big fires and have it cleaned again first. I looked in the chimney myself from the ash clean out, and there is about 1/2" of glazed creosote buildup on the smoke shelf. The inner chimney walls don't look as bad, but they're still pretty black and there are areas of fluffy creosote that I could knock off easily with a small wire brush. Also, the chimney sweep didn't vacuum after the last cleaning because he said that since we'd had a fire within 24 hours in the fireplace, the warm debris would mess up his vacuum equipment (?). So the chimney was swept but not vacuumed out. Doesn't this mean that the chimney hasn't fully been cleaned? But I guess my larger question is: how clean does our chimney need to be in order to safely install our liner and insert? Won't the liner contain most of the heat, or at least enough so that any remaining creosote left on the chimney walls won't ignite? I don't have any info on the liner other than it's a used 6" stainless steel liner that came with the stove (got it all used).
Any help greatly appreciated.
thanks, Matt.
We're getting ready to install our VC winterwarm small insert into our masonry fireplace with a stainless steel liner. We had the chimney cleaned by a chimney sweep but he said it was "the worst he'd ever seen" and so we needed to use "CreAway" (a chemical lime-based product that loosens up glazed creosote) and have some big fires and then have him back to clean again. So we did all that, but when the sweep returned he didn't seem to do a very thorough cleaning job and said that our chimney is still pretty dirty, and that we could install the liner and the insert with the chimney as is, but he would have some more big fires and have it cleaned again first. I looked in the chimney myself from the ash clean out, and there is about 1/2" of glazed creosote buildup on the smoke shelf. The inner chimney walls don't look as bad, but they're still pretty black and there are areas of fluffy creosote that I could knock off easily with a small wire brush. Also, the chimney sweep didn't vacuum after the last cleaning because he said that since we'd had a fire within 24 hours in the fireplace, the warm debris would mess up his vacuum equipment (?). So the chimney was swept but not vacuumed out. Doesn't this mean that the chimney hasn't fully been cleaned? But I guess my larger question is: how clean does our chimney need to be in order to safely install our liner and insert? Won't the liner contain most of the heat, or at least enough so that any remaining creosote left on the chimney walls won't ignite? I don't have any info on the liner other than it's a used 6" stainless steel liner that came with the stove (got it all used).
Any help greatly appreciated.
thanks, Matt.