Major Chimney Problems. Conflicting Opinions. [Long Read]
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Creosote does increase in volume quite a bit when it burns which yours obviously has. But yeah that is still pretty much. I have taken allot more out of some chimneys but that is allot. We have a 5 or 6 a year that have that much in them and a couple with allot more. But i am glad you are getting it straightened out.
So they were out here for 6 hours. They swept with a brush. Then the chains. then three applications of some chemical that smells fairly caustic.
They said this was one of their more successful treatments. That said the top of the chimney is immaculate. The lower third however still has some chunks in the corners that the chain's can't get into. They said the chemical they used though will dry this out over the next few days.
I asked them if they felt this was safe enough to drop an insulated liner in and they said yes.
Just wanted to see what you all think. It is kind of hard to get good pictures up there but I mean they got 2 full 5 gallon buckets. Spent 6 hours in there. and it was pretty pricey.
They certainly got 90-95% out but certainly there is some fuel left behind. What do you all think? Yesterday there looked like there was alot of glazing in the smoke chamber but this morning it has dried out and isn't shiney anymore that is for sure. The smoke chamber is slathered with mortar they said and they scrubbed it the best they could. It was glazed yesterday but again this morning it looks more ashen and dry.
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They said this was one of their more successful treatments. That said the top of the chimney is immaculate. The lower third however still has some chunks in the corners that the chain's can't get into. They said the chemical they used though will dry this out over the next few days.
I asked them if they felt this was safe enough to drop an insulated liner in and they said yes.
Just wanted to see what you all think. It is kind of hard to get good pictures up there but I mean they got 2 full 5 gallon buckets. Spent 6 hours in there. and it was pretty pricey.
They certainly got 90-95% out but certainly there is some fuel left behind. What do you all think? Yesterday there looked like there was alot of glazing in the smoke chamber but this morning it has dried out and isn't shiney anymore that is for sure. The smoke chamber is slathered with mortar they said and they scrubbed it the best they could. It was glazed yesterday but again this morning it looks more ashen and dry.
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The installer already has the flex liner and is coming out tomorrow morning to put it in. So that is happening much sooner than I expected.
I went and took a few photos of the liner in its entirety as well. You can see the bottom portion is the most discolored that matches up where most of the creosote in the chimney was just above the smoke chamber.
You can see each section is not 100% overlapped as I believe it should be. You can see how much it can curve. But regardless I can't see smoke escaping from the liner itself despite the disregard for appropriate installation.
I went and took a few photos of the liner in its entirety as well. You can see the bottom portion is the most discolored that matches up where most of the creosote in the chimney was just above the smoke chamber.
You can see each section is not 100% overlapped as I believe it should be. You can see how much it can curve. But regardless I can't see smoke escaping from the liner itself despite the disregard for appropriate installation.
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Chuck the Canuck
Feeling the Heat
Wishing you the very best on the install tomorrow, and saying an extra prayer for you. You've been through a heck of a time of it, but you have certainly maintained your reason and your dignity. I tip my hat to you sir.
Hopefully this can be a cautionary tale to anyone in the future who has an installer tell them they either don't need a liner... Don't need insulation... Etc. All I can say is I don't think this would have ever happened with a insulated flex liner even if there was a bunch of creosote left behind but you never know.
Sorry got busy with work and posting at 3am again!
The flex liner was installed. The stove is back in order. The chimney cleaner's haven't had a chance to come out and double check the original installers work but I mean... There is an insulated flex liner now. The chimney is clean so if past creosote was the problem that is gone. I will incessantly be checking around the liner however from now on to make sure though.
The first few fires... when the stove top is getting up top 500-600 with the bypass open the first 1/3 - 1/2 of the pipe gets very very hot as the glue on the liner tape the first few times was melting and bubbling and causing an aweful smoke with smell. After the first 3 fires/reloads it has stopped burning the glue on the tape... well i assume it all burned off....
Other than that no concerns. It will be nice to have the chimney company double check the installers work however.
But again no definitive answer if all that creosote in the chimney OUTSIDE the liner was previous creosote that burned or if it was escaping out of the liner somehow... I just need to be more attentive and not just the inside of the liner but also whats going on outside of it....
The flex liner was installed. The stove is back in order. The chimney cleaner's haven't had a chance to come out and double check the original installers work but I mean... There is an insulated flex liner now. The chimney is clean so if past creosote was the problem that is gone. I will incessantly be checking around the liner however from now on to make sure though.
The first few fires... when the stove top is getting up top 500-600 with the bypass open the first 1/3 - 1/2 of the pipe gets very very hot as the glue on the liner tape the first few times was melting and bubbling and causing an aweful smoke with smell. After the first 3 fires/reloads it has stopped burning the glue on the tape... well i assume it all burned off....
Other than that no concerns. It will be nice to have the chimney company double check the installers work however.
But again no definitive answer if all that creosote in the chimney OUTSIDE the liner was previous creosote that burned or if it was escaping out of the liner somehow... I just need to be more attentive and not just the inside of the liner but also whats going on outside of it....
Btw the mechanical and chemical cleaning was 600, one inspection was 99, another 150. so total I paid 850$ for this event. Thats still better than the 2500 the chimney wanted for cleaning and install, and still better than 3700 the other company wanted to knock out the flue tile and install a liner. But still I had to let the original installer take care of the work. He replaced it no charge at all.
I also got the power bill. An extra 250$ in baseboard heat for 3 weeks out of commission. And we were keeping the house just above freezing except in the baby room and bathrooms with plumbing.
I feel ok with the situation in general. It wasn't ideal. I swear I hope I have no further problems.
This was an ultimate kick to the gonads however. Really made me double think heating with wood and purchasing a house with crappy electric baseboard heat only. (No HVAC installed in teh house....Have had HVAC and furnace quotes and that isn't easy to chew either 10-15k).
I also got the power bill. An extra 250$ in baseboard heat for 3 weeks out of commission. And we were keeping the house just above freezing except in the baby room and bathrooms with plumbing.
I feel ok with the situation in general. It wasn't ideal. I swear I hope I have no further problems.
This was an ultimate kick to the gonads however. Really made me double think heating with wood and purchasing a house with crappy electric baseboard heat only. (No HVAC installed in teh house....Have had HVAC and furnace quotes and that isn't easy to chew either 10-15k).
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Wow - glad your back to normal with more piece of mind, just remember that when you go to clean the new liner don't use a metal brush, use either the nylon brush (I got one and love it) or invest in one of those smoke eaters. Again glad everything settled down and the problems where fixed, hopefully next season is 100% uneventful for you and you just turn into a regular boring wood burner.
Coalescent
Member
Thank you for sharing your story. I've read all of your updates with interest. I'm glad it's finally over for you.
For what it's worth, I'm on the other end of the spectrum. My home currently has a combination of propane and electric heat, and I've been averaging right at $1,000 a month heating the place this winter (about a 60/40 split in cost between propane and electric). If the power goes out, none of my heating functions. I purchased some kerosene heaters and a supply of K1 to use for emergencies.
All of the other folks in my rural town heat with wood, and one of the main benefits they espouse (besides the enormous cost savings) is the fact that it functions when the power is out.
I wish you many years of uneventful wood heating!
Yea, I can't imagine the situation you are in. That is more than my mortgage and power bill combined for heat.
Overall I am happy to be heating with wood again and I hope maybe you can find a way to do so yourself. I mean at that price a wood stove would pay for itself in a one or two heating seasons.
That's why I am not super bummed. I save about 250-300 dollars a month with the wood stove. Its been three years with 5-6 heating months. So it saves about 1500-1800 a year. Stove was 2300, install was 1700 and this adventure was basically 1000. Three years of wood has cost about 1500$. So total of about 6500 over three years. And I have saved about 5400 in electric heat. I WAS ahead this year in terms of breaking even with the stove in 3 years. But this has set me back some. But when you consider the wood stove keeps the house WARM rather than just above freezing like 300$ a month for electric heat does you realize it has paid for itself already.
Obviously though that all goes out the window if the house burns down and my family was harmed... which it seems could have been a reality if circumstances were different.
Overall I am happy to be heating with wood again and I hope maybe you can find a way to do so yourself. I mean at that price a wood stove would pay for itself in a one or two heating seasons.
That's why I am not super bummed. I save about 250-300 dollars a month with the wood stove. Its been three years with 5-6 heating months. So it saves about 1500-1800 a year. Stove was 2300, install was 1700 and this adventure was basically 1000. Three years of wood has cost about 1500$. So total of about 6500 over three years. And I have saved about 5400 in electric heat. I WAS ahead this year in terms of breaking even with the stove in 3 years. But this has set me back some. But when you consider the wood stove keeps the house WARM rather than just above freezing like 300$ a month for electric heat does you realize it has paid for itself already.
Obviously though that all goes out the window if the house burns down and my family was harmed... which it seems could have been a reality if circumstances were different.
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