Meeco FireEx - Fireman's friend

[Poindexter]

Can anyone get to the "product information" link on this website?

http://www.meecomfg.com/

This (far left) is the product I tossed into the stove on my way out.

 

[xman23]

Can the cat plug up? I don't have one or know if that can happen, but others here know.

 

[Poindexter]

Can the cat plug up? I don't have one or know if that can happen, but others here know.

I think if the cat was plugged while engaged smoke would have been coming out the air intake to the firebox rather than the slip joint in the telescope pipe.

Ill keep that on the maybe list for now.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

This may have already been asked but could the combuster somehow fail or become degraded, resulting in it not doing its job, thus leading to excessive creosote? I wish you the best we determining your “smoking gun”.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Just wanted to say kudos to you for keeping all your detectors in working order! Maybe this thread can remind others to make sure they’ve changed batteries or replaced expired detectors, both smoke and carbon monoxide.

I’m glad you, your wife, and your belongings came through unscathed (relatively). I’ll be interested to hear the results of the chimney inspection next week.

 

[moresnow]

Wow. Scary. Of all people I would have never guessed you to have buildup trouble? Please fill us in after the pipe gets inspected.
Sounds like your preparations for this event kicked in nicely. Kudos

 

[begreen]

Can anyone get to the "product information" link on this website?

http://www.meecomfg.com/

This (far left) is the product I tossed into the stove on my way out.

I dug a little and another site says the active component is zinc oxide.
Here is what is on Meeco's site:
http://www.meecomfg.com/FireEx/index.php

 

[begreen]

http://d163axztg8am2h.cloudfront.net/static/doc/94/41/72995e4e20ecbd9a7f2668de7638.pdf



PS: I updated the title to make it easier to locate in future searches

 

[RobbieB]

Sounds like a good product for all of us to have in stock and close to the stove.

 

[begreen]

Agreed. It's made locally. I will be picking some up.

 

[Highbeam]

WRT whether the cat is now dead.... like always, fire it up and see what happens. You won’t make a dead cat deader. I am all but certain that the chemicals that you threw in there are not “allowed” by any cat manufacturer, stove manufacturer, or federal emissions agency but that’s water under the bridge. If the cat no longer performs then pop in a new one. Takes 30 seconds as you know.

I’d worry much more about how to prevent the issue that caused you to want to use that chemical fire killer.

 

[Poindexter]

Just wanted to say kudos to you for keeping all your detectors in working order! Maybe this thread can remind others to make sure they’ve changed batteries or replaced expired detectors, both smoke and carbon monoxide.

I replaced both of my CO detectors this year. The one by the oil burner downstairs was chirping. I checked the one by the wood stove just because and that one was one year past its expiration date.

Among what i could buy at Lowes-Depot last summer for CO detectors, all had a seven year service life

Im glad you, your wife, and your belongings came through unscathed (relatively). I’ll be interested to hear the results of the chimney inspection next week.

Likely "Thou shalt operate the Blaze King stove of thy father with thermostat at the highest labeled setting for 30 minutes after after engaging the combustor" will enter the family canon as Holy Writ.

 

[tarzan]

So, Poindexters cat was placed in a steel box with poison and at this point can be thought of as both alive and dead........hmmmm?

 

[jetsam]

I know something about Poindexter's burning habits and local weather. I am not buying the idea that his stove plugged the whole flue in 3-4 months. Of course it's possible, but man, that can't be likely.

 

[begreen]

Yes, chimney brushed in mid-Dec. only 1.5 cords. Something is amok. Chickadee flocks not withstanding I'm wondering about chimney pipe failure.

 

[James02]

@Poindexter and well everybody really.. the new detectors are good for I believe 10 years.. in fact they don't even have the option to change batteries, when the time is up just toss and get a new one..

 

[Turd Ferguson]

@Poindexter and well everybody really.. the new detectors are good for I believe 10 years.. in fact they don't even have the option to change batteries, when the time is up just toss and get a new one..

You're correct. The new ones are more expensive, but have sealed Li-Ion batteries that are good for 10 years. Maintenance-free and non-serviceable which is a bonus for everyone.

You guys think a chimney fire killer is "bad" for your cat or stove? When we work chimney fires, we drop bags filled with dry-chem (same material as what's in your dry-chem fire extinguisher) down the chimney to kill the chemical chain reaction going on inside that allows the fire to sustain itself. Knowing first-hand how disgusting the stuff is to inhale, I'm sure it isn't super healthy for the chimney or stove. But, at the end of the day, it's a compromise between doing the least amount of damage and actually extinguishing the fire. There's a reason why we have homeowner's insurance at the end of the day...

 

[jetsam]

Yes, chimney brushed in mid-Dec. only 1.5 cords. Something is amok. Chickadee flocks not withstanding I'm wondering about chimney pipe failure.

Or a really lost raccoon.

 

[Poindexter]

Or a really lost raccoon.

Fireman on the ladder over the roof said no tracks in snow. I havent been up there.

Flying squirrels maybe.

 

[Poindexter]

@begreen , i cant rule that out.

I dont do a lot of cold starts, i think less than, a lot less than, 2 dozen annually.

To get from cold stove to clean plume in the epa mandated 20 minutes i generally run with the loadibg door open to 1000dF indicated flue gas temp probe, close loading door, tstat on high, run the flue gas back up to 1000dF, engage the combustor and head outdoors with my running stopwatch.

I routinely get to clean plume in 22ish minutes. My last two cold starts were at the end of the stage II burn ban in Jan 18, and the end of the stage II burn ban in Dec 17 when i also brushed the pipe.

It's possible, i am not a metalurgist.

 

[begreen]

So hard to say until a thorough investigation is complete. Have you ruled out draft reversal?

 

[firefighterjake]

Should have sent the weasel up the stove pipe.

Inside joke . . . from a ways back . . .

 

[Poindexter]

So hard to say until a thorough investigation is complete. Have you ruled out draft reversal?

What would a draft reversal look like? What could or should the homeowner observe?

 

[begreen]

Draft reversal could result from a combination of the chimney being on the short side, cool flue gas temps and mild temperatures outside. Trouble can happen when the warm air wants to leave through the flue but there is negative air pressure in the room that prevents it from leaving. This causes a back draft in which the air that is meant to leave through the top of the chimney reverses and enters the house instead. When it happens smoke will leak from wherever it can.

I just looked at the weather for 3-16-18 in Fairbanks and it looks like the midnight temp was in the low 20's. If so, that's not mild. Mild would be 40-60F.

 

[Poindexter]

I wont see +40dF for a daytime high for a few weeks yet. Thanks. It was too cold to go out there without gloves.