Mid season clean out

[Hunter8282]

A week or so ago we had a day in the 40s so I let my stove go out and cleaned it. Anything look amiss? I just lightly vacuumed the face of the catalytic with a soft brush attachment.

There was a bit of hard thin black stuff that flaked of the upper sides and back. Guessing that's creosote.

The stove was new in fall of 2024.

 

[BigJ273]

Yes that’s creosote. Mine gets the same thing in the back of the fire box. I spray it down w some creosote remover (liquid) about once a week right before I light a fire. Then it usually scrapes right off

 

[weee123]

I would make sure to check behind the vertical firebricks next time you clean again to make sure there’s no buildup behind them if you didn’t this time. Could potentially cause rust issues if never done and there’s creosote hiding back there.

 

[Tron]

I spray it down w some creosote remover (liquid) about once a week right before I light a fire.

Check another thread here somewhere where someone asked about the "creosote remover".
Those usually contain phosphoric acid, and Phosphates is something the cat doesn't like at all.

 

[Tron]

and cleaned it

I don't think mine has ever been this clean since we installed it.
I usually just shovel out the ashes and call it a day. Maaaybe scrape the glass clean. At the end of the season I may run a brush behind the side shields to get some of the creosote out, but that's about it...
;-)

 

[stoveliker]

My $0.02:
Don't use creosote remover.
Cat looks good.
I would burn a hot fire a bit more often to burn off the shiny creosote. Wide open throat for two hours once a week is good.

 

[Tron]

Wide open throat for two hours once a week is good.

For me, that's only an option if I want to turn the house into a sauna ;-)

 

[kborndale]

For me, that's only an option if I want to turn the house into a sauna ;-)

Open a window.

 

[Hunter8282]

My $0.02:
Don't use creosote remover.
Cat looks good.
I would burn a hot fire a bit more often to burn off the shiny creosote. Wide open throat for two hours once a week is good.

OK. I'll give this a go.

 

[stoveliker]

OK. I'll give this a go.

sorry, I see I had an autocorrect issue. Not wide open throat (which might be misconstrued as wide open bypass - never burn with the bypass open if the cat is in the active range..), but wide open throttle.

 

[BigJ273]

Check another thread here somewhere where someone asked about the "creosote remover".
Those usually contain phosphoric acid, and Phosphates is something the cat doesn't like at all.

I don’t have a cat

 

[kborndale]

I don’t have a cat

OP does, this is the blaze king sub forum after all.

 

[Hunter8282]

OP does, this is the blaze king sub forum after all.

Yes I do! 😁