Sooteater doing it's job!

[NorthernFireplaceFool]

So I had our fireplace insert installed last winter and have thoroughly enjoyed the extra heat and not having to contribute as much to the oil budget bill each month. I burned from February through April here last year and the October and November this winter and finally got a sooteater to clean the liner myself. That tool is thoroughly amazing and will pay for itself! Input from people more experienced cleaning, does the cleaning job look to be done sufficiently. 25' insulated liner, didn't make a mess in the house and took maybe 35 minutes. Any tips or pointers from more experienced users would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Tar12]

You are doing a fine job of cleaning! What you got out of the chimney seems excessive to me...I burn 24/7 and clean with the soot eater twice a season for piece of mind and I am lucky to get 2 coffee cups worth out of both cleaning sessions...

 

[NorthernFireplaceFool]

Seemed like a lot, should be less this time around as it was when I first had the insert and the wood I put through last winter was suspect at best. Mixed a lot of pallet scraps in to get me through last winter. Hoping the next couple cleanings start to dwindle down as the wood gets more and more dry ahead of time. I also was learning how to run the stove and I think I may have smoldered the fire sometimes too last winter.

 

[Tar12]

By all means get well ahead on your firewood supply...like 2 years at a minimum is best...running well seasoned wood makes a lot of difference in heat output as well as the cleanliness of your system...we have all been there....do your best to improve and its smooth running!

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

So I had our fireplace insert installed last winter and have thoroughly enjoyed the extra heat and not having to contribute as much to the oil budget bill each month. I burned from February through April here last year and the October and November this winter and finally got a sooteater to clean the liner myself. That tool is thoroughly amazing and will pay for itself! Input from people more experienced cleaning, does the cleaning job look to be done sufficiently. 25' insulated liner, didn't make a mess in the house and took maybe 35 minutes. Any tips or pointers from more experienced users would be appreciated! Thanks!

Nice job getting everything cleaned.

Do you know what liner you have in the chimney? Looks like there may be a little delamination going on there at the bottom, particularly in the last picture. I don't know if this is something to worry about? I'll defer to the experts on this one.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Nice job getting everything cleaned.

Do you know what liner you have in the chimney? Looks like there may be a little delamination going on there at the bottom, particularly in the last picture. I don't know if this is something to worry about? I'll defer to the experts on this one.

Now that I look at it again, looks like perhaps the liner is shoved inside the appliance adapter. If so, I don't think this is good, as exhaust will exit outside the liner and into the chimney space.

@bholler - what do you think?

 

[bholler]

Now that I look at it again, looks like perhaps the liner is shoved inside the appliance adapter. If so, I don't think this is good, as exhaust will exit outside the liner and into the chimney space.

@bholler - what do you think?

The liner should be in the appliance adapter. In this case all the joints I see are the right direction just very sloppily done

 

[jmdavis984]

I see that you're using the "black" sooteater rods. I've got a nice straight shot from my cap to my insert, so I was assuming I didn't need the super-flexible "white" rods (that cost 2x as much). Is there any reason you went with the "black" sooteater vs the "white?"

 

[NorthernFireplaceFool]

I got black rods because they were cheaper and it is essentially all straight. @bholler is this something that needs immediate attention in your opinion or can wait till after the heating season? I had a mason run the liner and the stove company did the install into the fireplace. The mason is very highly regarded in our area, I wasn't as impressed with the stove installers. Does the problem look like it was created by the mason or the installers?

 

[bholler]

I got black rods because they were cheaper and it is essentially all straight. @bholler is this something that needs immediate attention in your opinion or can wait till after the heating season? I had a mason run the liner and the stove company did the install into the fireplace. The mason is very highly regarded in our area, I wasn't as impressed with the stove installers. Does the problem look like it was created by the mason or the installers?

From the pics I doubt it will cause a problem to let it go the season. But it's hard to say

 

[begreen]

I've been using the black rods for several years now. They have to go through a pair of 45s in an offset. No issues at all. They go right through them.