stage 3 creosote and pcr

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here

dstein_vt

New Member
Oct 14, 2024
2
Pittsford, Vt
Am I looking at a serious stage 3 lined chimney (almost looks like a coating) and if so would a pcr clean this?

[Hearth.com] stage 3 creosote and pcr [Hearth.com] stage 3 creosote and pcr
 
  • Like
Reactions: EbS-P
Your current chimney is not safe to use. It needs a new liner.
 
Once you get a new liner you need to not have this issue again, you need to stop burning wet wood. Hardwoods need to season for at a minimum of one year. Some species like oak can take 3 years.
 
It's okay. Nothing happened safety wise. Yet. (Don't burn in that thing until it's replaced.)

Everyone needs to learn, and this will allow the OP to learn.

If you tell us what your system (stove, and flue height, and any elbows etc) exactly is, and what fuel you use, we may be able to give pointers on how to avoid reaching this (expensive) point again.
 
Thanks for the replies. I did burn a mix of dry and not so dry. Also using a Harman wood stove which I'm having trouble keeping hot. With damper closed and air control open all the way its barely hot enough unless I have the driest of my wood. Read the Harman is a finicky stove and needs dry wood. Guess I never realized the creosote would get this bad running like this for just 3 seasons here in this house.
 
Thanks for the replies. I did burn a mix of dry and not so dry. Also using a Harman wood stove which I'm having trouble keeping hot. With damper closed and air control open all the way its barely hot enough unless I have the driest of my wood. Read the Harman is a finicky stove and needs dry wood. Guess I never realized the creosote would get this bad running like this for just 3 seasons here in this house.
Hey man it happens! Lots of people on this site have been where you are and there are tons of people here that can help.

A great investment is a moisture meter that you can use to check the content of your wood you should look for 20% and lower and this is done by taking a reading on a fresh split at room temperature with the pins parallel to the grain. People make lots of mistakes using these including not resplitting the wood, testing cold pieces, pushing the pins into end grain or not pushing hard enough.

Dryer wood that burns better will allow you to turn the air on the stove down which will actually make it burn hotter and allow it to use its secondary combustion to better clean up the burn.

It may not be a bad idea to look into a soot eater or other method to clean yourself and check a little bit more often if you plan on burning this year.
 
Trouble keeping it hot suggests too wet wood.
Dry and not so dry may be wet and way too wet - measure it as noted above.
How long has the "dry" wood been split and stacked?

Do have your chimney swept more often. It'll tell you if things are not going well.