Wet-dry vac to suck up flying creosote?

[joefrompa]

Hi all,

Just wanted to get your take on this - I'll be cleaning my chimney out in October of this year from a bottom-fed chimney sweep "whip". As soon, it's in my main living space ~24" from nice off-white carpet.

I'll drape the area and try to keep the air clean, but my concern is over fine creosote dust and stuff escaping. I have a great Ridgid wet dry vac with an air filter that I feel safe using to "vacuum" the air with, and even vacuum the bottom of the stove out. Afterwards, I would be taking this outside and dumping it (breathing mask on still) in an open area.

Anyone see a problem with doing this? I know it's not a chimney-made vacuum, so I wasn't sure if I should avoid using the vacuum for this....I suck up concrete dust/mix, drywall dust, sawdust....etc. all the time and it give a nice clean exhaust....

Joe

 

[velvetfoot]

I put a hose on the exhaust of my vac and put it out the window just to make sure.

 

[pen]

Just be CERTAIN there are no hot coals in that stove. I waited 3 days before sucking out the ash after a cleaning from what I thought was a cold stove when I saw my over weight and elderly cat go tearing a$$ up the cellar steps (very odd). About the same time I remember thinking, what the hell is that smell (strike 2)? Very shortly thereafter I noticed the 5 foot flame-thrower-esque exhaust that my beloved shop vac was spewing out. Next, i go running like a mad man outside w/a flaming shop vac and have to go all Chuck Norris on it in the yard to put it out.

Hard to believe, but that shop vac is still in service. It's a damn wonder the house is though.

Nothing like being a moron some days. Lesson learned.

pen

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Just be CERTAIN there are no hot coals in that stove. I waited 3 days before sucking out the ash after a cleaning from what I thought was a cold stove when I saw my over weight and elderly cat go tearing a$$ up the cellar steps (very odd). About the same time I remember thinking, what the hell is that smell (strike 2)? Very shortly thereafter I noticed the 5 foot flame-thrower-esque exhaust that my beloved shop vac was spewing out. Next, i go running like a mad man outside w/a flaming shop vac and have to go all Chuck Norris on it in the yard to put it out.

Hard to believe, but that shop vac is still in service. It's a damn wonder the house is though.

Nothing like being a moron some days. Lesson learned.

pen

Good story. I swear I worry even vacuuming the carpet in front of the stove when it's lit..

But I do believe the OP's stove should be cool and safe by October...

 

[wkpoor]

I sweep about 3-4xs a season from the bottom up with a hot stove. I usually pick mornings when all that left is hot coals that are only putting off heat and no smoke. Pipe is cool enough then to remove with gloves. I'm in the basement so the mess isn't as big a deal to me but I've still tried to limit it. I use a regular shop vac that my wife holds up the the pipe. It doesn't seem to catch all that much IMO. So now I just shove the brush up and stand back a monent to let the fall out settle then add a length and repeat. After about 8 lengths I'm throught the top. After the brush is out I simply sweep up the mess off the concrete floor and surrounding area. Takes me all of 20mins to do it from start to finish. Reinstall pipe , add wood, and I'm back in business.

 

[summit]

shovel the ash/soot into a metal bucket, just to be sure any lingering sparks arent gonna get into th vac. Use the vac for dust control when it stars to fluff up into the air.

 

[Loco Gringo]

Sounds good to me. I set the vac outside the window and ran an extended hose out to it when I vacuumed my smoke shelf out. I borrowed the hose where I work at and just plugged it back in to the vac when I was done. Fashion yourself an adapter out of cardboard that will fit across the width of your stovetop at the opening.

 

[homebrewz]

Lots of good advice listed above. I'll only add to make sure that there are no rips in the filter. Putting an exhaust hose out the window is a good idea.

 

[xjcamaro89]

I dont know if this will help you but what i do it take the chimney apart from the stove to the adapter at the ceiling, take those peices to the garage to clean. I then have a bucket with a hole in the bottom just big enough to get the brush rod through and i hold the bucket up against the celing while i run the brush up and down the chimney, rod running through the hole in the bucket. Then all the fluff and dust falls into the bucket where i can then take it outside and dump it. Just a thought. I get very minimal black dust. I then use the shop vac or sweeper to get any lingering dust. Just a thought.

 

[Shari]

Put the vac outside and run a long hose inside. Anything that comes through the filter is carried away is already outside.

 

[fbelec]

Put the vac outside and run a long hose inside. Anything that comes through the filter is carried away is already outside.

+1 every vac i have ever used has some seems that dust comes out of. try turning on the vac across the room from some morning sunshine coming thru your window turn on 30 seconds then shut off and watch the the rays of sunshine get dusty. the worst thing anyone could every do to prove this is vac out a oil burner, with your shop vac. then tell me how long it took for your nose to burn. i walked in on a guy doing just that and i'll never forget it.

i use the vac outside with 15 to 20 feet of hose on it thru a window with a rag covering the rest of the window opening. never get dust in the house.

 

[firefighterjake]

Put the vac outside and run a long hose inside. Anything that comes through the filter is carried away is already outside.

+1 every vac i have ever used has some seems that dust comes out of. try turning on the vac across the room from some morning sunshine coming thru your window turn on 30 seconds then shut off and watch the the rays of sunshine get dusty. the worst thing anyone could every do to prove this is vac out a oil burner, with your shop vac. then tell me how long it took for your nose to burn. i walked in on a guy doing just that and i'll never forget it.

i use the vac outside with 15 to 20 feet of hose on it thru a window with a rag covering the rest of the window opening. never get dust in the house.

I have one shop vac that I rarely use any more since it is coated inside and out with that fine oil "dust" . . . despite many cleanings . . . seems like every time I fire it up I get that crap everywhere.

Now as for the original question . . . I use the shop vac to clean my stove for its final cleaning . . . but I've never used it to clean up "flying creosote" or after a sweep . . . just for the final clean out . . . and this was after several days of inactivity to make sure there were no live coals in the ash . . . and I cleaned up the majority of the mess by hand.