End-of-Year Creosote Cleaning in OWB

[bodhisoma]

Greetings,

I've got an OWB (Central Classic 5036 if memory serves). In previous years, for the end-of-year maintenance, I've scraped off the hard creosote shellac that's formed on the inside and applied a layer of clean motor oil.

But it occurred to me that if I'm worried about rust, and the chimney is covered (so only humidity is making it inside), won't that creosote itself be protecting the metal from moisture and corrosion? And scraping it off just to apply fresh motor oil is a lot of wasted effort?

Or do I need to be worried about that creosote trapping moisture against the metal and causing/accelerating corrosion?

While I can't have any certainty it's waterproof, I do want to stress that the creosote is glazed on pretty hard and uniformly, and takes quite an effort to chip it away.

Should I just give the loser bits a scrape and then apply the oil to the creosote, thus waterproofing the surface just the same?

Thanks much in advance for the replies!

 

[NSMaple1]

I think creosote can be corrosive.

 

[sawjunky23]

Most owb chimneys are double walled stainless. I don't know that you are prolonging the life of the chimney enough to be worth all the effort. Of all the people I know with OWB's I don't think any of them clean the stack.

 

[bodhisoma]

Most owb chimneys are double walled stainless. I don't know that you are prolonging the life of the chimney enough to be worth all the effort. Of all the people I know with OWB's I don't think any of them clean the stack.

It's not the stack I'm worried about, it's the fire box itself. Just about every inch of the inside has a glossy shell of creosote.

I can snap some pics if that would help.

 

[Storm56]

I also have a CB. I have the rain vent cap that stays on the stove all year. It is open on the sides but has a cap around the top so that no rain can get in. I clean out the ashes and prop open the draft door so the stove can breathe. I do not scrape the walls at the end of the heating season. I check it a few times over the summer and it is always dry and fresh inside the stove. I do brush out the chimney a couple of times a year. I remove ashes once a week and daily, I "stir" the fire being sure scrape the bottom and sides of the fire box so no build up adheres to the metal. Eleven years now and looking good.

 

[msmith]

I used to have a Taylor 750 and each year I wouldn't do anything to the firebox other than scrape it and clean the ashes out. It lasted 13 years with no problems and the new owner used it for a couple of years until he burnt the pavilion down that the wood and OWB was under.

Now I have a CB 6048 and usually burn it year round. When I don't, I just scrape and spray with a mixture of diesel fuel and motor oil (new or used). YMMV

 

[jrider]

I save a ton of cardboard for the final burn and stuff it full. Does a good enough job of burning off thr creosote.

 

[stihlaficionado]

It's not the stack I'm worried about, it's the fire box itself. Just about every inch of the inside has a glossy shell of creosote.

I can snap some pics if that would help.

My friend's CharMaster is the same way, except he has 8 years worth

 

[msmith]

It's not the stack I'm worried about, it's the fire box itself. Just about every inch of the inside has a glossy shell of creosote.

I can snap some pics if that would help.

Yeah, you're not going to get it out easily. I don't worry about it, just oil over it. I just done mine today.