Burning aluminum cans?

[steved]

Gauging the effectiveness in your chimney is easy... just open the bottom clean-out and see how much loose stuff is there over time, verses how much was there without burning cans.
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You might not find much, most of it just lifts up through the top of the chimney from the draft. I find big flakes all over my cars and driveway...I use the Rutland chimney cleaner.

When it cools down and then refiring, you can watch them float out the chimney cap.

 

[Whitespider]

I find big flakes all over my cars and driveway...

OH MY LORD ‼ The sky is falling‼ Particulate emissions‼ Big ones‼
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[mga]

i throw pennies in mine just to get rid of them.

 

[Toxic2]

Never swept my chimney in 10 years of bhrning and its clean as new..i have used the aluminum can trick on years when my wood was less then fully seasoned..i am so far ahead now that the wood going in needs barely any air to burn its so dry..

 

[chuckwood]

Actually there is a benefit to burning aluminum cans in a hot fire... manganese is released, which, through chemical reaction, causes creosote to (for lack of better terminology this morning) "dry out", flake, release from the chimney walls, and fall to the bottom.
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A better source of manganese is a product made by Rutland specifically for wood burners. It comes in a spray bottle or in bulk gallon jugs. I think most all the woodstove dealers sell it, you can get it online, I got mine at Home Depot. It contains a solution of Manganese Nitrate. You squirt the stuff onto your fire once a day, a dozen squirts or so. If you have a catalytic stove, you must put it in bypass mode for around an hour after spraying, the manganese can poison the cat. The stuff works well for me. Don't spill it, it makes bad stains that won't come out.

 

[chuckwood]

Just scrounge cl adds for old dead saw cases. Cut them down and throw them into your stove. The magnesium will make a nice warm fire and keep your chimney clean.....

Burning magnesium produces quite a show, and once it gets started, it's nearly impossible to put out. It produces a light as bright as a welding arc, it might damage a stove, don't nobody try that at home.......

 

[zogger]

A better source of manganese is a product made by Rutland specifically for wood burners. It comes in a spray bottle or in bulk gallon jugs. I think most all the woodstove dealers sell it, you can get it online, I got mine at Home Depot. It contains a solution of Manganese Nitrate. You squirt the stuff onto your fire once a day, a dozen squirts or so. If you have a catalytic stove, you must put it in bypass mode for around an hour after spraying, the manganese can poison the cat. The stuff works well for me. Don't spill it, it makes bad stains that won't come out.

Supposedly this chemical takes any creosote and makes it flaky and loose. My question is, are the flakes still burnable? Or does it make the creosote sort of inert?

 

[user 122190]

Supposedly this chemical takes any creosote and makes it flaky and loose. My question is, are the flakes still burnable? Or does it make the creosote sort of inert?

I've had it fall down the flue, and I suppose it then burns up. I've also had it get carried out the pipe and litter up the roof top with the black flakes.

 

[Whitespider]

...are the flakes still burnable? Or does it make the creosote sort of inert?

Inert?? I don't think so... but, honestly I'm not 110% sure (I mean, near anything will burn with enough heat).
I believe the manganese causes it to be less likely (or, harder to) ignite, while at the same time (should) reduce the amount of built-up, which also reduces the tendency to ignite (shrug)
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[chuckwood]

Supposedly this chemical takes any creosote and makes it flaky and loose. My question is, are the flakes still burnable? Or does it make the creosote sort of inert?

As far as I know, the flakes are burnable. My stove sits out in the open, with the pipe going out the back of the stove, then it elbos up into the chimney. I have the special elbo that is more like a "t", and the flakes collect there. I periodically open the bottom of the "t" and dump out the flakes. I think the manganese somehow affects tar formation in the creosote, making it less gummy and sticky.

 

[Joesell]

I think the manganese somehow affects tar formation in the creosote, making it less gummy and sticky.

Bingo! This is the effect I've noticed when I burn cans. It goes from sticky tar to flakes that fall off.

I wish I could get far enough ahead to burn only 4 year aged wood. Then I wouldn't need to resort to wives tales and witch craft to clean the owb.

 

[steved]

I've had it fall down the flue, and I suppose it then burns up. I've also had it get carried out the pipe and litter up the roof top with the black flakes.

Same here...the only true glassy creosote buildup I get is a film at the very top, probably where outside air mixes with the flue gases. The rest just flakes off and floats away.

It was a real issue the first year because the flakes of ash kept plugging the screen on the cap...I enlarged the screen (stainless hardware cloth) from 3/8" square to 3/4" square openings and that seems to have solved my problem.

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[Coldfront]

Screen? I have never used a screen on my chimney cap, seems like you are asking for trouble with a screen.

 

[ray benson]

Screen? I have never used a screen on my chimney cap, seems like you are asking for trouble with a screen.

I removed the screen several years ago and had 2 birds in the in one year. They were trapped at the top of the stove and a pain to remove. Put a stainless cap on with thick mesh, problem solved. A buddy had a squirrel go into his flue.

 

[firebrick43]

I removed the screen several years ago and had 2 birds in the in one year. They were trapped at the top of the stove and a pain to remove. Put a stainless cap on with thick mesh, problem solved. A buddy had a squirrel go into his flue.

Kitty TV. My house cat loves watching trapped birds in the stove

 

[maine]

The OP wasn't asking how to stop creosote, he was asking if burning aluminum cans will avoid the chore of climbing on the roof and cleaning the chimney after creosote has formed. Besides, you can't "stop" the formation of creosote... you can only minimize it. Newt eyes and bat wings won't help, salt is better reserved for helping put out a chimney fire... but it requires more than a sprig.

Actually there is a benefit to burning aluminum cans in a hot fire... manganese is released, which, through chemical reaction, causes creosote to (for lack of better terminology this morning) "dry out", flake, release from the chimney walls, and fall to the bottom. Gauging the effectiveness in your chimney is easy... just open the bottom clean-out and see how much loose stuff is there over time, verses how much was there without burning cans. Beverage cans contain something 'round 1% (or a bit more) manganese... not all aluminum alloys do. Burning them won't eliminate the need for brushing, but it will (or may) reduce build-up, extend the time between brushing, and make the job easier. Burning them has another benefit (or advantage)... it reduces the odds of creosote ignition (I ain't gonna' get into why that is), although the hot fire required also increases the odds during application.

And for a large portion of the country, aluminum cans are cheaper than store bought (so called) "creosote destroyers"... they're basically free.

Beware, burning aluminum may possibly pose some risk (depending), some of the by-products of heating and/or combustion are classified as a neurotoxin...
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how many cans do i put in
im up to about a 30rack and now it is glowing hot
there is lots of black stuff shooting from chimney like tornado from dorothy wizard of oz
and occasionally a poof of blue flame like dragon
the glowing black snow is drifting over to the neighbors yard as well
i am afraid for his huge piles of leaves
they may catch on fire

 

[steved]

Screen? I have never used a screen on my chimney cap, seems like you are asking for trouble with a screen.

Keeps the critters out, I took it off thinking it wasn't needed and several birds found their demise in my stove in the summer months...

RSF terms the screen a "spark arrester"...required by law in some places.

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[wudpirat]

I use a compound painters use to clean greasy walls before painting.
It's called TSP, main ingreatent in Rutland cleaner.
I got mine from Lowe's paint dept. Be carfull, there's TSP and EPA TSP, you want the former.
It turns the creosote into a crisp crunchy that flakes off and falls into the clean out.

Warning, I have had the creosote flake off in large sheets and clog the flue, killing the draft.
Checking the flue with a mirror, didn't see any daylight, I dropped a short length of chain on a rope and broke up the larger pieces and removed them out the cleanout.
IIRC, I had been burning green wood. This hasn't happened since, as I now try to have seasoned wood available.
That was when I was newb wood burner learning about burning wood. Low air , lots of smoke and green wood.
Now I also monitor the stack temp. Keeps me from overfireing and/or makeing creosote buildup.
YES, I burn pine and my flue is clean. Live and learn and a couple scoops a week keep my flue clean.
TSP is not a cure all, I still clean out about a five gal pail of crunchies each season. They fall into the cleanout and not stuck to the flue.
May have to try the alum can trick, my boys are beer drinkers and never return the empties, got a large pile.

 

[Whitespider]

how many cans do i put in
im up to about a 30rack...
...blue flame...
...glowing black snow...

Man, sounds like you're havin' a blast‼
If I bring over another 30 pack, can I join the fun??
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[brenndatomu]

drifting over to the neighbors yard as well
i am afraid for his huge piles of leaves

Uh oh. Better read this...http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/setting-leaves-on-fire.267031/unread