Chimney Cleaning?

[Crabberx]

First time I have cleaned my chimney by myself. Bought the brush and rods and just finished, not bad. Lot cheaper than having a professional do it every year. I have about 120.00 invested in brush and rods. They just paid for themselves. About 175.00 for a chimney sweeper to do it here. Here's my question, how much black stuff should I have gotten out of my chimney? My chimney is 20' stainless steel liner and is 6" in diameter. Has not been cleaned since last year in October 09 til now. I burn mostly dry oak and some poplar, about 3 cord since last year and I live in Maryland. All reponses will be greatly appreaciated. And last, should I clean in mid burning season since I can do it now? Oh, I got about a gallon of black stuff out of the chimney.

Thank You
Rick

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

A gallon? Sounds good to me. I get more than that, but I burn long & slow, because my stove is oversized for the house. Have to keep it damped down or we roast.

As far as how often, twice a year should be good for most people.

 

[treelizard]

If you burn it hot you'll have less creosote then you would if you just let it smolder, but some times it just cant be avoided. As far as cleaning I would clean it now and at mid season and then again at the end of the burning season. or even more often if you want cause no harm has ever been done by over cleaning (use a poly brush on stainless and not the wire brush)

 

[alderman]

A gallon sounds like quite a bit to me. I cleaned mine every two months when I first started. Now down to once a year and I just have a very light coat. Probably not even a pound of soot.

Burn dry wood and burn hot.

The small 6" pipe helps keep it hot.

I was a volunteer fireman for 25 years and it amazed me the amount of creosote that would accumulate in a large chimney when green wood was being burned. A lot of folks put inserts into the fireplace and the chimney was too large to ever get warm--except when the chimney fire started, and then they got plenty warm.

 

[dustytools]

A gallon? Sounds good to me. I get more than that, but I burn long & slow, because my stove is oversized for the house. Have to keep it damped down or we roast.

Same here. I typically clean mine about once or twice a month just because its easy to get to and only takes me about ten minutes. If I let it go for a full month I will get about 1 or 2 quarts or so. For the most part my wood is seasoned but the stove stays dampered down about 75- 80 percent of the time.

 

[chucker]

sounds good from here ! burn about a cord a month of mixed wood till bitter cold sets in and get about 1/2 gal of soot also cleaned on the first of each month... but then my stack is 14' and easy to get to... heating 1200 sq ft with a fire box measured 16wx28lng x16 h.... over sized just a mite....

 

[flotek]

a gallon is alot in my book ,you must be burning unseasoned wood and or dampening the stove way down ,i have a similar setup as you and get about a large coffee cup full ,the drier the wood the better