Creasote after a heavy rain around flu top!

[cheeves]

Ever notice after a heavy rain more creasote from the condensation around the flu top. Have a long pole that I use to knock off the flakes around the opening of the class A Silkirk chimney flu. Save having to climb up on the roof and remove the upper section to clean. I burn primarily dead standing oak so get very little creasote, but after a rain usually have the buildup around the top of the flu, and about 8" to 10's down the flu.
With my Tempwood can tell when I have to clean the flu because start to get some smoke over the top of the lid opening when I remove it to put more wood in!

 

[shutup-n-cut]

Seems I get the same type of thing , it only seems to be on the cap and only when raining or snowing ( like yesterday). I will sometimes knock it off but usually don't even get to it before the next fire and then next time I look at it most of it is gone on it's own. Never been a real concern and inside of the pipe always looks really good with hardly any buildup.

 

[fields_mj]

I'm not sure what type of cap you have, but I suspect that it's like the one that I started with in that it has expanded metal or 1/2" screen around it. I took mine off, and bought the old open style cap for $20 at TSC. It has no screen or expanded metal to restrict flow or collect creosote. I leave that one on during the fall and winter, and put the old one back on at the end of the season when I'm done burning. The old one looks better, and keeps the critters out during the summer months. I still get some build up on the last 10" or so of my SS flue liner because that's how much is sticking out of my chimney and is exposed to the surrounding cold air. My liner is a 6" I plan on getting another rain coller and a short section of 8" pipe. The plan is to take the cap off and slide the 8" pipe over my 6" liner in order to provide it with some insulation from the cold air. Slap the 6" rain collar ontop of everything, then put the cap back on. This should reduce the build up significantly. Now I just have to actually go do it.... LOL

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

My stove is my only source of heat (OWB in a building) and I take my cap off once I fire it up in the late fall. Not worth the mess of what temperature inversion causes. I notice a lot more when it is damp outside because the air itself is so damp. Draws the "wet" air in and steams off till it gets to the outlet. The absute worst is when a large snow starts melting.

 

[cheeves]

I'm not sure what type of cap you have, but I suspect that it's like the one that I started with in that it has expanded metal or 1/2" screen around it. I took mine off, and bought the old open style cap for $20 at TSC. It has no screen or expanded metal to restrict flow or collect creosote. I leave that one on during the fall and winter, and put the old one back on at the end of the season when I'm done burning. The old one looks better, and keeps the critters out during the summer months. I still get some build up on the last 10" or so of my SS flue liner because that's how much is sticking out of my chimney and is exposed to the surrounding cold air. My liner is a 6" I plan on getting another rain coller and a short section of 8" pipe. The plan is to take the cap off and slide the 8" pipe over my 6" liner in order to provide it with some insulation from the cold air. Slap the 6" rain collar ontop of everything, then put the cap back on. This should reduce the build up significantly. Now I just have to actually go do it.... LOL

Great idea!!! A friend of mine, AS member too, has a liner business! Work for him sometimes. Going to bounce this off him and see what he thinks! roofmancrew is his handle if you want to PM him. Great guy!