Handful of Salt to Decrease Cresote?

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jramstead

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Interesting comment by a member in the moisture post about his grandpa using salt when burning pine to cut down on cresote. Thats about all we have to burn her in Montana. Anyone else attest to this ? Does it help?
Sounds interesting. I know I put softwater salt down the commode to help with the root problems in the sewer, it works.:rock:
 
Dunno if it works, but it's not the first time I've heard it.


Chimney brush works pretty good. :D
 
jramstead said:
Thats about all we have to burn her in Montana.


This new topic has great timing. I was just thinking about what to do with the cord of pine that I have not split yet.

Do you have any major problems caused by burning so much pine? We have a not-cat epa wood burning insert in our fireplace that has a stainless steel flexable liner running up the flu. I have tons of cut pine in my yard that I just have not split yet because I am afraid it will cause problems with the stove and/or flu liner. I have heard that it is only the bark that causes problems when it burns, but I can not find any reliable info to prove this.

If you have any tips for burning pine in an epa stove, please pass them on, it be great to make all this pine usefull.
 
Burn the pine. It's the most burned wood. It is NOT a problem. Horror stories about pine & creosote are just old wive's tales.

The type of wood you burn is not as important a factor in wood burning as the creosote formation from improper burning technique (see Starting a fire and Tending a Fire). There is not much difference between creosote forming from burning dry softwood as compared to burning green hardwoods. Hardwood, if unseasoned or wet, could even produce more creosote than pine.

http://**********/what/guidelines.html
 
electrobot,
I just got a new Blazeking Princess last fall. It has a catylitic converter.
Used half as much wood as I did before. The pine I burn is cut the year before so its dry. I cleaned my stainless steel chimney twice last year.
Nothing really much in there , I do it for peace of mind and it only takes 20 minutes. Small world, I was in Fort Wayne a few months back at one of your hospitals for a training session on some equipment. Also my son plays football for Carroll College Saints who has played your USF team the last 2 years for the national championship. Burn the wood , if I didn't burn pine I'd be up a creek cause thats about all we have. Can't cut cedar if you could find it.:hmm3grin2orange:
 
BlueRidgeMark said:
Horror stories about pine & creosote are just old wive's tales.



http://**********/what/guidelines.html
Is that so? Wow, I guess you don't need to clean your chimney or have a hot fire, I have burned pine, cut down lots of it, it can make creosote like any other coniferous wood. Burn it when its dry, burn it hot, clean your chimney from time to time.
 
I've heard of sprinkling a tablespoon of TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) onto a coals-only low fire twice weekly. Never heard of salt, though. Don't know how effective the TSP could be, or if it's just "snake oil".
 
Gark said:
I've heard of sprinkling a tablespoon of TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) onto a coals-only low fire twice weekly. Never heard of salt, though. Don't know how effective the TSP could be, or if it's just "snake oil".

TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) is marketed as Creosote Remover by a company in Rutland Ma. I believe. I have read a few articles on the topic and most say that common Salt (Sodium Chloride) is not a real good idea as corrosion may become an issue with long term use. If you clean your chimney once a year, I don't think any of these chemical remedies are really necessary. The only benefit may be to make the cleaning process a little easier.

Tom
 
Chimney Sweep Log

When I am burning wood steady in the winter I burn something called a chimney sweep log every couple of months or so for my ss chimney. If you follow the directions on the package they seem to work really well. They dont take the place of a manual cleaning but give you peace of mind until you can do a manual cleaning. Burning only hardwood I only brush my chimney once a year, last year the only build up to take off was on my rain cap where it meets the cold air. What they are supposed to do is harden the gummy creosote and it slowly turns to a powder and falls back into the stove. I know a week or so after I burn one when I open up my flue bamper and the hot air hits the creosote it sounds like rain falling down the chimney. Also you are supposed to steadily keep burning fires after you use it, you dont want to use it on the last fire of the season. They seem to work good for me. You can get them at most local hardware stores and box stores.
 
BlueRidgeMark said:
Burn the pine. It's the most burned wood. It is NOT a problem. Horror stories about pine & creosote are just old wive's tales.

Yep, if it weren't for pine/fire/spruce, a great portion of the north couldn't burn wood at all. As your cite gives it, keep your chimney clean and only burn well seasoned pine and there is no problem. Cleaning the chimney once or twice/season is sufficient unless you are burning 'dirty'.

Harry K
 
No salt if you have Stainless Steel parts

Adding salt is a big NO... if you have any parts made of 304 or 316 stainless steel. Lots of the EPA certified stoves have secondary burn chambers made of stainless. Lots of metal chimney parts are also made of stainless.

My Pacific Energy stove's manual says not to burn ocean driftwood. Again salt ...

The hot Salt corrodes the stainless. The key is elevated temperatures. Room temperature like on a boat is no problem. Try boiling seawater in a stainless pot to see the problem up close.
 
A friend of mine who works in our local stove shop says that all these "additives" do is raise the heat temperature inside your stove and stack-which is what you can do yourself by burning a hot fire. I always burn hot, so I don't have that problem to deal with. Just thought that I'd add his comments to the mix!:)
 
With the chimney sweep logs you are just supposed to put them on a bed of coals with no flames, with the flue open and all other drafts shut. They burn for about 2 hours. They make quite a flame for a few minutes and then just make a lot of smoke for the rest of the time. I think the reasoning for this is because the chemicals are contained in the smoke and you only want it to smolder. I think if you were to open up the draft or put it on a burning fire you would get a lot of flame and a very hot fire.
 
I burnt more dry pine then usual a few years ago and the creosote built up much more then usual in a short time. With using hard woods about 98% of the time I rarely have enough build up to concern me. Its been about 2 years since I cleaned it out. Looked clean last time I looked.My relatives that burn much pine specify they clean their chimney about once a month. No big deal if your set up is easy to clean. I seen folks use salt on carboned lantern globes.Sprinkled it on the flame and it dissoved the carbon film.
 
don't do it...

salt is one of the most corrosive substances around. you don't need to introduce any more corrosion to your burn system.

creosote results from an incomplete burn, whatever the cause.
 
ahhh the joys of having an outside boiler...not having to worry about the house going up from a chimney fire...but ...the dreaded incomplete combustion of those stoves...YIKES...I burn out the creosote build up in ours every 2 weeks during the heating season...stuff that outside boiler with cardboard and let 'er rip...very pretty at night!!:hmm3grin2orange: next day...clean chimney and crosspipe... shovel out the last 2 weeks ashes...usually a tractor bucket full

will have to take a picture of it some night this winter...some very serious orange to blue flame!!
 
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