Creosote - Stage 3 Build-up removal.....

[Shmudda]

I have a few questions for the well seasoned wood burners out there....

This year in September I brushed my chimney that is about 35 feet tall, it is a 6" diameter stainless steel flue inside a masonary chimney It came out wonderfully clean as it always did, and didn't have any creosote build-up because I usually burn very hot fires. I have a Lopi Liberty wood burning stove that produces about 75,000 BTU's and heats the home quite nicely. Once the chimney flue was clean I put the clean out cap back on the bottom of it like I did every other year and thought all was fine.

This past week I had some shingles blow off during a wind storm and I walked past the chimney while inspecting the rest of the roof and noticed some really bad stage 3 creosote build-up at the top of the flue. The cap is all covered with the thick tar like substance, that you can tell was actually dripping when hot. Once I saw this, I proceeded down to the clean-out and noticed that the cap on the bottom of the flue had fallen off. This is why my stove draft was reduced during the season as I was actually pulling the cold air up from inside the clean out. It was cooling the flue gases and creating the creosote build-up up inside the flue.

Now that I have set the stage and problem, here comes the questions:
1.) At this point just brushing will not clean the goo in the flue.
2.) I have done some research, and found a product called Cre-Away Pro, which is a powder that you spray directly into the flue to coat the creosote and then burn a fire. It will chemically remove the build-up inthe flue. Has anybody used this product before?
3.) If you have used Cre-Away, how did it work for you? Did it live up to the easy directions for use? Did it work the way it was advertised?
4.) Are there any drawbacks to using this product?
5.) If you didn't use this, and you had stage 3 goo, what did you use to remove it? Don't say start a chimney fire because I wont do that!

Thanks for all replies as it's cold in the house and I need to get a fire going.....

Craig

 

[wkpoor]

OK I'm going to say it.....Start a chimney fire, but just a little one. If you aren't clogged up to bad and can continue burning this season my next fall it will be dried and can be mechanically removed. Heat is the best way I know to solve creosote problem. If you have a SS class A chimney it can take alot of heat well at least in short bursts. I put a temp gauge on my single wall pipe inside up at the top near the chimney pipe and keep an eye on it there. Go 7-800 degrees for a minute or two then shut the air off. The creosote will come raining down.

 

[volks-man]

i have never used any cleaning products other than a brush.
im with wkpoor:
i would say burn the stove as normal and wait till the creosote dries out and then brush it.

 

[Mike Van]

Burning coal is supposed to loosen up creosote, all the carbon I guess? Maybe a box of the 11.95 creosote-cleaning logs? Or, with the plug back in the pipe, just keep using it, and eventually it should go back to it's normal self?

 

[Zodiac45]

I would not worry too much since it's at the very top of the chimney. It's never gonna catch up there. It's always bottom up with chim fires. I've never used the product so I can't help you there but I do throw a few handfuls of stove coal in on top of a large coal bed a couple times a week and it really keeps the stove (and I'll bet chimney too) allot cleaner than wood alone. One bag of anthrasite (50lbs) has lasted me most of the winter.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

I had heard of tossing a couple of aluminum cans in then fire once a week.. and it is supposed to help with the creosote problem...

 

[Shmudda]

Well.....I lit a fire and burned it out, to a point!

After I posted this last evening I went and lit a small intense hot fire heating the chimney up pretty good. I could hear it crackling thru the stove pipe pretty good too. After it was out, and I could hear the chimney was not on fire I went to bed and got up early and went out to the clean-out and removed the bottom cap. Low and behold the ashes that came out with that small fire. I got on the roof and took the cap off and looked down the chimney with a flashlight and it was all blocked with burned up ash. Got the brush out, and brushed the whole 35 feet and took out about 1/2 of a garbage can full of ash. Cleaned all the stove pipes, flue, and clean-out and started another fire. It's warm in the house again and the wife and kids are happy......I'm just glad everything worked out.

Seems all is well and the stove is drawing a draft like no tomorrow and burning really good and hot!

Thanks for the replies here, it's always nice to shoot something out there and ask others for their opinions and guidance!

Craig

 

[chowdozer]

What are you going to do to make sure that cleanout cap doen't fall off again?

Here's how I hold my cap on.

2" wide piece of stainless sheetmetal with a 1/4 stainless bolt through each end and the head welded to the sheet. Threads on the bolt are cut off and the 3/4" of shank left is rounded off. Bend the sheetmetal into a U shape with the bolt shanks facing each other. Put the cap or cleanout on, drill two 1/4" holes 180 degrees apart through pipe and cap. Open U shaped sheetmetal a little and put the bolt shanks through the holes in the pipe. Let the spring of the sheetmetal hold the bolt shanks in the pipe and cap.

Let's you pull the cap or cleanout off in about 15 seconds.

I got tired of fighting rivets and sheetmetal screws.

If it ever gets too much creosote on it it gets tough to take apart or put together, I just hit it with a propane torch.

 

[chowdozer]

I would not worry too much since it's at the very top of the chimney.

Bad idea as eventually the buildup will restrict flow and you may not wakeup one morning.

 

[DoubleNickel]

Well, Can anyone answer Shmudda #1 question

Does Cre-Away Pro work? and does any of the other products for creosote work? I gots the same problem!!:rockn:

 

[nomak]

I was told by a proffesional chimney sweep that starting flew fires to clean the chimney is very unsafe for two reasons.. one is obvious its a fire hazard. The other that most dont think about is that the stainless steel liners are only heat resistant up to certain temps. thus creating a fire that gets to hot stresses the steel and then it loses its stainless ability to protect from the elements causing rust. Once the rust sets in theres no stopping it and then before you know it you have a hole in your liner and sparks flying out of it thus having created a new fire hazzard in your chimney.... just passing on what I was told when I asked the professional that cleaned my chimney this year about it..

 

[pook]

Does Cre-Away Pro work? and does any of the other products for creosote work? I gots the same problem!!:rockn:

chimni cleaning additives work only to deglaze the glazed creo so a brushing is more effective, they wont remove the creo,just loosen it. trisodium phophate [TSP} was/is? the main ingredient & is a detergent........wonder if powder laundry detergent would do similar?

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Bad idea as eventually the buildup will restrict flow and you may not wakeup one morning.

That would have to be some fantastic buildup of creosote!

 

[DoubleNickel]

Is this the stuff that acts like Cre-Away?

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...ode+matchall&recN=112354&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber
Is this the stuff at Home Depot (14oz for $2.36) that acts like Cre-Away? But whole lot cheaper.
-Trisodium Phosphate Powder-​

 

[pook]

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...ode+matchall&recN=112354&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber
Is this the stuff at Home Depot (14oz for $2.36) that acts like Cre-Away? But whole lot cheaper.
-Trisodium Phosphate Powder-​

gotta read the actual listed ingredients but if so, yes
my theory is that as wood combusts into H2O + CO2, the H2O will misx with the TSP & migrate up the chimni where it will deposit when cooled, from top down typically, & absorb/loosen the glazed creo. Looks like a detergent action so i wonder about powder detergent. still gotta brush after deglazing.