how do you know how much creosote has built up?

[goanin]

Can I get an indication from examining the top of the chimney? If there isn't any buildup at this coldest part, can I be sure that everything's ok down the whole chimney?

 

[Rookie1]

Going on the roof and looking in is the sure way. I have an airtight woodburner and when I open the door and smoke puffs out I know the top of the pipe is getting plugged.:msp_smile:

 

[dave_dj1]

I've always opened the clean out door in the chimney and looked up it with a mirror.

 

[savageactor7]

how do you know how much creosote has built up

Usually ...with the sole exception of this winter and 76-77 we'd have a thaw and a couple of 50* days.

When the stove went cold one of us would go in the cellar and mirror the chimney.

While that doesn't sound too effective it's pretty revealing to anyone that has experienced it the 1st time.

...btw no caps on this chimney, the mason flat out refused.

 

[hanniedog]

If you are going up on the roof to check why not just take your brush and clean it out.

 

[Muffler Bearing]

how do you know how much creosote has built up??

The only correct way is to clean it.

 

[spike60]

I've always opened the clean out door in the chimney and looked up it with a mirror.

Yup, that's what I do. No climbing!

 

[fields_mj]

I do have a cap on mine, and I keep an eye on it. I've noticed that it clogs up faster than my stainless liner does. When I go up to clean it, I generally take a wire brush and tap it agaisnt the outside of the cap to knock the build up off. Then I take it off and shake it out. While I'm up there, I run the brush down the chimney 6 or 8 times, and then put the cap back on. I've thought about taking the cap off when I start burning, and then putting it back on in the spring, but I like being able to look up at it during the day and knowing when I need to clean the chimney.

Just my 2 bits,
Mark

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Warm day, stove cools.. look up pipe with mirror. If it were to look bad (hasn't ever) would then go on roof and clean it. I try not to make to many extra trips onto roof.. I am not exactly scarred of heights, but 3 stories and 10/12 pitch will keep you cautious..:msp_blink:

 

[blades]

That's a long way down, Got the t-shirt from a 2 story one. Found out I am not aerodynamic, flapping arms does not help, do not bounce very well any more. And that the guy that installed the roof jacks should have reached Taiwan by now, on foot!

 

[Hedgerow]

That's a long way down, Got the t-shirt from a 2 story one. Found out I am not aerodynamic, flapping arms does not help, do not bounce very well any more. And that the guy that installed the roof jacks should have reached Taiwan by now, on foot!

:msp_lol::msp_lol::msp_lollenty of time to think on the way down from a 2 story roof. Possibly plot revenge...

 

[7hpjim]

Going on the roof and looking in is the sure way. I have an airtight woodburner and when I open the door and smoke puffs out I know the top of the pipe is getting plugged.:msp_smile:

+1:eek2:

 

[mga]

Going on the roof and looking in is the sure way. I have an airtight woodburner and when I open the door and smoke puffs out I know the top of the pipe is getting plugged.:msp_smile:

ok...i gotta question: what do you mean by plugged?

 

[laynes69]

When I check our chimney I wait for a sunny day and I carry a mirror to the top of the chimney. If you angle the mirror correctly you can see all the way to the base of the chimney. We have a 32' chimney and it works great. If we look into the base, I need a telescopic mirror. Our snout is 32" deep so it makes things a little difficult.

 

[woodbooga]

6-burner stove here. Lid furthest away from the firebox is my canary in the coalmine.

The way the gasses travel, they leave soot stalactites under the lid furthest away from the firebox. Light coating = a-ok. Never got the stalactites my inlaws get, but that's a call to climb the roof and jam a brush downward!

 

[7hpjim]

ok...i gotta question: what do you mean by plugged?

open feed door and smoke pukes out, not drafting well because of restriction

 

[mga]

open feed door and smoke pukes out, not drafting well because of restriction

when i think of "plugged" i'm visualizing an 8 inch pipe almost closed with creosote. a thin layer, or even a 1/4" coating shouldn't effect draft.

 

[jasult]

Yep, mirror and good flash light let me see all the way up my 8 inch liner from the clean out T

 

[TooTall999]

I know it's time to clean when the draft isn't as strong, smoke puffing out when I open the door to my wood boiler. I bought a sooteater this year, best investment ever. No need to climb on the roof, I clean from the bottom. It does a pretty good job too.

 

[mga]

I know it's time to clean when the draft isn't as strong, smoke puffing out when I open the door to my wood boiler. I bought a sooteater this year, best investment ever. No need to climb on the roof, I clean from the bottom. It does a pretty good job too.

what is a "sooteater"?