Wood stoves and flues

carman870ky · Jan 22, 2010

O.T. Wood stoves
Just a reminder to you all out there. The wife told me today that the wood stove wasn't drawing very well. I'm getting ready to do my normal Jan. cleaning of the flue and cap. Just wanted to relay this info as NO ONE out there needs a chimney fire. Be safe.

chrisinsoky · Jan 22, 2010

i clean my flue every year in nov. that way she is ready to go,

Robert in Md · Jan 22, 2010

Thanks for the reminder, I had a shop flue fire last week. Don't really have a chimmey, just 6 inch stove pipe running thru wall and up about 10 feet. Fire was at elbow outside,let it burn itself out.

parisspringstom · Jan 23, 2010

We had a flue fire and shut off draft and cleaned out the chimney. We were awake when it started. Neighbor had one a week later that started in the middle of the night and caught the roof afire. His house burnt completely up. I cleaned out almost every family members flue and will clean mine out regularly from now on.

Tx Jim · Jan 23, 2010

Does burning a chimney sweep log help or is hand cleaning the only way to clean a flue?Thanks,Jim

olgentdc · Jan 23, 2010

Never have cleaned it , always put a few tin cans in the fire box every week , that keeps it clean ,, did not do that practice in the living room fireplace and had a flu fire ,, no great big problem , went and poured a box of salt on the fire , and it came back into safety standards .......

JMOR · Jan 23, 2010

pls explain tin cans?

Tims A · Jan 23, 2010

Gonna Sweep the chimney tomorrow. Then fall asleep watching football. That's livin!!

usetob · Jan 23, 2010

what in the world would tin cans do to clean a flue??

teddy52food · Jan 23, 2010

Maybe if they are still full they will explode & blow the soot out!

carman870ky · Jan 23, 2010

TX Jim; I think the greatest claim to fame the logs have is that they can get the flue hot enough to burn or cristilize the buildup that is in the flue. A friend of mine once tried one and said it seemed to get things so hot that he heard creaking noises in the wall. All the wood I burn is seasoned at least 2 or 3 years and is very dry. My flue is double wall insulated stainless and any buildup in there is usually the flakey kind and dry. Never had any of the gummy buildup except at the cap on top. If I had a regular type flue with a tacky cresote buildup I would probably try one of the commercial flue cleaners like SAFE-T-FLUE flue cleaner sold at most home centers. It's a powder you sprinkle on the coals after a a hot fire and is supposed to crystalize the deposits in the flue. Even at that the deposits can still ignite and burn, although maybe not as rapidly. Good luck.

Wood stoves and flues

carman870ky

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chrisinsoky

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Robert in Md

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parisspringstom

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Tx Jim

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olgentdc

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JMOR

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Tims A

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usetob

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teddy52food

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carman870ky

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