Falling Creosote

[WinniWoman]

We bought a new wood stove a year ago and after last winter we had it cleaned as we always do to be ready for this upcoming year. This was the exact same stove we used to have, but it now is made with a catalytic converter, which we have learned to use properly.

This fall we did have a stretch where we had it going 24/7- not unusual for us.
Then it got warm and we haven't had a fire going in quite some time.

At night, as I sit right next to it while watching TV, I would hear things falling down the chimney- like sharp flakes of glass or something like that type of sound. This went on for weeks. I do recall maybe once in a while hearing this from our older stove, but not to the degree of this one.

Well- last night hubby started a fire in it and as it got very hot I heard A LOT of this stuff falling- it was loud! Crackling! My husband said when he first started the fire there was some creosote flakes in the stove. He opened the catalytic converter and put that powdered creosote burner stuff in the stove and let it burn off (hot) for a while and then we didn't hear it anymore. Then we closed the catalytic converter and the fire has been burning nicely since.

So far, this morning no sounds. Does anyone know why this happens? The stove was cleaned and when we used it in the beginning of this season we didn't hear anything until we stopped using it and, of course, now when we fired it up again.

 

[Carta]

IMO, sounds like problem is not stove; but chimney......I'd call a chimney sweep..........Creosote is very combustible

 

[Phydeaux]

Call a reputable chimney sweep, ASAP. And for goodness sake, don't have another fire until you do.

 

[csxjohn]

I get this in my flue pipe very frequently on my wood burner in the basement.

The stuff flaking off is probably not creosote.

In any stove or fire place or a meat smoker for that matter, when there's smoke there's creosote. When this tar like substance coats the flue in can start a fire in the flue and chimney.

The loud crackling sound was probably the residue on the pipe burning off, I get it every day after I've dampened the flue over night.

What I do is damper it down to keep it from burning too fast over night, I'm tired of getting up in the middle of the night to reload it. In the morning I open the flue, can feel the residue in the pipe when I move the flue, I put small pieces of wood in that will flame up high, open the ash clean out drawer and let that flue pipe burn off. That's when I hear all that crackling.

I don't know how that converter works for you but I know that if I burn with the damper all the way open I don't get he build up.

My chimney itself is good every year when I get it cleaned, very little creosote. My big problem is where the pipe goes into the chimney. After a few weeks it plugs up and I have to take it apart to clean it if I damper it a lot.

If the wood is seasoned, dry and a good hardwood like oak, ash, and hickory I have very little problems.


Again, that crackling is actually the inside of the pipe wall burning. I let it go a little then close the damper half way to get it to stop. I can see the same thing going on in the stove itself. That fuzz burns off the inside of the door and the handle parts that are inside.

I remember peeps use to put little spring looking things on the outside of the flue pipe to get more heat in the house but because the heat was leaving the pipe and leaving that spot cooler, they would get a build up there and eventually plug the pipe.


Did you burn unseasoned or wet wood lately? One year when I burned a poplar tree that had fallen in my yard I got a lot of that fuzz in the stove and pipe, had to burn it off , and clean it often.

You have a sweep, call him and explain it to him and I'm sure he will set your mind at ease and come out if he has to.

 

[WinniWoman]

The wood we are burning is well seasoned and very dry. Our chimney is also usually pretty clean wen the sweep comes once per year.

I did call the Chimney Sweep and he didn't seem concerned about it. I explained that for a month with no fire burning I would hear the "flakes' falling down the chimney pipe and then what happened when we finally made a fire again.

He said it was probably some build up along the inside of the metal pipe. he said it is common. (Maybe so, but not for us). He said he could come out and service it again if we wanted. He did say that putting the creosote remover in is good as long as we don't engage the catalytic converter and let it burn off 1st, which we did and then we didn't hear the flakes falling anymore.

Tonight we don't have a fire going and I don't hear anything.

Will keep an eye on it. And we will be using the creosote remover every week once we start doing daily fires again- IF it ever gets cold this winter! LOL!

One thing- my husband said we should get a new fire extinguisher as the ones we have are old. Another thing to put on the list!

Thanks, John.

 

[csxjohn]

As I was writing my reply I forgot you use the creosote stuff in. That stuff will loosen not only the creosote but all the other stuff that sticks to the pipe. I would say with certainty that the stuff you used loosened things up and the next few time you burn it will start falling off.


It takes a long time for creosote to build up and become a problem. I put one of those creosote burning longs in once or twice a year as a precaution.


I burn my fire constantly. I let it go out last week end because the house stayed in the mid 70's with no heat turned on.

Except for those two days I've kept as small a fire going as I can and still have to open the front door to keep the heat down. Better that than pay the gas company.

I hope it cools down soon, my strawberries are sending out new leaves. That can't be good!

This is the first time in my 68 years that we have gone this late with no snowfall around here.

 

[WinniWoman]

Yeah- us too. We usually burn it 24/7, but it has been so unseasonable warm here on the east coast. Like Spring! Crazy! Someone told me their crocuses were starting to pop! What the?!

Anyway, I will be starting to let the fire go out while we are at work because I am worried about fire, etc. I never was concerned- we always burned 24/7- would fill it up when I left and it would keep 'till we got home. Taking more precautions now.

We actually hadn't used the creosote stuff yet this year until this last time, so that wasn't the cause of the flakes coming down. Once we used it this week for the one fire we made, we didn't hear them falling anymore. I still can't understand how we would have that much accumulated if we only burned for a couple of weeks. But- like I said- we will be using the remover once per week now.

We can't use the creosote logs because of the catalytic. It burns a nice fire, but it is such a pain! You have to baby the thing!

 

[csxjohn]

Yeah- us too. We usually burn it 24/7, but it has been so unseasonable warm here on the east coast. Like Spring! Crazy! Someone told me their crocuses were starting to pop! What the?!

Anyway, I will be starting to let the fire go out while we are at work because I am worried about fire, etc. I never was concerned- we always burned 24/7- would fill it up when I left and it would keep 'till we got home. Taking more precautions now.

We actually hadn't used the creosote stuff yet this year until this last time, so that wasn't the cause of the flakes coming down. Once we used it this week for the one fire we made, we didn't hear them falling anymore. I still can't understand how we would have that much accumulated if we only burned for a couple of weeks. But- like I said- we will be using the remover once per week now.

We can't use the creosote logs because of the catalytic. It burns a nice fire, but it is such a pain! You have to baby the thing!

Make sure you follow the direction carefully, that stuff give off some nasty gases that loosen the creosote from the walls of the flue pipes.

When I was staying in a timeshare I owned at Alpine Village in NC we had a fireplace and they supplied wood. I was watching a fire burn and on the TV a PSA came on saying that if you burn solid fuel at home check with your insurance company to make sure you are covered.

When I got home I checked and low and behold, I was not covered. I needed to pay an extra $100 per year and get an annual inspection. I had only been burning occasionally but am glad I had no problems.

 

[Carta]

We use a natural gas insert....No chopping / buying wood, no creosote, no smell, no chimney, no problem....Works for us...

 

[csxjohn]

We use a natural gas insert....No chopping / buying wood, no creosote, no smell, no chimney, no problem....Works for us...

Ahh, but that doesn't eliminate the gas bill and that is my goal. Mine is not for show, it has no window, it's in the basement and I can blow hot air from it through the duct work.

I have a friend who uses propane for heat and he installed a burner outside that heats water, pumps it into his house and heats the house that way.

I've thought about buying a Lopi for the living room but then I thin of all the extra work just to see a fire burning and I change my mind.

I do have a small gas log fireplace in the basement when we want to have friends over and see a fire and it is nice and does give off heat. That's also my back up for when the electricity goes out and my wood furnace circulating fans won't work.

 

[Phydeaux]

We use a natural gas insert....No chopping / buying wood, no creosote, no smell, no chimney, no problem....Works for us...

https://youtu.be/RmwqnqL3Hbg

 

[Carta]

Ahh, but that doesn't eliminate the gas bill and that is my goal. Mine is not for show, it has no window, it's in the basement and I can blow hot air from it through the duct work.

I have a friend who uses propane for heat and he installed a burner outside that heats water, pumps it into his house and heats the house that way.

I've thought about buying a Lopi for the living room but then I thin of all the extra work just to see a fire burning and I change my mind.

I do have a small gas log fireplace in the basement when we want to have friends over and see a fire and it is nice and does give off heat. That's also my back up for when the electricity goes out and my wood furnace circulating fans won't work.

CSX, I have no reason for eliminating gas bill...It's relatively cheap...My insert is in basement also..It's just wifey and me...She works; I'm retired...I use insert in basement (my man cave) and turn house-heat off...(natural gas) when she's not home..
I'm too old and lazy to get wood and clean residue..Not trying to argue; just saying what works for us...

 

[WinniWoman]

Make sure you follow the direction carefully, that stuff give off some nasty gases that loosen the creosote from the walls of the flue pipes.

When I was staying in a timeshare I owned at Alpine Village in NC we had a fireplace and they supplied wood. I was watching a fire burn and on the TV a PSA came on saying that if you burn solid fuel at home check with your insurance company to make sure you are covered.

When I got home I checked and low and behold, I was not covered. I needed to pay an extra $100 per year and get an annual inspection. I had only been burning occasionally but am glad I had no problems.

Yes- we have a surcharge on our policy because we have a woodstove and fireplace.

 

[WinniWoman]

We were going to put in a gas stove instead of a wood stove since we have big propane tanks for our whole house generator, but decided against it as we like the warmer feel of wood.

In fact- I refuse to get an insert for our living room fireplace because I like to see and hear and feel the open fire. We use it occasionally for ambience. Nothing like sitting in front of it with my glass of wine and coffee table travel books.

 

[theo]

We used to own a winter ski week in Vermont at a timeshare called Killington Townhouses, just off the mountain access road. Sold it about six years ago.

The units had fireplaces and the facility supplied ample free firewood. I often wondered whether / how often they bothered to clean the chimney flues.
A few winters ago, the place (all wood construction) basically burned down. I guess I'll always wonder if neglected chimney / flue care was a factor.

 

[WinniWoman]

We have always been fanatical about cleaning the fireplace and wood stove chimneys.

Before we decided to hire the chimney sweeps, my husband used to go up on the roof and take the entire chimney apart to clean each piece. Then- inside he would take the interior pipes apart as well.

He complains that the chimney sweeps only clean from inside and up with the brush!

Our , on the other hand, has a zero clearance interior chimney and as we only use it occasionally, it has only been cleaned once or twice, but we have the sweep look at it when he's here. This type of chimney tends to stay clean because of the design.

We have even had our oil burner chimney cleaned every few years.