CHIMNEY SWEEPING

[Karen Louise]

I burn seasoned logs in my stove and wondered if I need to sweep the chimney....if so, how often ? Kit required? 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

4 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

I burn seasoned logs in my stove and wondered if I need to sweep the chimney....if so, how often ?

As often as is required. Not very useful, I know. If I notice an increase in the amount I need to open a stove vent to get enough draft, I take it as a clue that the flue is starting to get clarted up.

5 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

Kit required? 

A small malnourished child is the traditional method of chimney cleaning and with the return of poverty and rickets is making a come back. If you can't find one at your local workhouse, then it depends if the flue pipe is straight, or has one or more bends in it. On my boat, I use a scaffold pole with a couple of bolts set in it, just under the internal diameter of the pipe to knock off any soot and clinker, then rake the resulting mess out of the stove. Make sure the stove door is closed! For bent flue pipes, there are giant bottle brush type contraptions available that will go round corners, but I found them ineffective on bad clinkering up.

[Tracy D'arth]

11 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

I burn seasoned logs in my stove and wondered if I need to sweep the chimney....if so, how often ? Kit required? 

The flue brushes that candlers sell are a waste of time, they fall apart and don't scrape the tar off the flue. I have a six foot length of 15mm plastic water pipe through the end of which I have partially driven sideways twelve 2" stainless wood screws. This scrapes the flue really well and doesn't wear out. It is also easier to stow.

For wider chimneys, use longer screws!

Edited February 18 by Tracy D'arth

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Just now, Tracy D'arth said:

The flue brushes that candlers sell are a waste of time, they fall apart and don't scrape the tar off the flue. I have a six foot length of 15mm plastic water pipe through the end of which I have driven sideways ten 2" stainless wood screws. This scrapes the flue really well and doesn't wear out. It is also easier to stow.

Good thinking. That's the bendy flue version of my scaffold pole with bolts in it.

[Arthur Marshall]

If you've got a baffle plate, take it out - that's where all the gunk settles, hardens and blocks the flue. Personally, I leave mine out. I'm going to make myself one of Tracy's inventions, been using a rod with an old grinding dusk on so far but it's fell to bits .

[Laurie Booth]

21 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

I burn seasoned logs in my stove and wondered if I need to sweep the chimney....if so, how often ? Kit required? 

I use a loo brush tied to a stick.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Laurie Booth said:

I use a loo brush tied to a stick.

 

If it's stiff enough to break up clinker - does it also retain its original use ?

 

[rusty69]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

 

If it's stiff enough to break up clinker - does it also retain its original use ?

 

He nicked it off a dalek

[Sea Dog]

16 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The flue brushes that candlers sell are a waste of time, they fall apart and don't scrape the tar off the flue.

I have a flue brush, whether on not it's similar I don't know. Anyway, it's well old now, still in good nick and seems to do a reasonable job. Recently had the 15 year old flue out to replace the collar and there was no significant build up. That said, I burn only smokeless solid fuel and don't suffer from tar, which might be the difference. Actually, if it becomes necessary to follow rules and start burning fully seasoned "ready to burn" approved logs, it's probably worth considering switching to solid fuel, which stays in longer and also takes up less storage space. 

[David Mack]

32 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

I burn seasoned logs in my stove and wondered if I need to sweep the chimney....if so, how often ? Kit required? 

How seasoned? Left to dry outside for a year? Split and stored in a dry place for 3 years? Kiln dried to a defined moisture content? The drier it is the less it will gunk up the chimney.

[Laurie Booth]

8 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

He nicked it off a dalek

No I nicked a sink plunger !!!

 

[Tonka]

In addition to sweeping with a brush I also have an ash hoover which I use to clean the fire out 

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

On my boat, I use a scaffold pole with a couple of bolts set in it, just under the internal diameter of the pipe to knock off any soot and clinker

 

I think a scaffold pole might be a bit over-engineered for the job, and in the hands of someone less experienced might end up knocking the flue too heavily and cracking the stove collar and deck collar joints. 

 

I just use a stiff flue brush of a slightly oversized diameter plus a couple of flue rods which screw together. All available on eBay or Amazon. I agree the ones from the chandlers are rubbish.

 

Edited February 18 by blackrose

[ditchcrawler]

Has anyone tried the things you connect to an electric drill and wiz up and down 

[Tonka]

30 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Has anyone tried the things you connect to an electric drill and wiz up and down 

My chimney sweep at home uses one of them. It only has about 8 bits of plastic that do the work. 

[ditchcrawler]

14 minutes ago, Tonka said:

My chimney sweep at home uses one of them. It only has about 8 bits of plastic that do the work. 

A bit like a flail going up and down 

[Tonka]

9 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

A bit like a flail going up and down 

Don't think his has as many brush bits

[springy]

Some years ago I acquired something I find ideal for my straight chimney - 3 section aluminium handle, well made sporting a broad arrow, and a short bristle head approx 3" diameter boss with 1" bristles. Easy to store and the rigid handle allows me to give the chimney a good scrub. I was told its original purpose was for cleaning gun barrels.

 

springy

[Onewheeler]

Having a straight flue I use a boat hook or a piece of wood. The baffle plate is the important bit to keep clean. Trouble is, if it sits on the fire bricks, corrosion builds up behind them and it can be a bugger to take out (thinking boatman stove here).

[Sea Dog]

4 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Has anyone tried the things you connect to an electric drill and wiz up and down 

The ones sold by Anne Summers?

[Alan de Enfield]

52 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

The ones sold by Anne Summers?

 

Could it be the Anne Summers Duracell powered 'Rabbit'

[jonathanA]

Similar to blackrose I have a small diameter chimney brush thsts fits on my drain/chimney rods. I also find having a good hot fire from time  to time helps clear any build up of tar or other crud. 

[Ronaldo47]

When we used to burn coal and/or smokeless fuel on our open fire at home, the soot was always loose and powdery. For the past few years we have been burning hardwood logs that have been seasoned for at least two years, as we now have access to a free supply. The soot from burning wood is very different, forming hard porous clumps. I can see that wood burning might cause problems with the narrow flues used on narrowboats if not swept regularly, and that a stiffer brush would be needed when burning wood compared with coal or smokeless.   

Edited February 18 by Ronaldo47
typos

[Tonka]

Does anyone use Flufree. A chemical that you put on the fire when burning to help clear the chimney.

Think you can also get cleaning logs that you burn.

 

I have used Flufree 

[Tracy D'arth]

52 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Does anyone use Flufree. A chemical that you put on the fire when burning to help clear the chimney.

Think you can also get cleaning logs that you burn.

 

I have used Flufree 

I have used it but despite what it says on the tub it is corrosive. It ate my "Little Chimneys" stainless chimney in 4 months. I don't know what grade of stainless it was but it was fine for 3 years before. So of course I stopped using it, anyone want half a tub?