I used to burn in an insert with no liner, then I had a chimney fire. I lined the chimney and man what a difference. It drafted so much better and cleaning was super easy. I highly recommend installing a chimney liner
I was cool watching you leap up there on your truck to gain access to your chimney. I'm not so acrobatic any more but yeah, the Creosote Log makes the sticky creosote dry up and easy to remove. My previous stove couldn't get hot enough to give me a fighting chance and I was on the roof every week with my brush. I forgot one week and we had a chimney fire. The sound was unforgettable but I was able to stick my fire extinguisher up there and put it out. We bought another stove, a fancy one and it's satisfies all the EPA doo doo and it burned hot. The stove stopped drawing and I went on the roof and the flu cap was a mess, it was 75% plugged and the pipe was just as bad...I was amazed. And this set up has no way to put a flu fire out with an extinguisher..It's been about a month later and now it's having trouble drawing. From the stove up it looks good...now to check the manual..stay safe..
ENJOY watching another doing his work, still do mine yearly only because seasoned wood, when I put my new incert in my paperwork telling to put at least 6 ft. pipe to stove for proper draw on draft, there was no shinny black below top of pipe. Can see how that made a difference big time on my drafting ,it changed incert to be completely different for the good ,stay safe n happy burning
I build chimneys for a living. You should most definitely install a stainless flue liner if it is even possible on that old stove. You would save yourself a TON of work every year by not having to remove the stove to clean. Also the NFPA strongly recommends installing stoves only with liners these days to the increase in chimney fire potential from the rapid cooling of the flue gases being in the oversized fireplace combustion chamber. Cheers thanks for the video!
I enjoyed the video n clean my chimney every year. I went to do it today n my cast iron clean out door fell out of chimney when I went to open it. Do you have any videos for replacing them even though I have a general idea what to do.
Hi your very thorough and did an great job , yes your spot on about keeping the chimney clean , I to have had a chimney fire and yes you are right it sure makes you realise the danger Great video :)
Came across your channel tonight,- been checking out various homesteading / off grid living videos to inspire and motivate me for the coming firewood production and preparing for winter maintenance work at my cabin ( I live in southern Scandinavia btw) - been checking out some five or six videos by you by now,- must say,- I really really really like your collection of machinery. :) Will be checking back soon. :)
good clean fun right there! we have a wood stove in the house that we use a good bit in the winter, in SC so not much of winter, but it does get cold over night. i do try to run a brush up the pipe once a year. thanks for sharing
As they mentioned- dust mask will keep you playing with your loved ones for many more years to come!! Thanks for a very good and down to earth video!! And if I may- you can get another decade of good roof, if you’ll scrub it and spay two coats of a good paint. And a stainless flex insert will draft better and burn less wood for the same or more BTU.
My understanding is the chemical in those logs is actually TSP, like you use to rough up paint before you repaint in your house. It eats away at the shiny creosote and makes what's left easier to remove. I have sweeps do the work (no way I'm getting up on the roof...too old) and I've had them comment they can tell I've been using the sweeper logs. I use the logs several times a season and also throw in a scoop of creosote remover powder every few days for good measure. I was told to use the log, burn two weeks of hot fires, then have the chimney swept. Let the chemicals really eat away at the shiny creosote and turn it to powder. Another thing I do beside burning bone dry wood is use 50% fuel blocks. They produce virtually zero creosote. I start with dry wood then use fuel blocks with the dry wood. A little pricey but they burn well once you get a fire started and lessen the build up of creosote significantly.
Your video about chimney sweeping was pretty good, but your videography was beyond awesome. Videography is definitely your specially! Many kudos to you 👍👍👍👍👍
That really cleaned up nice. Good advice about chimney cleaning. I also had a chimney fire about 5 years ago but thankfully no damage! always clean a chimney every year!
Great video! 🙏 Honest review of the sweeping log and the overall cleaning procedure of a chimney! Dear Lord, not an easy job! And I see some knuckle head comments that were suppose to be- Smart A%& and "insulting", some spoiled bratz that have never even got on their kneesmto pick up a lint from the floor! Great job and presentation on an otherwise very dirty work, and thank you for posting and helping a lot of people out with this video! Cheers, to burning! 🪵🍷🙂
Thank you for share guy ! I used fireplace for 22 years and never think about it. Recently I bought it cleaning for chimney . I will see if chimney works ! I will make pic before and after ! Again Thanks !
Good video. February here and this year’s firewood is heavy on creosote. Never been as bad as this black shiny scales, just bought some creosote buster. The game isn’t over yet, but at least I have a plan. Btw, really nice, fire in the chimney camera work!!
i use those logs often in my woodburner as i dont want a chimney fire.although it says burn them on their own not on logs.good to see they actually work though..with the before and after chimney swept that creosote did clear...good video thankyou
I don't know about those logs but I have heard that the first fire of the year should be a really hot one using the driest wood. When the chimney has cooled down it cleans well and easily.
This is s nice video. You did a great job there with the clean up. I think the creosote log helped you a lot. I am going to do the same thing. Thank you.
I almost is tall insert in Colonial 150 yr. farm house but after research decided to run open the old fashioned fireplace & glad I did -The hearth & chimney was restored to original about 20yr ago w/ addition of new ratchet style vent grate - Addition if fresh air supply line - It really heat well & I addition easy to cook over coals in a variety of cast iron & steel pots & pans, dutch oven for baking - The old Colonial -18, 19 century way of cooking is far superior to back yard barbecuing & can do year round - Really is a lost art - Use the old style andirons / dogs instead of cast log baskets & the Colonial style way of stacking & burning wood - Never would consider install of inser or woodstove of any type - Love my open fireplace - Thanks for video!
you don't know much about sweeping which is why you don't understand the countless negative comments, who are actually well-informed people, that doesn't make them "haters".... this is about safety in your home.
@@moderater9426 I may not know chimney sweeping, but I can spot someone intentionally being a asshole for no good reason. Theres plenty of that in this comment section.
Thank You for working and cleaning your fireplace. You have taught my family something very important. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Be Safe. You also have taught my family to be safe with fireplace.
That creosote makes damn good wood treatment when burned the right way old timers used that on them old black looking barns that have been around for over 50 or 100 years
The first cancer discovered was called chimney sweeps disease. Granted we have better hygiene practices now but I would ALWAYS recommend a dust mask at a very minimum. Also you should pick up a Rotary Chimney sweeping kit. It is the industry standard for professional sweeps and they make kits for home owners as well.
Nice cleaning job - If you (or anyone) use a wood stove - consider replacing with a newer one which has the "new" EPA design to the firebox. They run with a hotter flue temp ( 400 - 600 F is not uncommon - and after 40 years of "old style" wood stoves I was freaked out over this let me tell you...kept trying to find the chimney fire) and arguably more heat is lost up the stack than older stoves - BUT - I was up there this spring to clean the pipe out after far too long, and discovered that after about 35 cords of wood burned ( since a brush went down the pipe ) my pipe was almost as clean as JD's AFTER he cleaned it. I keep checking but keep finding nothing that I can brush out. I have a slight advantage, in my flue there was a 7" round stainless liner inserted in the flu, and at the top end the gap around the pipe is sealed in with mortar, so I have a trapped air blanket around the flue liner, so it warms up quickly, and once it warms up it tends to stay warm ( I guess). Anyway, the "new' design fire boxes, which have both a secondary combustion chamber and introduce fresh "cold" air to the top of the primary firebox so that there is enough oxygen for a good burn of the gasses in the secondary section run very clean. I happen to have a long length of pipe between the stove and the chimney so I get a bunch of this heat back coming off the pipe, but the brick on of the chimney on the 2nd floor will still get warm to the touch, so there is a lot of heat going up the stack. I'm still able to keep a pre 1840 uninsulated house of 2700 sq feet livable without the gas furnace most of the time here in the snow belt on about 5 cords of wood / year, so they don't really suck down more wood
Have either of you ever actually used a modern stove? Clearly not if you think they waste more heat. They give you much more heat into your house from each piece of wood you load. I have used old stoves as well as several new ones and there is no way I would ever consider going back to an old POS.
@@benholler1389 I have been heating a 1600sqft house, in northern Illinois, with a Buck fireplace insert, for 40 years. This year I put in a US Stoves model rated for 1800sqft. With the Buck, The furnace never came on. On occasion we would have to open doors to cool off. In the morning the Buck would still be putting out heat, I could throw in another stick and have a blazing fire in no time. I could go two or three days without removing ashes. With the new stove and a comparable amount of wood ,I have to run the furnace half the time. the fire starves for air even with the draft full open. Most times I keep the door cracked just to keep the fire going. I have to remove Ash every day and that’s easy because the fire is stone cold by 0600. I’ll not change boats in midstream, but I guarantee by next winter I’ll have a new old stove.
@@ronsmith6233 you do realize us stove company sell cheap poorly made Chinese import stoves. You bought a bottom of the barrel stove and are surprised it doesn't work well. The symptoms you are describing sounds like wet wood Also a modern stove rated for 1800 sqft is pretty small you are comparing it to an old monster of a stove. Why would you think one of the smaller stoves available would do the same job as a monster stove like an old buck insert. If you want a fair comparison buy a new big buck or something of similar size
Back home grow’n up the Ol timers would always use aspen for the first few 🔥 of the yr to burn the stuff out of the chimneys… just share’n some of the old folks wisdom of course Id use their wisdom & still sweep 👍… but know that aspen burns extremely hot… so maybe sweeping after it cools would get ya some pretty good results if you can’t find one of those chemical treated logs 🪵…. I did enjoy your video thank you for sharing your experience & all the hard work involved 😇👍🙏😎
I'm glad you are cognizant in chimney care and keeping things clean, however there are far more effective methods to use than removing the insert to clean from the bottom. There are powders you put directly on hot coals. Do this in the very last fire of the year. This causes the creosote to dry out and flake away, and any air movement causes it to fall away. Much better than those expensive logs. Just before I start a new season's fire, I sweep from above and it assures me I am ready to go. I also do another quick sweep in the mid winter warm up to keep up on things. At least once a month I put them powder on to keep up maintenance. Supposed to be every two weeks.
The fact your flue liners have come loose is your biggest concern. That creosote is also building up between the brickwork and the outside of the flues. They should act as a solid one unit liner in the chimney.
Yup. I smoke unfiltered (w/ "recycled" "butts" btw) roll you own cigarettes. Maybe a "pack" a day. Swept some chimney the other day and wore old mask for most of it. Might not have been the best mask (old filters?) or might have been the smokes. But breathing in just a bit of that chimney dust. Damn I felt it after.
@@moderater9426 I remember seeing you're an expert, but this includes very helpful video shots for the novice. Question: if the cresote seeped through that clay liner joints, what is the danger, if any, since the chimney has brick around the liner?
@@louf7178 you never know what's back there and how the house was built. Some builders unfortunately discard material in to the chimney chase knowing it is never going to be opened up. That aside, embers from the fire you're burning only need to make it up and through those openings, and ignite with creosote and/or dust from previous fires that seeped through the mortar joints in between the flue tiles. Creosote is the fuel in chimney fires.
I have had a coal fire in my living room and I burn coal and logs on it, and I've never had it swept, it's been like this for the past 30 years, my grandfather was a coal miner and I occasionally set the stack on fire to clean it, and it works well. However iam from England and our houses are built from bricks so they are stronger
@@alextilson5809 lots of people have done stupid stuff for many years. Some got away with it some didn't. Just because you have so far doesn't mean you always will. Or make setting your chimney on fire any less stupid
There is even a pellet version of that creosote remover, it works awesome, even freed my almost blocked chimney, a risky move tho, utilizing it with an obstructed conduit can cause a chimney fire
I use similar to those creosote busters in my wood stove every winter. Always i use one on the very first use of the woodstove then 2 every month or so and one at the very last use when winter ends. I use the woodstove about 5 months every year so i use about 8-9 of those creosote logs. Never cleaned the chimney with brush cause its really dificult for diferent reasons in my case plus im lazy and never had problems. Also when i tap the metal chimney i can hear its clean enough. So all good. The creosot logs we have makes a ton of diferent colors when i throw them in fire. Its the chemicals they have i guess.
I am a retired asbestos worker... Marine Sand Blaster/Painter.... Where is your respirator!? Never deal with dusts without a respirator! Others here on RUclips recommend sealing the insert hole with old bed sheets/whatever to keep the crap in the hole, I think you should do that too. I would replace that tired wire brush, like every year or 2; it looked like it was missing a lot of area... I know we're not dealing with asbestos here but an ounce of prevention is worth at least a pound of cure. Lastly, the vacuum cleaner... didn't the fine dust just flow out the exhaust hence into your home? I know there are HEPA Shop Vacuum bags... that would catch most of that dust but why chance it? I would put a hose on that exhaust and have enough to make the exhaust go outside well away from the house.
I'm a chimney sweep. NFPA 211 is the code book. That stove is supposed to have the liner too, and we don't use wire brushes in metal liners. That being said, you're absolutely correct to get persnickety with it, and getting the crap off the roof is a major improvement.
@@GunsNBudder Not a professional, but the chemistry makes sense. Basically the smoke that comes off of those logs is the equivalent of those 'Scrubbing Bubbles' bathroom cleansers, but particularly for creosote. Don't use them _instead_ of cleaning your chimney, though; that'd be like running your dishes under the tap for a few seconds and expecting to get the same result as soapy water and a dishcloth. The smoke they give off can only react with what it physically touches, it can't penetrate past the surface of anything; so for best results you'd want to do a quick sweep between each of those 2-3 future fires that the ashes are still giving off their smoke for so that the next burn can access any gunk that the previous one couldn't get to.
Agreed pa sweep here. The logs do help convert creosote to a form that is easier to clean. But they are no substitute for mechanical cleaning. And don't make an install like this safe
@Flatus Antiquitous I agree with 1 2 and 4. But number 3 is wrong you want to get the flue up to temp as fast as possible every time you add wood. That means run the pipe surface temp up to 400 to 450. You hold it there for about 10 mins then you can shut the air back keeping it above 250. Igniting the creosote in your flue is called a chimney fire and is never a good idea.
Sweet vid. But you should sweep it while the flue is hot from a fire. Asked the firebrigade here in sweden if incase of a chimneyfire, it was a good idea to blow of a fire extinguisher inside and up the chimney , and they said that it was a really good idea, if access is granted from inside the house. Powder-extinguisher
If you can get the powder from an extinguisher. Put it in a ziploc bag. If need be toss the bag in and it will do the same job without the pressure from the gas from an extinguisher.
Love your video! Very informative and thorough. I’ve always used creosote logs only but now I know I must do a chimney cleaning in addition to the creosote logs to be 100% clean,safe and prevent a chimney fire! My husband installed a wood burning stove against my wishes and it did nothing but smoke the house up badly everytime we lit a fire...I had him remove it. If I can make a suggestion....I would remove that insert..it’s not safe and could cause monoxide poisoning. Thanks for sharing, be safe❗️👍🏾
Cool video I just hire a guy come once a year we burn lot of soft woods it's really expensive to buy hardwoods down here in the south west we only burn for a few months when it's cooler then 50F out.
Do they make a chimney sweep that can fit on a drill? If not that would be a good idea . Thank you for showing this I am definitely going to get a chimney sweep co this isn’t something I can take on myself since my legs are messed up
I wondered where you lived, I remember cleaning up some of the leaves at my friends home in Atlanta Georgia. The main problem is that there are trees near the house. Might have trouble getting home insurance with those shallow rooted pines next to a home here in UK.
Creosote happens. Wet wood, pine or heavy sap filled wood, bark, excessive amounts of paper or card board - these things all cause it to happen faster in my opinion. Creosote is condensed wood gas basically. Newer stoves have a re-burn design that burns the wood gas again like a turbo in a vehicle.
Most effective deterrent, run your woodstove fullbore. Instead of trying to make it a 24 seven machine, start it up and heat the place up to tropical. Then shut down until the next day.
From what I heard you’re supposed to burn a fire, and the. Use that creosote log, but it seems to have worked for you. I think it’s because you have a solid terra cotta flute and it can handle it. My chimney on the other hand, like you, I’m not a pro but I don’t think it would be very dangerous considering there’s not flute and it’s 100 years old. Nice job.
I have experienced a couple chimney fire luckily i had a solid built chimney. Never caught my roof on fire but with shingle roof i watched it till it went out both times. One would not believe the roar it makes or the amount of fire out of the top. First time it happened was after dark and was quite a show the second time was daytime outside of the roar you wouldnt of noticed it.
Mine only ever catches fire when I've left the pan and damper open. I close the damper and it burns out. The danger is if a significant air leak ever develops above the damper. This old house was built in 1964 and has always been heated with wood-and at my hand for the last 21 years. But I may have some alternatives next winter.
now, I don't own a fireplace but I have a friend with one he rebuild the early 17th-century fireplace in his 1590s house in the Netherlands I hang my hams, sausages, and pork belly in there at the start of winter high up near the top for a cooler smoking now, it is about 2 floors higher than your cabin so those chunks can be in there safely smoking for a long while about winter to spring in your cabin I think less than a month would do and the meat would be cooked so, cold-smoked high salted raw pork is no option here
Here in Australia all woodstoves have to be fitted with a stainless steel 6" flue fitted for safety and fire regulations. It eliminates the risk of a chimney fire and is a lot more efficient heat wise as against an insert into a fireplace. Saves having to clean out the chimney as well each year. The flue fits into all aussie heaters and has to run the entire length inside of the chimney and must be level with the highest point on your roof for draught reasons! Most people just run the 6" flue up through their existing chimneys. I might add that all flue's have to be installed by a licensed installer as the flue has to pass fire and insurance compliances too! By the way you guys must be in your Fall/Autumn season as we are in our Springtime until November here in Oz...……….Great video by the way......
@quadrunner91 minimizes is a better word. but compared to burning with an insert in an unlined chimney, you can see the problems. the entire chimney is caked in third stage creosote, and it has vertical cracks up and down. It shouldn't look like that at ALL, especially not yearly. a liner would result in a bunch of coffee grounds looking creosote and a much safer burning system. shame on him for advertising a system that is against fireplace code. I do commend him admitting he is not a professional and it is not professional advice, but he is quite literally playing with fire by operating that system in his home as is.
@quadrunner91 it's not though. he's already had a chimney fire, he said that in the video. it's pretty obvious what he's doing isn't working. this video should be titled anything but "how to clean your chimney". gaps and cracks make a chimney system unsafe.
I love how effective those logs are for bi-monthly cleanups. I highly, HIGHLY, advise not being in the same room with a creosote log burning through though, unless you can close off the front of your fireplace. some burn with safer stuff but...most dont and you just don't want to be breathing it in my good lad
in my chimney i had 3inch thick of hard puffy creosote foam. it wouldn't come up at all and even a smaller metal bristle brush slided on it. i had to remove all the pipe. also i didnt know before i had a chimney fire...
You did a better job than the fireplace cleaning company I just paid to clean our fireplace!
The before and after shots said it all. What a difference. I would not have expected that. Thanks for another great video.
I used to burn in an insert with no liner, then I had a chimney fire. I lined the chimney and man what a difference. It drafted so much better and cleaning was super easy. I highly recommend installing a chimney liner
Required by law, here.
I lined mine with a 6 inch signal wall black stove pipe, liners are not smooth on the inside wall and will hold deposits even after cleaning 😎
How often were you cleaning your flue, Adrian? My setup is similar to the one you had.
This was one of the most helpful videos I’ve ever seen. Thank you.
Great info! Made me realize I need a professional lol cause I’m not doing all of that! Bless you for explaining everything! I enjoyed the video!
I was cool watching you leap up there on your truck to gain access to your chimney. I'm not so acrobatic any more but yeah, the Creosote Log makes the sticky creosote dry up and easy to remove. My previous stove couldn't get hot enough to give me a fighting chance and I was on the roof every week with my brush. I forgot one week and we had a chimney fire. The sound was unforgettable but I was able to stick my fire extinguisher up there and put it out. We bought another stove, a fancy one and it's satisfies all the EPA doo doo and it burned hot. The stove stopped drawing and I went on the roof and the flu cap was a mess, it was 75% plugged and the pipe was just as bad...I was amazed. And this set up has no way to put a flu fire out with an extinguisher..It's been about a month later and now it's having trouble drawing. From the stove up it looks good...now to check the manual..stay safe..
ENJOY watching another doing his work, still do mine yearly only because seasoned wood, when I put my new incert in my paperwork telling to put at least 6 ft. pipe to stove for proper draw on draft, there was no shinny black below top of pipe. Can see how that made a difference big time on my drafting ,it changed incert to be completely different for the good ,stay safe n happy burning
I build chimneys for a living. You should most definitely install a stainless flue liner if it is even possible on that old stove. You would save yourself a TON of work every year by not having to remove the stove to clean. Also the NFPA strongly recommends installing stoves only with liners these days to the increase in chimney fire potential from the rapid cooling of the flue gases being in the oversized fireplace combustion chamber. Cheers thanks for the video!
I enjoyed the video n clean my chimney every year. I went to do it today n my cast iron clean out door fell out of chimney when I went to open it. Do you have any videos for replacing them even though I have a general idea what to do.
LOL, "make sure you put picking your nose in there, oh I'm still on camera" Love That.
That's one way to get on the roof! Your videos are the best!
I have used them for years and found that they are working for me. Thanks for your post.
Hi your very thorough and did an great job , yes your spot on about keeping the chimney clean , I to have had a chimney fire and yes you are right it sure makes you realise the danger
Great video :)
Came across your channel tonight,- been checking out various homesteading / off grid living videos to inspire and motivate me for the coming firewood production and preparing for winter maintenance work at my cabin ( I live in southern Scandinavia btw) - been checking out some five or six videos by you by now,- must say,- I really really really like your collection of machinery. :)
Will be checking back soon. :)
Li
good clean fun right there! we have a wood stove in the house that we use a good bit in the winter, in SC so not much of winter, but it does get cold over night. i do try to run a brush up the pipe once a year. thanks for sharing
Thank you for the suggestions. I wonder if I should wear a mask when I clean the fireplace?
As they mentioned- dust mask will keep you playing with your loved ones for many more years to come!!
Thanks for a very good and down to earth video!!
And if I may- you can get another decade of good roof, if you’ll scrub it and spay two coats of a good paint.
And a stainless flex insert will draft better and burn less wood for the same or more BTU.
That’s kind info, love it bruH
My understanding is the chemical in those logs is actually TSP, like you use to rough up paint before you repaint in your house. It eats away at the shiny creosote and makes what's left easier to remove. I have sweeps do the work (no way I'm getting up on the roof...too old) and I've had them comment they can tell I've been using the sweeper logs. I use the logs several times a season and also throw in a scoop of creosote remover powder every few days for good measure. I was told to use the log, burn two weeks of hot fires, then have the chimney swept. Let the chemicals really eat away at the shiny creosote and turn it to powder.
Another thing I do beside burning bone dry wood is use 50% fuel blocks. They produce virtually zero creosote. I start with dry wood then use fuel blocks with the dry wood. A little pricey but they burn well once you get a fire started and lessen the build up of creosote significantly.
Your video about chimney sweeping was pretty good, but your videography was beyond awesome. Videography is definitely your specially! Many kudos to you 👍👍👍👍👍
I agree good video
Awesome camera work! Ty for the information, well done 👍🏽
That really cleaned up nice. Good advice about chimney cleaning. I also had a chimney fire about 5 years ago but thankfully no damage! always clean a chimney every year!
Great video! 🙏
Honest review of the sweeping log and the overall cleaning procedure of a chimney! Dear Lord, not an easy job! And I see some knuckle head comments that were suppose to be- Smart A%& and "insulting", some spoiled bratz that have never even got on their kneesmto pick up a lint from the floor!
Great job and presentation on an otherwise very dirty work, and thank you for posting and helping a lot of people out with this video!
Cheers, to burning! 🪵🍷🙂
Thank you for share guy ! I used fireplace for 22 years and never think about it. Recently I bought it cleaning for chimney . I will see if chimney works ! I will make pic before and after ! Again Thanks !
Hey here's something I saw a professional do , cordless drill an a extension rod type brush and he went to town and did a superb job
Your supposed to wear black clothes and a top hat when you clean your chimney!
Almon Jacob Sorry, top hat was at the cleaners this year.
Actually you are meant to shove a small orphan up there to clean it. I would.
That's right
Good video. February here and this year’s firewood is heavy on creosote. Never been as bad as this black shiny scales, just bought some creosote buster. The game isn’t over yet, but at least I have a plan.
Btw, really nice, fire in the chimney camera work!!
Very impressive video. I will try the creosote buster in my chimney and then sweep it. Thanks!
You say you are not a professional, and maybe you are not, but your photography when looking down the chimney certainly looks professional. Good job.
i use those logs often in my woodburner as i dont want a chimney fire.although it says burn them on their own not on logs.good to see they actually work though..with the before and after chimney swept that creosote did clear...good video thankyou
I don't know about those logs but I have heard that the first fire of the year should be a really hot one using the driest wood. When the chimney has cooled down it cleans well and easily.
That would be called lighting your chimney on fire. Bad idea
You did a Fine Job there Very Clean
This is s nice video. You did a great job there with the clean up. I think the creosote log helped you a lot. I am going to do the same thing. Thank you.
Fantastic thanks mate hello from Ireland thanks for the tips
Good Job..!!! A lot better than any chimney sweep i have ever paid for..
I almost is tall insert in Colonial 150 yr. farm house but after research decided to run open the old fashioned fireplace & glad I did -The hearth & chimney was restored to original about 20yr ago w/ addition of new ratchet style vent grate - Addition if fresh air supply line - It really heat well & I addition easy to cook over coals in a variety of cast iron & steel pots & pans, dutch oven for baking - The old Colonial -18, 19 century way of cooking is far superior to back yard barbecuing & can do year round - Really is a lost art - Use the old style andirons / dogs instead of cast log baskets & the Colonial style way of stacking & burning wood - Never would consider install of inser or woodstove of any type - Love my open fireplace - Thanks for video!
Time for a new brush lol. Great video!
I don’t know why all the haters, I don’t know much about sweeping the chimney,but looks to me like you did fine. Thanks for posting.
you don't know much about sweeping which is why you don't understand the countless negative comments, who are actually well-informed people, that doesn't make them "haters".... this is about safety in your home.
@@moderater9426 I may not know chimney sweeping, but I can spot someone intentionally being a asshole for no good reason. Theres plenty of that in this comment section.
Thank You for working and cleaning your fireplace. You have taught my family something very important. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Be Safe. You also have taught my family to be safe with fireplace.
U2 Heidi and all, grateful
I remember them days cleaning the glue great video 👍
Very cool shot up the chimney. I gotta get a cap like that. Thanks.
Good job! Chimney fires are dangerous.
Great content. Checking a chimney never fun. 👍
The cleaning logs don't replace a real cleaning, but with occasional use they make a cleaning quicker and easier.
worked great reminded me to do mine
That creosote makes damn good wood treatment when burned the right way old timers used that on them old black looking barns that have been around for over 50 or 100 years
I think they still use it for telephone poles.
Really enjoy your content. I just bought a house with two chimneys. New to having them. Good advice here.
Wes @Fall Line ridge is the ONLY MILLENNIAL that has ever performed this task!
Good video..important info , we all need safety rules and measures to follow.
If you just listen without watching while he talks, it’s EXACTLY like Lt. Jim Dangle from Reno 911!
😂😂😂
Great video thanks for the time and help i appreciate it.
The first cancer discovered was called chimney sweeps disease. Granted we have better hygiene practices now but I would ALWAYS recommend a dust mask at a very minimum. Also you should pick up a Rotary Chimney sweeping kit. It is the industry standard for professional sweeps and they make kits for home owners as well.
Looks pretty damn good.
Nice cleaning job - If you (or anyone) use a wood stove - consider replacing with a newer one which has the "new" EPA design to the firebox. They run with a hotter flue temp ( 400 - 600 F is not uncommon - and after 40 years of "old style" wood stoves I was freaked out over this let me tell you...kept trying to find the chimney fire) and arguably more heat is lost up the stack than older stoves - BUT - I was up there this spring to clean the pipe out after far too long, and discovered that after about 35 cords of wood burned ( since a brush went down the pipe ) my pipe was almost as clean as JD's AFTER he cleaned it. I keep checking but keep finding nothing that I can brush out.
I have a slight advantage, in my flue there was a 7" round stainless liner inserted in the flu, and at the top end the gap around the pipe is sealed in with mortar, so I have a trapped air blanket around the flue liner, so it warms up quickly, and once it warms up it tends to stay warm ( I guess). Anyway, the "new' design fire boxes, which have both a secondary combustion chamber and introduce fresh "cold" air to the top of the primary firebox so that there is enough oxygen for a good burn of the gasses in the secondary section run very clean. I happen to have a long length of pipe between the stove and the chimney so I get a bunch of this heat back coming off the pipe, but the brick on of the chimney on the 2nd floor will still get warm to the touch, so there is a lot of heat going up the stack.
I'm still able to keep a pre 1840 uninsulated house of 2700 sq feet livable without the gas furnace most of the time here in the snow belt on about 5 cords of wood / year, so they don't really suck down more wood
New stoves suck! fire boxes are too small and wast lots of heat. Dam the EPA
Fuck epa stoves.
Have either of you ever actually used a modern stove? Clearly not if you think they waste more heat. They give you much more heat into your house from each piece of wood you load. I have used old stoves as well as several new ones and there is no way I would ever consider going back to an old POS.
@@benholler1389 I have been heating a 1600sqft house, in northern Illinois, with a Buck fireplace insert, for 40 years.
This year I put in a US Stoves model rated for 1800sqft. With the Buck, The furnace never came on. On occasion we would have to open doors to cool off. In the morning the Buck would still be putting out heat, I could throw in another stick and have a blazing fire in no time. I could go two or three days without removing ashes. With the new stove and a comparable amount of wood ,I have to run the furnace half the time. the fire starves for air even with the draft full open. Most times I keep the door cracked just to keep the fire going. I have to remove Ash every day and that’s easy because the fire is stone cold by 0600. I’ll not change boats in midstream, but I guarantee by next winter I’ll have a new old stove.
@@ronsmith6233 you do realize us stove company sell cheap poorly made Chinese import stoves. You bought a bottom of the barrel stove and are surprised it doesn't work well. The symptoms you are describing sounds like wet wood
Also a modern stove rated for 1800 sqft is pretty small you are comparing it to an old monster of a stove. Why would you think one of the smaller stoves available would do the same job as a monster stove like an old buck insert. If you want a fair comparison buy a new big buck or something of similar size
I have a wood burning fire place and there is nothing I like more then the cracking of the fire on a nice cold night.😌
Back home grow’n up the Ol timers would always use aspen for the first few 🔥 of the yr to burn the stuff out of the chimneys… just share’n some of the old folks wisdom of course Id use their wisdom & still sweep 👍… but know that aspen burns extremely hot… so maybe sweeping after it cools would get ya some pretty good results if you can’t find one of those chemical treated logs 🪵….
I did enjoy your video thank you for sharing your experience & all the hard work involved 😇👍🙏😎
Awesome job❤
I'm glad you are cognizant in chimney care and keeping things clean, however there are far more effective methods to use than removing the insert to clean from the bottom. There are powders you put directly on hot coals. Do this in the very last fire of the year. This causes the creosote to dry out and flake away, and any air movement causes it to fall away. Much better than those expensive logs. Just before I start a new season's fire, I sweep from above and it assures me I am ready to go. I also do another quick sweep in the mid winter warm up to keep up on things. At least once a month I put them powder on to keep up maintenance. Supposed to be every two weeks.
The fact your flue liners have come loose is your biggest concern. That creosote is also building up between the brickwork and the outside of the flues. They should act as a solid one unit liner in the chimney.
TOP JOB ROOF AND CHIMNEY CLEAN
THE ONLY THING I WOULD DO IS WEAR MASK . THAT DUST CAUSES SO MANY ISSUES ON YOUR HEALTH. OTHER THEN THAT GREAT JOB
@redneckwormfarm Nose hair doesn't stop coal miner's lung.
@@ulrichthedragonslyer3408 haha, for sure.
Yup. I smoke unfiltered (w/ "recycled" "butts" btw) roll you own cigarettes. Maybe a "pack" a day. Swept some chimney the other day and wore old mask for most of it. Might not have been the best mask (old filters?) or might have been the smokes. But breathing in just a bit of that chimney dust. Damn I felt it after.
Good illustration
I was wondering if those logs worked. Thanks for the info!
You may be the only person I’ve ever seen sweep and look directly into a hot chimney. 😱
LOL. That is dedication to an informative video (and is what every person would like to know at the time).
@@louf7178 >informative ... i giggled
@@moderater9426 I remember seeing you're an expert, but this includes very helpful video shots for the novice.
Question: if the cresote seeped through that clay liner joints, what is the danger, if any, since the chimney has brick around the liner?
@@louf7178 you never know what's back there and how the house was built. Some builders unfortunately discard material in to the chimney chase knowing it is never going to be opened up. That aside, embers from the fire you're burning only need to make it up and through those openings, and ignite with creosote and/or dust from previous fires that seeped through the mortar joints in between the flue tiles. Creosote is the fuel in chimney fires.
@@moderater9426 Thank you. I presumed the chimney was virtually packed solid.
I have had a coal fire in my living room and I burn coal and logs on it, and I've never had it swept, it's been like this for the past 30 years, my grandfather was a coal miner and I occasionally set the stack on fire to clean it, and it works well. However iam from England and our houses are built from bricks so they are stronger
What part of England in my area/ estate our council won't let you burn coal only wood fire
@@tom240uksmoker6 west Yorkshire not far from holmfirth, I burn traditional coal
Are your floor joists and floors made of brick as well? Purposely setting a chimney fire is incredibly dangerous and irresponsible
@@benholler1389 it was commonly done by miners and I've done this for decades and never had any problems my property is over 100 years old
@@alextilson5809 lots of people have done stupid stuff for many years. Some got away with it some didn't. Just because you have so far doesn't mean you always will. Or make setting your chimney on fire any less stupid
Thanks for the info!
There is even a pellet version of that creosote remover, it works awesome, even freed my almost blocked chimney, a risky move tho, utilizing it with an obstructed conduit can cause a chimney fire
I use similar to those creosote busters in my wood stove every winter. Always i use one on the very first use of the woodstove then 2 every month or so and one at the very last use when winter ends. I use the woodstove about 5 months every year so i use about 8-9 of those creosote logs. Never cleaned the chimney with brush cause its really dificult for diferent reasons in my case plus im lazy and never had problems. Also when i tap the metal chimney i can hear its clean enough. So all good. The creosot logs we have makes a ton of diferent colors when i throw them in fire. Its the chemicals they have i guess.
I love the entrance of the video i am a a mature too but in this job you need a mask, with love from Greece
You need a mask to go anywhere these days
I'm a certified certified and you always start at the top and work down.
I am a retired asbestos worker... Marine Sand Blaster/Painter....
Where is your respirator!? Never deal with dusts without a respirator!
Others here on RUclips recommend sealing the insert hole with old bed sheets/whatever to keep the crap in the hole, I think you should do that too. I would replace that tired wire brush, like every year or 2; it looked like it was missing a lot of area... I know we're not dealing with asbestos here but an ounce of prevention is worth at least a pound of cure. Lastly, the vacuum cleaner... didn't the fine dust just flow out the exhaust hence into your home? I know there are HEPA Shop Vacuum bags... that would catch most of that dust but why chance it? I would put a hose on that exhaust and have enough to make the exhaust go outside well away from the house.
Wow, that really cleaned the chimney.
Gracias, excelente video
I'm a chimney sweep.
NFPA 211 is the code book.
That stove is supposed to have the liner too, and we don't use wire brushes in metal liners.
That being said, you're absolutely correct to get persnickety with it, and getting the crap off the roof is a major improvement.
So do these creosote logs work, or are they hogwash? If they do work, how do they work? Is it a chemical reaction of some kind?
@@GunsNBudder Not a professional, but the chemistry makes sense. Basically the smoke that comes off of those logs is the equivalent of those 'Scrubbing Bubbles' bathroom cleansers, but particularly for creosote.
Don't use them _instead_ of cleaning your chimney, though; that'd be like running your dishes under the tap for a few seconds and expecting to get the same result as soapy water and a dishcloth. The smoke they give off can only react with what it physically touches, it can't penetrate past the surface of anything; so for best results you'd want to do a quick sweep between each of those 2-3 future fires that the ashes are still giving off their smoke for so that the next burn can access any gunk that the previous one couldn't get to.
Agreed. Wisconsin chimney sweep here.
Agreed pa sweep here. The logs do help convert creosote to a form that is easier to clean. But they are no substitute for mechanical cleaning. And don't make an install like this safe
@Flatus Antiquitous
I agree with 1 2 and 4. But number 3 is wrong you want to get the flue up to temp as fast as possible every time you add wood. That means run the pipe surface temp up to 400 to 450. You hold it there for about 10 mins then you can shut the air back keeping it above 250. Igniting the creosote in your flue is called a chimney fire and is never a good idea.
I wonder if Mr. Creosote approves of this!
Sweet vid. But you should sweep it while the flue is hot from a fire. Asked the firebrigade here in sweden if incase of a chimneyfire, it was a good idea to blow of a fire extinguisher inside and up the chimney , and they said that it was a really good idea, if access is granted from inside the house. Powder-extinguisher
If you can get the powder from an extinguisher. Put it in a ziploc bag. If need be toss the bag in and it will do the same job without the pressure from the gas from an extinguisher.
we had two chimney fires at my place over the years, one of them Christmas day , flames licking out the chimney pot lol
Love your video! Very informative and thorough. I’ve always used creosote logs only but now I know I must do a chimney cleaning in addition to the creosote logs to be 100% clean,safe and prevent a chimney fire!
My husband installed a wood burning stove against my wishes and it did nothing but smoke the house up badly everytime we lit a fire...I had him remove it. If I can make a suggestion....I would remove that insert..it’s not safe and could cause monoxide poisoning.
Thanks for sharing, be safe❗️👍🏾
The curve area at the bottom is called the smoke shelf i believe...
Smoke chamber is the area above the metal damper but below the first clay flue liner.
You are awesome.
sounds like Tommy Lee Jones great vid am thinking of using one of theses cleaning logs on a woodburner just 4 months old
They don’t work
This has the feel of Itchyban Moto for chimneys.
Cool video I just hire a guy come once a year we burn lot of soft woods it's really expensive to buy hardwoods down here in the south west we only burn for a few months when it's cooler then 50F out.
good video.. thanks
Do they make a chimney sweep that can fit on a drill? If not that would be a good idea . Thank you for showing this I am definitely going to get a chimney sweep co this isn’t something I can take on myself since my legs are messed up
Grandfather used use logging chains and rattle them from the top and knock it all off
Last time I cleaned my own flue, I used a Christmas tree and a rope.
@@sampowell8472 Ho ho ho
I wondered where you lived, I remember cleaning up some of the leaves at my friends home in Atlanta Georgia. The main problem is that there are trees near the house. Might have trouble getting home insurance with those shallow rooted pines next to a home here in UK.
Been 1 year.......what is your feeling--thought on that creosote log?
It's called a smoke shelf. I used to do this cleaning process every year until I found out the smoke was bad for my asthma. Good photography.
Thank you sir!
You're burning wet wood that's why you have creosote, 9:30 to 9:45 you can hear all that moisture evaporating
My maple and D. Fir wood has 6-14% moisture before burning and still gives shiny creosote
Creosote happens. Wet wood, pine or heavy sap filled wood, bark, excessive amounts of paper or card board - these things all cause it to happen faster in my opinion. Creosote is condensed wood gas basically. Newer stoves have a re-burn design that burns the wood gas again like a turbo in a vehicle.
Card board is a big no, it's the best way to start a fire in a flue. You're not supposed to burn wet wood or pine either.
Plus one looses a lot of energy if the wood is too wet.
Most effective deterrent, run your woodstove fullbore. Instead of trying to make it a 24 seven machine, start it up and heat the place up to tropical. Then shut down until the next day.
Thank you , this was a great video! : )
From what I heard you’re supposed to burn a fire, and the. Use that creosote log, but it seems to have worked for you.
I think it’s because you have a solid terra cotta flute and it can handle it.
My chimney on the other hand, like you, I’m not a pro but I don’t think it would be very dangerous considering there’s not flute and it’s 100 years old.
Nice job.
wasnt much of a test since you did a pretty good job of using that chimney brush first.
Cheers mate
Good job
Wow! I always thought getting a fire that big was dangerous. Good job, looks clean to me.
I have experienced a couple chimney fire luckily i had a solid built chimney. Never caught my roof on fire but with shingle roof i watched it till it went out both times. One would not believe the roar it makes or the amount of fire out of the top. First time it happened was after dark and was quite a show the second time was daytime outside of the roar you wouldnt of noticed it.
It's a scary thing. Ours was not a big fire, but big enough to get my attention. Thankfully ours is built well also. Appreciate you stopping by, Ken.
Mine only ever catches fire when I've left the pan and damper open. I close the damper and it burns out. The danger is if a significant air leak ever develops above the damper.
This old house was built in 1964 and has always been heated with wood-and at my hand for the last 21 years. But I may have some alternatives next winter.
now, I don't own a fireplace but I have a friend with one he rebuild the early 17th-century fireplace in his 1590s house in the Netherlands I hang my hams, sausages, and pork belly in there at the start of winter high up near the top for a cooler smoking now, it is about 2 floors higher than your cabin so those chunks can be in there safely smoking for a long while about winter to spring in your cabin I think less than a month would do and the meat would be cooked so, cold-smoked high salted raw pork is no option here
Here in Australia all woodstoves have to be fitted with a stainless steel 6" flue fitted for safety and fire regulations. It eliminates the risk of a chimney fire and is a lot more efficient heat wise as against an insert into a fireplace. Saves having to clean out the chimney as well each year. The flue fits into all aussie heaters and has to run the entire length inside of the chimney and must be level with the highest point on your roof for draught reasons! Most people just run the 6" flue up through their existing chimneys. I might add that all flue's have to be installed by a licensed installer as the flue has to pass fire and insurance compliances too! By the way you guys must be in your Fall/Autumn season as we are in our Springtime until November here in Oz...……….Great video by the way......
@quadrunner91 minimizes is a better word. but compared to burning with an insert in an unlined chimney, you can see the problems. the entire chimney is caked in third stage creosote, and it has vertical cracks up and down. It shouldn't look like that at ALL, especially not yearly. a liner would result in a bunch of coffee grounds looking creosote and a much safer burning system. shame on him for advertising a system that is against fireplace code. I do commend him admitting he is not a professional and it is not professional advice, but he is quite literally playing with fire by operating that system in his home as is.
@quadrunner91 it's not though. he's already had a chimney fire, he said that in the video. it's pretty obvious what he's doing isn't working. this video should be titled anything but "how to clean your chimney". gaps and cracks make a chimney system unsafe.
I love how effective those logs are for bi-monthly cleanups. I highly, HIGHLY, advise not being in the same room with a creosote log burning through though, unless you can close off the front of your fireplace. some burn with safer stuff but...most dont and you just don't want to be breathing it in my good lad
These logs must be toxic - what chemicals are in it?
Lmaoo nice into dude
in my chimney i had 3inch thick of hard puffy creosote foam. it wouldn't come up at all and even a smaller metal bristle brush slided on it. i had to remove all the pipe.
also i didnt know before i had a chimney fire...
You need to sweep it when the flue is still hot from a fire. The creosote softens when its heated up, and its easier on the flue.