Will a chimney fan reduce creosote buildup?

[milkman]

I think you're right about the stove with the catalytic combustor, until we got a stove with the catalist, I had to clean the chimney a couple of times a season, especially the mesh screen on the top of the chimney. I still check the chimney every fall and I haven't had to use a bursh in the chimney since we got the new stove, there is usually a cup or less of soot in the top of the stove where the flue connects, and I haven't had to clean the mesh cap during the heating season. There is almost no smoke coming out of the chimney after the stove gets up and running. I wasn't sure I'd like the new fangled stove when I got it about six or seven years ago, but my next one will be equipped the same way.
hazmat, I think the buildup is coming from moisture in the wood and the cold flue, it would probably help if the chimney was insulated, but dry wood is absolutely essential.

 

[hazmat]

The stove does have a catalytic converter. It is a VT Castings Intrepid II Maybe the catalyst needs some maintanance. Stove shop told me every 5-6 years (It's been 4).

 

[JimR]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( This is a "take it for what it's worth". We have heated exclusively with wood for 21 seasons now. NEVER had a creosote problem. 2 keys from my experience, one leading to the other. Chimney needs to stay hot/warm. When smoke makes it outside before it cools/condenses, ou get very little creosote. The dryer the wood (in general) the hotter the burn and the less the moisture content in the smoke, both helping minimize creosote. Early on I BOUGHT several cords to get me ahead of the game. For 15+ years I burned wood that was split, kept under cover and up off the ground, and that had been down a minimum of two full years, more often three. I now buy all my wood from a very reliable source (read "friend") and he supplies me with his oldest, yet still solid, oak and ash. I put it under cover 18-24 months.

It will pay you to get to the point where your wood has been down and split for two years, assuming you can cover it. )</font>

I guess that I am not the only one that doesn't have a creosote problem. Burn it hot and continuosly is my motto also.

 

[geneP]

Hazmat, I don't want to hi-jack your thread, but I'm considering either an Intrepid or the Resolute Acclaim to put in a 400 sf addition to our house. The addition opens up to the family room, about 300 sf, through double doors and from there it is open into our dining room. How much area are you heating with your stove? thanks,
Gene

 

[hazmat]

Family room is 19*14 which is open to a 12*12 kitchen = 400 sq feet total. It does a great job on that small space - not too hot, not too cold.

The 16" max log length is a PITA. Sometimes my eye is out of calibration & I cut a log that won't fit /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif. If your room can support it. I'd get one with 18" log capacity.

 

[slowzuki]

It sounds like a small stove, I'm guessing you have a 6" flue pipe? The smaller the stove the harder to keep the chimney hot enough. I too would recommend boxing in the chimney or burning continuously. Don't try to squeeze long burns out either, this cause creosote too.

The stove we have that gets short fires needs cleaned about three times as often as the little stove we burn continuously.

The fan would help your starting problem but not your creosote.

 

[milkman]

We looked at and really wanted the Intrepid, but decided on the Extra Large mainly because we wanted the blower and it was larger, still like the looks of the Intrepid better though. The catalyst replacement is a must do after this season and it also has a thermometer recessed in the top of the stove to indicate the heat range when the catalyst is working and that has to be replaced also, other than door gaskets, it's done a good job, just wouldn't want to move it very often.

 

[Youare]

I have almost the exact same set up in our family room. For the past two years I had a small box stove connected to a stainless steel insulated chimney which consisted of a horizontal section of pipe 2' long into a Tee then up four sections to a cap.

The stove pipe had a 4 foot vertical run then an elbow and a 24" horizontal run to the insulated pipe going outside. I checked the pipe halfway through the first heating season and it was clean.

This year I replaced the box stove with an old Glenwood Model 8 kitchen wood stove. Stove pipe run inside is almost the same as the box stove. I was concerned about build up in the chimney as we don't run the kitchen stove as hot as the box stove.

Checked the stove pipe this weekend and it was nice and clean. I did purchase the Metalbestos (sp) brand insulated pipe. In order to form creosote you need a cooler condensing surface.

That has been my experience hope you find something that works.

Randy

 

[guyrj33]

We have a Vermont castings Defient with catalytic converter. I have to vacuum the ash off the top of the converter twice a year. When the ash builds up the draft in secondary combustion mode is reduced and the stove gets smokey.
If your stove is hot and the cat is lit you shouldn't be getting creosote in the chimney, the stove should be burning it up in the cat.