What a difference an insulated flue makes

[slim reaper]

Ive got a taymar reamer and rods from:

https://www.tamarbrushes.co.uk/product-category/power-sweeping/

[BowlandStoves]

There must be some decent cost savings to come now the blockage has been cleared - not to mention the potential safety issues. It seems to have built up very quickly considering the chimney was inspected 12 months ago.

[neiln]

Just swept my two flues again.  I've burnt about 4.5m3 through one, about 3m3 through the other, nd swept as ususal with a power/rotary system nd got about 1/2  mug full of dry powdery chocolate brown soot and fly ash mix.  I.e. bugger all.  I guess my logs which had dried for 2 summers instead of the previous 12-14 months of drying made that bit more difference....or last summer's drought got the logs down another few percent. I don't think i'll sweep for 2 or 3 years now unless something changes.

Oh and my rods - i found the name on the instructions, they came from chimneyrodsdirect  

[neiln]

I've been thinking on this and i realised I haven't cleaned the glass on either stove hardly tis winter either.  Previously it could have gone all winter without but since it got a 'tint' of creosote across it, and a bit across the bottom 3 or 4 cm where the log guard is, I would clean it to improve the look every week or 2.  this winter it basically just got a dusting of fly ash, and a tiny bit of creosote on the bottom cm or so,  So other than a wipe with a scrunched up ball of newspaper as I've been building the fire ready to light I think I've only cleaned it about once...maybe twice all winter.  That must show that my wood has been drier this winter, bone dry basically, and correlates to the immaculate flues surely.  Now the confusing bit, previously my wood was, according to my cheapo moisture meter, down at 18-20%.   I didn't think air dried wood (top covered in winter) would get drier than that but it must have, and probably a good few percent.  I don't no if it was because of last summer's long hot drought, or because the wood i burnt this ear had been CSS for 2 summers, or a bit of both.  I guess i'll find out next spring after another burn season.  But I know now, if the glass stays clean all winter then the flue does too and there is no point in sweeping it.  If my glass 'tints' and i clean it once a fortnight then I'll have 3/4 of an ash pan full of creosote, I could leave it another year and be fine but a sweep every couple of years is worth the effort.

[teepeeat]

When measuring moisture, always best to measure on a freshly split piece rather than on the outside of a piece off the stack which is susceptable to daily changes in the humidity, wind blown rain, bright sunshine etc etc - apologies if this is stating the obvious.

Also find that using wood that has been near the fire for a few days means it is that bit drier, although this does mean having the space to rotate a few days worth.

[Stubby]

32 minutes ago, teepeeat said:

When measuring moisture, always best to measure on a freshly split piece rather than on the outside of a piece off the stack which is susceptable to daily changes in the humidity, wind blown rain, bright sunshine etc etc - apologies if this is stating the obvious.

Also find that using wood that has been near the fire for a few days means it is that bit drier, although this does mean having the space to rotate a few days worth.

Apology accepted  ?

[Rob_the_Sparky]

The reason for splitting before measuring is that moisture meters do not penetrate very far into the wood so the outside can be dry and measure as such while the middle is still damp.

[sandspider]

Interesting re glass not sooting up. I burn my own seasoned wood, a year or so in my polytunnel, with the odd less dry bit and my glass soots up and gets fly ash. Little bit of soot in the chimney, but not much. My stove is a Burley, I wonder if they're particularly sensitive, or if I made sure all my wood was seasoned for at least two years maybe that would solve the problem? I can never build up big enough stocks to dry for long enough! Burley paperwork suggests less than 18% moisture, but that's hard to get reliably in my own logs, never mind stuff I buy in!

[Stubby]

7 hours ago, Rob_the_Sparky said:

The reason for splitting before measuring is that moisture meters do not penetrate very far into the wood so the outside can be dry and measure as such while the middle is still damp.

Mmmm.

[Stubby]

59 minutes ago, sandspider said:

Interesting re glass not sooting up. I burn my own seasoned wood, a year or so in my polytunnel, with the odd less dry bit and my glass soots up and gets fly ash. Little bit of soot in the chimney, but not much. My stove is a Burley, I wonder if they're particularly sensitive, or if I made sure all my wood was seasoned for at least two years maybe that would solve the problem? I can never build up big enough stocks to dry for long enough! Burley paperwork suggests less than 18% moisture, but that's hard to get reliably in my own logs, never mind stuff I buy in!

I have a Burley and I get glass misting that is permanent . It does not look so bad when its alight you can still see the flame picture  but looks a little " milky " when out .  . I have changed the inner glass  ( its double glazed ) once in  about 8 years or so .  Might do it again for next winter .