It mostly comes in powder form and is best used or burned the night before the chimney is to be cleaned. How it Works This DIY combustive chimney cleaning treatment works by forming a compound that seals or coats creosote and ash. It won’t only coat it, but chemically react with it, thus causing it to burn slowly at low temperature.
How does a Chimney Cleaner work?
Using a solid solution that comes as a powder which you can simply add to a fire, the chemicals in the chimney cleaner’s formulation react to the fire and get activated. The activated chemicals are safe for humans but are effective against creosote build-up.
Should you use chemicals to clean your chimney?
Chemical cleaners should never be your sole method of cleaning your chimney. In addition, overuse can damage chimneys, particularly metal-lined chimneys, and can reduce the life of your chimney or flue. Too much of a chimney-cleaning chemical can even cause a fire itself.
Is removing soot from a chimney a DIY job?
Removing ordinary chimney soot is pretty simple. But if you have heavy creosote buildup, you’ll have to call in a pro. We’ll show you how to inspect yours to see if it qualifies as a DIY job. If it does, just follow these steps. Otherwise, hire a certified chimney sweep. Is Fireplace Cleaning a DIY Job?
What happens if you use too much Chimney Cleaner?
In addition, overuse can damage chimneys, particularly metal-lined chimneys, and can reduce the life of your chimney or flue. Too much of a chimney-cleaning chemical can even cause a fire itself. An ounce per week is typically sufficient.
How do you use chimney powder cleaner?
2:013:02Attack Glazed Creosote and Soot in your Chimney with Anti ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSure the damper is open on your fireplace. And then once you get that strong you're going to placeMoreSure the damper is open on your fireplace. And then once you get that strong you're going to place it up inside of your chimney. And you're going to give it about four to six vigorous.
How do chemical chimney cleaners work?
Chimney cleaning logs make the creosote easier to remove. They contain chemical additives that rise up through your chimney and stick to the creosote deposits. These chemicals dry out the creosote, turning it into a flaky substance that's less flammable and easier to remove.
Do chimney cleaning logs really work?
Many homeowners wonder if the chimney sweep logs or creosote sweeping logs really work to clean out fireplace flues and get rid of creosote residue so that the fireplaces are safe to use. The short answer is no, they don't work. At least, not well enough to completely clean out the flue the way it should be cleaned.
How does creosote powder work?
The heat from a fire releases the active ingredients, which then penetrate first- or second-degree creosote. This remover dissolves the sticky, tar-like residue and turns it into powdery ash that falls harmlessly to the bottom of the firebox.
Will a hot fire get rid of creosote?
One method to loosen crusty or tarry creosote so it flakes off and falls down into the firebox or fireplace is to burn aluminum cans in a very hot fire. While this method works, it does not clean the chimney of creosote completely, and chimney brush cleaning is still necessary.
What dissolves creosote in chimney?
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to dissolve creosote and keep your chimney healthy. Mix one part vinegar with three parts water. Pour this mixture into your fireplace and light a fire. The vinegar will help to break down the creosote, making it easier to clean out.
Do potato peels clean chimneys?
Potato peels and acorns help prevent creosote buildup in your chimney. Save your potato skins and collect acorns in the autumn. Just a handful thrown on top of a burning fire can help keep your chimney in good shape.
How do I prevent creosote buildup in my chimney?
How to Minimize Creosote Buildup & Prevent a Chimney FireOnly burn dry, seasoned firewood. ... Never burn artificial logs. ... Build hot, clean burning fires. ... Make sure the fire gets enough oxygen. ... Reduce condensation by warming up a cold flue. ... Schedule an annual chimney cleaning and inspection.
How often should a chimney be cleaned?
once a yearBoth the NFPA and Spisto recommend getting your chimney cleaned and inspected once a year by a qualified professional. Carli says that regardless of chimney type, you should you have your chimney swept at least one time a year.
How long does it take for creosote remover to work?
Effective and non toxic solution for cleaning your chimney while enjoying your fireplace. Burns like a standard fireplace log, while simultaneously cleaning your chimney. Flammable creosote that builds up along the walls of your chimney are neutralized and removed within 2 weeks. Use every 50 fires for best results.
Does burning aluminum cans help with creosote?
Heating the cans causes an increase in heat in a chimney which can help prevent creosote from building up on a clean chimney. However, aluminum oxides are very stable and do not react to high temperature. This means that there will not be much of an impact on built-up creosote.
What is the active ingredient in creosote remover?
The Trisodium phosphate is a strong detergent, probably designed to bind to & clean the creosote. The Manganese Acetate is probably being used as an oxidizer to essentially burn the creosote. The quartz, and other ingredients are apparently inert, clay components.
What is a professional cleaning of a chimney?
A professional cleaning includes an inspection for soot buildup, obstructions, cracks in the chimney liner and signs of water damage. Older chimneys often have gaps between clay liner sections where the mortar has fallen out.
How to get ashes out of a firebox?
Strap on goggles and a respirator, clean the ashes out of the firebox and remove the grate. Then open a door or window and wait a few minutes before opening the damper so the pressures equalize. Then open the damper and wait a few more minutes for heat to rise from the house.
How many chimney fires do you see a year?
Chimney sweeps may see 40 to 50 chimney fires a year, and more than half of the chimneys they service require extra cleaning because the homeowners wait too long before calling. In extreme cases, the hardened layer of buildup requires cleaning with special tools or chemicals.
How hot does a chimney fire get?
In less than a minute, it builds to more than 2,000 degrees F and can engulf your entire chimney and destroy your home.
Where do you clean creosote from a fireplace?
Clean creosote buildup from all parts of the chimney. Most chimney fires start in the smoke chamber/smoke shelf area, so it’s the most important area to clean (Figure A). Since that area is hard to reach in some fireplaces, check yours to see if you can reach into it and still have room to maneuver a brush. If you can’t reach it, this isn’t a DIY project.
What happens when you burn wood?
If you see moisture bubbling out the ends of the logs when they’re burning, the wood is wet. This green wood doesn’t burn cleanly and sends a lot of unburned particles (smoke) up the chimney, where they build up as creosote and soot. Dry hardwoods, such as oak and birch, burn hotter and cleaner.
Can you clean a chimney yourself?
Jim also holds a certificate in forensic chimney fire analysis. If you use your fireplace or woodstove regularly but can’t remember the last time your chimney was cleaned, it’s probably overdue. In many cases, you can clean the chimney yourself and save a few hundred dollars.
What is the cause of fire in a chimney?
It continues to accumulate with every burning log and becomes a thick, tarry, highly flammable substance in excessive quantities. Excessive creosote in the chimney is the leading cause of house fires.
What is creosote cleaning log?
Creosote cleaning logs are a specially formulated compound that contains chemicals and other additives to help reduce creosote build-up in the chimney.They are manufactured specifically for use in wood-burning fireplaces and wood stoves.
What is the purpose of chimney cleaning products?
The purpose of chimney cleaning products is to prevent this : a roaring chimney fire.
What is the process of cleaning creosote?
Creosote cleaning phases started with dirty chimneys, and chemical cleaners were then applied. The fires were either hot or a mixture of hot and cool.
Does a chimney cleaner reduce creosote?
In fact, in our tests , temperature was clearly a more important contributor to the reduction of creosote accumulation than was the use of any one of the chemical chimney cleaners. In general, relatively small, hot fires tend to be cleaner-burning (producing less smoke) than do large-fuel-load smoldering fires, thereby substantially lessening the rate of creosote buildup in the first place. And, once a tar glaze has formed in the chimney, a hot fire tends to transform it into a dry, flaky deposit. A deposit of this type is light in weight, may fall off the chimney walls of its own accord, and (even if it does not drop) is much easier to brush away than the original gooey creosote.
Do chimney cleaners work?
However, even if some chemical chimney cleaners do sometimes work, it's evident that they don't always work. Both laboratory records and real-world experience prove the point. Therefore, it can be quite dangerous for anyone who uses a flue treatment compound to assume that it's working.
What is the best way to clean a chimney?
When choosing a commercially made chimney cleaner, one of the most effective ingredients is copper sulfate. This material coats and interacts chemically with the soot embedded in the creosote inside of your chimney and helps it burn away at a lower temperature than is normally needed. However, like table salt, copper sulfate combines with water and creates sulfurous or sulfuric acid. This acid can damage the inside of your chimney, and so should be used with care.
What is the best chimney cleaner?
Copper Sulfate. When choosing a commercially made chimney cleaner, one of the most effective ingredients is copper sulfate. This material coats and interacts chemically with the soot embedded in the creosote inside of your chimney and helps it burn away at a lower temperature than is normally needed.
How to clean creosote from chimney?
While chemical cleaners can prevent buildup of creosote, the only way to effectively remove creosote is to manually scrub the inside of the chimney with an appropriate brush. Chemical cleaners should never be your sole method of cleaning your chimney. In addition, overuse can damage chimneys, particularly metal-lined chimneys, and can reduce the life of your chimney or flue. Too much of a chimney-cleaning chemical can even cause a fire itself. An ounce per week is typically sufficient. Read all instructions before using any chemical cleaner.
What is the substance that forms when wood burns?
Creosote. Creosote is a tarry substance that forms when wood burns and is carried up the inside of a chimney as part of the smoke. The creosote collects on the inside of the chimney and traps carbon, usually soot, which is also part of the smoke from burning wood.
What is the danger of a wood burning stove?
One of the major hazards of a wood-burning stove or fireplace is the development of creosote, a chemical that can build up on the inside of chimneys and flues. Regular cleaning and inspection, preferably by a professional, will prevent buildup, but you can prevent buildup yourself, as well, using chemicals that protect your fireplace ...
Can you use a chemical to clean a chimney?
Chemical cleaners should never be your sole method of cleaning your chimney. In addition, overuse can damage chimneys, particularly metal-lined chimneys, and can reduce the life of your chimney or flue. Too much of a chimney-cleaning chemical can even cause a fire itself. An ounce per week is typically sufficient.
Is a chimney fire dangerous?
Not only does this cause ventilation problems, but the mixture is quite flammable, and a chimney fire is dangerous and can lead to the destruction of your chimney or even your home.
How to remove creosote from chimney?
Soften glazed creosote and reduce the risk of chimney fires with the Liquid Creosote Remover from ACS. This potent liquid creosote treatment should be sprayed daily in the firebox, over the wood, and upward in the flue (sprayer not included). It works to break down hardened, glazed creosote deposits in preparation for a professional chimney sweep to clean.
What happens if you put creosote in a chimney?
Creosote deposits in a chimney can release toxic gases while a fire is lit below. If the gases back up into the home because the fireplace (or stove) isn’t adequately vented, they can cause health problems, such as headaches, burning eyes, skin rashes, and breathing difficulties.
How to get rid of creosote buildup in fireplace?
One of the simplest ways to prevent creosote buildup is with a creosote sweeping log, such as the First Alert Creosote Buster Fire Log from Pine Mountain. Simply remove the outer wrapping and then place the sweeping log atop already-burning logs in the fireplace. The log contains heat-released chemicals that become airborne and seek out first- and second-degree creosote in the chimney liner. These chemicals then penetrate soot and residue and break it down, leaving it to dry and fall to the firebox where it can be swept away. The manufacturer recommends adding a sweeping log to the fireplace once per season or, if the fireplace is used frequently, once every 40 fires.
How to keep creosote from building up in chimney?
Preventing creosote from building up in a chimney liner and removing existing creosote can be as simple as sprinkling a few teaspoons of Meeco’s Red Devil Creosote Destroyer over firewood or coal every third time a fire is lit in the fireplace. As the fire burns, the remover’s chemicals—which include copper chloride, silicon dioxide, and fixed carbon—coat the chimney liner and keep creosote residue from adhering while also breaking down any existing buildup.
Can you climb up onto a chimney to remove creosote?
No need to climb up onto the roof to remove creosote with the Gardus SootEater Rotary Chimney Liner Cleaning System. Designed to clean wood-burning fireplace chimneys and wood-burning stove flues, this system includes eight 3-foot, flexible quick-connect rods; a whip head; and a drill adapter. The user attaches the whip head to the top of a quick-connect rod and then joins the other end, via the adapter, to a standard drill.
Do creosote logs clean wood?
Yes, creosote logs will help clean away deposits in a wood-stove flue just as in a wood-burning fireplace.
Can you clean creosote from a chimney?
Having a chimney professionally cleaned is one method to remove creosote, but it isn’t the only way. Handy individuals can clean the chimney themselves if they have the right tools, and a variety of creosote-dissolving products are available to help.
What is chimney cleaner?
The chimney cleaner is ideal for use on masonry-based flues that are frequently experiencing creosote build-up. Having a clean chimney gives you multiple benefits; first, you can be assured that your chimney will not become a fire hazard; second, you can save on cleaning expenses by thinning the amount of creosote build-up. Lastly, all you have to is to remove the ash from the chimney instead of scrubbing off the excess creosote.
Why do chimneys catch fire?
It is because if the chimney burns, any other material that makes contact with the chimney also gets hot and may catch fire; especially if there are exposed sections of your chimney that could let the fire escape. The use of a creosote remover also extends the lifespan of your chimney.
How to clean creosote from pellet stove?
If you have a pellet stove or a firebox, you can use Rutland Product’s Liquid Creosote Remover for easy clean up when you’re not using your stove or firebox. The liquid creosote remover acts like a cleaner or dishwashing liquid that strips the grease away. When you’re maintaining your firebox or stove, you can use the liquid creosote remover for spot cleaning and general cleaning. The liquid is in a 32-ounce bottle with included spray nozzle and trigger. You can point the bottle at the affected area and pull the trigger. Once you applied the creosote remover, just allow it to take effect, then clean it up after it becomes manageable.
How to remove creosote from chimney?
Next, you have to leave it to take effect. Once its effects have chemically changed the creosote, you can proceed with the cleaning of your chimney using a chimney sweeper or chimney brush.
How does a creosote destroyer work?
The Creosote Destroyer also works as a catalyst that speeds up the reaction of the creosote on the chimney lining. The catalytic effect breaks down the binder that gives the creosote its distinctive grease-like appearance. Once the chemical changes take effect on the gunk, it dries up and becomes easy to remove with a simple brush.
How does creosote work on chimneys?
Once the chemicals activate, the fumes break down the binders that give creosote its distinctive viscosity. Once the creosote has been treated, it’s going to dry up and form an ash-like coating on your chimney walls. It will make your chimney “breathe” better because of the thinning of the creosote on the lining.
Is a chimney fire a fire hazard?
Safety is a prime priority no matter where you are and what you do. When it comes to creosotes, these pose a fire hazard if left to thicken. Chimney fires are very dangerous as they could quickly spread throughout the building especially if your exhaust system goes through different portions of the building.
