How to treat exhaust pipes from the accumulation of soot. Cleaning the chimney from pollution: possible ways. Pipe sleeve process

Stove heating it is still too early to write off - it is actively used to this day by a huge number of people around the world, in cities and in rural areas, in poor regions and in quite wealthy and prosperous countries. Moreover, to some extent, we can say that home autonomous heating facilities are experiencing a "rebirth", as both stoves and fireplaces are rapidly becoming fashionable, and few suburban construction of a modern mansion can do without them.

To get at your disposal the desired or a fireplace is not all. Such structures are always objects of increased danger, and therefore it is extremely important to be able to operate them correctly. With the procedure for firing stoves in everyday use, with the types of firewood needed for them - the owners get acquainted with this rather quickly. But what is surprising is that a negligible number of owners know how to clean the chimney with their own hands, and even fewer did it in practice.

This situation is by no means normal. The safety of operation of stoves and fireplaces in residential premises for a good half depends on the serviceability and correct operation of the chimney system. Forgetting this, negligent owners endanger life and health and own, And their relatives, risk the safety of housing and acquired property.

A bit of theory and history

What causes chimney clogs

Why do growths form on the walls of the pipe that require regular cleaning?

The first factor is due to the most banal reasons - the burning of wood itself. This is a rather complex physical and chemical process consisting of several stages. Depending on the type of stoves (fireplaces, boilers), on the location and configuration of the internal channels for removing combustion products, on the design, on the type of firewood used and their quality (or other fuel), both the number and completeness of the combustion stages (flame phase or smoldering phase), which can change one or the other several times.

- So, in the smoldering mode, they mostly burn out T solid components - coals. In this case, gaseous products can be too low in concentration - this happens at the beginning of the furnace, until they reach optimal temperatures, and the process of release of combustible pyrolysis gases has not yet been launched "to the full". These combustion gases quickly condense, so combustion at this stage is accompanied by the release of thick white smoke.

- In the mode of active flame combustion, it is pyrolysis gases that become the main source of heat. As the temperature rises, the color of the flame changes (to close to bright white), and the smoke becomes almost invisible. But gradually their concentration decreases, and with one laying of firewood, the stormy flame is soon again replaced by the smoldering stage, for the reason that the gases have already left, and there are less and less combustible substances.

Whatever it was, in any case, a lot of combustion products go into the chimney. Mainly with incomplete combustion, they become soot (small carbon particles), complex organic compounds, resins, carbon monoxide ( carbon monoxide). Almost all of these products are combustible, and under certain conditions can even form explosive mixtures.

In the stage of complete combustion, the content of organic matter in the smoke decreases sharply, and water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide become the main products at the inlet.

From the point of view of clogging of chimney pipes, the greatest problems are smoke, which is maximally saturated with incompletely burned carbon residues (ash), heavy tars. Therefore, it is very important to know how to choose the optimal ones correctly - far from any wood is suitable for these purposes, both in terms of its specific heat transfer and biochemical composition, that is, in terms of the concentration of heavy resinous substances. Firewood from conifers d timber. By the way, not only this feature makes them undesirable for domestic use - just look at the table to see how much they lose both in terms of density and heat transfer to firewood from deciduous trees.

wood species	Density limit wood (kg/dm³)	Average density accepted for calculations (kg/dm³)	Working volumetric calorific value of wood (kcal/dm³)
Oak	0,690-1,03	0.81	3240
Ash	0,520-0,950	0.75	3000
Rowan (tree)	0,690-0,890	0.73	2920
Apple tree	0,660-0,840	0.72	2880
Beech	0,620-0,820	0.68	2720
Acacia	0,580-0,850	0.67	2680
Elm	0,560-0,820	0.66	2640
Larch	0,470-0,560	0.66	2640
Maple	0,470-0,560	0.65	2600
Birch	0,510-0,770	0.65	2600
Pear	0,610-0,730	0.65	2600
Chestnut	0,600-0,720	0.65	2600
Cedar	0,560-0,580	0.57	2280
Pine	0,310-0,760	0.52	2080
Linden	0,440-0,800	0.51	2040
Alder	0,470-0,580	0.5	2000
Aspen	0,460-0,550	0.47	1880
Willow	0,490-0,590	0.46	1840
Spruce	0,370-0,750	0.45	1800
Willow	0,420-0,500	0.45	1800
Hazelnut	0,420-0,450	0.43	1720
Fir	0,350-0,600	0.41	1640
Poplar	0,390-0,590	0.4	1600

Resinous substances enter with smoke on the inner surfaces of the pipe, becoming an excellent “adhesive substrate” for sticking soot layers.

But that's not all. A considerable danger is fraught with the regular use of freshly cut, damp or improperly stored firewood. high humidity wood is the cause of abundant condensate on the walls of the pipe, on which they also “fit” very well rising up tiny soot particles.

Raw firewood, and even coniferous species - you can’t think of anything worse for a stove!

Everything would be nothing, but in our time, many homeowners also consider the stove as a “universal waste disposal unit”. This means that a large amount of household waste is sent to the furnace. It turns out that a huge amount of polymers, food waste, and other substances pass through the oven, which, when burned, give whole “bouquets” of a wide variety of fats, resins, ethers, fireproof solid particles, which very quickly lead to overgrowth of the pipe lumen.

A factor stimulating frequent clogging of the chimney may be poor-quality work performed by the stove-maker. Narrowing of the pipe channel, too many turns or wrong angle, grout residues on the inner wall surface - etc. - all this provokes the growth of soot waste in such places. In addition, poor thermal insulation of the chimney or ill-conceived, inconsistent ordinal wall thickness of the pipe can lead to excessively abundant condensation - and this is another step towards an emergency.
It is impossible to exclude the possibility that in the summer, when the stove is not in use, some birds decided to make nests in a pipe unprotected from above by a cap. In addition, random debris, such as fallen leaves, can get into the pipe. With such trifles, it would seem, sometimes it is quite difficult to grow punchable plugs.
Soot accumulating on the walls can, under the influence of any external reasons, peel off in a whole piece and fall down. If the fragment is large enough, it often happens that it gets skewed in the cavity of the pipe, and then a full-fledged blockage quickly grows on the basis of this “jumper”.

What is the danger of clogging chimney pipes

There are many reasons, but no matter which of them the clogging is caused, it is fraught with many very serious threats:

Constricted the gaps in the chimney sharply reduce draft, and therefore the reverse movement of smoke is very likely - indoors, from the combustion chamber. In addition to the fact that smoke is unpleasant in itself, the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning increases dramatically.
Low draft leads to an increase in the volume of condensate on the inner surfaces of the pipe, that is, further clogging of the chimney can go even faster, like an avalanche.

A thick layer of soot is strong enough thermal insulator, which prevents the furnace channels from heating up to the desired temperature. Such a situation - always, without exception, leads to a drop in the efficiency of the heating device, to an excessive consumption of the fuel used.
Soot is unburned solid residue, but this does not mean that they are non-combustible. On the contrary, a thick layer of soot deposits, under certain conditions, can easily catch fire, for example, from sparks rising with a stream of gases. This leads not only to the burning of the walls of the pipe - the vulnerability of the whole house increases sharply. This situation is one of the main causes of fires in buildings equipped with stoves.

An eerie picture - a sheaf of red-hot sparks from a chimney

A chimney overgrown with soot becomes a real fire threat for neighboring buildings - “fiery tails” very often fly out of such an uncleaned pipe - sheaves of red-hot soot solid particles.

Such situations are described without any exaggeration. All these troubles can occur in a complex, almost simultaneously, and the consequences are sometimes the most tragic. That is why you should never forget about regular inspections and cleanings.

How often do you need to clean

Cleaning a pipe heavily “overgrown” with soot deposits is an extremely difficult task. The best thing is not to bring it to this, but to regularly inspect and preventive cleaning of the chimney.

Name of preventive measure and type of equipment	Frequency of work
*Preventive inspections of the condition of the chimney and flue ducts of furnaces*
Checking any equipment	Immediately after installation, before commissioning, or after any repair work has been carried out
Checking any equipment operating on a seasonal basis	Right before the start of the heating season
Checking the chimney systems of gas stoves and boilers	At least twice a year during the first two years of operation, then at least once a year.
Checking brick chimneys - regardless of the type of stove or boiler
Checking asbestos-cement, heat-resistant concrete or ceramic chimneys	At least once a year
Chimneys of heating and heating-cooking stoves	At least three times a year - before the start of the heating season, during it, and at the end
Cleaning of chimney channels in pipes - as deficiencies are identified during inspections, and in addition, during the period of active operation:
In heating and heating-cooking furnaces	At least once every three months
In continuous furnaces	At least once every two months
In constantly used kitchen ovens	At least once a month
*In regions where severe winters with low temperatures are typical, chimney caps are checked at least twice a month to prevent ice crust from freezing and blocking*

The fact that it is necessary to do this is probably already clear to everyone. But who will do it?

Where to find a chimney sweep?

But this is a problem in our time, and no small one. Chimney sweeps - professionals, in the understanding that has been invested in this concept for several centuries, there are not so many left.

By the way, the need for the emergence of such specialization in the Middle Ages is directly related to the massive city fires that from time to time shook many densely populated European cities and literally destroyed them to the ground. There was an awareness of the direct relationship between the risk of fires and the condition of chimneys, an understanding of the importance of qualified maintenance of furnaces and pipes. And already in the XVII ÷ XVIII centuries first, in the German principalities, and then in other countries of Northern Europe, guilds (workshops) of specialists - chimney sweeps - appeared. And in Denmark, for example, it was even carried out by royal decree, which once again proves the importance attached to their work.

By the way, this is one of those professions with which the largest number all sorts of superstitions, signs and prejudices, urban legends and amazing implausible stories.

On the one hand, the chimney sweeps, always smeared from head to toe with soot, seemed to be like outcasts who were even forbidden to move along the sidewalks for the “clean public”. But on the other hand, all representatives of this profession have always been distinguished by a rather elegant look - a fitted short jacket with certainly shiny buttons and a wide leather belt, and a mandatory headdress - a top hat. Rumor has it that, perhaps, the tradition of wearing a top hat came not only from the desire to look “impressive” - it was just that a lot of fixtures and accessories necessary for work were placed in this voluminous high headdress. In addition, it could serve as good cushioning when, for example, a brick falls on the head.

The activity of chimney sweeps sometimes evoked some kind of mystical feelings - they were often credited with closeness with " evil spirit”, they scared naughty children, they often appeared in folklore works - legends, songs, ballads, etc. Feature- very often the plot was based on the fact that under the mask of a chimney sweep smeared with soot, some kind of exile or a once lost child of "blue blood" is hiding.

With all the wariness towards the representatives of this profession, they were treated, rather, very respectfully. And in many countries it is still believed that touching a chimney sweep, while smearing soot on your finger - sure sign good luck soon.

In many cities of Central and Northern Europe, monuments to chimney sweeps have been erected. These specialists are in high demand there even now. There are even special schools, studying in which, by the way, takes several years and includes, in addition to narrow technological areas, many special related disciplines, including mathematics, physics, the basics of architecture, ecology, and even economics.

True, the “armament” of a modern chimney sweep is much richer than before. And most importantly, devices have appeared that allow telemetric inspection of pipe channels in order to quickly find the main areas of contamination and remotely control the process of their cleaning.

Where to find a good specialist in our area?

Well, first, you can search in regional periodicals in the sections of announcements for the provision of services. By the way, competent specialists– chimney sweeps are highly valued and their names and contacts must be known locally.
Secondly, in many cities, regional centers and etc.. specialized firms have been created and are operating - enterprises engaged in servicing furnace and boiler equipment. For sure, one of the types of services provided is the revision, repair and cleaning of chimneys.
And thirdly, if all this is not available in local conditions, or if there is simply no desire to attract someone from the outside, you will have to learn the basic cleaning techniques on your own.

Mechanical manual cleaning of chimneys

For a long time, the main method of servicing chimneys was their mechanical cleaning, and, therefore, brushes, brushes, heavy cores on cables, scrapers, brooms and other devices became the main tools of chimney sweeps. Tellingly, all these tools and technological methods of working with them have not undergone any special fundamental changes to this day.

Roof side cleaning

cleaning tool

So, to clean the chimney channel from above, from the side of the roof, it is usually used rope(cable), on which are fixed (tied or fastened carabiners) hard brushes for cleaning the walls from soot and a massive weighting agent - traditionally, a cast-iron core with an eye was used for this.

Classic chimney sweep tool - rope with a core and a brush

The heavy load (core) performs a dual function. Under the influence of its gravity brush-ruff (one or even several) moves in the chimney channel from top to bottom. But at severe blockages the chimney sweep at first pierces the channel with the core, using it as percussion instrument. Only after the patency of the canal is achieved, brushes can be used.

The round shape of the core is very convenient in the sense that the risk of jamming in any tight, soot-covered sections of the chimney is minimal. However, this is not a dogma at all, and craftsmen use other available loads in the manufacture of home-made tools. The main thing is that the suspended object is well centered, so that it does not get skewed anywhere.

Brushes are fastened above the core, in one or two tiers.

Modern brushes can be made of plastic or have a long metal bristle. (Metal brushes are strictly forbidden to be used on chimneys mounted on stainless steel pipes). They differ in shape: most of them are round, but you can find special brushes for a rectangular chimney.

Above and below the brushes are equipped with rings for assembling them into a common structure - for attaching a cable or other circuit elements - additional brushes and a core.

There are models and long brushes designed for quick and high-quality cleaning of straight cylindrical chimneys. Plastic or metal pile in such products can be arranged in a spiral.

If desired, in specialized stores you can find ready-made “chimney sweep kits”. They are completed for a certain diameter of the chimney and include all the elements necessary for cleaning from above - a rope (cable), a weight, a set of brushes and carabiners.

If such a device is assembled independently, then the brush can be purchased at the store. But, apparently, there are situations when it is not possible to buy it for some reason at the moment. If the chimney needs urgent cleaning, but there is no brush, you can make it yourself, using old plastic bottles as the starting material.

Miniature	Description of the work process
	An ordinary plastic bottle is taken, cut in two so that the upper part is about 150 mm in height. Incisions are made on the walls in increments of approximately 15 mm. The length of the cuts depends on the diameter of the chimney to be cleaned. You need to orient yourself so that with the bent petals the diameter of the resulting brush is over size chimney by 30 - 40 mm.
	A hole is drilled in the cork (in the center) through which the rope will pass.
	After the petals are cut and bent, the cork is drilled and screwed into place, it turns out something like this homemade brush. It is necessary to make two such brushes - they will be located symmetrically, towards each other.
	Any massive object can be used as a load (in this case, an old bronze door knob). The weight of the load must allow the brush to pass down through the chimney channel.
	A strong cord is securely tied to the load, and then threaded through the hole in the plugs of both brushes.
	In order for the lower and upper brushes with the “pile” directed towards each other to be located at a distance from each other (from 150 to 200 mm), a glass of the appropriate height must be inserted inside this prefabricated ruff. To do this, a cylinder is cut out from the rest of the bottle, cut lengthwise, and installed between the brushes. It is given a diameter about half that of the brushes, after which it is fixed with an ordinary stationery stapler. Then it remains to tie a fixing knot over the cork of the upper brush - and the tool is almost ready for work!

This approach, by the way, is fully justified in country houses, where the furnace is not fired so often, and buying a professional tool or calling a specialist is simply unprofitable. And a homemade brush can one-time cope with the task no worse than a factory one. Yes, and it is not necessary to store it - you can always cut a new one in a few minutes.

Video: another option for making a homemade "ruff"

How to clean

Before starting cleaning, be sure to close all inspection hatches on the chimney. It is necessary to provide for some measures that will not allow the cleaned soot to fall out of the stove or fireplace on the floor and on interior items in the rooms. For example, a hearth or a combustion chamber is additionally hung with a wet cloth.
Cleaning from the side of the roof must be carried out with obligatory observance special measures precautions, especially if the roof has a steep slope. Fall insurance is provided. On the feet must be closed shoes with non-slip soles. Be sure to wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from soot or other particles. Hands are protected with gloves. It is advisable, probably, to cover the skin of the face and hair, since the soot is rather difficult to wash off. Do not carry out such work in rain or strong winds. Naturally, it is strictly forbidden to start such operations in a not quite sober state, tired, under the influence of certain drugs.

Cleaning begins with the removal of the umbrella (or other pipe head). They inspect the entire visible part of the channel, if necessary, with a scraper, broom, and other improvised tools, clean it from debris and deposits.
Next, a test pass is made by the core. If large layers come across, then the load should help to cope with them - chop them off so that they crumble down.
After the load has shown the patency of the channel to the desired depth, brushes are installed above the core, and the process of cleaning the walls from soot begins. The principle is simple, the work is rather tedious and dirty. The bottom of the brush moves under the weight of the load, and up - when pulled with a rope. Slowly, in small sections, the walls are being cleaned from the top and to the fullest possible depth.
From time to time, the inspection chambers on the chimney are checked - they are cleaned of soot that has fallen from above. Their complete cleaning will be carried out at the end of the work.

Instead of a cable with a load, more and more often in our time, long flexible shafts with a brush wound on them or prefabricated rods are used. These tools are more versatile, as they allow cleaning chimneys from below, from the side of the stove (fireplace). Let's take a look at them below.

Cleaning the chimney from the stove

A tool with a load is effective only up to the first serious turn - even at an angle of 45 ° the passage will be problematic, and with a rectangular one it will be guaranteed to stall.

For cleaning, if the constitution of the furnace is thought out, there should be special vents and hatches, which allow cleaning tools to be brought into the pipe cavity without resorting to disassembling it. But only gravity here is no longer an assistant, but quite the opposite. And in order to push the brush inside the chimney, it must be mounted on a rigid and at the same time flexible support.

For small areas, up to 3 - 5 meters, you can purchase a special set in the store - one or more brushes and a flexible fiberglass rod with a handle at the end.

Such a device is quite multifunctional. They are used, changing only brushes of different diameters, for cleaning ventilation systems, small sections of chimneys, sewers.

A more professional approach - a special tool in which the flexible shaft is already much larger diameter wound on a drum. The sizes of the cleaned areas are certainly much larger. The flexible shaft is usually marked, which allows you to accurately track the depth of the brush entering the pipe.

Finally, it can be prefabricated rods that are screwed one to the other as the brush moves deeper into the chimney.

On sale you can find similar sets, equipped with the necessary number of rods made of fiberglass, and brushes of the required diameter - plastic and metal.

The rods are usually 1 m long each and are equipped with threaded adapters for mutual assembly with one another or for the installation of a brush. As a rule, there are 10 such parts in a set.

The table below shows an example of cleaning an outside chimney using this kit:

Miniature	Description of the work process
	A correctly assembled external chimney at its lowest point must have a plug with a condensate collector, a tap for draining it, for revision. Exactly this comfortable spot for cleaning.
	The plug is completely removed to open the passage to the cavity of the chimney. The removed part can be immediately cleaned of dirt, fallen soot, and other foreign objects.
	Since the stainless steel pipe will be cleaned, we remove the metal brush included in the kit to the side - it cannot be used in this case.
	A cleaning brush is screwed onto one of the rods included in the kit.
	The same operation - against the background of an open entrance to the chimney.
	The brush is inserted into the pipe cavity, cleaning begins. Performing translational frictional movements up and down, the brush is gradually moved upwards along the chimney channel. It is impossible to make rotational (around the axis) movements, so as not to accidentally unscrew the assembled tool.
	As necessary, in the course of work, the total length of the central rod is increased - new rods are screwed on.
	And on this miniature - a demonstration of the highest flexibility of fiberglass rods. Thus, curved sections of the chimney also lend themselves to a similar cleaning method (of course, up to a certain limit, but it will most likely be possible to cope with an angle of 45 - 60 degrees).

Similarly, any sections of the chimney are cleaned where it is possible to introduce a brush. This can be done when cleaning from the roof, from inspection hatches or directly from the firebox (a typical example is an ordinary fireplace). The removal of the brush from the pipe is carried out in the reverse order, with the sequential dismantling of the sections.

The soot removed from the surface of the walls is collected and removed - sometimes they are connected to this stage. After a certain pause, 30-40 minutes, necessary for the cleaned soot to completely settle, all inspection hatches and valves are checked. After cleaning, it may be necessary to carry out minor repairs to the chimney - for example, repair cracks or other defects in the outer surface. Be sure to reinstall the pipe head.

By the way, it is easy to make a set of such rods yourself, using polypropylene pipes for this. Their flexibility, of course, is not as high as that of carbon fiber, but it may well be enough for certain straight chimneys.

If there is, then the manufacture of such a set of rods will take just a few minutes. It is necessary to cut the pipe (Ø 20 mm) into equal lengths (for example, 1 meter), and weld on the edges of each ordinary ½ inch threaded fittings. It is clear that “dad” is welded from one end, and “mother” from the other.

Chemical cleaning of chimneys

Mechanical cleaning of chimneys is a very radical method that gives good results. But only this event is quite heavy and very dirty. Is it possible to simplify such cleaning? It turns out that it is possible if you regularly carry out preventive work using special means of chemical action.

The principle of their physical and chemical action may be different, but aimed at common goals - the removal of already formed soot deposits from the inner wall of the pipe and the creation of conditions for the longest possible prevention of new soot buildup. Let's take a closer look at a few of these tools:

"Smoke"

Products under this brand Russian company Ecolace. The range is represented by three different products:

Special box "Smoke"

The principle of operation of such a cleaner in the form of a cardboard box is extremely simple. It is simply installed in the combustion chamber (in a fireplace or stove) and set on fire. The entire cleaning process takes about an hour and a half. The chemicals included in the preparation in the box actively clean the soot layers, transform the resinous components, make them brittle and self-salting. As a result, the growths either crumble down, or go out, carried away by smoke.

Cleaner "Smoke" in the form of a box

By the way, the active effect of such cleaning is not at all limited only by the time of burning the package - it lasts for two weeks, and the pronounced effect will be noticeable for at least three months.

Log "Smoke"

If the remedy described above is purely preventive, then the cleaner in the form of a log will add an aesthetic component to the process.

More aesthetically pleasing - use the "Smoke" log

This cleaner is designed in the form of a regular log, which can be used to heat or stove. By the way, the metal salts included in its chemical composition give a very interesting visual effect - a beautiful turquoise flame.

Otherwise, the principle of operation remains the same.

Cleaner for pellet stoves and boilers "Smoke"

Manufacturers have also provided a cleaner in the form of granules, which helps to cope with the problems of contamination of the internal channels and chimneys of pellet boilers and stoves. This type of fuel has its own specific features, therefore, a special approach is needed for the prevention of such equipment.

This cleaner is given characteristic appearance conventional - so it is more convenient to mix with the main fuel. But, by the way, you can use it in conventional wood stoves.

Typically, cleaning is carried out at intervals of once every two months. With a flight boiler, it is necessary to mix 10 kilograms of cleaner with a ton of natural pellets. If an ordinary stove is cleaned, then it will be enough to add a kilogram of granules daily, for 5 days, to the firewood during one of the furnaces.

Video: cleaning chimneys with products of the Smoke brand

Production of the companyHANSA

Technologists of the West German company HANSA, when developing preventive measures for heating appliances, focused on the fight against creosote - resinous substances that, in interaction with water vapor, create the very sticky base on which soot actively settles.

The substances included in the preparations act in two ways. The former are aimed at active catalysis, so that the carbon particles burn as completely as possible, leaving practically no soot. Other substances under the influence of high temperature react with creosote. In this case, the resinous structure loses moisture, and hence its viscosity. The remaining layer becomes brittle, brittle, it begins to crumble and almost completely burns out in the flame of the hearth.

There are several for sale types of similar cleaners that in Russia they are better known under the brand name "Chimney sweep".

The upper miniature depicts the "Chimney Sweep" tool, made in the form of a loose mixture. The kit includes a measuring cup, with which the dosage is made. The product is used both for cleaning and for prevention purposes, adding, for example, 1 - 2 measuring cups for each 4 - 5 fireboxes of a stove or fireplace. This approach allows you to be sure that soot will not accumulate in the chimney.
Below - the same remedy, but already dosed in sachets. The use does not differ from the technique described above.
On the middle miniature there is a log "Chimney sweep" in the package. In this form, it lies in a heated combustion chamber, ignites and is left until complete burnout. To keep the chimneys constantly clean, such prevention is recommended to be carried out about once a month.

Chimney sweep cleaners are suitable for all types of stoves and chimneys. Most importantly, they do an excellent job of cleaning the most difficult pipes in this regard - brick, which often have an uneven porous wall surface.

« Kominichek"

This is also a very well-known and widely popular among Russians means for cleaning Czech-made chimneys.

Packed sachets of Kominichek

It is a crystalline mixture packaged in bags of 14 grams. Usually one such bag is designed for a kilogram of dry firewood. Chemical reagents turn the soot deposits that have settled on the walls of pipes into a substance that burns even at a not very high temperature. This can be attributed to the advantages of this drug. Disadvantages - its “power” will not be enough if the chimney is heavily run and the soot layer on the walls already exceeds 2 mm. And one more limitation - processing with the help of "Kominchek", due to the peculiarities of its chemical composition and, as a consequence, smell, can only be carried out with the combustion chamber door tightly closed. Thus, such a cleaner cannot be used in fireplaces with an open hearth.

There are many other means - there are plenty to choose from

There are many other cleaners, soot and tar converters, etc., both domestic and foreign. You can take a sample of some of them and choose the best option for yourself - and in terms of efficiency, and ease of use, and cost.

Video: one of the means of chemical cleaning - " Cheerful chimney sweep»

Folk remedies for cleaning chimneys

There are many ways in which our ancestors, with varying degrees of success, struggled with the phenomena of overgrowing of chimneys with soot. Surely, some of these folk methods were taken into account when creating modern chemical cleaners.

Let's remember a few folk "recipes":

Ordinary boiling water can be a huge help in breaking through a very strong old soot blockage. Several liters of very hot water are poured from above into the pipe just before the stove is fired up.

Boiling water softens a little. T hard growths, and the rising hot gaseous products of combustion will destroy them, leading to the fact that soot will fly out in pieces along with smoke.

One of the most simple ways is to pour a small amount of ordinary table salt into the firewood. Vapors of sodium chloride, it turns out, have a destructive effect on viscous soot deposits.

True, this method is applicable only as a preventive measure. It will not help to cope with old, even small soot growths.

Unexpectedly, but naphthalene also helps in this matter. A standard tablet of this substance, thrown into a melted hearth, becomes an excellent prophylactic and cleansing agent. The soot begins to flake off and come out with the smoke.

The method is proven, but, alas, not without flaws. And the main one is that naphthalene has a very persistent smell, which is very difficult to get rid of, and which is far from pleasant for everyone.

Do not throw away potato peels - this is a very effective remedy for the accumulation of soot in the chimney. From time to time it is useful to pour peelings or even just finely chopped raw potatoes into a fully heated oven.

Old folk way - burning potato peelings in the oven

Rising evaporation with a high starch content softens the structure of soot growths. Some of them will fall off. And the rest will be much easier to clean mechanically.

For a long time, a mixture of coal, saltpeter and "blue stone" has been actively used to clean chimneys - blue vitriol. The composition is made in proportions:

- copper sulfate - 5 parts;

- powdered coal (better - coke) - 2 parts;

- saltpeter - 7 parts.

A lot of such a mixture is not needed at all - about 20 grams per hundred kilograms of firewood is enough. The composition is poured into the oven preheated to the optimum mode, then the furnace door is very tightly closed. Carry out such cleaning in the foci open type forbidden.

Finally, one of the most famous cleaning methods is the use of special firewood for this purpose. So, it was noticed that the fumes released during the combustion of aspen or alder contribute to the exfoliation of soot deposits from the walls of the chimney, and a very large but short-term heat allows the residue to come out with smoke or burn out in the furnace.

Alder firewood - usually stand out against the general background with bright colors on the cut

It is interesting that neither alder nor aspen firewood can in any way be classified as a high-quality type of fuel for space heating, or the heat transfer from them is small. But having a supply of such wood is still very useful. Occasionally, for the purpose of prevention, you can complete the furnace of the furnace by finally sending a few kilograms of alder or aspen into it. True, at the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the sparks that often fly out of the chimney during such a procedure do not cause a fire in neighboring buildings.

So, there are a lot of means for prevention and regular cleaning of the chimney. Keeping the stove in good and safe condition is the direct responsibility of every homeowner. And it is up to him to decide whether to call a chimney sweep or do everything on his own. The main thing is not to forget to do this, to raise such events to the rank of priorities. And, of course, strictly follow the recommendations for the proper operation of furnaces - then cleaning issues will not have to be addressed so often.

Heating a house, cottage or bath is rarely complete without a stove or boiler. For our winters, this equipment is optimal: it can produce the required amount of heat. But both stoves and boilers require maintenance, and one of the mandatory procedures is cleaning the chimney.

Why is the chimney overgrown with soot

The process of burning fuel is an oxidation process, and this requires oxygen and high temperature. If at least one of these conditions is not met, soot appears - this is the result of insufficient oxidation of carbon. Externally, the presence of soot can be determined by the color of the smoke - if it is black, then it contains particles of soot, but most of it settles in the chimney, especially at the corners.

Now a little about what can cause active soot formation:

The rate of overgrowing of the chimney with soot also depends on the type of firewood. Resinous spruce and pine are not the best choice in this regard, but not everyone has the opportunity to heat with expensive oak or other hardwoods. In any case, you can make sure that the firewood is dry. To do this, it is worth building more spaciously so that a reserve for 2-3 years is placed in it. Then you can use the most seasoned and dried logs, and let the fresh ones lie, reach the standard.

How to clean the chimney from soot

There are three ways to clean the chimney:

Mechanical. A ruff is thrust into the chimney, with the help of which they knock soot off the walls. The disadvantage of the method is that it is necessary to have access to the pipe, which is not always easy. Not everyone is able to climb onto the roof, and flexible rods and access are required for cleaning from below. Another unpleasant moment: all the contents are poured down, you have to collect and take it out, and then wash the stove or fireplace from soot for a long time. Therefore, before cleaning, put some kind of container into which everything will be poured.
Chemical cleaning of the chimney - powders and briquettes (logs). When the system warms up, the powders are poured into the fire, the logs are placed at the firebox. The substances contained in them soften the soot, it gradually flies into the pipe, but can fall down and clog the passage altogether. So these funds are best used for prevention, when there is still a little soot.
folk methods. The problem of overgrowing chimneys with soot is not new, and our ancestors were able to cope with it without chemistry. There were, of course, chimney sweeps, but they worked in cities, and their services cost a lot. Nevertheless, they coped with the problem, and very simple means- salt or potato peelings.

There is another cardinal decision - to go to the firemen and call specialists. They are no longer called chimney sweeps, but perform the same functions, however, by other means. The decision is not bad, they know their job, since soot is explosive, if only someone is not given permission. The only negative is the cost of such services.

Mechanical chimney cleaners

Cleaning the chimney with ruffs has been used for centuries, and they still exist today. A ruff brush is tied to the end of a long elastic and flexible cable. Diameter - individually for the size of the chimney. A small metal ball can be tied under the ruff - in order to make it easier for the tool to go down. This structure is lowered into the chimney, raised, lowered again and raised again. So until the passage is cleared. Everything works simply - soot is knocked off the pipe with bristles.

Such a chimney cleaning has one feature: in the presence of good draft most of crushed soot flies out into the chimney. Therefore, firstly, you need to become attached so that you don’t fall off the roof from involuntary movement, and secondly, put on goggles and a respirator. Gloves will not interfere either, but they are needed so that the cable does not injure your hands.

If you decide to make a chimney brush yourself, hang the ball below, and centered. Weights or spanners do not fit - sooner or later they become at odds in the chimney. You will be lucky if the gun can be removed without dismantling the pipe.

The chimney is not always such that it can be cleaned from above - it can rise several meters above the roof. You can’t attach a ladder to it, you can’t get up in any other way. In this case, the chimney is cleaned from below. To do this, there are ruffs on flexible rods. Fragments of the rod are connected to each other, the ruff moves along the pipe. In this case, part of the soot is also carried away by the draft, but some of it falls down and this must also be taken into account. Professional chimney sweeps use special vacuum cleaners for collection (not household, as soot is explosive), when self cleaning you have to assemble everything manually.

If you have a fireplace, everything is simple - access is free, but if it is a boiler or a sauna stove, the matter is more complicated. If the chimney has a glass for collecting condensate, removing it, you can easily run the ruff into the pipe. If there are no revisions, you will have to try to get to the pipe through the firebox. If this is not possible, the chimney will have to be disassembled. Then it’s better to immediately redo it by putting a tee with a glass.

Means for dry cleaning of the chimney

You can clean the chimney with chemicals before it is too clogged. If the pipe is brick, these products help make mechanical cleaning less frequent. As an independent agent, they can be used for ceramic chimneys or those made of stainless steel. All these powders or logs for removing soot from the pipe are preventive. Clear them chimney from a large amount of soot it is not always possible. There were cases when the soot that fell down after burning the powder clogged the chimney tightly. I had to take a ruff and clean it by hand.

Despite these shortcomings, the products are used and here's why: during processing, the soot that is in the boiler, sauna stove or in the smoke channels also softens. Shaking them by hand is a bit of a pleasure, and regular use does a pretty good job of dealing with the problem.

There are plenty of products for cleaning chimneys from soot in stores, but here are the most popular:

After using all chemicals, the room must be ventilated, the stove or fireplace cleaned. Please note that after processing, the soot may crumble for a couple more days - the remnants fly off.

Folk chimney cleaning methods

The easiest way to prevent the formation of soot is to heat an already heated stove with aspen wood. They burn with a very hot flame, soot burns in the chimney. The action is effective, but dangerous - if a lot of soot has accumulated, when ignited, it explodes and can break the pipe.

There are safer folk remedies with which chimney cleaning is both effective and safe. In a melted and well-heated oven, add half a kilogram of salt or about a bucket of potato peelings. It is better to dry the cleanings or add raw ones little by little - so as not to bring down the temperature in the furnace. The action is about the same as when using chemicals, only a little softer - soot flies from the pipe for another three days.

Heating devices that run on wood or other solid fuels require periodic cleaning. Deposits on the walls of the chimney are dangerous not only by narrowing the channels, collapses and clogging of passages, but also by ignition of plaque, which can lead to a fire in the house. The danger should be eliminated in a timely manner. Do you agree?

We will tell you how to maintain the smoke channel so that it does not pose a threat to you and property. The article presented for review describes in detail how the chimney is cleaned of soot, how often and when it needs to be done. For zealous owners are effective preventive measures.

Carrying out mechanical cleaning is a rather complicated and time-consuming process. Therefore, as a rule, it is carried out no more than 1-2 times a year. But with intensive use of heating devices, this is often not enough.

In addition, the more deposits are formed on the walls of the channels, the more the efficiency decreases - the fuel efficiency decreases.

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This is due to the fact that at low temperatures an excess of carbon particles is formed, which settles in the form of soot and soot. This phenomenon is especially characteristic for the initial combustion, when the firewood is just flaring up.

Therefore, when kindling a stove or fireplace, one should strive to increase the temperature in the firebox as quickly as possible - heat the stove with dry wood, use more thin and dry chips.

In addition, after the fire is extinguished, it is necessary to keep warm. To do this, as soon as all the fuel burns out in the stove, close the gate. And then, during the next kindling, the temperature inside the stove will be much higher than if it had not been closed.

You can determine the combustion temperature using a special device - a combustion indicator, which is attached to a metal chimney and measures the temperature of the flue gases

You can check how you managed to clean the chimney from soot with the help of a newspaper. It is set on fire and brought to the firebox and to the cleaning doors.

If there is no draft in any section, then, most likely, in the channels located above, the blockage could not be eliminated. In this case, it is better to invite a chimney sweep, who will help to pinpoint the cause and cope with poor draft.

Tell us about how you cleaned your chimney own dacha or in a country house. Please write comments in the block under the text of the article. Ask questions, share useful information for site visitors, leave photos on the topic.

The uninterrupted operation of the furnace heating system at home largely depends on the functionality of the chimney. Pipe cleaning is one of the mandatory activities. There are several cleaning technologies and therefore, before servicing the chimney, you need to choose the best method.

Causes of soot formation

When kindling a stove or fireplace, oxidation occurs, which requires high temperature and oxygen. If these factors are insufficient, then soot appears, which is the result of incomplete oxidation of carbon. Outside, it is quite easy to determine the presence of soot by the color of the smoke. If a black stream comes out of the pipe, then there are particles of soot in it, but a large amount of it settles on the inner surface of the chimney. In this way, the pipe becomes contaminated, and the bend areas are particularly prone to accumulation of dirt and need to be cleaned.

Any chimney needs regular maintenance and cleaning.

If the chimney is excessively clogged, there is a risk of fire hazard, poisoning by fuel combustion products, and low efficiency of the heating system. The reasons for these effects are as follows:

using raw wood to kindle a stove or fireplace;
burning plastic, chipboard or plywood, garbage and other similar materials;
lack of sufficient draft, which may be due to incorrect chimney design and other reasons;
the use of firewood from resinous wood species, that is, spruce, pine;
lack of regular maintenance of the chimney.

Designing a chimney always requires taking into account standards and rules. The pipe must have optimal parameters, because the traction force and the frequency of maintenance, cleaning the chimney depend on this.

Identification of the need for cleaning

Chimney clogging occurs as a result of various circumstances, but signs of pollution are always associated with smoke entering the room. Thus, if when kindling a stove or fireplace, smoke is generated inside the room, bad smell, then there is no draft that ensures the exit of smoke to the outside. A reverse draft occurs, as a result of which the air does not move up, but down, that is, into a room with a stove or fireplace. Incorrect design of the smoke exhaust system also does not allow efficient heating of the stove from the very beginning of its use.

When constructing a chimney, certain rules and regulations are taken into account

Arbitrary attenuation of the fireplace or stove during combustion is one of the signs that the chimney needs maintenance. Cleaning is also required with a bad flame, when the fire does not flare up. The unusual bright orange color of the flame also signals that the correct movement of air is disturbed. In such cases, it is necessary to clean the heating system, but you should first take into account the design features of the chimney. Therefore, if the pipe is clogged, a method should be determined to eliminate the blockage. Manipulations can be carried out outside, from the roof or from inside the room.

Chimney Treatment Methods

In case of blockage of the stove pipe or fireplace, you can use mechanical, chemical or folk ways cleaning. Each option has certain features, and the optimal solution is selected based on the design of the chimney, the degree of pollution, and the specifics of the use of cleaning products. It is important to use the selected products in compliance with the rules, since it is necessary to avoid damage to the chimney and carefully remove the soot that has settled on the inner walls of the pipe.

When disassembling the chimney, you can see a layer of soot in the area of \u200b\u200bturns of the system

To determine the most convenient cleaning method, it is worth implementing several methods for removing soot. This will allow you to master the features of the use of tools and tools and carry out further cleaning as quickly as possible.

Chemical method: materials and technology

The use of special chemicals is effective with a small accumulation of soot on the inner surface of the pipe. For this purpose, powdered components or briquettes are used, which are poured into a pre-melted oven. During the combustion process, substances are formed that soften the soot in the chimney, its particles fly out. In this case, a significant accumulation of dirt can crumble down, clogging the passage. That is why chemical method only suitable for the prevention and removal of light plaque.

Chemical agents help soften and remove soot

Means for chemical treatment of pipes are quite diverse. The main structures have the following application features:

Kominichek pellets are often found in stores, and their use involves preliminary kindling of a stove or fireplace. After that, you need to lay a paper bag with granules on firewood, you do not need to tear the package and pour out the component. The tool effectively removes plaque up to 3 mm thick;
log "Chimney sweep" or under a different name is produced by many companies. The funds are placed in a melted oven, the log burns out, and the released substances soften the soot. During the combustion process, care must be taken to ensure that large accumulations of dirt do not clog the chimney;
powdered products are placed in the oven without opening the package. The principle of their action is the same as in cases with logs or pellets.

After using these products, you need to ventilate the room well, and clean the chimney. by mechanical means, which is required with a large accumulation of soot. If the layer of plaque was no more than 3 mm, then the chemical components successfully remove dirt, leaving clean pipe walls. In some cases, the effect of the funds lasts another 2-3 days, particles of soot fall off.

Video: chimney cleaning log

Features of mechanical cleaning of the chimney

Mechanical cleaning of the heating system pipe involves the use of a special brush with a long handle. This tool is best used from the outside, and to use it from the side of the stove, you will need a flexible hose that allows you to rotate the brush inside the pipe. In any case, the soot subjected to mechanical stress falls down and therefore a container must be provided for easier removal of dirt. Without this, it will be necessary to wash the stove or fireplace from black soot after it is removed from the chimney.

Chimney brushes are varied and you need to choose a tool depending on the diameter of the pipe

A tool for mechanical cleaning can be purchased at a store or made independently using improvised means. The diameter of the brush is selected according to the size of the pipe, and for manipulations you need a long, rather rigid, but elastic cable or hose. Cleaning includes the following steps:

The brush is attached to one end of the cable, placed in the chimney from the side of the roof or stove.
The cable must be rigid, as the accuracy of the brush control depends on it.
Cleaning is carried out by rotating movements, as a result of which soot breaks off from the walls of the pipe and falls.
From the inside it is convenient to clean the chimney of small diameter
In the oven or fireplace, you need to install a container for collecting dirt, which will allow you to quickly and easily wash all surfaces without unnecessary debris.
When cleaning outside, it is important to use a roof fall protection.

A pipe cleaner is a disposable device for cleaning pipes and therefore it is often made independently, because it is very difficult to wash a used tool from soot. For manufacturing, you can use a 5-liter plastic bottle, thick wire, plumbing cable. The process of creating a chimney brush involves the following manipulations:

The bottom of the bottle must be cut off and the walls dissolved on thin stripes reaching the neck.
Stripes can be folded in half and stapled at the neck
It is best to fold the strips in half and fix with a stapler at the neck. A self-tapping screw is screwed into the cover from the inside, the sharp end of which is fixed to the cable.
Bolts can be used for fixing
As a basis, you can use a broom head, a plastic bottle case, nylon fibers. The base is securely attached to the torso and can be used to process the chimney.
Nylon rods are convenient for cleaning the chimney

A homemade or ready-made chimney brush should be fairly stiff, able to remove a thick layer of soot. Before mechanical treatment, it is best to carry out dry cleaning, which helps to soften plaque and make it easier to remove.

Video: ruff and weight for pipe cleaning

How and how to heat a fireplace to clean the chimney

Proper operation of the furnace involves not only its regular maintenance, but also the observance of certain rules for kindling. This helps to prevent the formation of a large amount of soot, prevent the occurrence of plaque and maintain the efficiency of the heating system.

Firewood needs dry wood small size

The basic rules of operation are expressed as follows:

powdered chemicals or a special log can be used regularly when lighting the stove. This allows you to remove a thin layer of soot in a timely manner and avoid the use of a mechanical cleaning method;
not to be used for melting raw firewood or pine, spruce logs. They secrete resinous substances that contribute to the active formation of soot;
the amount of cleaning chemicals is selected according to the instructions. Exceeding the norm does not improve the result, but it has a negative impact on human health and requires long-term ventilation of the room.

To heat the stove or fireplace should be only high-quality firewood, which prevents the formation of a thick layer of soot.

Folk remedies for cleaning the chimney

Manufacturers produce a variety of chemicals and tools for the mechanical removal of soot from the chimney. Folk methods are also in demand and no less effective. For example, potato peels help soften and eliminate plaque inside the pipe. Half a bucket of dry and some fresh cleanings should be poured into a melted oven. During the combustion of this component, starch is released, which helps to soften and separate soot from the pipe walls. The mild effect of potato peelings lasts for several days, that is, the soot flies out of the chimney for another three days.

After the final removal of soot, it is necessary to clean the outer surface of the chimney

Table salt can be combined with potato peels or used alone. The substance is taken in an amount of 0.5 kg. Salt is carefully poured into a melted stove or fireplace, avoiding a sharp temperature drop inside the firebox. Aspen firewood is also effective, but their action is based on soot burnout. Therefore, you need to use no more than two logs, combined with other fuel when kindling the stove. These products can be applied regularly, keeping the chimney clean.

Chimney liner: do-it-yourself arrangement

Brick chimneys are most often subjected to the liner procedure, as they have a rough surface. Soot settles perfectly on such a basis and the device quickly loses its effectiveness. It is also possible to use the sleeve method for asbestos pipes, but such elements are rarely installed in private homes. Asbestos pipes are impractical and short-lived. Therefore, the lining of brick chimneys is the most common.

Brick chimneys are more prone to clogging than other options

The sleeve can be carried out in two ways: the installation of stainless steel pipes or the complete re-laying of the shaft. The first option is optimal to prevent contamination of the chimney and ensure the durability of the pipe. Full arrangement is carried out with severe blockages, destruction of the structure.

Advantages of chimney liners

The lining of a brick chimney is carried out to prevent the formation of a large layer of soot. With the help of installed stainless steel pipes, further maintenance and operation of the device is facilitated. After such a procedure, effective cleaning of soot is possible. chemical methods, folk remedies or mechanical action.

The sleeve can be carried out both during the construction of the chimney and during operation.

Lining is a simple process that involves the installation of stainless steel pipes inside the chimney. Thereby inner surface furnace device will be smooth, and soot will not accumulate in large quantities. And also the sleeve has the following advantages:

improvement of traction and performance of the heating system;
no need for frequent cleaning of the chimney from soot;
extending the service life of the pipe;
reduction of heat losses;
tightness of a brick pipe;
prevent moisture from entering the heating system.

The design of the pipe after the sleeve provides elements for the removal of condensate, which ensures that there is no negative impact on the heating system of the house.

Calculation and materials for chimney liner

First preparatory stage chimney arrangement involves inspecting a brick chimney and identifying cracks, deformations and other damage. small cracks it is necessary to close up with cement mortar, after it dries, the structure is checked for strength. Next, you should measure the height and diameter of the pipe, and depending on these indicators, select the cross section of the metal element, which can be oval or round. For a square chimney opening, the first option is optimal, and oval ones are suitable for a rectangular hole.

The surface of the chimney must be clean before lining.

After calculating the parameters steel pipe and eliminate damage to the brick chimney, you need to select materials. The following pipe options can be used for sleeving:

round, oval, square stainless steel pipes;
corrugated flexible steel pipes;
ceramic products of various shapes.

There are also plastic elements, polymer liners, asbestos-cement pipes, but they are difficult to install, high cost, and impractical to operate.

Steel pipes are in demand for chimney liners

To equip a brick chimney, it is also necessary to prepare a sealant designed for outdoor use and withstanding high temperatures. Basalt wool is required to insulate the space between brick and steel surfaces, and an external metal umbrella to protect the structure from moisture. Tee with a branch, adapters are selected depending on working structure. Metal cleaning is installed in the condensate collector, which is also needed for arranging the pipe. Couplings are required to secure the condensate trap.

Pipe sleeve process

Before installing the inner sleeve, clean the surface of the pipe from soot, sagging cement mortar and irregularities. A winch is installed at the mouth of the pipe to control the sleeve, that is, its descent and ascent. The bottom of the shaft must be leveled and a ventilation hole with a condensate drain connected.

Installing a tee with a condensate drain involves determining the location for this part. The optimal area is under the roof, where you need to disassemble the brick chimney and mount the condensate trap. The next steps are as follows:

On a straight section of a brick pipe with hooks, ropes of sufficient length and strength are attached. Then a metal pipe is inserted at a height that allows the next part of it to be mounted. This is how all parts of the sleeve are fixed, treating the junction with sealant for furnaces.
Sleeves are inserted along the entire height of the chimney
The space between the brick wall and metal pipe filled with non-combustible heat insulator. This work is carried out from the side of the roof and therefore it is imperative to use a safety cable.
Non-combustible insulation is laid tightly enough
A protective umbrella or “skirt” is attached to the head of the brick pipe to prevent moisture from entering the chimney. The disassembled part of the pipe must be laid and sealed.
Umbrella protects the structure from precipitation

Video: chimney sleeve design features

Soot removal is a mandatory step in the maintenance of any chimney. This is necessary to ensure the safety and performance of the home heating system. Right choice cleaning technologies or sleeves are the key to the durability of the chimney and the absence of soot during operation.

When using any solid fuel, products of incomplete combustion accumulate in the chimney, which settle on the walls in the form of a soft coating. If you do not clean it in time, the clearance will decrease, which will significantly worsen traction. And so much so that the smoke goes into the room. In the worst case, the soot can catch fire, which is fraught with the destruction of the pipe or even a fire. Cleaning the chimney is practically the only way to avoid this. It is necessary to inspect the condition of the pipe twice a year - before heating season and after it. And how often you have to clean it depends on whether you use preventive chimney cleaning methods or not.

This is the result of a soot fire.

There are two types of chimney cleaning type:

Chimney sweeps have been cleaning soot in this way for centuries. Cleaning is carried out from the roof. A special projectile is lowered into the pipe - a core, to the center of which a flexible cable is welded / attached. Above the core there is a brush that crushes soot, and the core is a weighting element that simultaneously checks the patency of the pipe. When working, you need to be careful: if the traction is good, knocked down soot and other debris will fly into your face. Therefore, first put on goggles and a respirator, and also tie yourself to a pipe: with a sudden release in the face, a person involuntarily makes a sharp movement. How it can end on the roof, you can probably imagine.

This design - a ruff with a core on a cable - can be done independently, but the main snag is in the right load. It should be round and centered. No ordinary weights, heavy pieces of iron are suitable. They work for the time being, and then the tied load becomes “by surprise” in the pipe and no efforts can get it out of there. Often, in order to extract the projectile, disassembly of a fragment of the chimney is required. If you are going to clean the chimney yourself, either make or buy the “right projectile” that under no circumstances will get stuck in the chimney. Taping a brush, making it from metal or synthetic bristles - these are already details that usually do not cause difficulties.

Sometimes the pipe is too high to be reached even from the roof. In this case, the chimney is cleaned from below. If the chimney is metal and there is a cleaning glass, it is unscrewed and a ruff on a flexible rod is filled into the pipe. In some cases, not rods are used, but rigid wire. If there is no glass, maybe there is a cleaning hole, if there is none, then you will either have to disassemble the beginning of the chimney, or clean it through the firebox, which is completely inconvenient.

There is one more thing: if the pipe is metal, brushing is not enough - a large amount of plaque remains on the walls. In order for the cleaning to be of high quality, instead of a brush, a lump of rags is wound onto a wire or rod. Such cleaning of the chimney leaves behind almost perfectly clean walls.

Homemade chimney brush

One option is to make a cleaning ruff out of polypropylene pipes. Pipes are cut into fragments of approximately 1.5 meters. Threaded fittings are installed on the ends. A metal brush for a grinder is attached to one of them.

Previously, the wire on the brush is fluffed with pliers or pliers. It turns out a homemade cleaning telescopic rod for the chimney.

How to make a chimney cleaner from plastic bottle see video.

How to clean a very high or curved chimney

Sometimes the pipe rises very high above the ridge. Not to call a special vehicle with a lifting platform every time to clean the chimney? The issue is resolved with the help of a very long cable, in the middle of which a brush of a suitable diameter is attached.

A small load is tied to the end of the cable, thrown into the pipe, pulled out from the other end. The cable remains inside, and its second end hangs outside. When it becomes necessary to shake the soot, they simply pull one end, then the other, moving the brush tied to the cable. The total length of the cable is three pipe heights.

In the same way, the problem of a pipe with a bend is solved - you only have to somehow drag the cable through the knee for the first time, and then you only need to pull the ends of the cable.

Soot cleaning chemicals

Any chemical means are only preventive measures and a way to make mechanical cleaning more rare. You can cope without mechanical removal of plaque only if you have a stainless steel or ceramic chimney, and then, with the regular use of one or more products from this category.

Keep in mind that if you haven't cleaned your chimney for a long time, and you start using one of the chemicals, there is a chance that you will completely "plug" the draft. These substances do not remove or dissolve deposits, but only soften them. Softened soot and soot either fly away in the form of flakes into the pipe, or fall down. If the stove is reversible, with long curved smoke channels, soot can clog the gap. It will be necessary to open the cleaning windows, remove the soot and everything that has fallen in there. If the pipe is straight, after using these products, it is necessary to clean the firebox - within a few days, the fallen sediment will pour into it.

Folk chemicals

Let's start with "folk" means for dissolving soot. Even our grandmothers periodically sprinkled a certain amount of salt on burning firewood. So that at the same time soot flies into the chimney, and does not pour inside, the chimney is very well heated, the stoker is on full power for a while. Then half a kilogram-kilogram of salt is poured into the fire and they continue to heat for another hour and a half. If the pipe is hot enough, gray or black flakes will start flying into the pipe. For several days, then the remains can pour inward, but the bulk burns out in the pipe.

Many are well acquainted with the effects of potato starch. In the same way, with a well-heated stove, they pour on firewood near a bucket of potato peelings (you can chopped potatoes, you can starch). The effect is almost the same, with the only difference that almost everything falls inside.

Another option for “folk” chimney cleaners is to burn a few aluminum cans. In this case, the fire must be really hot: firewood with a high heat capacity is needed. Then aluminum really burns - the can disappears in 5-7 minutes. If it just darkens, there will be no effect.

store preparations

There are a variety of chimney cleaners available in stores. Some of them are produced in the form of packaged powder, others - in the form of logs or briquettes. Read the instructions before buying. There are preparations intended for open fireboxes - such as a fireplace, there are - for closed ones, such as bath or heating stoves. It is not recommended to interchange them - after all, chemistry ...

The range of chemicals for cleaning the chimney is constantly updated, but there are drugs that have existed for more than a dozen years. Their impact has already been well studied. Below we will talk about the most popular and common.

The composition of these funds, of course, is not disclosed, the principle of operation is rather poorly described: under the influence of gases released during combustion (safe for humans), soot dries up, burns out, becomes brittle and flies out into the pipe or crumbles down. Review the log for cleaning the chimney "Saginet Chimney Sweep" in the video.

Thermal chimney cleaning methods

The action of this method is based on the fact that soot is a high-calorie combustible substance. The temperature in the chimney is brought to the point where it flares up and burns out. The problem is that the burning temperature of soot is about 1100°C and few chimneys and fire cuts (when passing through the ceiling or roof) are able to withstand such heating.

Its one very unpleasant and dangerous feature is that if a lot of soot has accumulated, the moment of ignition is very similar to an explosion. Almost the same sound is heard, and the air wave is palpable. So, not weak shock load is added to the extremely high temperatures. There were times when even the coarse stoves fell apart. So this method is a dangerous undertaking.

Thermal cleaning is implemented simply: take dry aspen firewood and heat the stove. Their burning temperature is very high, and after a while the soot flares up. If aspen is heated periodically, the deposits simply do not have time to be deposited in sufficient quantities to cause any tangible harm during combustion. But on a clogged chimney, this method is dangerous to use.