Stove heating It’s still very early to write it off - it is still actively used by a huge number of people around the world, in cities and rural areas, in poor regions and in well-to-do and prosperous countries. Moreover, to some extent we can say that home autonomous heating structures are experiencing a “rebirth”, since both stoves and fireplaces are rapidly becoming fashionable, and few suburban construction of a modern mansion can do without them.
Getting your hands on something you want or a fireplace is not everything. Such structures are always objects of increased danger, and therefore it is extremely important to be able to operate them correctly. The owners become familiar with this fairly quickly with the procedure for firing stoves in everyday use, with the types of firewood needed for them. But what’s surprising is that a negligible number of owners know how to clean a chimney with their own hands, and even fewer have done it practically.
This situation cannot be called normal. The safe operation of stoves and fireplaces in residential premises depends to a good extent on the serviceability and correct operation of the chimney system. Forgetting about this, careless owners expose their life and health to extremely high dangers and own, And their loved ones, risk the safety of their housing and acquired property.
A little theory and history
What causes clogged chimneys?
Why do build-ups form on the pipe walls 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 internal channels for removing combustion products, on the design, on the type of firewood used and its quality (or other fuel), both the quantity and completeness of combustion stages (flame phase or smoldering phase), which can change from one to another several times.
- So, in smoldering mode they mostly burn T solid components - coals. In this case, gaseous products may have too low a concentration - this happens at the beginning of the fire until they reach optimal temperatures, and the process of releasing combustible pyrolysis gases has not yet been fully launched. These gaseous combustion products quickly condense, so combustion at this stage is accompanied by the release of thick white smoke.
— In active flame combustion mode, pyrolysis gases 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 addition of firewood, the violent flame is soon replaced by a smoldering stage, for the reason that the gases have already escaped and the amount of combustible substances is becoming less and less.
Be that as it may, a lot of combustion products go into the chimney in any case. Mainly during incomplete combustion they become soot (small carbon particles), complex organic compounds, resins, carbon monoxide ( carbon monoxide). Almost all of these products are flammable, and under certain conditions can even form explosive mixtures.
At the stage of complete combustion, the organic content in the smoke decreases sharply, and the main products at the inlet become water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide gases.
- From the point of view of clogging of chimney pipes, the greatest problems are caused by smoke that is maximally saturated with incompletely burnt carbon residues (ash) and heavy resins. Therefore, it is very important to know how to choose the optimal ones - not every wood is suitable for these purposes, both in its specific heat transfer and in its biochemical composition, that is, in the concentration of heavy resinous substances. Firewood from coniferous species d wood By the way, not only this feature makes them undesirable for use in everyday life - just look at the table to see how much they are inferior in both 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 fall with smoke onto the internal surfaces of the pipe, becoming an excellent “adhesive substrate” for the adhesion of soot deposits.
- But that's not all. Regular use of freshly cut, damp or improperly stored firewood is fraught with considerable danger. High humidity wood - this is the reason for abundant condensation on the walls of the pipe, which also “fits” very well rising up tiny soot particles.
Damp firewood, and even coniferous wood - you can’t think of anything worse for a stove! - Everything would be fine, but nowadays many homeowners also consider the stove as a “universal waste disposer.” This means that a large amount of household waste goes into the firebox. It turns out that a huge amount of polymers, food waste, and other substances pass through the oven, which, when burned, produce whole “bouquets” of a variety of fats, resins, esters, and non-combustible solid particles, which very quickly lead to the lumen of the pipe becoming overgrown.
- A factor stimulating frequent chimney blockages may be poor quality work performed by the stove maker. Narrowing of the pipe channel, too many turns or incorrect angle, mortar residues on the inner surface of the wall - etc. - all this provokes the build-up of soot waste in such places. In addition, poor thermal insulation of the chimney or ill-conceived pipe wall thickness that does not correspond to the order scheme can lead to excessively abundant formation of condensate - and this is another step towards an emergency situation.
- We cannot exclude the possibility that some birds decided to build nests in the pipe, which was not protected from above by a cap, in the summer, when the stove was not in use. In addition, random debris, such as dead leaves, can get into the pipe. From such little things, it would seem, sometimes it becomes quite difficult to grow punchable plugs.
- Soot that accumulates 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 stands askew in the cavity of the pipe, and then a full-fledged blockage quickly grows on the basis of this “jumper.”
The dangers of clogged chimney pipes
There are many reasons, but no matter which of them causes the blockage, it poses many very serious threats:
- Tapered the gaps in the chimney sharply reduce draft, and therefore the reverse movement of smoke is very likely - into the room, from the combustion chamber. In addition to the fact that smoke itself is unpleasant, the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning increases sharply.
- Low draft leads to an increase in the volume of condensation on the internal surfaces of the pipe, that is, further clogging of the chimney can occur even faster, like an avalanche.
- A thick layer of soot is quite strong thermal insulator, which prevents the furnace channels from heating to the desired temperature. This situation always, without exception, leads to a drop in the efficiency of the heating device and to excessive consumption of the fuel used.
- Soot is unburned solid residue, but this does not mean that it is non-flammable. On the contrary, a thick layer of soot deposits under certain conditions can easily be ignited by a flame, for example, from sparks rising with the flow of gases. This leads not only to the burning of the pipe walls, but also to the vulnerability of the entire house. 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 hazard for neighboring buildings - from such an uncleaned chimney very often “fiery tails” fly out - sheaves of hot solid soot particles.
Such situations are described without any exaggeration. All these troubles can occur in combination, almost simultaneously, and the consequences are sometimes the most tragic. That’s why you should never forget about regular inspections and cleanings.
How often should cleaning be carried out?
Cleaning a pipe that is heavily clogged with soot deposits is an extremely difficult task. It is best not to let this happen, but to carry out regular inspections and preventative cleanings of the chimney.
| Name of preventive measure and type of equipment | Frequency of work |
|---|---|
| Preventive inspections of the condition of the chimney and smoke exhaust channels of stoves | |
| 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 | Immediately before the start of the heating season |
| Checking chimney systems of gas furnaces 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 characterized by harsh winters with low temperatures, chimney heads are checked at least twice a month to prevent ice crust from freezing and causing blockage |
The fact that this needs to be done is probably already clear to everyone. But who will do this?
Where can I find a chimney sweep?
But this is a problem in our time, and a considerable one. There are not many chimney sweeps left - professionals, in the understanding that has been put into this concept for several centuries.
By the way, the need for the emergence of such specialization in the Middle Ages is directly related to massive urban fires, which from time to time shook many densely populated European cities and literally destroyed them to the ground. There is an awareness of the direct relationship between the risk of fires and the condition of chimneys, and an understanding of the importance of qualified maintenance of stoves 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, this 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 that involves greatest number all sorts of superstitions, signs and prejudices, urban legends and amazing, unlikely stories.
On the one hand, chimney sweeps, always smeared from head to toe with soot, seemed to be outcasts who were even forbidden to move on the sidewalks for the “clean public.” But on the other hand, all representatives of this profession have always been distinguished by a rather elegant appearance - a fitted short jacket with necessarily shiny buttons and a wide leather belt, and the obligatory headdress - a top hat. They say that, perhaps, the tradition of wearing a top hat came not only from the desire to look “impressive” - it’s just that this voluminous, high headdress contained a lot of equipment and accessories necessary for work. In addition, it could serve as a good shock absorber when, for example, a brick falls on your head.
The activities of chimney sweeps sometimes evoked some mystical feelings - they were often credited with being close to " evil spirits", they frightened 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 soot-smeared mask of a chimney sweep there was hiding some kind of exile or a once-lost child of “blue blood”.
Despite all the wariness towards representatives of this profession, they were rather treated with great respect. And in many countries it is still believed that touching a chimney sweep and getting your finger dirty with soot is a sure sign good luck soon.
In many cities of Central and Northern Europe, monuments to chimney sweeps have been erected. These specialists are in great demand there even now. There are even special schools, studies in which, by the way, take several years and include, in addition to narrow technological areas, many special related disciplines, including mathematics, physics, fundamentals of architecture, ecology and even economics.
True, the “weapons” of a modern chimney sweep are 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 good specialist in our area?
- Well, firstly, you can search in regional periodicals in the sections of advertisements for the provision of services. By the way, competent specialists– chimney sweeps are highly valued and surely their names and contacts should be known locally.
- Secondly, in many cities, regional centers and etc.. Specialized companies have been created and are operating - enterprises engaged in servicing furnace and boiler equipment. Surely, one of the types of services provided is inspection, repair and cleaning of chimneys.
- And thirdly, if all this is not available in local conditions, or if there is simply no desire to involve someone from the outside, you will have to learn the basic cleaning techniques yourself.
Mechanical manual cleaning of chimneys
For a long time, the main method of servicing chimneys was their mechanical cleaning, and, therefore, the main tools of chimney sweeps were brushes, pipe cleaners, heavy cannonballs on cables, scrapers, brooms and other devices. What is characteristic is that all these tools and technological methods of working with them have not undergone any significant fundamental changes to this day.
Roof side cleaning
Cleaning tool
So, to clean the chimney channel from above, from the roof side, it is usually used rope(rope) on which they are attached (tied or buckled up 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.
The classic chimney sweep tool is a rope with a core and a brush The heavy load (the core) serves a dual function. Under the influence of its gravity, the brush-ruff (one or even several) moves in the chimney channel from top to bottom. But when severe blockages The chimney sweep first breaks through the channel with the core, using it as percussion instrument. Only after the passage of the canal has been achieved, brushes can be used.
The round shape of the core is very convenient in that it minimizes the risk of it jamming in any tight, soot-covered areas of the chimney. However, this is not a dogma at all, and the craftsmen in the manufacture homemade instrument use other available loads. The main thing is that the suspended object is well centered so that it does not get skewed anywhere.
Brushes are attached above the core, in one or two tiers.
Modern brushes can be made of plastic or have long metal bristles. (It is strictly forbidden to use metal brushes on chimneys mounted on stainless steel pipes). They differ in shape: most of them are round, but you can find special brushes for rectangular chimneys.
The brushes are equipped with rings at the top and bottom for assembling them into general design– for attaching a cable or other circuit elements – additional brushes and a core.
There are models of 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, you can find ready-made “chimney sweep kits” in specialized stores. They are equipped for a certain diameter of the chimney and include all the elements necessary for cleaning the top - a rope (cable), a weight, a set of brushes and carabiners.
If you assemble such a device yourself, then the brush can be purchased at the store. But, apparently, there are situations when buying it for some reason is not possible at the moment. If the chimney needs urgent cleaning, but there is no brush, you can make it yourself, using old plastic bottles as a starting material.
| Miniature | Description of the work process |
|---|---|
 | An ordinary plastic bottle is taken and cut in two so that the upper part is about 150 mm in height. Cuts 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 petals bent, the diameter of the resulting brush is larger 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 plug is drilled and screwed into place, the result is 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 ensure that the brush passes 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 brush. To do this, a cylinder is cut out of the remaining part of the bottle, cut lengthwise, and installed between the brushes. It is given a diameter approximately half that of the brushes, after which it is fixed with a regular office stapler. Then all that remains is to tie a fixing knot over the top brush plug - and the tool is almost ready for use! |
This approach, by the way, is completely justified in country houses, where the furnace is fired less often, and buying a professional tool or calling a specialist is simply unprofitable. And a homemade brush can cope with a one-time task no worse than a factory one. And there is no need to store it - you can always cut out 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 take some measures that will prevent the cleaned soot from falling out of the stove or fireplace onto the floor and onto interior items in the premises. For example, the hearth or combustion chamber is additionally covered with a wet cloth.
- Cleaning from the roof side must be carried out with obligatory observance special measures precautions, especially if the roof has a steep slope. Fall insurance is provided. Your feet must wear closed shoes with non-slip soles. Be sure to wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from soot or other particles. Hands are protected with gloves. It would probably be advisable to cover your face and hair, since soot is quite difficult to wash off. Such work should not be carried out during rain or strong wind. Naturally, starting such operations in a not entirely sober state, tired, or under the influence of certain medications is strictly prohibited.
- Cleaning begins by removing the umbrella (or other pipe head). Inspect the entire visible part of the canal and, if necessary, use a scraper, broom, or other available tools to clear it of debris and deposits.
- Next, a test pass is made with the core. If you come across large deposits, then the load should help deal with them - chip them off so that they fall down.
- After the load has shown the passage of the channel to the required depth, brushes are installed above the core, and the process of cleaning the walls from soot begins. The principle is simple, the work is quite tedious and dirty. The bottom of the brush moves under the weight of the load, and up when pulled by a rope. Slowly, in small sections, the walls are cleaned from the top and to the full possible depth.
- From time to time, inspection chambers on the chimney are checked - they are cleaned of soot that has fallen from above. They will be completely cleaned upon completion of work.
Instead of a cable with a load, long flexible shafts with a brush screwed onto them or prefabricated rods are increasingly used in our time. These tools are more versatile, as they allow you to clean chimneys from below, from the side of the stove (fireplace). Let's look at them below.
Cleaning the chimney from the stove side
A tool with a load is effective only until the first serious turn - even at an angle of 45 ° the passage will be problematic, and with a rectangular one it is guaranteed to stall.
To carry out cleanings, if the design of the furnace is well thought out, there must be special vents and hatches that allow cleaning tools to be inserted into the pipe cavity without resorting to disassembling it. But here gravity no longer becomes an assistant, but quite the opposite. And in order to push the brush inside the chimney, it must be placed 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.
This device is quite multifunctional. It is used, changing only brushes of different diameters, for cleaning ventilation systems, small areas of chimneys, and sewers.
A more professional approach is a special tool in which the flexible shaft is already much larger diameter wound on a drum. The size of the areas being cleaned is, of course, much larger. On flexible shaft Markings are usually applied, which allows you to accurately monitor the depth of the brush entry into the pipe.
Finally, these can be prefabricated rods that are screwed to one another as the brush moves deeper into the chimney.
You can find similar sets on sale, complete with required quantity rods made of fiberglass, and brushes of the required diameter - plastic and metal.
The rods are usually 1 m long each, equipped with threaded adapters for mutual installation with each other or for installing a brush. As a rule, there are 10 such parts in a set.
The table below shows an example of cleaning an external 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 inspection. Exactly this comfortable spot for cleaning. |
| The plug is completely removed to open the passage into the cavity of the chimney pipe. The removed part can be immediately cleaned of dirt, fallen soot, and other foreign objects. | |
 | Since the stainless steel pipe will be cleaned, we put the metal brush included in the kit aside - 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 and cleaning begins. Performing translational frictional movements up and down, the brush is gradually moved upward along the chimney channel. It is forbidden to make rotational (around an axis) movements, so as not to accidentally unscrew the assembled tool. |
 | As necessary, during the work, the total length of the central rod is increased - new rods are screwed on. |
 | And this miniature demonstrates the extreme flexibility of fiberglass rods. Thus, curved sections of the chimney are also amenable 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). |
In a similar way, any areas of the chimney where it is possible to introduce a brush are cleaned. This can be done when cleaning from the roof, from inspection hatches or directly from the firebox (a typical example is a regular fireplace). Removing the brush from the pipe is done in the reverse order, with sequential dismantling of the sections.
The soot cleared from the surface of the walls is collected and removed - sometimes it is 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, you may need to minor repairs chimney - for example, repairing cracks or other defects in the external surface. The pipe head must be reinstalled.
By the way, it’s easy to make a set of such rods yourself, using polypropylene pipes. Their flexibility, of course, is not as high as that of carbon fiber, but it may be quite sufficient for certain straight chimneys.
If there is, then making such a set of rods will take literally a few minutes. You need to cut the pipe (Ø 20 mm) into equal sections (for example, 1 meter), and weld ordinary ½-inch threaded fittings along the edges of each. It is clear that the “father” is welded on one end, and the “mother” on the other.
Chemical cleaning of chimneys
Mechanical cleaning of chimneys is a very radical method that gives good results. But this event is quite difficult and very dirty. Is it possible to simplify this cleaning? It turns out that it is possible if you regularly carry out preventive work using special chemical agents.
The principle of their physical and chemical action may be different, but is aimed at common goals - removing already formed soot deposits from the inner wall of the pipe and creating conditions for the longest possible prevention of new soot deposits. Let's take a closer look at a few of these tools:
"Smoke"
Products are manufactured under this brand Russian company"Ecolais". 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 soot deposits, transform the resinous components, making them brittle and self-settling. As a result, the growths either crumble down or come out, carried away by the 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 bag - 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 a cleaner in the form of a log will also add an aesthetic component to the process.
More aesthetically pleasing is to use a “Smoke” log This purifier is designed in the form of an ordinary log that can be used to heat a 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 characteristics, therefore, a special approach is needed to prevent such equipment.
This cleaning product is given characteristic appearance conventional - it’s more convenient to mix with the main fuel. But, by the way, you can also use it in conventional wood-burning stoves.
Typically cleaning is carried out once every two months. For a flight boiler, you need to mix 10 kilograms of cleaner with a ton of natural pellets. If a regular stove is being cleaned, then it will be enough to add a kilogram of granules daily, for 5 days, to the firewood during one of the fireboxes.
Video: cleaning chimneys with Dymovoy brand products
Production of the companyHANSA
Technologists from the West German company HANSA, when developing preventative agents for heating devices, placed the main emphasis on the fight against creosote - resinous substances that, when interacting with water vapor, create that very sticky base on which soot actively settles.
The substances included in the preparations act in two ways. The first are aimed at active catalysis, so that carbon particles burn as completely as possible, leaving virtually no soot. Other substances react with creosote when exposed to high temperatures. At the same time, the resinous structure loses moisture, and therefore its viscosity. The remaining layer becomes fragile, brittle, it begins to crumble and almost completely burns in the flame of the hearth.
You can find several on sale types of similar cleaners that in Russia they are better known under the brand “Chimney Sweep”.
- The top miniature shows the “Chimney Sweep” product, 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 preventive purposes, adding, for example, 1 - 2 measuring cups for every 4 - 5 fires of the stove or fireplace. This approach allows you to be sure that soot will not accumulate in the chimney.
- Below is the same product, but already dosed in sachets. The use is no different from the method described above.
- The middle miniature shows a “Chimney Sweeper” log in a package. In this form, it is placed in a heated combustion chamber, ignited and left until completely burned out. To keep chimneys constantly clean, it is recommended to carry out such preventive maintenance approximately once a month.
Chimney Sweep cleaners are suitable for all types of stoves and chimneys. What is especially important is that 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 Czech-made chimney cleaning product among Russians.
Prepackaged sachets of Kominichek It is an istallic mixture packaged in 14 gram sachets. Usually one such bag is designed for a kilogram of dry firewood. Chemical reagents convert soot deposits deposited on the pipe walls 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” is not enough if the chimney is very neglected and the soot layer on the walls already exceeds 2 mm. And one more limitation - processing using “Kominichek”, due to its peculiarities chemical composition and, as a result, odor, can only be carried out with the combustion chamber door tightly closed. Thus, this cleaner cannot be used in fireplaces with an open hearth.
There are many other means - there is plenty to choose from There are many other cleaners, soot and tar converters, etc., both domestic and foreign. You can sample some of them and choose best option for myself - both in terms of efficiency, ease of use, and cost.
Video: one of the chemical cleaning products - “The Cheerful Chimney Sweep”
Folk remedies for cleaning chimneys
There are many ways in which our ancestors, with varying degrees of success, fought the phenomenon of chimneys becoming overgrown with soot. Surely, some of these folk methods were taken into account when creating modern chemical cleaners.
Let's remember a few folk "recipes":
- Regular boiling water can be of great help in breaking through very strong old sooty clogs. Several liters of very hot water are poured into the pipe from above immediately before starting to light the stove.
Boiling water will soften it somewhat T hard growths, and the rising hot gaseous combustion products will destroy them, causing the soot to fly out in pieces along with the smoke.
- One of the most simple ways is to add a small amount of ordinary table salt to the firewood. Sodium chloride vapors appear to have a destructive effect on viscous soot deposits.
True, this method is applicable only as a preventive measure. It will not help deal with old, even small soot growths.
- Unexpectedly, naphthalene also helps in this matter. A standard tablet of this substance, thrown into a melted hearth, becomes an excellent preventive and cleansing agent. The soot begins to flake off and come out along with the smoke.
The method is proven, but, alas, not without its drawbacks. And the main one is that mothballs have a very persistent smell, which is very difficult to get rid of, and which is not pleasant to everyone.
- Do not throw away potato peelings - 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.
An old folk method - burning potato peelings in an oven Rising vapors with a high starch content soften the structure of sooty growths. Some of them will fall off. And the remaining ones 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. copper sulfate. The composition is made in proportions:
- copper sulfate - 5 parts;
- powdered coal (preferably coke) - 2 parts;
- saltpeter - 7 parts.
You don’t need a lot of this mixture at all - about 20 grams per hundred kilograms of firewood is enough. The composition is poured into the oven preheated to the optimal setting, then the firebox door is closed very tightly. Carry out similar cleanings in the hearths open type forbidden.
- Finally, one of the most famous cleaning methods is the use of special firewood for this purpose. Thus, it was noticed that the fumes released during the combustion of aspen or alder contribute to the detachment of soot deposits from the walls of the chimney, and very high, but short-term heat allows the residues to escape with smoke or burn in the firebox.
Alder firewood - usually stands 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 considered a high-quality type of fuel for heating rooms, or the heat transfer from them is small. But having a supply of such wood is still very useful. Occasionally, for preventive purposes, you can finish firing the stove by finally adding a few kilograms of alder or aspen into it. True, in this case it is necessary to ensure that sparks, which 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. Maintaining the stove in good and safe condition is the direct responsibility of every homeowner. And it’s up to him to decide whether to call a chimney sweep or do everything himself. The main thing is not to forget to do this, to elevate such events to the rank of priority. And, of course, strictly follow the recommendations for the correct operation of stoves - then you will not have to address cleaning issues so often.
Heating a house, cottage or bathhouse 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 chimney cleaning.
Why does the chimney become overgrown with soot?
The combustion process of 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, it means it contains soot particles, but most of it settles in the chimney, especially in places of turns.
Now a little about what can cause active soot formation:
The rate at which the chimney becomes overgrown with soot also depends on the type of firewood. Resinous spruce and pine in this regard are not the best choice, but burn with expensive oak or other deciduous trees not everyone has the opportunity. In any case, you can make sure that the firewood is dry. To do this, it is worth building a larger one so that it can accommodate a supply for 2-3 years. Then you can use the most seasoned and dried logs, and let the fresh ones lie and reach condition.
How can you clean a chimney from soot?
There are three ways to clean a chimney:
- Mechanical. A brush is inserted into the chimney, with the help of which the soot is knocked off the walls. The disadvantage of this method is that you need to have access to the pipe, which is not always easy. Not everyone is able to climb onto the roof, and cleaning from below requires flexible rods and access. Another unpleasant moment: all the contents fall down, you will have to collect it and take it out, and then spend a long time cleaning the soot from the stove or fireplace. Therefore, before starting cleaning, place some kind of container into which everything will be poured.
- Chemical chimney cleaning - powders and briquettes (logs). When the system warms up, the powders are poured into the fire, and logs are placed under the firebox. The substances they contain soften the soot, it gradually flies into the pipe, but can fall down and block the passage altogether. So it is better to use these products for prevention when there is still a little soot.
- Traditional methods. The problem of chimneys becoming overgrown with soot is not new, and our ancestors knew how to deal with it without chemicals. There were, of course, chimney sweeps, but they worked in cities, and their services cost a lot. Nevertheless, the problem was dealt with, and very by simple means- salt or potato peelings.
There is another drastic solution - go to the fire department and call specialists. They are no longer called chimney sweeps, but perform the same functions, albeit by different means. The solution is not bad, they know their job, since soot is explosive, as long as they don’t give permission to anyone. The only negative is the cost of such services.
Mechanical chimney cleaning products
Cleaning chimneys using brushes has been used for centuries, and they are still available today. A brush-ruff is attached to the end of a long elastic and flexible cable. Diameter - individually depending on the size of the chimney. A small metal ball can be tied under the ruff to make the tool go down easier. This structure is lowered into the chimney, raised, lowered again and raised again. Do this until the passage is clear. Everything works simply - the bristles knock off the soot from the pipe.
This chimney cleaning has one feature: if there is good draft most of the crushed soot flies out into the chimney. Therefore, firstly, you need to tie yourself down so that you don’t fall off the roof due to involuntary movement, and secondly, put on safety glasses and a respirator. Gloves would also help, but they are needed to prevent the cable from injuring your hands.
If you decide to make a chimney brush yourself, hang the ball below, and a centered one. Kettlebells or spanners don’t fit - sooner or later they become a waste in the chimney. You will be lucky if you can remove the tool without disassembling 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 put a ladder up to it, you can’t get close to it in any other way. In this case, the chimney is cleaned from below. For this purpose there are brushes on flexible rods. Fragments of the rod are connected to one another, the brush moves along the pipe. In this case, part of the soot is also carried away by the draft, but some falls down and this must also be taken into account. Professional chimney sweeps use special vacuum cleaners (not household ones, since soot is explosive) to collect self-cleaning you will have to assemble everything manually.
If you have a fireplace, everything is simple - access is free, but if it is a boiler or sauna stove, the matter is more complicated. If the chimney has a glass to collect condensate, by removing it, you can run a brush into the pipe without any problems. If there are no revisions, you will have to try to get to the pipe through the firebox. If this is not possible, you will have to disassemble the chimney. Then it’s better to immediately redo it by installing a tee with a glass.
Chimney cleaning products
Clean the chimney using chemicals You can, as long as it's not too crowded. If the pipe is brick, these products help make mechanical cleaning less frequent. As an independent product they can be used for ceramic chimneys or those made of stainless steel. All these powders or logs for removing soot from a pipe are preventative. Clean them chimney From a large amount of soot it is not always possible. There have been cases when the soot that fell after burning the powder clogged the chimney tightly. I had to take a brush 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 smoke ducts also softens. Pulling them by hand is a small pleasure, but regular use does a good job of eliminating 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 and the stove or fireplace must be cleaned. Please note that after treatment, the soot may still fall off for a couple of days - the remnants fly off.
Traditional methods of chimney cleaning
The easiest way to prevent soot formation is to heat an already heated stove with aspen wood. They burn with a very hot flame, and the soot in the chimney burns away. The action is effective, but dangerous - if a lot of soot has accumulated, it explodes when ignited and can rupture the pipe.
There are safer folk remedies that make chimney cleaning both effective and safe. Add half a kilogram of salt or about a bucket of potato peelings to a melted and well-heated oven. It is better to dry the peelings or add raw ones little by little - so as not to reduce the temperature in the firebox. The effect is approximately the same as when using chemicals, only a little softer - the soot flies out of the chimney for another three days.
Heating devices that burn wood or other solid fuels require periodic cleaning. Deposits on the walls of the chimney are dangerous not only due to narrowing of channels, collapses and blocking of passages, but also due to the ignition of deposits, which can lead to a fire in the house. The danger must be eliminated in a timely manner. Do you agree?
We will tell you how to maintain the smoke duct so that it does not pose a threat to you and your property. The article presented for your review describes in detail how to clean a chimney from soot, how often and when it needs to be done. For zealous owners, effective preventive measures.
Carrying out mechanical cleaning- This is a rather complex 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 form on the channel walls, 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 typical for the initial combustion, when the wood is just starting to burn.
Therefore, when lighting a stove or fireplace, you need to strive to increase the temperature in the firebox as quickly as possible - heat the stove with dry wood, use more thin and dry wood chips.
In addition, after the fire dies out, it is necessary to maintain heat. To do this, as soon as all the fuel has burned 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.
The combustion temperature can be determined 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 clear the chimney of soot using a newspaper. It is set on fire and brought to the firebox and to the cleaning doors.
If there is no traction in any section, then, most likely, the blockage in the channels located above could not be removed. In this case, it is better to invite a chimney sweep who will help to accurately determine the cause and cope with poor draft.
Tell us about how you cleaned the chimney own dacha or in country house. Please write comments in the block below the text of the article. Ask questions, share information useful for site visitors, leave photographs on the topic.
The uninterrupted operation of a home's stove heating system largely depends on the functionality of the chimney. Cleaning the pipe is one of the mandatory activities. There are several cleaning technologies, and therefore, before servicing the chimney, you need to choose the optimal method.
Causes of soot formation
When lighting 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. From the 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 chimney, then it contains particles of soot, but a large amount of it settles on the inner surface of the chimney. This causes the pipe to become dirty, and the bend areas are particularly susceptible to dirt accumulation and need to be cleaned.
Any chimney needs regular maintenance and cleaning
If the chimney is excessively clogged, there is a risk of fire, poisoning by fuel combustion products, and low efficiency of the heating system. The reasons for these consequences are expressed as follows:
- using raw wood to light 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 chimney maintenance.
Designing a chimney always requires taking into account standards and regulations. The pipe must have optimal parameters, because the traction force and frequency of maintenance and cleaning of the chimney depend on this.
Determining Cleaning Needs
A clogged chimney occurs as a result of various circumstances, but signs of contamination are always associated with smoke entering the room. Thus, if smoke is generated inside the room when lighting a stove or fireplace, bad smell, then there is no draft that allows the smoke to escape out. A reverse draft occurs, as a result of which the air moves not up, but down, that is, into a room with a stove or fireplace. Incorrect design of the smoke exhaust system also does not allow the stove to be fired effectively from the very beginning of its use.
When constructing a chimney, certain rules and regulations are taken into account
Random extinguishing of a fireplace or stove during combustion is one of the signs that the chimney needs to be serviced. Cleaning is also required when the flame is poor, when the fire does not flare up. The unusual bright orange color of the flame also indicates that the correct air movement is disturbed. In such cases, cleaning the heating system is necessary, but first you should take into account the design features of the chimney. Therefore, if a pipe is clogged, you should determine a method for clearing the blockage. Manipulations can be carried out from the outside, from the roof or from inside the room.
Chimney treatment methods
If the stove or fireplace pipe is clogged, 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 contamination, and the characteristics 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 soot deposited on the inner walls of the pipe.
When disassembling the chimney, you can see a layer of soot in the area where the system turns
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 using products and tools and carry out further cleaning as quickly as possible.
Chemical method: materials and technology
The use of special chemicals is effective when there is 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-heated 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 fall down, blocking the passage. That is why chemical method Suitable only for prevention and removal of light plaque.
Chemicals help soften and remove soot
Means for chemical treatment of pipes are quite varied. The main structures have the following application features:
- Kominichek granules are often found in stores, and their use involves preliminary lighting of the stove or fireplace. After this, you need to place the paper bag with granules on the firewood; there is no need to tear the packaging and pour out the component. The product effectively removes plaque up to 3 mm thick;
- “Chimney Sweeper” logs or under another name are produced by many companies. The products are placed in a heated oven, the log burns, and the released substances soften the soot. During the combustion process, you need to ensure that large accumulations of dirt do not clog the chimney;
- powder volume different means put in the oven without opening the package. The principle of their operation is the same as in cases with logs or granules.
After using these products, you need to ventilate the room well and clean the chimney by mechanical means, which is required when there is a large accumulation of soot. If the plaque layer was no more than 3 mm, then the chemical components successfully remove the dirt, leaving clean pipe walls. In some cases, the effect of the products lasts another 2-3 days, soot particles fall off.
Video: log for cleaning the chimney
Features of mechanical chimney cleaning
Mechanical cleaning of the heating system pipe involves the use of a special brush with a long handle. This device is best used outside, but to use it from the furnace side you will need a flexible hose that allows you to rotate the brush inside the pipe. In any case, soot subjected to mechanical action falls down and therefore it is necessary to provide a container for easier removal of dirt. Without this, you will need to wash the stove or fireplace from black soot after removing it from the chimney.
Chimney brushes are varied and you need to choose a tool depending on the diameter of the pipe
Tools for mechanical cleaning can be purchased at the store or made independently using available materials. The diameter of the brush is selected to match the size of the pipe, and for manipulation 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 and placed in the chimney from the side of the roof or stove.
The cable must be rigid, since the accuracy of control of the brush depends on this
- Cleaning is carried out with rotating movements, as a result of which the soot breaks off from the walls of the pipe and falls.
It is convenient to clean a small diameter chimney from the inside
- You need to install a container in the stove or fireplace to collect dirt, which will allow you to quickly and easily wash all surfaces without unnecessary debris.
When cleaning outside, it is important to use a safety net to prevent falls from the roof.
A brush is a disposable device for cleaning pipes and therefore is often made independently, because it is very difficult to wash a used tool from soot. To make it, you can use a 5-liter plastic bottle, thick wire, or plumbing cable. The process of creating a chimney brush involves the following manipulations:
- The bottom of the bottle needs to be cut off and the walls should be loosened thin stripes, reaching the neck.
The strips can be folded in half and secured with a stapler at the neck
- It is best to fold the strips in half and secure them with a stapler at the neck. A self-tapping screw is screwed into the lid from the inside, the sharp end of which is secured with a wire to the cable.
Bolts can be used for fixation
- As a base, you can use a broom head, a body from plastic bottles, or 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 brush for cleaning a chimney should be quite stiff, capable of removing a thick layer of soot. Before mechanical treatment, it is best to carry out dry cleaning, which helps soften the plaque and make it easier to remove.
Video: brush and weight for cleaning pipes
What and how to light a fireplace to clean the chimney
Proper operation of the stove involves not only regular maintenance, but also compliance with certain rules of kindling. This allows you to prevent the formation of large amounts of soot, prevent plaque formation and maintain the efficiency of the heating system.
The fireplace requires dry wood small size
The basic operating rules are expressed as follows:
- Powdered chemicals or a special log can be used regularly when lighting the stove. This allows you to promptly remove a thin layer of soot and avoid the use of a mechanical cleaning method;
- cannot be used for kindling damp 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 has a negative impact on human health and requires long-term ventilation of the room.
The stove or fireplace should be heated only with high-quality wood, which prevents the formation of a thick layer of soot.
Folk remedies for chimney cleaning
Manufacturers produce a variety of chemicals and tools for mechanical removal of soot from the chimney. Traditional methods are also in demand and no less effective. For example, potato peelings help soften and eliminate plaque inside the pipe. Half a bucket of dry and some fresh peelings should be poured into the heated oven. During the combustion of this component, starch is released, which helps soften and separate soot from the walls of the pipe. The mild effect of potato peelings lasts for several days, that is, soot flies out of the chimney within another three days.
After the final removal of soot, you need to clean the outer surface of the chimney
Table salt can be combined with potato peelings or used separately. The substance is taken in an amount of 0.5 kg. The salt is carefully poured into the heated stove or fireplace, avoiding a sharp temperature change inside the firebox. Aspen firewood is also effective, but its effect is based on burning out soot. Therefore, you need to use no more than two logs combined with other fuel when lighting the stove. These products can be used regularly to keep the chimney clean.
Chimney lining: do-it-yourself arrangement
Brick chimneys are most often subjected to the lining procedure, as they have a rough surface. Soot easily settles on such a base and the device quickly loses its effectiveness. The sleeve method can also be used for asbestos pipes, but such elements are rarely installed in private homes. Asbestos pipes are impractical and short-lived. Therefore, lining of brick chimneys is most common.
Brick chimneys are more prone to blockages than other options
Lining can be carried out in two options: installing stainless steel pipes or completely relining the shaft. The first option is optimal for preventing contamination of the chimney and ensuring the longevity of the pipe. Complete arrangement is carried out in case of severe blockages or structural destruction.
Advantages of chimney lining
Lining of a brick chimney is carried out to prevent the formation of a large layer of soot. By using installed pipes Made of stainless steel, further maintenance and operation of the device is facilitated. After this procedure, effective soot removal is possible. chemical methods, folk remedies or mechanical influence.
Lining can be carried out both during the construction of the chimney and during operation
Lining is a simple process that involves installing a stainless steel pipe inside the chimney. Thereby inner surface furnace device will be smooth, and soot will not accumulate in large quantities. And also lining 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;
- preventing moisture from entering the heating system.
The design of the pipe after lining 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 lining
First preparatory stage chimney installation involves inspecting the brick chimney and identifying cracks, deformations and other damage. Small cracks it needs to be sealed with cement mortar, after it has dried, 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 opening.
The surface of the chimney must be clean before lining
After calculating the parameters steel pipe and repairing damage to a brick chimney, you need to select materials. The following pipe options can be used for lining:
- 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 characterized by complex installation, high cost, and impracticality in operation.
Steel pipes are in demand for chimney lining
To install a brick chimney, it is also necessary to prepare a sealant intended for outdoor use and withstand high temperatures. Basalt wool is required to insulate the space between the brick and steel surfaces, and an external metal umbrella protects the structure from moisture. Tee with outlet, adapters are selected depending on working structure. Metal cleaning is installed in a condensate collector, which is also needed for arranging the pipe. Connecting couplings are required to secure the condensate trap.
Pipe sleeve process
Before installing the inner sleeve, the surface of the pipe should be cleaned of soot and deposits. cement mortar and irregularities. A winch is installed at the mouth of the pipe to control the sleeve, that is, to lower and lift it. The bottom of the shaft must be leveled and a ventilation hole must be provided with a condensate drain connection.
Installing a tee with a condensate drain involves determining a location for this part. The optimal area is under the roof, where you need to disassemble brick chimney and install a condensate collector. Next steps are as follows:
- On straight line A brick pipe with hooks is secured with ropes of sufficient length and strength. Then a metal pipe is inserted at a height that allows the next part to be mounted. This is how all parts of the sleeve are fixed, treating the joint with oven sealant.
The sleeves are inserted along the entire height of the chimney
- The space between the brick wall and metal pipe filled with non-flammable heat insulator. This work is carried out from the roof side and therefore it is necessary to use a safety rope.
Non-combustible insulation is laid quite tightly
- 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.
The umbrella protects the structure from precipitation
Video: design features of the chimney liner
Soot removal - mandatory stage maintenance of any chimney. This is necessary to ensure the safety and functionality of your home heating system. Right choice cleaning technologies or lining 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 cleaning is not carried out in time, the clearance will decrease, which will significantly worsen traction. And so much so that smoke will go into the room. In the worst case, the soot can catch fire, which can lead to pipe destruction or even fire. Chimney cleaning 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. How often you will have to clean depends on whether you use preventative chimney cleaning methods or not.
This is the result of soot igniting
There are two types of chimney cleaning:
Chimney sweeps have been cleaning soot 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 brushes away soot, and the core is a weighting element that simultaneously checks the permeability of the pipe. When working, you need to be careful: if the traction is good, soot and other debris will fly into your face. Therefore, first put on goggles and a respirator, and also stay attached to the pipe: with a sudden release in the face, a person involuntarily makes a sudden movement. You can probably imagine how this could end up on the roof.
This design- a ruff with a core on a cable - you can make it yourself, but the main catch is in the correct load. It should be round and centered. No ordinary weights or heavy pieces of iron are suitable. They work for the time being, and then the tied load becomes “stupid” in the pipe and cannot be removed from there by any effort. Often, in order to remove the projectile, disassembling a fragment of the chimney is required. If you are going to clean the chimney yourself, either make or buy a “correct projectile” that will under no circumstances get stuck in the chimney. Wrapping a brush, making it out of metal or synthetic bristles - these are 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, unscrew it and insert a brush on a flexible rod into the pipe. In some cases, not rods are used, but rigid wire. If there is no glass, maybe there is a cleaning hole, but 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 point: if the pipe is metal, cleaning with a brush is not enough - a large amount of plaque remains on the walls. To ensure high-quality cleaning, instead of a brush, wrap a ball of rags around a wire or rod. This chimney cleaning leaves behind almost perfectly clean walls.
Homemade brush for cleaning the chimney
One option is to make a cleaning brush from polypropylene pipes. The pipes are cut into fragments of approximately 1.5 meters. Threaded fittings are installed at the ends. A metal brush for an angle grinder is attached to one of them.
First, the wire on the brush is fluffed using pliers or pliers. It turns out to be a homemade cleaner telescopic rod for the chimney.
How to make a chimney cleaner from plastic bottle look in the video.
How to clean a very tall or curved chimney
Sometimes the pipe rises very high above the ridge. Why not call a special machine 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 weight is tied to the end of the cable, thrown into the pipe, and pulled out from the other end. The cable remains inside, and its other end hangs outside. When the need arises to shake the soot, simply pull first one end, then the other, moving the brush tied to the cable. The total length of the cable is three pipe heights.
The problem of a pipe with a bend is solved in the same way - you only have to somehow pull the cable through the bend the first time, and then you only need to pull the ends of the cable.
Chemicals for cleaning soot
Any chemicals are only preventive measures and a way to make mechanical cleaning less frequent. You can cope without mechanical removal of plaque only if you have a stainless steel or ceramic chimney, and only with regular use of one or more products from this category.
Keep in mind that if you haven't cleaned your chimney in a while 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. The softened soot and soot either flies away in the form of flakes into the chimney or falls down. If the stove is reversible, with long curved smoke channels, soot can clog the clearance. It will be necessary to open the cleaning windows, rake out the soot and everything that has fallen there. If the pipe is straight, after using these products you need to clean the firebox - within a few days the fallen sediment will fall into it.
Folk chemicals
Let's start with “folk” remedies for dissolving soot. Our grandmothers also periodically sprinkled some salt on burning wood. So that the soot flies into the chimney and does not fall inside, the chimney is heated very well, the fireman on full power for a while. Then half a kilogram or a kilogram of salt is poured into the fire and the fire continues for another hour and a half. If the pipe is hot enough, gray or black flakes begin to fly out into the pipe. Over the course of several days, residues may fall inside, but the bulk burns in the pipe.
Many people are well familiar with the effects of potato starch. In the same way, with a well-heated oven, pour about a bucket of potato peelings onto the firewood (you can use chopped potatoes, or you can use starch). The effect is almost the same, with the only difference being that almost everything falls inside.
Another option for “folk” chemicals for cleaning chimneys is burning several aluminum cans. In this case, the fire must be really hot: you need firewood with high heat capacity. Then the aluminum really burns - the can disappears in 5-7 minutes. If it just darkens, there will be no effect.
Store-bought drugs
There are various chimney cleaning products available in stores. Some of them are produced in the form of powder packaged in bags, others - in the form of logs or briquettes. Please read the instructions before purchasing. There are preparations intended for open fireboxes, such as a fireplace, and others for closed ones, such as bathhouses or heating stoves. It is not recommended to replace them - after all, chemistry...
The range of chemicals for cleaning chimneys is constantly updated, but there are drugs that have existed for decades. Their effects have already been well studied. Below we will talk about the most popular and common ones.
The composition of these products, of course, is not disclosed; the principle of operation is described rather poorly: under the influence of gases released during combustion (safe for humans), the soot dries out, burns out, becomes brittle and flies out into the chimney or crumbles down. For an overview of the Chimney Sweep Sazhinet chimney cleaning log, watch 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 combustion temperature of soot is about 1100°C and few chimneys and fire stops (when passing through a ceiling or roof) are able to withstand such heat.
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 noticeable. So to the utmost high temperatures a significant shock load is also added. There were cases when even rough stoves fell apart. So this method is a dangerous undertaking.
Thermal cleaning is simple: take dry aspen firewood and heat the stove. Their combustion temperature is very high, and after a while the soot ignites. If you burn aspen periodically, the deposits simply do not have time to be deposited in sufficient quantities to cause any noticeable harm during combustion. But it is dangerous to use this method on a clogged chimney.
