All the hub bub of Christmas is over, so I am resting up. Hmmmmmmmmm seems like I did that yesterday too! Anyhow, the weather is nice here today. Sunny and in the 40's. So I went up on the roof and ran the chimney brush up and down the chimney a few times. Might not get a chance to do that for a while. I wasn't really having any problem with the chimney, but I like to clean it out about halfway through the burning season. I bought one of those chimney cleaning logs the other day. The brand name is CSL. It's supposed to spread chemicals that will dry out the creasote and cause it to fall down into the burner. Since I had to make sure there were no blockages anyhow, I just went ahead and brushed it. I may use it later in the season. Has anyone ever used one of those? If you did, how do they work? Are they worth the $15. I had to pay for it?
I saw a news story on those CSL logs. They inspected the chimney or stove pipe, burned the log and re-inspected. Said they were useless.Little or no improvement. Get your $15 back. As long as you burn hardwoods and burn hot enough, along with the brushing, you're fine.
I watched a show the other day about those logs too. They also said that they were not very good and gave people the idea that they didn't need to clean their chimney. I'd get your $15 back Capt.
Took the log back to Home Depot and returned it today, but I had to walk past the tool section, so I still am out the 15 bucks!
Capt Kirk, The logs do NOT work. The only way to clean your chimney is to do what you did. It is also a good idea to clean your chimney from the bottom up. This way the natural draft takes away all the lose soot and ash. I got the fiberglass rods from True Value and I use them all the time. I used to work for Commander Fuel oil on Long Island and that s how I was taught to clean the chimneys. Have a Happy New year.
Richie, I can't clean my chimney from the bottom up. At the top of the box are heat distribution pipes and a plate, so I can't get the brush and rods up in there. There used to be a squirrel cage fan on the back of it, but it was so noisey you couldn't hear yourself think. I took it off and plugged the hole the first year I had it. When I clean the chimney, I always run the brush the full length 4 or 5 times.
I wondered about this...I also have a plate and wondered how the heck to get the brush past it! Now I'm wondering where the debris will go...
When we clean our wood stove chimney, we disconnect the pipe righ above the stove. BF puts a bag beneath it to catch what comes down and we shop vac out everythinjg that comes down into the stove.
Netty, on my stove, there is just enough room to get your arm and hand between the plate and the sides of the stove. I take a 2 inch wide board that is only about 1/4 inch thick and put it above the plate. I use it as a rake to move the soot etc. to the rear of the plate where it falls into the burn box. Then clean it out with a small coal shovel.
