Coalpail.com Forum

I think I read somewhere that cleaning your chimney and putting a small light bulb In the stove would keep out the moisture and help keep rust and slow down the chemical reaction from flyash
My question is does anybody do this and what size bulb do you find works?
Also Would you leave the air vents and manual damper open to allow air to flow ?

Thanks in advance this site helped me make it through my first year burning coal

Tim

YOU could, BUT You should Still Clean it out really good, wire brush, vacuum all the fly ash out, and then lightly coat it with a rust preventative (Search on here, I think it was LPS3?). If you can, just seal up the stove with plastic to help keep some of the moisture out, you can get the absobant bags (like for gun cabinets, etc..) to help control the moisture, you may have to replace every month or so?

Leving the air vents open will allow the moisture in the air (especially humid) it will start rusting even more.

Jerry, owner of LeisureLine recommends washing the inside of the stove with a baking soda solution. A box of soda to a bucket of water. Wipe down everything you can, use a sponge and a brush. The soda neutralizes the acid in the ash. Then spray or wipe the interior down with a rust preventative.

Be careful next season when you fire up the stove,, the rust preventative layer may give off fumes and may give off flammable fumes.

Greg L

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Thanks Ls, that looks like a winner.

The part I was thinking about protesting was the stainless chimney it goes up through 2 storys and I did use a flue brush and cleaned it all the way .I go in from the bottom my roof is to steep to go up and clean.
That being said there is not an easy way to go up there and use baking soda

Do you think flue brushing and closing up the vents would be the way to go

Tim

I would brush the chimney and remove the stovepipe and cap the thimble and unit, close up the vents. After cleaning and preserving the unit it won't need a bulb in it unless you have a very damp basement.

LsFarm wrote:Jerry, owner of LeisureLine recommends washing the inside of the stove with a baking soda solution. A box of soda to a bucket of water. Wipe down everything you can, use a sponge and a brush. The soda neutralizes the acid in the ash. Then spray or wipe the interior down with a rust preventative.

Be careful next season when you fire up the stove,, the rust preventative layer may give off fumes and may give off flammable fumes.

Greg L

.

You guys shop-vac the excess water out when your done or just let it air dry??