Take a Look at Your Pipes...

During the last good cleanout of my stove, (saturday), I cleaned the stove pipes that lead to my chimney. You wouldnt believe the amount of ash and RUST that there was in there! I took the whole pipe section outside just to dump it. I normally get new pipes every 2 years, but thought i'd skimp this year..... (whats a year). My air flow was restricted to almost 0. Just thought I'd let you guys know of my messy misfortune, and any remedys.

Thanks,
Bruce

Depends on the coal ash content too. I only had about 1.5" of ash on my horizontal run before the chimney the entire last year heating season. You should always clean it good the end of the season and treat it so it stops some of the rust.

WNY wrote:Depends on the coal ash content too. I only had about 1.5" of ash on my horizontal run before the chimney the entire last year heating season. You should always clean it good the end of the season and treat it so it stops some of the rust.

It is not the coal ash content it is the Fly ash content some coal will have the same ASH content but one will have more Fly ash content then the other White ash tends to have more Fly ash then red ash also the lower % ash content coal will have more fly ash .

Sorry, I Meant FLY ASH, not coal ash....

WNY, what do you use to treat it? I have stainless steel thru the roof, and plan this spring to clean it good... Looking for advise. Thanks!

I read somewhere that you should clean your chimney and pipe at the end of the heating season and pour down baking soda (powder) which will nutralize the acid in the ash! Using a wire brush and the powder should do the job! Most of the corrosion (etc) comes in the warm humid weather of off season.

Cato wrote: Using a wire brush and the powder should do the job!

You should not use a wire brush with a SS chimney. It is recommended to use a poly chimney brush.
I have a prefab SS chimney and at the end of the year I use my poly brush to clean all ash off of the sides and then I made a sponge between 2 pieces of plywood (made to fit chimney) that goes on my rods and I wash the inside of the chimney down with a baking soda and water mixture. I don't know if it helps or not because this is only the second year for the chimney.

Gambler:

My mistake!! Your certainly right about the poly - brush I was thinking of my own chimney which is a brick one I built myself. Thanks for the correction!