How can you clean the pipe from soot. How to clean a chimney.
Poor oven maintenance can lead not only to low-quality heating at great cost, but also with serious consequences, the culprits of which can be caustic smoke, in fact, carbon monoxide.
Soot cleaning
The stove itself is not as overgrown with soot as the chimney, because there is constantly movement in the combustion chamber of firewood and coal, which does not allow soot to accumulate. We lay firewood, turn it over with a poker, fill it with coal or pellets, then remove the ashes from the stove. All these manipulations help at the same time not only with the furnace furnace and its further cleaning, but also with the simultaneous cleaning of the furnace from soot. No, of course, it is necessary to carry out preventive maintenance, clean the grates, clean the inner walls and the entrance to the chimney from contamination, but this can be done after the chimney has been processed, because a lot more garbage can be poured into the furnace from it.
Chimney soot cleaning
There are several ways to clean the chimney that are popular, evolving and successfully used today, when there are fewer stoves, but they still exist.
Cleaning the chimney with folk remedies
Oddly enough, there is a way to clean the chimney of the furnace from soot using potato peelings. In order for the method to work, it is necessary to pour a bucket of dry potato peel into a red-hot oven, which has a wonderful effect on soot. It is said that the starch released during the burning of the cleanings decomposes the soot, and under the influence it crumbles down, right into the furnace. It lasts a couple of days, and therefore cleanings should be well stocked.
This method is not the most efficient in the best possible way physical cleaning is considered, that is, cleaning soot with your own hands.
Cleaning soot in a pipe in a classic way
You can try to clean the soot with potato peelings, but they say that this method must in any case be combined with physical cleaning. What do we need in order to clean the soot in the stove or fireplace in the country?
First of all, it is to find a special device for cleaning the chimney, the so-called ruff with a weight. It is a metal ruff on a rope, wire or cord, just below which is fixed a weight, a piece of metal, a large bearing, a nut, and so on, in short, a certain weight, about 2-3 kg. The rope should be long so that it can reach the stove in the house from the chimney, cleaning the channels.
So, you need to protect yourself from falling as much as possible, attach yourself, for example, to a smoker or a ridge, conveniently stand on the same ridge of the roof, lower the ruff into the chimney and start cleaning. Sometimes half an hour is enough, but if the chimney is heavily clogged, it will take a long time to soot. During the lowering and raising of the ruff, it scrapes soot and other debris from the walls of the channels, which has accumulated over the years. It falls down into special compartments that will have to be cleaned later, or into the oven itself.
After you feel like a chimney sweep, inhale the dust and soot, and go downstairs to clean up the garbage from the furnace, you will also need to clean out the views - special windows that give access to the channels clogged with soot. They are located on different sides of the wall in which the chimney passes.
Thermal cleaning of soot
There is another way to quickly clean the stove and chimney, but you should definitely know two facts about it - it is not the safest, since you will have to work with high temperatures, and it is only suitable not for heavily polluted stoves or in combination with the classic cleaning method.
So, for cleaning, we will need to use aspen wood. Aspen logs are put into the oven and kindled. When the fire covers the entire laying of firewood, it is necessary to open all the shutters and arrange a burnout of the stove, blowing it to the maximum with high-temperature smoke and even flames from the smoker.
It is not advisable to use the method of high-temperature cleaning of the furnace and chimneys from soot for old furnaces, which may have cracks inside. Similar way in this situation can be dangerous!!!
Chemical cleaning of soot
Next, we decided to use special soot cleaning products. According to manufacturers and sellers, these products are great for cleaning chimney from soot, as well as the entire chimney channel.
This method consists in the fact that special products with a certain kind of chemical reagents are burned in a furnace, ensuring the decomposition of soot in the chimney. There are many such products on the market today, but the most famous of them are Kominechek, Chimney Sweep Log and Anti-Scaling Chemical Composition. Each of the proposed products works in approximately the same way, but they are not recommended for cleaning chimneys with smoke circulation, since a large amount of soot can completely clog the channels.
Be careful when using chemistry, as many of its components are bad for health. In addition, you must be aware that chemical protection leaves an unpleasant odor behind, which will need to be burned out and weathered for several days.
Cleaning soot in a fireplace or stove (video)
Soot cleaning in the stove and chimney is a very important process., and it's okay if once a year you act as a chimney, because in just an hour or two you can clean the fireplace or stove and provide heat to the cottage. The material about
If the house is arranged stove heating or a fireplace is installed, their long and effective work cannot do without regular prevention of the smoke exhaust system. To do this, you will need a chimney cleaner.
Of course, provided that the chimney system is properly arranged, which is built taking into account all existing rules, it remains clean for a long time, subject to certain conditions:
- the use of dry and high-quality firewood with a small percentage of cm content;
- timely cleaning of the furnace and blower chamber from ash;
- if household waste is not used for heating;
- Periodically, special cleaning chambers are checked and cleaned from soot deposits.
But, unfortunately, these conditions are not always met in practice. Many do not even think about the fact that the fabric burned in the firebox, cellophane or the use of low-quality raw firewood create unwanted growths of burning in the inner channel of the chimney, which overlap each other and narrow the cross section of the channel. The results of a chimney narrowed by soot can be as follows:
- In the furnace, draft is reduced due to poorly heated chimney walls, and smoke in the room cannot be avoided in this case.
- Decreased efficiency of the heating system.
- The fire safety of the house is reduced, and during the operation of the furnace, the risk to the health and even the life of its residents increases.
- The accumulated thick layer of plaque during the combustion can ignite from sparks, which will lead to damage, and maybe even to the destruction of the chimney system, as well as to its destruction.
- A fire hazard can arise both for the house itself and for nearby buildings, and it can be created by hot soot particles flying out of the chimney.
In addition to burning deposits, a variety of debris and autumn falling leaves can get into the head of the pipe, and also during the spring and summer period, birds can choose the pipe and build a nest in it, or cobwebs can gather. Therefore, experts recommend cleaning annually, before the start of the winter period.
Today in specialized stores you can buy different chemicals for the cleaning process, or you can use folk methods that have been used for centuries.
Chemical cleaning
Major cleanup can be delayed if soot buildup is prevented. And this can be done by preventing their formation. A similar result can be achieved by applying chemical compounds added to the firebox flame. Thus, laborious and rather expensive mechanical cleaning can be avoided if such means are used with each furnace.
The chemical components of such special equipment operate at elevated temperatures. They destroy layers of soot of any thickness on the walls inside the chimney, but it is better not to allow large deposits to form. It should be noted that these wood additives are environmentally friendly, as they are completely harmless to environment and for human health. Some of the most used and effective of them are the following tools:
- "Chimney sweep-log" - a tool that is produced in the form of a bar or briquette, as well as in the form of a log. It is laid with fuel, and during active combustion, the substances released by it contribute to the drying of soot layers and their shedding into the furnace. This cleaner can be used both for preventive purposes and for an already contaminated pipe. .
With regular prevention, it does not allow creosote deposits to linger in the pipe, i.e. deprives them of their adhesion properties. It will prevent a fire if soot layers in the pipe have already been deposited, thereby preserving the structure from damage and extending its functionality. A similar tool can be used in chimneys made of different materials, but it works especially effectively in brick pipes.
The composition of this cleaner includes: wood chips, urea, zinc chloride, ammonium sulfate, amorphous silica, sodium sulfate, phosphorus oxide, coal dust and wax.
- "Smoke" is another tool - a chimney cleaner, produced in the form of a log. It can also be used to prevent and clean deposits that have already arisen, and will easily cope with these problems. Using it, you can refuse mechanical cleaning of the pipe using brushes. When burning activated carbon, metal salts and special additives that make up the simulated log, a beautiful blue flame will burn in the firebox .
It is perfect for cleaning the pipes of fireplaces, both with closed and open fireboxes. Not only does this tool not emit unpleasant odors, it will also decorate the evening near the fireplace with its fire.
The log that cleans the chimney is placed in the firebox when the fire flares up. An hour and a half of active burning of this product is enough for the chimney pipe to be cleaned. You don’t have to waste time and effort on such a not-so-clean job as mechanical cleaning - you just need to light a fireplace or stove, wait until it flares up and lay down a cleaning agent. It will do everything for the owner of the house.
- Kominichek, a cleaning product made in the Czech Republic, has also become popular among Russian homeowners. You can buy it in a package - the product is packaged in sachets having a weight of 14 grams. To free the pipe from soot, you need to use one bag per kilogram of wood .
It must be said that this tool is not as strong as those described above, and can remove soot deposits with a thickness of no more than 1.5-2 millimeters. It works as follows: during combustion, it creates conditions for a reaction that helps the layers of soot to transform into oxide, and it burns easily at fairly low temperatures. Using this composition is very simple - just put the bags in the firebox when the fire breaks out, and be sure to close the door well. It is impossible to clean the chimney with this product with the furnace door open, and therefore in a fireplace with an open furnace.
If the heater is not used every day, then the flue system can be cleaned every two to three years. If the stove is heated regularly during the cold season, especially when it is the only source of heating, you need to monitor its condition very carefully and clean it annually.
Before flooding the heater and cleaning the chimney, it is very important to inspect the channel for serious blockages with fallen leaves or other debris that could get inside during the summer period. If one is found, it must be removed mechanically.
The cleaning agent can be stacked together with firewood, or you can burn it separately, i.e. do not flood the stove at full capacity, but only carry out maintenance work by preparing the heater for winter.
The effect of the cleaning agent on the layers of soot will continue for seven — ten days, peeling off the collected soot deposits.
Video presentation - how the chimney cleaner works
After this period, it is necessary to clean the chimney elbow and chambers where soot is usually collected - there can be from three to five pieces, depending on the design of the furnace. With the help of a vacuum cleaner or a fireplace brush, all plaque is also removed from the stove damper, since it must open and close freely - this is very important for the safety of residents.
When buying such products, you must definitely read the instructions on the packaging for the subject of technology for the use of this agent and its composition, especially if it is based on chemicals. You also need to know that not every product is suitable specifically for your heater, so you should pay attention to all the nuances, for example, for which chimney designs it is intended.
Folk ways
There are several folk ways of the cleaning process. Many homeowners settle for them because they don't trust the newfangled methods. It should be noted that they have shown their effectiveness, as they have been used for decades.
- One of the most well-known preventive methods, used very often, is sprinkling firewood with salt during the burning of the hearth. But this method is only good as a preventive measure, and will not help get rid of serious problems.
- A well-known method among stove-makers for directly cleaning from plaque is the burning of potato peelings. They are great for keeping soot out of your chimney.
First, the stove is kindled and warms up well, and only when the fire is actively burning, potato skins or finely chopped potatoes are poured into the furnace in the amount of one bucket (at least half). Vapors that will come out under the influence of high temperatures contain starch. Climbing up the chimney, they will peel off the soot, and small particles will go up the chimney with smoke, and larger pieces under their weight will fall into the furnace and are removed along with the ash after the furnace cools down. But finally the pipe will not be cleared of deposits, especially if the plaque has reached a large size, but it will soften well. After that, using a special brush, the chimney is processed mechanically.
- It is good to clean the chimney with aspen or alder firewood. If you burn several kilograms of firewood at once, they will not only bring heat to the house, but at the same time rid the stove of soot deposits.
It is very important to proceed with extreme caution, as the heat from the large amount of burned wood will heat up the deposits in the chimney and they can ignite. Therefore, this method is suitable in cases where the plaque layer is not too thick, the pipe is reliable enough, and there are no buildings made of flammable material or other fire hazardous objects near the house.
- Another cleaning method - using naphthalene, can be applied if the pipe is not cracked or damaged.
A tablet of this substance is thrown into a heated oven. When it begins to emit fumes, soot will lag behind the walls and come out in small pieces along with smoke. But, naphthalene has a specific smell, and it cannot be avoided that it enters the premises, and this must be taken into account.
- The method of cleaning with a composition containing copper sulfate has long been used. This mixture consists of powdered coke, saltpeter and vitriol, mixed in proportions of 2:7:5. The amount of such a composition is taken at the rate of 20 grams per 100 kilograms firewood, i.e. it takes very little. The mixture is added to a heated, burning stove and the firebox door is tightly closed. In an open fireplace, this composition cannot be used.
- A safe and relatively easy way to get rid of soot deposits is with very hot water. It will need only three liters. Water is gently splashed onto the walls of the chimney, poured from above into the pipe and then the stove is melted. Evaporation should destroy the structure of soot, and the gas emanating from burning wood will help to destroy the unpleasant smell of burning. This option is used if the pipe passage is almost completely closed. Using this method, you can see how the soot will fly out along with the smoke during the combustion of the furnace.
mechanical cleaning
fixtures
Mechanical cleaning is used for large growths in the channel, and it will require some devices: brush, scraper, ruff, weight, cable, flexible shafts and flexible rods.
- A scraper is needed to clean soot in accessible places in the chimney.
- The brush and ruff are lowered on a rope, at the end which the weight is attached to.
- A core or weight is also needed to break through a channel if a blockage has already formed in it due to debris or soot deposits. The size of the weight should be large enough (occupying about two-thirds of the channel section), and it should have a solid weight.
- A weight, ruff or brush is attached to the cable with the help of reliable carabiners.
Sometimes one of the devices is enough, but more often you have to use several of them.
cleaning process
You need to start cleaning the chimney pipe in calm weather, when it is not windy outside, as you will have to carry out work standing on the roof.
- The first thing to do when starting work is to close all the doors. If an open fireplace is cleaned, then its firebox is closed with a damp dense cloth. This is done to prevent soot from entering the premises, since we must not forget that soot has a greasy structure and can easily ruin clothes or upholstered furniture.
- Then a weight on a cable is lowered into the chimney channel. At the narrowest point of the pipe, where the largest soot build-up or other contamination has formed, the weight will stop, which means that cleaning should begin here, punching a hole with the same weight.
- It also happens that with the help of a weight it is not possible to break through the blockage, then you have to disassemble a separate part of the chimney in order to get to the right place. Therefore, it is better not to bring the chimney channel to such a state, but to regularly carry out preventive maintenance.
- If the blockage is successfully broken through with a plumb line with a weight, you can start working with a brush. It should be slightly larger than the diameter of the chimney so that its bristles scrape along the inner walls, removing soot deposits from them.
- After cleaning is completed, you need to wait for the soot to finally settle, and only after that you can open all the doors and remove the settled soot from the chambers.
- Fireplaces with open fireboxes can be cleaned not through the pipe, but from below, through the firebox, using a brush on a compound handle, which can be extended to the desired height
- You should not think that the work of mechanical cleaning of the chimney is easy and simple. If there is no experience in this matter, and perhaps even a concept of it, then it is better to entrust it to an experienced chimney sweep.
A knowledgeable specialist will preparatory work, assess the condition of the chimney channels and pipes, and conduct a high-quality cleaning of all the excess that has accumulated inside. Therefore, in this responsible and even dangerous business, it is better to trust a professional.
The relevance of the process of cleaning pipes and chimneys is always on top. If you are fortunate enough to have a stove, fireplace or firebox, then you have probably already encountered clogging of their chimneys.
Sooner or later, soot, fumes and various deposits accumulate on the walls of chimneys, pipes from boilers or fireplaces. This process cannot be reversed. He cannot be stopped.
After all, deposits inside the pipe are just natural products of combustion. The result is a clogged pipe full of soot and functioning on the brink (if it works at all).
But fortunately, cleaning pipes from deposits and soot is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. So what should be done? Now you will know.
Article content
Features and nuances
Before we start discussing the pipe cleaning process itself, we need to understand what these deposits are and how to cope with them. it important point, which adds understanding of all the processes that take place inside.
The chimney itself is just a piece of pipe, which, due to the presence reverse thrust removes combustion products from the air to the outside.
Smoke and carbon monoxide constantly move through it. The smoke can be either dry and light or heavy and black. It all depends on the type and quality of the fuel you want to use.
Smoke, especially if raw logs are burning or something like that, contains not only carbon monoxide, but also ash particles, the results of the combustion reaction and other things.
A layer of soot is formed from these particles, which settles on the pipe wall. If, then the soot will have nowhere to catch on, and therefore it will settle slowly, or not settle at all.
That's why on industrial enterprises the walls of the chimney pipes are always made smooth, using metals.
But, with which a considerable number of residential buildings are equipped, on the contrary, it collects pieces of soot very well. They cling to the masonry and its irregularities, the rough surface of the brick itself also plays a role. As a result, cleaning for brick pipes is needed much more often.
Deposit types
However, soot deposits are far from the only type of blockage. In fact, there are several such types:
- soot deposits;
- acid condensate;
- clogging with foreign elements or objects.
As you can see, not only from soot you can expect trouble. The same acid condensate is just the result of rare starts of the stove or boiler.
If you use your heating device with irregular and sufficiently large intervals, then this does not affect the surface of the pipes in the best way. After each kindling, they heat up and then immediately cool down, which leads to the formation of condensate.
However, this condensate contains particles of chemical elements and acid, which can also settle on the surface of the pipes. When reacting with soot particles, the precipitation seems to interact with each other, becoming more solid.
The last type of blockage rarely relates directly to the kindling of pipes. Most often, these are clogging of a mechanical sample. Foreign objects of various kinds, bird nests, fallen bricks or plaster.
If there is a serious layer of soot inside the pipes, all of them can lead to a thorough clogging, which is already becoming problematic to clean.
In some cases, if the pipe cannot be cleaned, it must be disassembled. This is really not a very pleasant and expensive process. So it is better to clean the pipe from deposits in advance than to deal with the consequences later.
Cleaning methods
So, we figured out that cleaning the chimney pipe (it doesn’t matter if it is in the bathhouse or removes smoke from the fireplace) is simply necessary. But how to clean the pipe, while spending a minimum of effort?
In order to clean the pipe, people came up with several interesting ways at once. Although in fact they are all grouped into two main solutions.
There are cleaning methods:
- mechanical;
- chemical.
It should be noted that mechanical cleaning and chemical cleaning are not the same thing. Unlike working with sewer or water blockages, dry cleaning here performs separate functions aimed at a specific type of deposits inside the pipe.
It cannot be called universal, but it should not be ignored either. If only because it is very easy to clean the pipe with the help of chemistry.
The mechanical method can be called universal. And all because it contains several techniques at once that help a person cope with blockages of any type.
Also, these methods are often combined to achieve the best effect. If none of them helped and the pipe in the bathhouse or house remains clogged, then, unfortunately, there is no alternative to dismantling.
mechanical cleaning
Mechanical cleaning involves the use of several methods and tools at once. It contains a wide arsenal of working practices that are applied depending on the type of clogging and its characteristics.
We can say with confidence that only mechanical cleaning gives an almost guaranteed result. This is explained by the fact that the surface of the pipe can be cleaned of soot only by direct physical impact on the sediment.
People have not yet come up with any really working solvents, and soot, even if it could be dissolved with chemistry, will still have to be removed manually.
Required Tools
The following tools are used for mechanical cleaning:
- Brushes of various profiles.
- or fixed on a pipe.
- Weights and weights.
- Scrapers.
- Flexible rods and rollers.
Each tool performs its own functions. Without some of them, it is simply impossible to clean the pipe from characteristic deposits. Others can be replaced or completely ignored.
So, brushes are used almost everywhere. With their help, it is possible to deal with weak layers of soot, which has not yet had time to seize properly.
The evolution of brushes is a brush. The brush is essentially an improved brush attached to the feed element. Most often, a cable is used in the work. Although, if necessary, the nozzle of the brush can be attached to the pipe rod. Then the tool becomes less mobile, but more rigid.
They can already clean the stuck together frozen soot without resorting to additional means.
It is convenient to operate with scrapers when it is necessary to clean a pipe of small depth. For example, a chimney pipe in a bathhouse or on a small stove. In this case, the scraper is perfect.
As for weights, weights and flexible rods, these are heavy tools. They are used for mechanical action on powerful blockages. And also in case of blockage of the chimney by foreign elements.
Weights break through serious blockages due to the action of gravity, and then remove the remnants with brushes. The blocking element itself falls out, where it can be reached through the shutter.
The only problem with weights is that you have to use them wisely. After all, with weak masonry or working with very old chimneys, inept cleaning with loads can only damage.
Stages of work
Consider the specific elements of the mechanical cleaning process. They are always similar to each other, even if you have blockages due to various reasons.
Stages of work:
- We prepare the tool.
- We close the dampers and all outlets, leaving only the chimney pipe open.
- We evaluate the nature of the clogging, determine its quality. If the blocking element is a specific object, then we determine the depth of its occurrence.
- We use brushes and weights to clean the pipe.
- We remove the residues from the cleaning process through the damper.
Before, it is necessary to understand exactly what caused its clogging. After all, if this is a regular preventive cleaning from soot deposits, then a brush with brushes of different sizes is enough.
If a piece of brick, a bird's nest, a bunch of leaves or any other foreign object fell into the pipe, then weights and loads are indispensable.
The rest of the process is pretty trivial. We only recommend being very careful on the roof. You can’t climb outside without insurance, this can lead to very sad consequences.
In the absence of insurance, at least a minimum experience and a set of tools, we do not recommend you to clean the chimney yourself. It is better to turn to the help of specialists. They will do the job faster and do everything safely.
Self-cleaning the chimney chimney (video)
Chemical cleaning
We have already mentioned that it is possible to clean the chimney not only with the help of physical impact, but also with the help of special chemistry. In this case, we are talking about a unique type of fuel that emits a special smoke.
This smoke is unusual, it contains chemicals that dissolve soot. In particular, the chemistry interacts well with various kinds of condensed deposits.
The process of applying chemicals will surprise you with its simplicity. All you have to do is unpack the fuel and then throw it into the fire. Make sure you read the instructions in advance and know what process the manufacturer intended.
Some types of fuel must be thrown into the fire when fully ignited. When the temperature in the stone or boiler is at its maximum. That is, you must first melt ordinary firewood, and then throw special fuel on top of them.
Other species, on the contrary, can and should be thrown into the fire at the time of ignition. And to be more precise, then just put the firewood together with the usual ones, and then set it on fire.
To ensure their efficient use, it is desirable to overlay the chemical fuel with ordinary firewood so that it is at the epicenter and takes on the maximum temperature.
Since it is very easy to clean the pipe with chemical fuel, we recommend that you perform such operations at intervals of 2-3 months.
Periodic cleaning of furnaces and chimneys from soot prolongs the life of furnace equipment and ensures safe operation. The fact is that a polluted chimney narrows the lumen and does not allow smoke to freely and at the right speed go outside. Excess soot can be ignited by accidental sparks and cause a fire. Experts recommend checking chimneys twice a year, and if problems are found, immediately clean the chimneys.
Modern methods of cleaning the stove chimney
To clean the chimney from soot, it is not necessary to call a chimney sweep - every homeowner can cope with the task. Modern methods allow you to do this dirty work quickly and effortlessly.
Dry cleaning - a new approach to pipe cleanliness
Cleaning the oven with chemicals is in no way associated with the profession of a chimney sweep diving into a pipe. To get rid of dangerous deposits on the walls, it is enough to add a special agent to the fuel during the furnace. A chemical reaction leads to the formation of substances that contribute to the decomposition and burnout of soot.
How dry cleaning works
Cleansing preparations are sold in the form of powders, liquids or briquettes. They are recommended to be used regularly, they prevent the "overgrowth" of complex smoke channels, which are not so easy to reach with mechanical devices. Before use, be sure to read the instructions and strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
The most popular among the owners of stoves and fireplaces are the preparations of the Chimney Sweep series. Russian production and the Czech product Kominichek. Also on sale you can find a powdered PHC agent (anti-stain chemical composition), which gradually softens the soot and contributes to its combustion and shedding into the furnace.
Chemical preparations are effective when the soot layer is not more than 2 mm
You can independently prepare an anti-lime chemical composition from five parts of copper sulphate, seven servings of saltpeter and two parts of coconut charcoal. 200 grams of an aggressive composition is distributed over hot, but already burned out coals. As a result, a corrosive gas is formed that corrodes soot.
Mechanical cleaning is an effective method and a guaranteed result
Mechanical cleaning of the chimney duct is required in cases where the check revealed severe blockage or foreign objects were found in the chimney. It is not recommended to arrange general cleaning if the soot layer is less than 2 mm - this can lead to damage to the walls.
Relatively dangerous work should be done in good weather without precipitation, be sure to secure yourself with a strong rope. The firebox and ash pan are pre-cleaned of soot, coals and firewood. The damper at the entrance to the chimney is removed, and all furnace valves and doors are tightly closed to prevent dirt from entering the premises.
First of all, the channels are carefully examined for the presence of foreign objects - often debris flies into the pipe during a strong wind. In autumn, you can find a bird's nest inside. All excess should be removed or pushed down with a pole, and then removed from the oven. In some cases, congestion cannot be pushed through - in the event of such difficulties, a heavy weapon is used - a special core suspended on a strong rope.
The diameter of the ruff should slightly exceed the dimensions of the pipe
For cleaning round pipe take a ruff with a diameter slightly larger than the chimney and clean the channel with intensive movements from top to bottom. If there is a dense layer of soot, it is first removed with a non-sharp scraper. Channels with a square and rectangular section are cleaned with brushes.
Ruff with a load for cleaning pipes
After completion of work on the roof, they move into the house and clean the stove from soot, starting from the upper cleaning hole and moving to the blower and firebox. You can finish cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, using all available openings for access. Professionals choose special equipment for this, but an ordinary home assistant will also cope with small residues.
At the end of mechanical cleaning, carefully inspect the chimney for damage and cover the cracks with clay mortar.
Pollution prevention and folk cleaning methods
A correctly folded chimney channel will not be covered with soot if only high-quality fuel is used, garbage is not burned in the stove and household waste. Most soot during combustion is formed by firewood from coniferous wood and raw logs.
Folk methods for cleaning furnace equipment do not contain chemicals, but they are effective and safe:
- Burn a bucket of potato peels or chopped and dried potatoes in the firebox. The starch contained in the tubers will soften the plaque and facilitate subsequent mechanical cleaning.
- For prevention, it is recommended to periodically add salt to the furnace - this will not only help keep the pipe clean, but also give the flame a beautiful shade.
- Dry aspen logs are a natural soot destroyer and the best chimney cleaner. The secret is that aspen produces special gases, a strong flame and a powerful stream of smoke that pushes deposits to the surface. For prevention, aspen firewood can be added to the firebox along with other logs.
High-quality fuel is the key to a clean chimney
The first signal indicating that the chimney is clogged is a change in smoke - it becomes denser and darker. The flame with a clogged channel acquires a shade of dark orange. It is important to pay attention to alarm signals in time and clean up. If it is not possible to do this difficult job on your own, it is better to immediately turn to a professional chimney sweep.
Video: a folk way to clean the chimney
Stove heating is still very early to write off - they are actively used to this day great amount people around the world, in cities and in rural areas, in poor regions and in well-off and prosperous countries. Moreover, to some extent, we can say that home autonomous heating facilities are experiencing a "triple birth", since both stoves and fireplaces are rapidly becoming fashionable, and few suburban construction of a modern mansion can do without them.
Getting the coveted stove or fireplace at your disposal is far from all. Such structures are always objects heightened 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 internal channels for the removal of combustion products, on the design of chimneys, on the type of firewood used and its 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. Increased resinousness is always distinguished by firewood from coniferous species and wood. 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. The increased moisture content of 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, esters, non-combustible 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 stands upright 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 during the creation certain conditions can easily take on a flame, 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 heating season |
Checking chimney systems gas ovens and boilers | At least twice a year during the first two years of operation, then at least once a year. |
Examination brick chimneys- regardless of the type of furnace 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 that experience severe winters with low temperatures, at least twice a month, the chimney caps are checked to prevent the freezing of an ice crust with the formation of a blockage |
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 greatest number of all kinds of superstitions, signs and prejudices, urban legends and amazing implausible stories are associated.
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 invariably 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. A characteristic feature - very often the plot was based on the fact that under the soot-smeared mask of a chimney sweep, 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 soiling your finger with soot, is a sure sign of imminent good luck.
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, which, by the way, take several years to study and include, 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.
And 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 with severe blockages, the chimney sweep first breaks through the channel with the core, using it as a percussion tool. 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 them stainless pipes). They differ in shape: most of them are round, but you can find special brushes for a rectangular chimney.
The top and bottom of the brushes are equipped with rings for assembling them into general design- for attaching a cable or other elements of the circuit - 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 |
---|---|
Take the usual plastic bottle, is 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 bent petals the diameter of the resulting brush is 30 - 40 mm larger than the size of the chimney. | |
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 doorknob). 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 quite 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 the obligatory observance of special 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 only effective until the first major turn - even at a 45 ° angle, the passage will be problematic, and with a rectangular one, it is guaranteed to stall.
For cleaning, if the constitution of the furnace and chimney is thought out, there should be special vents and hatchesthat allow you to bring cleaning tools into the cavity of the pipe 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 by changing only brushes different diameter, for cleaning ventilation systems, small sections of chimneys, sewers.
A more professional approach is a special tool in which the flexible shaft is already wound on a drum with a much larger diameter. 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. This is the most convenient place 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 cleaned from the surface of the walls is collected and removed - sometimes industrial vacuum cleaners 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 chimney - for example, repair cracks or other defects in the outer surface. Be sure to reinstall the pipe head.
By the way, a set of such rods is easy to make yourself, using for this polypropylene pipes. 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 a welding machine for polypropylene, 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 nice 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"
Under this brand, the products of the Russian company Ecolays are produced. The range is represented by three different products:
Special box "Smoke"
The principle of operation of such a cleaner in the form cardboard box- 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 a 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 a fireplace 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 cleaning agent has been given the characteristic appearance of conventional fuel pellets - this way 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 Czech-made chimney cleaner among Russians.
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 the pipes into a substance that burns even when it is not very strong. 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" - copper sulphate - has been actively used to clean chimneys. 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
Interestingly, neither alder nor aspen firewood can in any way be classified as a high-quality type of fuel for space heating or for a bath - 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.