Until recently, both in cities and in rural areas there was only one type of heating - stove. Their technical condition was monitored by specially trained people - chimney sweeps. They checked the chimneys for cracks, monitored the draft in the furnace and cleaned the soot. Today, private houses are equipped with a variety of stoves, stoves, fireplaces. You have to serve them with your own hands - clean the chimney and monitor the technical condition.

The device of the chimney, what is its cleaning and how often should it be carried out

The first cleaning of the chimney should be carried out 1.5–2 years after the start of operation of the stove. During this time, a soot layer of more than 2 mm accumulates in the pipe, which is a guideline for cleaning. In the future, the chimney should be cleaned 1-2 times a season. This is best done in spring and autumn. In order to facilitate this process, it is necessary to apply preventive measures, which will be discussed below.

The hard work of a chimney sweep

The chimney is covered with soot during the combustion process. It appears gradually from the products of combustion and layer by layer is deposited on the walls of the pipe, gradually narrowing the passage. And since soot is a very good thermal insulator, the stove channel heats up much weaker and a much larger amount of firewood is required for heating.

A thick layer of soot reduces traction, which means that the amount of condensate increases, which, in turn, contributes to the rapid formation of new layers. Unburned solid particles accumulate in the pipe, which can easily ignite when gas flows rise. This leads to the fastest burning of the pipe walls and increases the risk of fire. Especially in severe frosts, when a large amount of firewood is used to heat the house and the temperature in the furnace is very high, sparks and even small lights fly out of the chimney clogged with soot. And this threatens to fire outbuildings and even neighboring houses.

Heavily clogged chimney

In the event of a strong blockage, the likelihood of a reverse draft increases - the smoke will partially or completely go into the room and the likelihood of being poisoned by combustion products increases.

Cleaning the chimney consists, first of all, in freeing the surfaces of the chimney from soot, debris (after the summer season there may be small branches, dry leaves, and even bird nests). At the same time, all elements of the furnace are checked and cleaned. Lastly, the firebox and ash pan are cleaned.

With timely cleaning of the chimney, you will significantly reduce the consumption of firewood, you will be sure of your own safety, and the chimney will not need emergency repairs.

Methods and devices for cleaning the chimney with your own hands

There are three main ways to clean the chimney: chemical, biological and mechanical. Biological and chemical methods are rather preventive, preventing the formation of too thick a layer of soot. All these methods can be carried out independently, without resorting to the help of specialists, following certain rules.

Biological (potato peeling, starch, firewood, etc.)

One of the simplest and most common methods, widely used by the people because of the ease of use and the availability of the necessary funds. To a greater extent, it is preventive - it prevents the appearance of a thick layer of soot. For this method, aspen wood, salt, potato peelings, walnut shells, naphthalene, blue mixture are used.

Potato peelings need to be pre-prepared. It will take about half a bucket of well-dried cleanings. They need to be poured directly onto the heat so that they burn out immediately. During combustion, a large amount of starch is formed, which softens the soot. You can apply this method before proceeding with mechanical cleaning - it will be much easier to remove the soot layer.

Dry potato peels will help clean the chimney

Rock salt is more of a soot preventative. A small handful is poured on firewood until kindling. Vapors of sodium chloride destroy viscous deposits in the pipe.

Salt dissolves deposits

Aspen firewood is the most effective remedy. Since aspen has a high combustion temperature, firewood must be used at the end of the firebox. The fumes generated during combustion peel off the soot from the walls of the chimney and, during intense heat, it burns out. Therefore, when using aspen, you need to ensure that sparks do not fly from the chimney. An alternative is birch firewood, previously peeled of bark. The effect will be about the same.

Aspen firewood is the best soot remover

Walnut shells are an excellent chimney cleaner. It has a very high combustion temperature, so you can not use more than two liters in one run. An alternative to aspen wood.

Walnut shell - chimney sweep assistant

Naphthalene is a good prophylactic. It is enough to throw one tablet into the fire, as the soot will begin to flake off and come out with the smoke. But the smell of naphthalene is very persistent and then it is very difficult to get rid of it.

Naphthalene saves the house not only from moths

Blue mixture - easy to make yourself if you have the right ingredients. 5 parts of copper sulphate, 7 parts of saltpeter and 2 parts of coal (coke) are mixed. About 20 grams of the mixture is poured into a preheated oven and the door is tightly closed. This mixture should not be used to clean open lesions.

Copper sulfate is one of the components

Chemical method

Like biological, it does not solve the issue of complete cleaning of the chimney and is preventive. The stores sell a large number of a wide variety of compositions for cleaning the chimney: logs, briquettes, tablets, solutions. The principle of operation - the harmless gas emitted during combustion decomposes combustion products and their components, which could later turn into soot.

In almost all cases, there are detailed instructions for use, dosage. Portion packs are very convenient. As a rule, together with the packaging, they are placed in an oven and burned either separately or together with firewood. If the chimney is heavily clogged, use either several packages at the same time, or several times in a row.

"Log - chimney sweep" - a small bar or briquette, consists of ammonium sulfate, coal wax, phosphorus oxide and several other components. Prevents the formation of carbon deposits and the removal of previously accumulated soot. With constant operation of the furnace for the season, you need to burn only 2 logs. If the stove is heated 1-2 times a week, then one bar is enough.

One or two logs will keep the chimney clean

"Cominichek" - is used only if the soot layer is up to 2 mm. The package contains 5 bags of 15 grams. The active substance is copper chloride. Converts soot to oxide, allowing it to burn at a lower temperature without causing a fire. Since chlorine is included in the composition, it cannot be used for open stoves. When using, close the door tightly and, at the end of the firebox, ventilate the room with a “comic cut”.

After using the drug, do not forget to ventilate the room

PHC - anti-stain chemical composition. The powder is burned together with paper packaging, together with firewood or separately from them. Powder consumption per ton of firewood is 150–200 g.

There are many countermeasures

Since there are a lot of funds and they are produced both in our country and abroad, you can always choose the best option by trying several types.

mechanical way

It is used in cases where the chimney is very heavily clogged. The soot layer, as mentioned earlier, is more than 2 mm. Before proceeding with this type of work, the furnace should be prepared. Preheat using potato peels, aspen wood or walnut shells to soften the soot and peel it off the chimney walls. This will greatly facilitate further work.

Required tools:

• Ruff for cleaning the chimney with a diameter 1.2–1.3 times larger than the diameter of a pipe made of plastic or metal;
• A flexible cable with a handle (similar to plumbing) or a strong rope;
• Hard brush with a long handle (or with the ability to build it up);
• A metal weight or core that can be attached to a brush. Must be centered so as not to damage the chimney, and with a diameter 2 times smaller than the diameter of the pipe;
• Metal scraper with handle.

To clean the chimney you need a lot of tools

The chimney can be cleaned both from above, from the side of the pipe, and from below - if it is a fireplace or an open stove. To perform pipe cleaning work from above, prepare a small ladder that can be mounted on the roof. To prevent falling from the roof, use a safety rope. All tools that may be required, lift to the roof immediately, so as not to go down again.

• Shoes should be non-slip, protect your hands with gloves.
• Use a respirator to prevent combustion products from entering the respiratory tract.
• Start work only in dry calm weather.
• Before starting work, do not take drugs that reduce the reaction, and alcohol.

The oven must be completely cool before starting work. The combustion chamber is completely free from unburned logs and ash. Close the furnace, cleaning and ash doors beforehand so that soot cannot enter the room through them. Curtain open fireboxes with a dense, damp cloth, which you will not be sorry to throw away later. The dampers must be opened completely, otherwise soot will fall on them and may lead to a new blockage.

We start cleaning the chimney from the top

Remove the cap from the chimney pipe to provide access. Carefully inspect the pipe and proceed to cleaning. Begin work with the core attached to the cable. This will help to immediately eliminate large blockages and will show the distance that the chimney can be cleared. If the layer of soot is very large, it is better to immediately use a long-handled scraper to clean the walls and work with it, and then clean the walls using a brush with a core attached to it. Make sure that the core is in the center of the chimney and cannot damage the pipe.

We clean the fireplace from below, increasing the handle

The combustion chamber is cleaned last. Collect soot with a special vacuum cleaner or sweep with a special brush.

If it so happens that you do not have the opportunity to purchase a special brush, you can make it yourself from a plastic bottle.

Video: how to make a plastic bottle brush

In some regions, it is common to clean the chimney with a chainsaw or a leaf blower (a leaf blower). Of course, in this way it is quite simple to clean the chimney using a special snail nozzle with an air duct. Of course, from the point of view of ecology, this method cannot be called correct.

Video: how to clean a chimney with a chainsaw

Technological elements for cleaning the chimney

In many ways, chimney maintenance can be simplified if cleaning methods are provided at the design stage. As a rule, now chimneys are made of sandwich pipes or metal. It is not always installed strictly vertically, and sometimes serves several stoves in the house at the same time. In this case, cleaning from soot will become more complicated due to the corners. And if a horizontal pipe section comes from the furnace, it is better to use a tee for connection. One of its sides opens with a threaded lid. Through the hole, you can both remove moisture and clean the riser. In some cases, a special removable glass may be provided.

Tee and condensate collectors in a chimney project

In ovens made of bricks, hatches for cleaning are necessarily provided. In some stoves, there may be several hatches.

The stove may have several hatches for cleaning the chimney

Prevention of clogging of the chimney pipe

What needs to be done so that the chimney does not clog so quickly? Proper use of the oven. The rules are simple, but if you follow them, it will simplify care and help you use firewood more economically.

• Coniferous wood should not be used for the firebox - they contain a lot of resin, which will remain on the walls of the chimney. Give preference to hardwoods. At the end of the firebox, add aspen logs or any other folk remedies.
• Heat the stove only with dry wood - wet ones give a lot of soot.
• There must be a cap on the pipe. It will not only protect the pipe from debris, but also from precipitation.
• To reduce the accumulation of condensate, the pipe must be insulated.
• Do not turn the stove into a place for burning garbage. Plastic, polyethylene, rubber melt and remain in the oven and on its walls. It is better to throw garbage in a container or burn it on the street.
• Do not use flammable liquids for ignition.
• In severe frost, sometimes a fire occurs due to the fact that the stove is hot. Try not to overheat it.
• Timely carry out preventive work, carefully monitor the condition of deposits on the walls.

With proper cleaning and constant adherence to the rules of the firebox, the stove and chimney will last a long time and will not require special care, and sometimes unforeseen repairs.