How to clean oven ducts. How to clean a chimney from soot using folk and chemical means without disassembling it: a review of methods and means for cleaning. Mechanical cleansing is an effective method and guaranteed results
Even a perfectly built stove and chimney will begin to need cleaning over time. In this particular case, the quality of its manufacture will directly affect the intensity and frequency of this process. If we consider that the owners themselves can further contribute to the contamination of the chimney, it becomes obvious that it will have to be cleaned at least once a year. How to clean soot from the stove, what signs indicate the need for this? Let's try to figure it out.
When should you clean your stove?
You will have to clean the soot from the stove just before the start of the heating season. The following signs may also indicate that such a need really exists:- Smoke color. It is a clear indicator of the cleanliness of the chimney and stove. If black smoke comes out of the pipe, it means that the channels are full of soot and you should immediately begin cleaning the system.
- The color of a burning flame. Another indicator indicating that the chimney pipes are full of soot. The ideal flame is one that has a light shade of orange. If the fire takes on dark tones, this indicates a lack of draft in the system.
You should not use cellophane, plastic bottles, or light a fire with liquid fuel for heating. Our ancestors also believed that it was extremely wrong to heat a stove with leftover food, damp firewood or garbage. This contributes to the accelerated appearance of soot in the pipes, which in turn leads to the appearance of condensation, which destroys the chimney.
You will have to clean the chimney every time these alarming symptoms are observed; you should also pay attention to the unexplained loss of smoke draft; this can also occur due to contamination of the channels.
How to clean the stove?
There are both folk methods of how to get rid of soot in a furnace, and more scientifically based ones. Surprisingly, both are effective almost equally. To do this, you can use the following options:
Before cleaning the furnace chimney from accumulated soot, you need to make sure that there is no bird's nest in it. To do this, a special pole is inserted into the pipe and when a nest is detected, it is pushed to the inspection holes and removed from the chimney.
Of course, you can do all the work on cleaning chimney ducts yourself, but first it would be good to consult with a specialist. It is correct that the stove maker monitors all stages of the work being performed for the first time. It is also worth taking care of the correct operation of the furnace, which significantly reduces the frequency with which such maintenance must be carried out.
The stove and fireplace are the main elements of a country house and cottage. They not only heat rooms, but are also used as decoration. However, over time, the chimney becomes clogged, which negatively affects the operation of the stove. And in the case of a fireplace, the smoke will come back and fall into the room.
The draft worsens, and the stove or fireplace becomes difficult to light. If you encounter a similar problem, you will have to clean the oven. There are several methods for this procedure. Let's figure out how to clean the chimney and pipe with your own hands.
Why does the chimney get clogged?
Chimneys often become clogged due to non-compliance with the technology of laying a stove or fireplace. When laying a pipe, it is important to observe the parameters of the internal clearance. If the dimensions are smaller than required, the chimney walls accumulate combustion waste.
As a result, a large amount of soot and soot is formed inside. This leads to a decrease in draft and to the fact that it becomes problematic to light and melt a Russian stove or fireplace.
The efficiency of the chimney is affected not only by the brickwork, but also by the quality of the building materials. Poor quality materials lead to the appearance of cracks in the pipe, which violates the dimensions and geometry of the internal lumen.
The walls begin to gradually collapse. Be careful, as such defects cannot always be detected immediately due to the fact that they are hidden by soot.
Improper use of your chimney is a common cause of blockages. First of all, this concerns the use of raw fuel and firewood with a high resin content when lighting devices.
In addition, the operation of the structure is negatively affected by the burning of plastic, polyethylene and other similar waste. As a result, solution deposits form on the walls inside the pipe, which clogs the chimney.
In addition, foreign debris, small insects and even birds get into the pipe. Therefore, it is very important to install a protective umbrella over the pipe. The soot and soot that form on the walls of the smoke exhaust structure not only complicate kindling.
A clogged chimney increases the risk of fires. Accumulated soot may spontaneously ignite! Therefore, it is important to quickly deal with the problem and the stove and clean the pipe correctly.
How to clean a chimney with a brush
Using a special brush is the safest and easiest way to clean a chimney in a stove in a private home. It is important to choose the correct brush model in diameter and length, as well as a separate brush for chimney bends. By the way, it is in these hard-to-reach places that soot and soot settle.
Choose comfortable brushes with a flexible handle and nylon hard bristles. It easily cleans a chimney made of any material, quickly takes the desired shape, cleans every bend well and penetrates into the most remote corners of the device.
At the same time, the nylon brush does not scratch or damage the surface. By the way, the more scratches and damage there are in the pipe, the more soot accumulates inside the structure. For a fireplace, choose a long brush with two handles.
To clean the chimney with a brush, first of all, you need to prepare the room. To do this, cover the furniture with film and cover the windows with thick fabric material. Be sure to wear gloves, safety glasses and a respirator.
Wait until the stove or fireplace has cooled down, remove debris, remaining wood and other foreign objects from inside. Remove the damper from the chimney entrance and insert the brush inside, holding the product firmly by the handle. To clean the fireplace, the brush is inserted from below.
Thoroughly clean the inside surface on each side, making sure not to miss any hard-to-reach areas. Gradually move the brush further, removing soot, grime, dirt and cobwebs. After this, remove the accumulated debris and soot, close the damper and rinse the brush in regular warm water.
Remember that you can only clean the oven when it is completely cooled and empty! Be sure to use protective equipment during cleaning! Clean not only soot and soot, but also the cobwebs inside the pipe.
Other methods of mechanical cleaning
Instead of a brush, use a classic garden watering hose. To do this, a rigid hose is inserted into the top or bottom of the chimney. They make a few cleaning movements, and soot is already collected inside the device. For greater effect, you can attach a brush to one end of the hose, which is lowered into the pipe.
You can also scrape off soot and soot from the walls of the passage using brushes of various sizes, a cleaning rod, a weight on a chain, or a long pole. By the way, you can also attach a brush to the pole. It is important that the tool matches the dimensions of the chimney. These are more dangerous methods, since they clean the pipe from the roof.
To maintain safety, cleaning is done in calm, dry, clear weather, wearing gloves, a respirator and safety glasses. You can only clean the oven when it is cold and empty, with no debris or firewood inside.
There are also folk methods that have long been used to clean the oven. However, keep in mind that they are more suitable for prevention and do not allow debris and soot to accumulate inside the pipe or prevent soot from settling. Next, we’ll look at how to clean a chimney from soot using folk remedies.
How to clean a chimney using folk remedies
- Salt is an old and proven method. The chemicals that salt contains react with oxygen when heated. As a result, soot and soot will settle less inside the chimney, so this is more of a preventative measure. To do this, during the fire, pour a small amount of table or rock salt onto the burning fuel;
- Potato peeling is an effective method that will help remove soot and soot from the walls of the pipe. To do this, take dry potato peelings or cut the potatoes into cubes and dry. You will need half a bucket of this product, which is poured onto hot coals. Hot steam settles on the walls of the pipe, after which regular mechanical cleaning is carried out using a brush;
- Aspen and birch firewood is an effective, but not the safest method. The wood is placed in the stove or fireplace and the fire is lit. In this case, doors, flaps and latches must be open! During the fire, new firewood is added. By the way, it is better to clean birch products from bark. As a result, the soot ignites and comes out of the pipe in white flakes. But this method is only suitable for chimneys that can withstand temperatures of 1,000 degrees;
- Aluminum cans are an unusual and safe way to prevent soot from accumulating inside chimney ducts. To do this, build a hot fire with plenty of hard coal and burn the cans. For high-quality prevention, this procedure is repeated every ten fires.
Chemical cleaning
Today, manufacturers offer a special oven cleaner for cleaning pipes and chimneys. This is very easy, but not the most effective and economical method, since the soot will fall off only in some places.
Therefore, in the future you will have to clean the pipe with a brush. In addition, chemicals leave an unpleasant odor that may take a few days to dissipate.
Popular cleaning products are PHC, Kominichek, and Log Chimney Sweep. In addition, you can use a mixture of copper sulfate, saltpeter and crushed coke coal. Such preparations are placed on burnt fuel while heating a stove or fireplace.
When using these products, be sure to follow the instructions and do not exceed the dosage! Chemical compounds have a quick effect and are not safe for humans, but the effect wears off within two to three months. And you have to clean the pipe again, which is expensive and not economical.
After cleaning using any method, be sure to remove any soot and debris that has spilled out. If you don’t want or are afraid to clean the chimney yourself, you can always turn to professionals!
It is necessary to clean the stove even if it is not heated for a long time, since various wastes still accumulate inside the pipe. Regular cleaning is the key to proper and long-term operation of the chimney. And the accumulation of combustion products reduces the performance of the device.
In addition, regular care and cleaning of the stove or fireplace chimney is important for human health. After all, due to soot and debris, dangerous carbon monoxide is formed in the channels.
Safe and comfortable use of stoves and fireplaces is impossible without good draft, which, in turn, depends on the condition of the chimney. You will learn how to clean the chimney from soot and prevent it from clogging in this article.
At first glance, it seems that after burning wood the smoke disappears without a trace, but this is not at all the case. In addition to gaseous combustion products, smoke contains solid particles, which settle on the walls of the smoke channel, forming a gray or black coating. Water vapor, which is also contained in smoke, binds the soot, and the coating becomes dense and hard. Narrow places, corners of the smoke duct, as well as rough walls of brick pipes are especially susceptible to clogging.
Soot deposits in the pipe
In addition, mechanical blockages are possible: debris accidentally falling into the pipe, tree leaves, bird nests, or bricks falling out of the masonry. Even a small blockage can impair draft, and soot deposited on a foreign object quickly clogs the chimney, making further operation of the stove impossible. There are several ways to clean the chimney from soot and blockages, which are described below.
Chimney cleaning methods: which one to choose?
Methods for cleaning chimneys and chimneys are quite diverse, from traditional methods proven over centuries to modern ones based on scientific developments. Let's take a closer look at all of them.
Folk remedies
Our ancestors knew well the characteristics of different types of wood. Coniferous firewood contains a large amount of resins released along with the smoke. Poorly dried, damp wood smolders, gives off little heat, and at the same time releases water vapor, which settles on the walls of the pipe, holding the loose soot together into a monolith. Dry hardwood wood is best suited for heating stoves: birch, alder, aspen. They burn with increased heat transfer, practically do not produce soot and soot and do not clog the pipe.
In the old days, aspen wood was used to clean the chimney, burning with the formation of a high, hot flame. When the walls of the chimney are heated, the soot loosens and burns, and its remains are carried out through the chimney along with the smoke. Many modern pipe cleaning methods, which are described below, are based on the same principle. For preventive maintenance and periodic cleaning of the chimney, you can use this ancient method by throwing several dry aspen logs into the heated firebox. In this case, it is necessary to observe fire safety and prevent overheating of the pipes.
Another interesting folk method for cleaning a chimney is to burn dried potato peelings. When they burn with smoke, substances are released that loosen the soot and make it easy to remove through the cleaning holes.
Video - a popular method of cleaning a chimney
Traditional methods are interesting, but sometimes ineffective, especially when a blockage has already formed. In this case, it is wiser to resort to chemical pipe cleaning.
Chemical chimney cleaning
Furnace stores offer a large selection of various products that allow you to clean the chimney of soot without unnecessary hassle. These products come in the form of powders, tablets, liquids or briquettes that imitate logs or pellets. Their use is quite simple: you need to place the package in a stove or fireplace and burn it, together with firewood or separately. Detailed instructions are usually indicated on the package, as is the dosage.
Cleaning products in powder form are usually packaged in single dosage bags; depending on the degree of contamination of the pipe and chimney, one or more bags may be needed. They are thrown into the fire after lighting the stove without opening them. The appearance of a blue or green flame indicates that the product is working and releases chemically active substances that break down soot and plaque.
Chemical chimney cleaning products
Cleaning pellets or logs are more convenient to use; they are simply placed in the fireplace or stove directly in the package and set on fire, after which the stove is continued to fire for one to two hours. During this time, the resins and creosote that bind the soot in the chimney decompose, and small particles are carried out along with the smoke, and large blockages fall down. Therefore, after cleaning and cooling the stove, it is recommended to inspect the smoke channel through doors specially designed for this purpose.
Chimney cleaning is carried out several times a year to prevent blockages. If the oven is used no more than once a week, it is enough to use these products a couple of times a year. When firing the stove daily or using low-quality firewood, preventive maintenance is carried out more often, once every two months, without waiting for the chimney to become overgrown with soot.
Mechanical chimney cleaning
In case of serious blockages caused by severe narrowing of the lumen or debris entering the pipe, chemical agents may be powerless. Operating the stove becomes impossible and very dangerous - deposits on the walls of the chimney ignite when overheated, and sparks or even flames burst out of the chimney along with the smoke. In dry weather this can cause a fire. If your stove has no draft at all and smoke goes inside the room, it must be cleaned mechanically, using a special tool.
Devices designed for cleaning a chimney from soot and soot are very diverse: these are brushes, scrapers, brushes of various configurations and sizes, as well as cores on a strong cable, which are used to break through dense blockages. They can be purchased in specialized stores or made with your own hands.
Video - how to make a brush for cleaning a chimney with your own hands
Chimney cleaning is usually carried out from top to bottom: they break through blockages in the chimney, clean it with scrapers, brushes and brushes, then clean the smoke channels through the cleaning doors, and lastly clean the dampers and the firebox itself, as well as the ash pan. Fireplace chimneys of a simple configuration can be cleaned from below, using brushes on a long handle. How to clean a chimney mechanically is described below.
Chimney cleaning technology
1. Before you take on the role of a chimney sweep, take care of your own safety. It is necessary to install a convenient ladder on the roof and take care of insurance that will not allow you to fall. When cleaning the chimney, you must use a respirator.
Safety precautions when working
2. The dampers are opened, otherwise soot will accumulate on them, which can lead to even greater blockage. But the doors - furnace, ash and cleaning - need to be tightly closed so as not to stain furniture and floors with soot. It is better to cover open fireplace inserts with a damp cloth, which you don’t mind throwing away - you most likely won’t be able to wash it.
3. Cleaning begins from the top, from the chimney. Before starting cleaning, you need to remove the head from the pipe and remove soot from an accessible distance with a scraper or a stiff brush. The tool can be extended using an extendable handle.
Cleaning starts from the pipe
4. Inaccessible parts of the chimney are cleaned using a flexible brush - a cable with a nozzle at one end and a handle for rotation at the other. The diameter of the nozzle should exceed the diameter of the pipe by 1.2-1.3 times. The cable is inserted into the chimney and carefully moved by rotating the handle.
Flexible brush for cleaning pipes from soot
5. If the brush gets stuck, it means that a serious blockage has formed in the chimney, and it can only be broken through with the help of a core. The cannonball is abruptly lowered into the chimney on a cable, being careful not to touch the walls so as not to chip the brick. Having removed the blockage, continue cleaning with a brush.
Pipe cleaning core
6. After cleaning the pipes, begin removing soot through the cleaning doors. In a complex furnace, as a rule, there are several of them, and they are located in the places where the smoke channel turns. First, they rake out the soot that has fallen from above, then use scrapers and a brush to clean the smoke channel itself. At the same time, they move from top to bottom, towards the firebox. In fireplaces with a straight chimney, there may be no cleaning doors at all, and all the soot immediately falls into the firebox.
Cleaning smoke ducts from soot
7. The firebox and ash pan are cleaned last. Final cleaning can be done using a vacuum cleaner. If your vacuum cleaner is equipped with a fabric bag for collecting dust, it is better to buy a disposable paper bag for this purpose, since it is impossible to clean it from soot.
Removing soot from the firebox with a vacuum cleaner
8. Light up the stove and check the draft. If cleaning has removed the blockage, then after the oven has cooled, put the head back on. If the draft has not improved, the smoke channel may be clogged in a hard-to-reach place, and you can’t do it without the help of a qualified stove technician.
9. In the future, when using the stove, you should not neglect the prevention of blockages using the folk or modern methods described above.
To prevent the chimney from becoming overgrown with soot, you must follow a few simple rules:
- It is better to use dry firewood from deciduous trees as fuel, and periodically add aspen or preventative agents to the stove at the end of the firebox.
- Do not burn waste in the oven, especially plastic, polyethylene, and packaging paper.
- To reduce moisture condensation, the chimney must be insulated, especially if it is made of metal. Usually they use ready-made double sandwich pipes with a layer of non-combustible insulation.
- It is imperative to put a cap on the pipe to protect it from accidental ingress of debris or precipitation.
If you use the stove correctly, the question “how to clean the chimney from soot” will arise very rarely, and you will be able to fully enjoy the bright flame and warmth.
In rural areas and cottage villages, stoves and fireplaces are again gaining popularity. And sooner or later there comes a time when the stove and chimney need cleaning. Chimneys and stoves are cleaned of soot at least once every 2 months.
Why clean the chimney and stove?
A soot deposit forms in the stove and on the walls of the chimney. Gradually, the draft becomes too weak and it is no longer possible to operate the stove normally. Fumes enter the room, which is very dangerous.
Soot and dust are the main causes of fire. Often a fire starts in the chimney. Combustion products fall through the cracks onto the wooden floor structures. That's how it goes.
Soot inside the chimney
The chimney can also become clogged from the top. Especially if the pipe is not covered with a deflector. In summer, birds or wasps can easily build nests there.
An increased soot content in the smoke exhaust duct may be a consequence of errors in the construction of the furnace. Somewhere the pipe narrows, somewhere there is an extra turn. The slightest mistake increases the formation of soot in such places.
Regular cleaning is necessary to remove all combustion products and other debris from the chimney. This will avoid narrowing the smoke exhaust channel and avoid a fire.
Frequency of chimney and stove cleaning
How often should I clean? This information can be found in the table:
| Type of work and equipment | When to do it |
| Prevention of smoke ducts and chimney (visual inspection): | |
| Any equipment | After installation, before start-up or after repair |
| Seasonal equipment | Start of the heating season |
| Gas furnaces and boilers | At least 2 times a year, after 2 years - at least 1 time a year |
| Brick chimney | At least once a quarter |
| Other types of chimneys | At least once every 12 months |
| Chimneys of heating and heating-cooking stoves | Beginning, end and middle of the heating season |
| Chimney cleaning – elimination of deficiencies identified during inspections and additionally: | |
| B for heating and cooking (intermittently) | At least once a quarter |
| In continuous furnaces | At least once every 2 months |
| In ovens for continuous cooking | Every month |
| Cleaning the heads from ice – at least once every 2 months | |
How to clean soot from a chimney when it is already clogged? Below are step-by-step instructions.
Mechanical and manual cleaning
For mechanical cleaning of chimneys today, the same tools are used as 200 years ago. The technology itself has not undergone major changes either. Cleaning is carried out from the roof side and from the stove side.
Tools and materials
To clean the roof side use:
It is important that the load has the correct center of gravity. Otherwise it may get stuck. It is ideal to use a round metal core as a load. It is they who break through the blockage. And only then do the brushes come into play.
If you don’t have a suitable brush at hand, you can make one yourself from an old plastic bottle. Step by step instructions below.
How to make a ruff with your own hands?
There is another option for making a brush with your own hands:
DIY brush in the form of a brush
Roof side cleaning
The whole process consists of 6 stages:
Cleaning the chimney from the stove side
The previous method will allow you to clean the channel only up to the first turn. Another tool will help you further clean the stove from soot without disassembling it. You can't use gravity.
The oven must have special hatches for cleaning. To do this, use another tool. A special brush with a rigid but flexible fiberglass cable will help you clean an area 3–5 m long. This set is sold in hardware stores.
There is also a more specific tool:
Chimney cleaning tool
This device allows you to clean a longer area. It is easiest to clean the external chimney. But only if it is assembled correctly.
Step-by-step instruction:
Chemical cleaning
Regular preventative maintenance using special chemicals will help simplify the mechanical cleaning process. The principle of action of these funds varies. But the essence is the same: to clean existing deposits and prevent the formation of new ones.
The principle of cleaning a chimney with chemicals
These chemicals are discussed in more detail below.
"Smoke"
The most common remedy in this group is called “Smoke”. Manufacturer: Ecolas company, Russia. There are 3 products produced under this brand:
Using these products is very simple: just place them in the firebox and set them on fire. As they burn, they clean the chimney. As a result, some of the soot and other deposits will fall off, and the other part will fly out into the chimney along with the smoke. Moreover, the chemical will remain active for another 14 days. And the effect of its use lasts for 3 months.
HANSA products
The German company HANSA has focused its efforts on the fight against creosote. This is the very sticky base on which the soot sits.
The drug has a double effect. On the one hand, it promotes more complete combustion of fuel. Due to this, practically no soot is formed. On the other hand, at high temperatures it reacts with creazote. As a result, it loses moisture and all growths crumble.
In our country, these chemicals are better known under the brand name “Chimney Sweep”. This product can be purchased in the form of a bulk mixture or already packaged in bags. 
Use it as follows:
- Used for prevention: 1 - 2 measuring cups (included in the kit) are added to the fuel during startup of the furnace every 4 - 5 fires.
- Used for cleaning: burn the required amount in the firebox.
There is also a Chimney Sweep log. It is placed in a heated firebox and set on fire. It should burn completely. It is recommended to carry out such cleaning every 30 days.
These chemicals can even handle a brick pipe. Usually it is its cleaning that poses the biggest problem due to the porous structure of the brick itself.
Cleaner Kominichek
Country of origin: Czech Republic. The product is also popular in Russia. This is a crystalline mixture in 14 g sachets.
Kominichek cleaning agent
- The product turns soot into a substance that burns even at low temperatures.
- This product will not cope with heavy plaque. The soot layer should not exceed 2 mm.
- Carry out the treatment only with the combustion chamber tightly closed. The product is toxic.
- This product is not suitable for cleaning a fireplace.
Other means
There are many such tools. Experts recommend trying several and choosing the best one for yourself. In addition to those already described, the following are in demand:
Folk remedies for cleaning chimneys
It is also possible to clean the chimney from soot using folk remedies. And their effectiveness has been proven by many generations of our ancestors.
Boiling water
The simplest way to clean soot from a pipe is regular boiling water. It can handle even very heavy raids. To do this, before lighting the stove, it is enough to pour several liters of boiling water into the pipe from above. The remaining soot will fly out into the chimney along with the smoke.
Salt
Another old-fashioned way is to add a couple of handfuls of ordinary table salt to the firewood. But this remedy is only suitable for prevention. He is unable to cope with strong growths. 
Naphthalene
Regular mothballs will also help. It is enough to throw 1 - 2 tablets into the fire. The soot will fall off and burn. Or it will go up the chimney along with the smoke.
But this method has one significant drawback. Naphthalene has a very specific smell. It won't be easy to get rid of it later. And not everyone likes him. 
Potato peelings
Another effective remedy for preventing the formation of soot build-up is regular potatoes. Usually only peelings of this root vegetable are used. But you can finely chop the potatoes themselves.
The peelings are placed in a well-heated firebox and burned in it. The starch evaporates and effectively dissolves soot build-up. It also prevents the formation of new ones. 
A mixture of coal, copper sulfate and sulfur
The recipe is as follows:
- copper sulfate - 5 parts;
- coal - 2 parts;
- saltpeter - 7 parts.
This composition is used in small quantities, burned together with fuel. Only 200 g of product is enough for a ton of firewood. This cleaning method is not suitable for a fireplace. Vapors are toxic and should not enter the room. Therefore, the firebox door must be tightly closed.
Using special firewood
Another way to deal with carbon deposits is special firewood. For this, alder or aspen is used. Wood burns quickly and emits special fumes during combustion. They promote peeling of soot from the walls and combustion.
Despite the fact that such firewood cannot be used for heating due to low heat transfer, it is still necessary to have a supply of it. From time to time, the furnace is completed by burning several of these logs.
Sparks may fly from the pipe. They can fall on neighboring buildings and cause a fire. Therefore, the pipe is protected from above with a deflector, and the combustion process of such firewood is controlled.
How can I avoid or minimize pipe blockages in the future?
To reduce problems to a minimum, just follow a number of simple recommendations:
- When softwood wood burns, too much resin is produced. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it for heating.
- The moisture content of firewood should not exceed 12%. To do this, they are first dried indoors for several days. The use of raw fuel contributes to increased soot formation. And reduces heating efficiency by 30 - 40%.
- To fire the stove, it is advisable to use wood that is at least two years old.
- The stove or fireplace should not be used to burn waste.
- From time to time it is worth completing the firebox by burning an armful of aspen or alder firewood. This is a good prevention against soot formation.
It is important to follow the schedule of preventive examinations given above. These measures will help to avoid contamination of the chimney and the creation of an emergency situation.
Prices for chimney sweep services and where to find them?
The profession of a chimney sweep is again in demand due to the fact that recently cases of fires in private homes have become more frequent. And they are connected precisely with the contamination of the chimney, as well as with its improper design.
It just seems that everything is easy. In fact, this profession takes several years to be trained. Where can you find such masters? This is where the Internet comes to the rescue. Similar announcements can be found on bulletin boards. You need to search in the services section for your region.
Another way is to contact a furnace equipment service company. Some of them provide similar services.
Prices vary depending on the specific region and the popularity of the specialist. On average, a full range of services will cost 1000 rubles per 1 m 2 of cleaned pipe. Vacuum cleaning of ovens will help you get rid of soot and dust.
Let's sum it up
The main reason for poor draft is soot in the chimney. If an accident occurs and the chimney is clogged, you can turn to a professional for help. But it happens that in a given area no one provides such services. Or they cost too much.
Then you can clean the chimney yourself. And for this you do not need to disassemble it. It is enough to stock up on tools and master some simple skills. For your own safety, you should comply with all regulatory requirements.
Cleaning a furnace chimney is a rather dangerous task. Safety must come first.
If the pipe is already clogged, then it is best to clean the chimney mechanically. He is the most reliable. And it will fix the problem as quickly as possible. It also minimizes the consequences.
But as a preventive measure, it is better to use chemical cleaning. Then an emergency situation can be avoided. Whether to use chemical reagents or folk remedies - here everyone chooses for himself. The main thing is to do this regularly.
←Previous article Next article →Previously, when all houses had stove heating, there were no problems with chimney cleaning. The head of the family knew exactly how, with what and when to clean it, and the profession of a chimney sweep was held in high esteem.
Over time, boilers replaced stoves, and today only a few can guess why the fire stops lighting and smoke does not come out when kindling. But the biggest problem is not even this - but the fact that carbon monoxide, without passing through the contaminated pipe, begins to concentrate indoors, which creates a direct threat to the life and health of household members. In order for you to avoid such problems, we will tell you how to clean a chimney from soot at home and why it gets dirty in the first place.
Why does the chimney get clogged?
First, you need to understand that over long periods of use, any chimney, even one made using technology and the right materials, becomes clogged. In any case, it is necessary to clean the chimney at least once every 1-3 years, depending on the intensity of use.
Much more often, soot accumulates in the depths of the chimney due to a violation of the design or manufacturing technology. For example, the following main reasons can be identified:
- improper pipe laying and masonry mortar residues on the inside;
- violation of the operation of the stove or fireplace;
- the chimney is made of low-quality material;
- lack of a protective umbrella on the chimney, due to which birds fly into it, debris, leaves, etc. get in;
- violation of the size of the chimney pipe lumen.
Improper operation of a stove or fireplace means using firewood with a high concentration of resin as fuel or burning “chemical” waste - polyethylene, plastic, rubber.
- Often the cause of rapid clogging of the chimney pipe is poor-quality material that was used in the masonry - both brick and mortar. This leads to chips, falling parts that get stuck in the chimney, etc.
- A narrowing of the lumen of the chimney pipe, caused either by one of the reasons or by several in combination, disrupts the draft during ignition, prevents smoke from escaping, and increases the time it takes for the chimney walls to warm up.
If you notice these signs, it's time to clean your chimney. In addition to the fact that, as mentioned earlier, carbon monoxide accumulates in the room, when soot deposits increase, at some point they ignite and a fire starts.
How to remove soot
Of course, there are specialized specialists on the labor market who clean pipes using various chemical and mechanical methods, but the price of their services is quite high. On average, the tariff depends on the type of heating device (stove, sauna stove, fireplace or barbecue) and ranges from 9 to 12 thousand rubles for a one-time service. It is clear that it is much cheaper to figure out on your own how to clean a chimney from soot at home, and not deal a crushing blow to the family budget.
The simplest household methods for cleaning a chimney
Potato peelings
Oddly enough, this is an excellent tool in the fight against small (!!!) soot deposits.
Potatoes themselves do not remove soot from the pipe, but soften it, which makes it possible to quickly and easily remove it mechanically.
For this method, prepare 0.5 buckets of dry potato peelings or finely chopped potatoes, also pre-dried, in advance. When the wood burns out and the coals remain smoldering, throw potato peelings on them. When burned, they release starch vapors, which softens the soot to an acceptable state.
Salt
This is rather a preventative method that is recommended to be used every time you light a fireplace or stove. Salt is poured onto burning wood and the released chemical elements prevent soot from settling on the walls of the chimney. Of course, over time it still settles, but not in such quantities and not so viscous.
Chimney Sweep Logs
You can purchase a special log at a store for stove makers or use birch firewood. If possible, you can also buy aspen logs; they have the same effect.
It is imperative to remove the bark from birch logs.
This firewood increases the temperature in the firebox to maximum in a short time, after which the soot simply breaks into shreds. This is a good way, but requires constant human presence. If enough soot has accumulated, such a powerful fire from an aspen or birch tree is quite capable of setting it on fire. Don't be lazy and stay near the fireplace all the time until the wood burns out.
Chemical methods for cleaning soot
These are much more effective ways to deal with even significant soot deposits.
The following proven effective drugs exist:
- A mixture of saltpeter, copper sulfate and coke in equal parts. The composition is poured onto smoldering coals; during combustion, a number of chemical elements are released, causing the shedding of a significant amount of soot.
The maximum dosage is 200 grams of the finished composition.
- PHC (anti-carbon chemical composition) is a very effective composition for combating soot, which must be burned directly in the package.
Be sure to read the instructions - the effect of the drug is so strong that it can even cause cracking of the chimney pipe. It is strictly forbidden to violate the dosage.
- Kominichek is a Czech drug for combating a small layer of soot deposits (2-3 mm). One package is enough to clean a standard chimney for 2-3 months. For regular use of a stove or fireplace, it is recommended to use the composition at least 3 times a year.
The active substance is copper chloride CuCl2, so during use it is necessary to create a very good draft in the room and, if possible, not be present in it.
- Chimney sweep log is a natural birch or aspen log, additionally impregnated with CuCl2. When burned, it releases a number of chemical elements that provoke the peeling of creosote deposits - tar deposits.
Considering that these drugs are also not cheap, you should use them no more than once a year or two. It is much easier and cheaper to take a number of preventative measures and clean the pipe mechanically.
Methods for mechanical chimney cleaning
You purchase the tools necessary for such work only once, so this method will not be expensive in the future.
So, you will need:
- special brushes of different sizes
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- kettlebell on a strong rope
- hard brushes
- hook (with rigid hook)
In addition to the basic tools, you will need a respirator, thick cloth gloves and safety glasses.
All stoves are cleaned from above, and fireplaces - from below.
Cleaning the stove, including the bathhouse, is carried out in the same way as you used to wash milk containers with a brush. Using gentle circular movements, scrape off the soot that falls to the bottom of the well. Select the tool depending on the thickness of the canal. Initially, you can burn the wood with seasoned salt or potato peelings to soften the soot and make work easier. Then use brushes or brushes and, if necessary, a cleaning rod or hook.
To carry out cleaning activities, choose a sunny, windless day. Be sure to securely secure yourself near the pipe to eliminate the risk of injury.
The fireplace is cleaned mainly with hard brushes with long handles from below.
Be sure to clean the bottom of the well after the pipe is cleaned - scoop out all the soot that has fallen off the walls with a poker and scoop and throw it away.
Cleaning a chimney from soot and deposits on your own is not as difficult as it might seem at first. Yes, this is a long process, especially if you have not encountered this before. The most important thing is to take a number of preventive measures in time, and alternately use the previously mentioned methods. The optimal time for cleaning is early autumn, when there are still nice days.