Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: twain on January 30, 2019, 08:19:07 AM

Title: creosote
Post by: twain on January 30, 2019, 08:19:07 AM
Been running a 6048 for 11 years. Do my best to have seasoned wood as much as possible anyway. The stack is no problem, quick run with the brush couple times a season works. So, I want to get rid of the creosote build up in the fire box. I am concern that I'm loosing heat transfer to the water from the build up? Do the "toss in sticks" work? Probably been discussed a million times. Looking to get some replies.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: BoilerHouse on January 30, 2019, 08:27:53 AM
I can't help from personal experience since my firebox is lined with firebrick, but a work colleague climbs in his every spring and scrapes the creosote off the walls.  I don't know if he then gives it a good burn out with cardboard, but I have heard some people do.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: juddspaintballs on January 30, 2019, 08:28:30 AM
I've heard of people filling the fire box with cardboard and doing a burn like that to burn it off. 
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: Walleye on January 30, 2019, 02:08:47 PM
In the spring when I shutdown I let the furnace cool down to 100-120 and then burn a bunch of cardboard boxes, enough to bring the temperature back to 180. Then scrape the creosote off. Through the winter there isn't much buildup in the firebox. Maybe every two weeks or so I might scrape the sides and knock the loose stuff off. 
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: twain on January 30, 2019, 03:27:37 PM
i have been scraping the loose off over the years. i will try the cardboard. thanks all
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: greasemonkoid on January 30, 2019, 05:02:48 PM
Last night 12 am, mine quit making heat, went out to troubleshoot and heard the sound of stalled air over the blower. Chimney cap was almost completely blocked. I wound up having to crawl inside the thing to clean the lower portion of the stack. Nice and warm in there, like a lobster in a pot.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: E Yoder on January 31, 2019, 03:43:16 AM
Leave the cap off while heating? I don't use them except during summer shutdown.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: buckgrunt on January 31, 2019, 07:13:42 AM
I know this sounds unbelievable, but it works.......Every 2 weeks or so, throw in 3 aluminum cans.   As the cans melt and become gas, it reacts with the creosote, which becomes more flaky and easy to scrape off.   
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: BoilerHouse on January 31, 2019, 07:43:33 AM
I am willing to give that a try, I was looking for a good excuse to drink more beer in the winter.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: twain on February 02, 2019, 05:07:47 PM
Ive heard that before about the cans. I have not tried it.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: Bigbaddave on February 02, 2019, 05:44:26 PM
My dad always says when he was growing up they would throw an old zinc canning lid in the coal furnace once a week to keep the chimney clean and he always tells me to throw some aluminum cans in because it will do the same thing
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: RSI on February 02, 2019, 11:17:55 PM
I have tried the aluminum can thing before and it never seemed to do anything. Maybe I did it wrong? :-\
I didn't ever use beer cans though. Maybe it is the beer and not the aluminum that is needed.  ;D
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: Roger2561 on February 03, 2019, 02:48:43 AM
I have tried the aluminum can thing before and it never seemed to do anything. Maybe I did it wrong? :-\
I didn't ever use beer cans though. Maybe it is the beer and not the aluminum that is needed.  ;D

Question - Do you drink the beer first or do you throw it on the fire?  I don't know about you but I know I'd feel better if I drank it first! :-\
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: slimjim on February 03, 2019, 04:08:12 AM
For those of you with gassers, use caution because the cans can plug your nozzle pretty easily but it does work, old license plates work as well but I think most of us have more beer cans than license plates to burn.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: fireboss on February 03, 2019, 06:29:24 AM
If you put a full beer can in that would be alcohol abuse 🤣
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: BoilerHouse on February 03, 2019, 07:07:14 AM


Question - Do you drink the beer first or do you throw it on the fire?  I don't know about you but I know I'd feel better if I drank it first! :-\
[/quote]


I think you are on to something Roger.  If you drink enough beer, the creosote just looks flakey.   :)
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: Fourced on March 17, 2019, 06:04:50 PM
One of the guys on here swore by one of the anti creosote treatments. It came in a bucket and you threw some in every so often . I forget who it was, and what it was. So I guess The am not much help but there than there is a product out there that works. Edit: I am pretty sure it was creosote Destroyer.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: mlappin on March 17, 2019, 11:03:45 PM
I’ve been told by several old timers that rock salt takes creosote out. Just can’t bring myself to do that, think I’ll try the beer cans first.

Creosote Destroyer does work, I’ve found if you have a gasser it works best to add just as it shuts off.
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: buckgrunt on May 01, 2019, 06:08:14 PM
For those of you with gassers, use caution because the cans can plug your nozzle pretty easily but it does work, old license plates work as well but I think most of us have more beer cans than license plates to burn.

Slimjim.....What is a nozzle  in your gasser ?  Do you mean a propane back up nozzle ?  I have a gasser (Eclassic 2300) with no built in propane back up and I not aware of my unit having a nozzle ?????
Title: Re: creosote
Post by: mlappin on May 01, 2019, 06:38:23 PM
For those of you with gassers, use caution because the cans can plug your nozzle pretty easily but it does work, old license plates work as well but I think most of us have more beer cans than license plates to burn.

Slimjim.....What is a nozzle  in your gasser ?  Do you mean a propane back up nozzle ?  I have a gasser (Eclassic 2300) with no built in propane back up and I not aware of my unit having a nozzle ?????

The opening in the floor of the primary chamber that the gasses exit thru is referred to as the nozzle.