DIY EASY Chimney Clean Out for Less Than $80!

It is finally that time of year to crank up the fire place! Even if you don't have a fire place, I'm sure you know someone who does. Please share this with them! Creosote builds up in the chimney and is the leading cause of 🔥 chimney fires 🔥 , so to say this is a very important process is an understatement. Last winter a friend of mine lost his house due to a chimney fire, and I don't want the same happen to you. I will show you my process on how I clean my wood burning chimney and give you some general knowledge. I have a wood burning fire place insert with a 8" inner liner that needs cleaned 1-2 times a year.
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[@gabeshull6036]

Commenting on why creosote is flammable but not by a lighter or torch. Being a former firefighter in the upper mid west I’ve made plenty of chimney fires. Every flammable material has a combustion temperature. Creosote i would assume is a similar temperature of motor oil. Burning a fire for a longer period of time at a high temperature can light it off. Most of the fires I’ve made are located in the upper 6’ of the chimney catching the surrounding frame work on fire. You probably won’t know until your neighbor calls the fire department. If it happens pop a ABC fire extinguisher off at the fire pit and the draft will put a good dent in the chimney fire.

[@natenesstv6685]

Gave thanks for your insight! So helpful and I really appreciate your comment it makes sense.

[@Freeloader-wg9po]

Very true. I had a customer who had a chimney fire in a prefab. The owners left the house and were talking with their neighbors when they saw it from the street. They ran inside and shot a fire extinguisher up the flue and put it out. Bottom half was covered in stage 2 creosote.

[@akaredcrossbow]

What the problem is creosote expands like a firework snake. That starts to block the flue and has extreme temperature at that blockage and it ignites. The tile, brick, mortar, even stainless steel can’t withstand those temperatures and expand, crack, or tear. Be more worried about stage 2 creosote because that’s the stuff that expands and causes a chimney fire.

[@knh5954]

From research at big box lumber yard on refractory cement, here goes- temp at base of fire gets to 1500 deg, regular concrete (mortar) breaks down at 850 over time unrelated here. Surrounding the fire can get to 1000 deg so if your smoke chamber and shelf heat up to 451 deg , which is less than half of temp in box, that is ignition point for creosote which then can expand like foam and reach temps of 2000 deg in minutes and catch other things on fire depending on their ignition temps. Handyman mag stated necessity to clean chimney every 50 burns if wet wood, moisture coming out ends as it burns or 70 burns for dry hard woods. I would add if you have a ribbed flu like in this video, it looks like it catches the creosote and more cleaning and inspection might be necessary. One last thing, I remember acid rain mixes with creosote and makes sulfuric acid further breaking down concrete (mortar), so do not forget about carbon monoxide poisonings if cracks in concrete, flu or liner at seams; so fire extinguisher as stated by fireman is great idea and carbon monoxide detectors on floors around chimney might be good precaution too.

[@natenesstv6685]

Wow! Thanks for the comment! It is super informative and helpful!

[@kentuckybackwoods7114]

Yes I love my drill chimney sweep but I still do a down and up pass with the old school brush and it knocks loose whatever may be left. Rather be paranoid and safe than sorry.

[@natenesstv6685]

I hear ya! Thanks for your tip!

[@philiptheriault7953]

This was extremely helpful. Thanx

[@natenesstv6685]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DdD-pi8jw]

It takes a high temperature to ignite it, that’s why you might hear your liner burning (quite unsettling) when burning your stove really hard. Once ignited, it’s ferocious. Many homes have burned down due to this phenomenon. Mostly in tile flu. The risk of burning your house down is minimal with a metal insert.

[@maryjanepartlow7267]

The kid in you 😂😂 sounds like my firebug husband to be. Anything to blow stuff up. We just bought our first home and have a fireplace but the local sweepers told us $200 to clean it then never called back. We’re more of a “do-it-ourselves “ type of people if we can. This looks easy enough so thank you so much! I’ll be looking into the soot eater today. 😊

[@natenesstv6685]

Congratulations on your first home!

[@maryjanepartlow7267]

@@natenesstv6685 ❤️❤️

[@Nora-ci7mj]

Thank you

[@writchfangers3524]

With the amount of creosote collected is key. With temperatures reaching a constant 500 degrees and up to 2000. Think of creosote as like charcoal it’ll get to a burn as embers and the constant burn of logs below reinforces the temperature and when the creosote coating spreads as collective embers you get an uncontrollable burn and if you’ve ever walked outside to hear the chimney exhaust flue it’s a pressure cooker blowing up and out and is where if there are cracks present up the flue is where heat temperatures escape to start fires in the second story subfloors, walls and attics to the roof. It’s a sound you’ll never forget like a tornado. High pressure confined in small space try to get out. Great job on the video and the lead for the Sweep enjoy and be safe. You got it good. Now come to Georgia and do mine 😂😂😂😂

[@natenesstv6685]

Wow thanks for explaining that! And yea Georgia is a ways away! Hahaha! 😂

[@rhaglund1]

Looks like fun.

[@natenesstv6685]

It was kinda fun, not as fun as fishing ;)

[@Jack-ne8vm]

I'd start at the bottom & work up. Then creosote has a clear passage down, otherwise it may clog totally.

[@natenesstv6685]

That’s a good call!

[@YvonneGarcia-lk7wq]

ty 4 that

[@handyonweekends]

Thanks for the video! I think the creosote combusts at higher temperatures that a lighter doesn't quite get to.

[@natenesstv6685]

That makes sense! Thanks for watching and for your comment!

[@closertothehearth5838]

@@natenesstv6685 Ignition for creosote can be as low as 450 F depending on its composition and moisture content. 600 to 900 is more common. That bubbly texture is called expanded creosote. It only occurs when it has already ignited. That is why your lighter isn't working. Try it on some tarry glaze for a dramatic difference! I don't see any color change in your liner so I believe you dodged some damage! Hey ! Want to be a pro? I am hiring 2 chimney sweeps for 2022! No experience needed. I will train you in the ways of the sweep!

[@miked6497]

Man! That looks like cake frosting. Based on that visual..looks like it might need cleaning weekly 😅. You must be burning some green or super soft wood. Slowing down the air flow setting for longer burn time can create this condition as well.

[@DMSJagXK]

Don’t forget that in the UK, for insurance, flues should be cleaned annually by a professional who gives you the required certificate for insurance purposes after the job has been done.

[@natenesstv6685]

Wow! I didn’t know that about the UK! Thanks for sharing with us!

[@kathyryder828]

I think it's the same in New Zealand. It costs less than $100 NZD (about $60 USD) to get it done by a professional, so it is definitely worth it for insurance purposes and peace of mind.

[@CK-dt6nx]

It's probably more like how coal burns where you need enough heat and air flow. You can't just take a match to coal either but there's TONS of energy in it when you get it burning

[@natenesstv6685]

That makes sense! Thanks!

[@norwegiannationalist7678]

Here in Norway the chinmey sweepers come once a year and clean the chimney and ashbox for about 80 dollars.

[@natenesstv6685]

Wow! For $80 I might go that route! I love Norway, definitely one of the most beautiful countries in the world in my opinion. Thanks for your comment and for watching!

[@DalesValor]

Chimney sweep guy wants $450 in California USA. I think I'll do it myself with the help of a handyman.

[@norwegiannationalist7678]

@@DalesValor Wow that is very expensive compared to here, However a reason why it is cheaper here might be the fact that almost all houses here have chimneys and a woodstove, Most people have it as a main heating method for something like a living room and it is vital to keep our homes warm. Around here doing a DIY chimney sweep isnt very legal, Sure you could cheap out and only do the chimney sweep once per 4 years which is the legal maximum between chimney sweeps, ofc you could save some money by doing the chimney sweep yourself the 3 other years however the 4 th one has to be done by a certified chimney sweeper and if ya dont do the required chimney sweep you will get a prohibition from using your wood stove and if you break it you will get a fine.

[@norwegiannationalist7678]

@@natenesstv6685 Thank you for the kind words. America is very beatiful too i think, I would really love to visit the grand canyon and the niagra falls sometime, I have never been to USA but i hope it is a good as they say.

[@mattieice2988]

IT costs about 500 in Upstate NY great deal

[@426superbee4]

There was some sort of damage down in the liner. I seen it sunken in

[@426superbee4]

It wouldn't gone much more longer, b4 a chimney fire 🔥🔥

[@akaredcrossbow]

What the problem is creosote expands like a firework snake. That starts to block the flue and has extreme temperature at that blockage and it ignites. It’s much harder to ignite creosote in an open environment like this. The tile, brick, mortar, even stainless steel can’t withstand those temperatures and expand, crack, or tear. Be more worried about stage 2 creosote because that’s the stuff that expands and causes a chimney fire.

[@standupforwhatsright4168]

How do you suggest doing the sweep when gas water heater is connected ??

[@natenesstv6685]

I don’t have a suggestion for how to clean that. I would reach out to a professional sweep and see what they think. Good luck!

[@herminpomales4916]

As a pro I say call me and let me do it

[@CygnusX-pt1ms]

How much would you say you burn a winter? How long was that since you cleaned it and is that an insulated liner?

[@natenesstv6685]

I burn about 1.5-2 cord. It was about 5 months of burning when I cleaned it in this video. It’s a non insulated liner. Great questions! Thanks for watching!

[@CygnusX-pt1ms]

@@natenesstv6685 thank you for your reply! I just installed a old fisher woodstoge insert. I knew it was to big for my house but I live in northern Maryland. Doesn't get to cold here so I know I can't get the stove to its true potential without burning me out of the house. I keep the stove top on average 350 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.Burning it January through February mayyybbbeeee March. Probably about a cord a year. Just when the heat pump can't keep up and my electric bill soars. I was worried because my liner in not insulated and I have noticed some build up but nothing like yours. Inside of pipe got a thin coating of black and light fluffy soot but nothing like your in this video. Thank you for making it. Makes me feel a lot better.

[@Vl-ly3fg]

Thanks man! I just bought a house and I need some tips to be able to do my own shit!!

[@natenesstv6685]

Congrats on getting a house! Thanks for watching

[@fridelbarrios4506]

@@natenesstv6685 is it safe for oneself to do it? No experience here, first time having a chimney , haven’t used it yet, been living in this house for 2 years kinda scared to use it , what do u think?

[@kingsolomon7725]

Was wondering how long it took for that build up?

[@natenesstv6685]

It’s pretty normal for me to get build up like this every 6months to a year depending on what I’m burning and how wet/green it is.

[@Tko_Seven]

Can we use this from bottom up?

[@natenesstv6685]

I suppose you could but you would risk getting soot in your house. I prefer doing it from up top and keeping the fireplace all closed down. If you do try it from below let me know how it goes!

[@trentmozee]

Nice job but you missed a major part of the job. You need TO REPLACE THE FIREPLACE CROWN as I can see cracks in it and if you don't the fireplace brick work will break down, making your flashing work fail and then your roof will also fail all around the chimney costing you BIG $$$$. Hope this helps. Have a great day.

[@eric_maya]

How does Santa fit through there?

[@natenesstv6685]

Not easily, he has to tighten his belt! Hahaha! 😄😆

[@michaelj.k.9408]

That much creosote is a problem lol

[@dominickfalsetti4502]

Are you burning softwood? My god

[@natenesstv6685]

Mostly alder, maple and fir but some of it was a bit green, and yea it can get bad! Haha! I definitely get less when the wood is more cured.

[@robertjeffery6100]

You’re not burning your stove hot enough or your burning wet wood….

[@Eliwhygul772]

Do you think a cheap grill lighter replicates the fireplace? If so keep advice to yourself

[@antoniokelley243]

They lied, it’s all about money.