How to clean a sandwich chimney. Do-it-yourself chimney cleaning from soot

Coal or any other type of solid fuel, then they certainly wondered - how to clean soot from a chimney? Next, we will look at two main and effective ways to remove soot with your own hands.

What is harmful soot

First, let's briefly consider why soot is harmful:

1. Arises. Firewood flares up worse and burns poorly, which leads to even more soot.
2. The heat transfer of the heater decreases, since soot is a kind of heat-insulating layer.
3. The wear of the walls of the chimney is accelerated.
4. The soot in the chimney can ignite, causing a fire.

Cleaning the chimney pipe with a brush

Mechanical cleaning of the chimney with a brush is the oldest, well-known and reliable way to clean soot. It requires an investment of time and effort, a little practice and equipment. The first thing to start with is to choose the right ruff.

How to choose a ruff

1. Material selection

Ruffs are metal and plastic.

Metal brushes tougher, retain their working shape longer and better clean off soot. But they are more expensive, and with intensive cleaning they can scratch the inner surface of the chimney.

Threaded metal brush for cleaning the chimney.

Plastic brushes softer and less scratch the chimney. But they also serve less: plastic rods break faster and the brush loses its working shape.

Plastic threaded brush for cleaning the chimney.

If you have a brick chimney, then choose a metal brush. It lasts longer and cleans soot more effectively. If you have a metal chimney, then use a plastic ruff.

2. Choosing the size of the brush

Choose the diameter of the ruff according to the diameter of the chimney: the ruff should be equal to the diameter of the chimney or 1-2 cm more. Then the brush will be able to catch on the soot, and will not slide along the walls.

3. Choice of fasteners

Each brush has two types of fasteners: for a rope or a pole. The method of cleaning depends on the type of fastener - through the roof or from the room.

Cleaning the chimney through the roof

This is the cheapest and easiest way to clean. You will need: a plastic or metal ruff for a rope, a strong rope, a weight of 1-3 kg.

How to clean

The ruff is tied to a rope, a load is hooked and lowered into the chimney through the roof. The ruff runs along the entire chimney and cleans the soot from the walls.

Ruff should be lowered gently and gradually. You can’t let go of the rope and “throw” the brush into a free fall: you can dislocate your arm or hit the load on the chimney and damage it.

Lower and raise the brush all the way up the chimney several times until you are sure you have cleared the blockage and removed the soot.

How much is

Brush depending on the size and material 150-300 UAH. Over time, the rods of the ruff are bent, and it loses its working shape. On average, one brush is enough for 1-3 heating seasons.

Advantages and disadvantages

pros

Minuses

Low cost. This is one of the cheapest and most affordable cleaning methods. A ruff costs 150-300 UAH, and a rope and a load can be used from improvised means. Does not require special skills. A little practice is enough.

You need to climb onto the roof, which is unsafe in winter and autumn due to snow, wind, rain and other factors. Requires effort and time - from 30 to 60 minutes. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to clean chimney bends and hard-to-reach places. Does not clean soot inside the heater: heat exchanger of a solid fuel or pellet boiler, burner, walls and internal chimneys, and so on. At the time of cleaning, it is necessary to extinguish the flame and stop the operation of the heater. Immediately after cleaning, the soot will begin to accumulate again. Therefore, cleaning must be repeated at least once a month. The brush is not eternal and eventually it will have to be replaced. Sometimes cleaning through the roof is not possible. For example, the chimney is too high and access to it is limited.

Brushing out of the room

A safer and more convenient way to clean your chimney without having to climb onto the roof.

You push the brush into the chimney on a flexible pole from below through the heater or revision hole. To do this, you will need a threaded brush and a set of flexible meter sticks that twist into each other and form a long, strong pole.

The process of cleaning the chimney in practice:

1. You screw the ruff onto the first handle, put it through the heater or an inspection window into the chimney from below, push through and clean the first meter.
2. To the end of the handle sticking out of the chimney, screw the second handle and push the brush another meter up. So you clean the second meter of the chimney from soot.
3. Repeat the process until you have cleared the entire height of the chimney.

The same brush and handle can be used when cleaning through the roof.

How much is

One pen costs an average of 150-200 UAH. The number of handles depends on the height of the chimney. You also need a brush (150-300 UAH depending on the diameter). The whole set for cleaning a six-meter chimney will cost up to 1500 UAH.

Advantages and disadvantages

pros

Minuses

You don't have to climb onto the roof. Sticks don't break. You buy them once and for all. With one separate stick and a small brush, you can clean the boiler heat exchanger and the inner walls of the heater. With a stiff handle, you can apply force and “push through” the blockage in the chimney. When cleaning with a rope through the roof, the ruff can rest against the blockage and not go lower.

Expensive: one meter pen costs about 150-200 UAH. The number of handles depends on the height of the chimney. During cleaning, you need to extinguish the fire and stop the operation of the boiler, fireplace or stove. Soot accumulates regularly, so after a month the chimney will have to be cleaned again. It takes energy and time - from 30 to 60 minutes. It is difficult or impossible to effectively clean the soot in the knees and bends of the chimney.

Chimney cleaning with chemicals

Soot removers are used to clean the chimney.

The products are burned in the heater and emit active gases that act on the soot. Under the influence of gases, the soot dries out, becomes brittle and begins to flake off the walls. Small particles fly away through the chimney along with the smoke, while large particles fall down, where you remove them along with the ash.

One of the important advantages of the products is that they are also able to clean the insides of a wood-burning heater: stoves, fireplaces, solid fuel boilers, potbelly stoves, and so on. This allows you to increase their heat transfer and reduce the consumption of firewood.

There are two main types of products: for cleaning the chimney from existing soot and prevention.

How much is

A log costs an average of 320-350 UAH. It replaces brushing and completely cleans the chimney of soot in one go.

Means for prevention cost 150-250 UAH, depending on the volume of the package. With regular use, the products prevent the formation of soot, and the chimney and heater constantly remain clean and work efficiently.

One pack is enough for 3-4 months of daily heating. So, this is 250 UAH / 120 = 2.083 UAH per day.

Conclusion

Now you know 2 ways how to clean the chimney from soot. They are both effective and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, exactly how to remove soot is a matter of personal preference. We can only summarize all of the above:

1. Mechanical removal of soot. You pay only once for the purchase of a brush, which will save you money in the long run. However, this approach is less convenient, as it takes time and effort to clean.
2. Cleaning the chimney with special tools will cost more, but it will save a lot of time and effort, and will also allow you to remove soot in bends and hard-to-reach places. In addition, the products clean not only the chimney pipe, but also the inner walls of the heater, and in solid fuel boilers the heat exchanger, which increases their heat transfer and reduces the consumption of firewood.

Cleaning the chimney from soot: 2 proven ways to remove soot in the chimney with your own hands

Heating a country house or a bath is not complete without a boiler or stove. These devices require the installation of a chimney, which during operation can become clogged with soot. In order for the stove to work properly, it is necessary to periodically clean the chimney. There are different cleaning methods - chemical, mechanical and folk methods. In the first case, cleaning is carried out with different compositions, in the second, you need to climb onto the roof and lower the device into the pipe. The choice of method depends on the design of the chimney and the degree of contamination.

Causes of a clogged chimney

Soot can completely clog the chimney, so cleaning is carried out once a year

Fuel combustion requires sufficient carbon oxidation. This process requires high temperature and oxygen. If one of the conditions is violated, soot is formed, which clogs the chimney.

Reasons for the formation of plaque on the pipe:

• Use of raw firewood for burning. In this case, when they enter the oven, they begin to dry, which consumes a large amount of energy. As a result, the temperature drops, the carbon does not warm up well and soot forms.
• Burning of plastic and polyethylene, as well as scraps of plywood, chipboard and OSB. They contain substances that clog the chimney.
• Weak traction. The insufficient height of the pipe, the transfer of the combustion process to smoldering and the accumulation of soot deposits lead to it.

Pay attention to the type of fuel. Christmas trees and pine form soot faster, but it is not always possible to use expensive oak and hardwoods. In this case, it is recommended to take firewood without resin and dry it well.

Chimney cleaning methods

If there is little soot, it can be removed with potato peels or salt.

Before you clean the chimney from soot, you should choose the appropriate method. There are only three of them: mechanical, chemical and manual cleaning.

With a mechanical one, a ruff is thrust into the chimney, which knocks soot off the walls. This method cannot always be used, since not every pipe has good access. In addition, the entire contents of the pipes are poured down, after which the garbage must be removed.

In the chemical method, powders and logs are used. They are laid at the firebox. Under the influence of temperature, substances are released that soften the soot and it flies into the pipe or falls down. Such funds are best used for prevention, when there is little soot.

Folk methods are also used to clean pipes. The problem of soot formation is dealt with by salt or potato peelings.

If professional cleaning is required, you can contact the fire department and call a specialist. The quality of work will be at the highest level, but you will have to pay for the services.

mechanical cleaning

Ruff with a weighting agent for cleaning the chimney from the roof

This method of cleaning pipes involves the use of additional funds. The most common devices are ruffs. They come in different diameters for specific chimneys. The ruff brush is put on the end of a long and flexible cable, a metal ball can be attached under it for easier passage down. The structure is lowered into the pipe and rises, as a result, soot is removed from the walls.

Before you clean the chimney in the stove with your own hands with a brush, you should take care of technical safety. When working on a roof, you need to provide insurance so as not to fall. You will also need gloves, goggles and respiratory protection. A respirator is needed, as cleaning produces small dust particles that enter the mouth and nose.

Not every type of chimney can be cleaned from the roof. Sometimes you have to clean the chimney from sandwich pipes. In this case, cleaning from below is required using a brush on a flexible hose. Professional pipe cleaners use special vacuum cleaners to pick up the soot that falls off during the process.

Before you clean the chimney pipe in a private house, you should put a container in the fireplace in advance into which combustion products will fall.

Chemical cleaning

Chemistry for soot removal

If the chimney in the country is not too clogged, you can use various chemical compounds to remove a small layer of soot. If the chimney pipe is brick, such substances will allow mechanical cleaning to be done less frequently. As an independent cleaning agent, they are used for ceramic or stainless steel chimneys.

Periodic use of dry cleaning of chimneys of stoves and fireplaces from soot allows you to make it softer, after which it is easier to remove the residues mechanically. The combination of these two methods will keep the chimney free of plaque for a long time.

Among the most popular means for cleaning pipes from soot are the following:

• Kominichek. This is a Czech drug that is sold in paper bags in the form of granules. In a heated oven on firewood, you need to put the package without tearing it. During the combustion process, substances will be released that will effectively clean the pipes. It is recommended to use when the soot layer does not exceed 2 mm.
• Log. Produced under the names Chimney sweep and others. The boxes will differ in appearance depending on the manufacturer. The rules for use are the same - the log must be placed in a well-heated oven. During combustion, smoke will be released, softening the soot. It will volatilize or fall down.
• Pipe cleaning powders. Are issued in the form of packages with the packaged powder. The package should be placed in a hot oven. There are both domestic and foreign production.

After applying chemical cleaning methods, you should check the room. The fireplace or stove must be cleaned of the remnants of crumbled soot. It is important to note that soot deposits may still fall off over the next few days.

Folk ways

Aspen logs burn soot, but they are used only for prevention, so that a fire does not occur with a large soot coating

If it is impossible to clean the pipes mechanically or chemically, you can use folk remedies. The simplest of them is the firebox of an already heated stove with aspen wood. The flame from them is hotter, the soot burns instantly. But this method cannot be used with a large raid - soot can explode and damage the chimney. Therefore, before cleaning the chimney, you should inspect it. Aspen is recommended to be used for prevention. When kindling, it is enough to put a couple of logs to ordinary fuel.

There are safer ways to clean the chimney with folk remedies. A kilogram of table salt or a bucket of potato peels is placed in a red-hot and heated oven and heated. They must first be dried so as not to lower the temperature in the furnace. The action of the funds will be softer than from chemicals.

Determination of cleaning time

Over time, plaque forms on pipes made of any material. It must be cleaned, otherwise the chimney will not work effectively. When clogged, a reverse draft effect is formed and the smoke enters the room, and not outside. This can also lead to failure of the furnace.

When choosing a cleaning time, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

• Downtime. When was the last cleaning done and how?
• Chimney structure. How can pipes be cleaned? The smoothness of the walls is also taken into account.
• What fuel is used. Was raw wood used for the firebox? Did they throw plastic and other garbage into the stove.

There are a number of signs by which you can understand that you need to clean the chimneys and chimneys from soot.

• Smoke color change. With a clean chimney, almost transparent smoke comes out into the street. If it starts to turn black, soot has accumulated in the pipe, which must be removed.
• Changing the color of the fire in the furnace. Under normal conditions, it should be light orange, the firewood should crackle characteristically. When an orange color appears, the chimney should be cleaned.

The easiest and most reliable way is a preventive check of the chimney by specialists. They use special weights for this, which are placed in the pipe. If they easily pass to the furnace, there is no precipitation or it is minimal. In case of obstruction, urgent cleaning is necessary.

Consequences of uncleaned chimneys

A fire in a chimney can destroy a building if soot is not removed in time.

The stove or fireplace is a potential fire hazard. For this reason, when working with such heaters, it is imperative to observe safety precautions, which include periodic cleaning of pipes.

The main consequences of uncleaned chimneys:

• Fire. With a large accumulation of soot, a fire may occur in the ventilation pipes.
• Reduced efficiency of the heating system. Plaque leads to a decrease in the heat capacity of the pipe and a weak smoke output. As a result, the house will be poorly heated and there is a risk of smoke entering the room.
• Health problems in humans and pets. With poor cleaning, soot and other dust particles accumulate in the pipes, which enter the respiratory and vision organs. They can cause serious illness in the residents of the house. In addition, chimney channels clogged with soot poison all people and animals in the room with carbon monoxide.
• Explosions. Soot tends to explode when accumulated heavily, so it must be removed periodically.

The patency of smoke channels is of decisive importance for the normal operation of heating systems. This is especially important for solid fuel thermal units. Chimneys tend to become clogged with combustion products, which reduces fuel efficiency and increases the likelihood of situations that threaten not only the integrity of property, but also the lives of people living in the house.

How and how to clean the chimney from soot

Heating in a private house is a vital system that affects not only comfortable living, but often the property and life of residents. A special role is played by the system for removing fuel combustion products from the room - the chimney. Its inner surface is gradually contaminated with condensate and soot, while the cross section of the chimney channel decreases, the draft decreases, and the complete removal of smoke from the room is disturbed.

Over time, the chimney becomes clogged with soot, and its ability to remove combustion products decreases.

Why does the chimney get dirty

Clogging of the smoke channel occurs during the combustion of fuel, when vaporous and solid products are released from it, carried out by the flow of furnace gases. But under certain conditions, they do not completely fly out into the pipe. This happens under the following circumstances:

Signs of a clogged chimney

When the flue gas duct becomes clogged, it will be immediately visible. The main signs of a clogged channel will be the following phenomena:

What to do if the chimney is clogged

Before the start of the heating season, it is imperative to inspect the chimney from the inside for blockages. In the warm season, birds with a nest can settle in it or debris blown into the chimney by the wind can appear. To avoid this, the chimney must be equipped with a mesh cap at the installation stage to prevent such situations.

In such a case, the house should always have a backup heating unit in the form of a heater or an electric heater built into the heating system.

Having provided yourself with warmth with its help in the cold season, you can thoroughly consider the situation and think about options for getting out of it.

The presence of draft in the furnace must be checked every time the furnace is ignited - the flame must deviate towards the chimney

How to clean a chimney

The meaning of this operation is to timely clean the walls from soot deposits and debris that has got inside (during the off-season period). When cleaning, you need to check all sections of the chimney and the stove itself. The last step is to clean the ash pan and the firebox. Timely cleaning of the chimney reduces fuel consumption and makes the operation of the furnace safe.

In practice, three main cleaning methods are used, two of which are preventive:

1. Chemical and biological methods. They are used as a preventive measure using compounds that soften soot and lead to its partial removal from the smoke channel.
2. Mechanical. It is produced by direct impact on the soot layer with various tools in order to remove it.

If you use such tools correctly and in a timely manner, you can avoid involving a third-party specialist in cleaning the chimney.

Biological methods of cleaning the chimney

All biological methods are based on adding some substances to a burning furnace. Common products include the following:

• potato peelings. This is an old folk remedy for the prevention of soot deposits, the simplest and always available. The peel must be prepared in advance, accumulating at least half a bucket. It must be dried and brought into the furnace at the end of the burning of the bookmark. When burned, potatoes release starch, which softens the soot layer well. It happens that it simply falls down in layers or pieces, part of it is carried out along with the furnace gases. This operation is also recommended before mechanical cleaning;
• rock salt. The method is used when igniting the furnace. The compound formed when the salt is heated softens the soot layer well. A tablespoon of salt should be poured over the fuel tab;
• aspen wood. Firewood from a tree of this breed has a high calorific value, so they are laid at the end of the firebox. Hot furnace gases simply burn soot directly on the walls of the chimney. The danger of the method lies in the fact that large deposits of soot during combustion at a high intrinsic temperature can destroy the chimney and cause a serious fire. Therefore, this method should be used regularly, laying aspen firewood in small portions. For the same purpose, you can use birch firewood peeled from the bark;
• walnut shell. The use of this tool is also associated with a high temperature of their combustion. Therefore, they can serve as an alternative to aspen firewood. But the shell can be used in an amount of no more than two liters at a time. Otherwise, overheating of the chimney is possible with predictable consequences.

Photo gallery: folk remedies for cleaning the chimney

Walnut shells cannot be burned in large quantities - it can overheat the chimney Burning dried peelings destroys the soot layer due to the release of starch Rock salt, when heated, releases substances that soften soot on the walls of the chimney Aspen wood burns soot on the walls of the chimney due to a very high combustion temperature

Soot removal chemicals

There are several such products, and they can be divided into two groups: household products and special chemicals. The first group includes:

1. Naphthalene. This is an effective and quite reliable tool. Under its influence, soot exfoliates and is taken out into the furnace. It is placed in the oven on the burning firewood. A significant drawback is the acrid unpleasant odor remaining in the room. Therefore, it is not used in open hearths and fireplaces.
2. Blue blend. It's easy to make your own if you have a few common ingredients on hand. Need to mix:
   • five parts of copper sulfate;
   • seven parts of saltpeter;
   • two parts of medium fraction coke.

Special chemicals are used to clean chimneys also for preventive purposes. Given the existing demand, the industry produces a variety of formulations designed specifically to combat soot. The release form can be briquettes, like logs, powders or solutions. Their action is based on the decomposition of smoke even in the furnace into components that do not form soot.

The convenience is that the methods of their use are described in detail in the instructions for use, and they are divided into portions. You can burn these products together with the packaging, which is also very convenient. The following products are popular:

There are quite a few remedies for soot on the market, so by testing you can choose the best option for yourself.

Photo gallery: chemicals for cleaning the chimney

Cheerful chimney sweep tablets will help get rid of soot in the chimney no worse than a professional chimney sweeper Blue mixture must be prepared independently from three not the most common components This product is recommended to be used only in closed combustion chambers Naphthalene leaves behind an unpleasant odor that will disappear within a few days

Video: chimney cleaning with special chemicals

Mechanical cleaning methods

Mechanical methods are radical and are recommended for use at least twice a year. They are produced from the top of the pipe with various brushes or nozzles for power tools, and the final cleaning is performed from the bottom of the hearth, fireplace or furnace furnace.

Chimney sweeps use special ruffs on a long cable

As preparatory measures, before cleaning a thick (from two millimeters) layer of soot, potato peelings or other listed means are burned.

In this case, the following materials and tools may be needed:

To clean the pipe from above, you need to use a roof ladder, well fixed on the roof . Under any conditions, you need a reliable safety rope.

Work at height can only be carried out in dry, calm weather. Before climbing to the roof, you should not take drugs that reduce the reaction, and even more so alcoholic beverages.

Before starting work, the oven must be cooled down. Clean the furnace space from unburned fuel residues and ash. Close the firebox door, blower, and hob covers tightly and hang with a wet rag to prevent soot from entering the room. The gate must be opened completely to avoid re-clogging of the channel with crumbling soot.

The chimney pipe must be freed from the head, after which:

Video: cleaning the chimney from the side of the room

Ruff with your own hands

If for some reason there was no brush at hand, it can be made “on the go” from a plastic bottle. To do this, you need to cut several tiers of strips up to 12-15 millimeters wide on the body so that they bend vertically. To make the device heavier, sand can be poured to the bottom.

A good chimney brush can be made from a plastic bottle

Stainless steel pipe cleaning

A feature of the product is the high quality of the inner surface of the chimney. This prevents a significant amount of soot from settling on the walls. Naturally, this is true for a properly made chimney, subject to the rules for firing a furnace. If a stable soot has formed, it is urgent to clean it. To do this, use the following methods:

In order not to conduct additional "experiments", you need to heat the stove only with suitable fuel - well-dried hardwood firewood. At the end of each firebox, you need to add one aspen log for prevention.

Video: stainless steel pipe cleaning

Soot removal from stainless steel sandwich pipes

Cleaning the inner sandwich pipe, if used correctly, is very rarely needed. However, if such a need arises, you can use an elongated brush made of thin pile. The flexible compound hose is rotated by an electric drill, cleaning is done through a tee from below. Fine bristles of the ruff do not damage the surface of the pipe, effectively cleaning the surface.

Such a chimney is easy to dismantle and clean each pipe individually.

Special cases of cleaning the chimney

Some chimney cleaning situations require separate consideration.

How to clean a chimney pipe in a private house

Briefly, the entire process of cleaning the chimney has already been described above. To what has been said, it is only necessary to add that with a strong clogging of the smoke channel, the first operation is to break through the soot with a core without additional devices. Only then are brushes of different sizes and designs consistently used.

When performing work, care should be taken to create a safe working environment.

When working at height, be sure to buckle up with a safety cable.

Video: how to clean a chimney in a private house

Bath chimney cleaning

The chimney in the bath is usually simpler. And most often it is made of stainless pipes, which requires special attention to its cleaning. In order not to negate its main advantage - the high quality of the inner surface - it should be cleaned only with soft plastic or brushes made from natural materials. The easiest way to manage is with straight pipelines, and if there are elbows - we recall that there should be no more than two of them - you may have to dismantle the chimney if it does not have special windows for cleaning during installation.

Otherwise, preventive measures and cleaning are carried out in the same way.

Cleaning the chimney pipe from tar

Considering the composition of flue gases, you need to pay attention to two main components - this is water vapor from the fuel and a vapor of difficult-to-ignite creosote. Mixing and settling on the walls of the smoke channel, they form a resin that is difficult to remove due to its viscosity and good adhesion to various types of surfaces.

The only effective way to deal with tar deposits is to prevent its formation. For this, various means are used that are produced specifically for this case.

HANSA effectively protects the walls of the chimney from the formation of tar

For example, the known composition of HANSA is a fine crystalline substance. Part of it converts wood into resin and water vapor, and the second, reacting with the substance of the resin, contributes to its decomposition and combustion at the temperature in the furnace. Remains of resin on the walls turn into a brittle crystalline composition, crumbling into the furnace.

This composition is placed inside the burning furnace. The frequency of use at the beginning of the operation of the thermal unit is daily, then you can switch to use once a week.

Curved chimney cleaning

The bends of the smoke channel are always a forced measure caused by the structural features of the building. However, they need to be cleaned periodically. For this purpose, elements are provided in the design of the pipeline, using which this operation can be performed easily and simply. These are special hatches, when opened, it becomes possible to access the straight section of the bend. The length of the inclined sections is not recommended to be made larger than a meter. The number of bends on one pipe should not exceed two.

If there is no window for cleaning on the outlet elbow, then the chimney will have to be disassembled

How to clean a gas stove chimney

The reason for cleaning the chimney of the gas column is its banal clogging with a deterioration in draft. In a city apartment, this is all the more dangerous because the threat arises for many people at the same time. One of the signs of traction deterioration is the “popping” of the column igniter.

The process of cleaning the exhaust pipe from a gas unit is practically no different from such an operation with conventional chimneys. The same ruff is used. Recently, vacuum cleaners of a special design are often used, which reliably clean the surface of the pipe and collect pollution products. In difficult cases, when the layers cannot be removed with a brush or vacuum cleaner, special chemicals are used to soften and remove them. Considering that the use of prophylactic agents on the column pipe is impossible, urgent measures should be taken if signs of clogging are found.

It must be admitted that the success of using solid fuel furnace equipment to the greatest extent depends on the correct operation of the units and the careful selection of fuel for it. In addition, it is necessary to regularly use preventive measures and know how to get rid of problems with clogged chimneys. Then stoves and fireplaces will delight you with fertile warmth in the house for a long time. I wish you success!

A stove or fireplace can be called the heart of any home. Together with warmth, coziness and comfort spread from them to every corner of the home. However, to maintain the safety and efficiency of such heating, flue ducts need periodic cleaning. You can entrust this work to professionals or use purchased chemicals, there is another method: you can also clean the chimney from soot in a folk way. Knowing the reasons for the active formation and settling of soot on the inner walls of the pipes, you can minimize this process, then you will have to resort to the work of a chimney sweep less often.

Causes of chimney clogging and the need for periodic cleaning

When the Heat-giving begins to flare up noticeably worse, and the smoke penetrates into the house during kindling through the existing holes, most likely the reason lies in the clogging of the chimney. These can be foreign objects, such as birds, nests made by them, or brick fragments from a collapsing pipe. Most often, these are flakes of soot and soot that have settled inside the chimney.

Soot deposits with regular use of stove heating are inevitable, but there are two reasons why the process is much more intense:

• The design of the chimney itself and the material from which it is made,
• Something that regularly gets into the furnace.

In the first case, inaccuracies and flaws in the masonry make it difficult for smoke to pass through, while the settling of burning on the walls increases markedly. Contributes to this:

• narrowing of smoke channels,
• excessive curvature,
• residual solution on the inner surface,
• poor thermal insulation and, as a result, the accumulation of condensate.

The most durable material is metal and asbestos is preferable for making pipes. Ceramics and bricks are subject to destruction, which means that the resulting roughness will reduce the permeability of smoke and increase deposition on the walls of combustion products. The same applies to a poorly prepared solution: when it dries, it cracks, the irregularities that appear serve as a place for soot deposition.

Raw firewood, especially with a high tar content, items made of polyethylene and plastic also exacerbate the situation.

As a result of the narrowing of the lumen:

• The exit of smoke is difficult, which means that part of the harmful gases enters the house, causing intoxication of the residents,
• There is a possibility of ignition of soot accumulated in the channels, and this is already a fire hazard situation.

When the degree of pollution is not critical, deposits can be dealt with by burning special preparations purchased in the trade network in the furnace or using well-known chimney cleaning products.

If the thickness of the settled soot exceeds 5 cm, then, according to the numerous experience of the owners of private houses, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do without brushes and scrapers.

Effective folk ways to clean the chimney

Not bad have proven themselves means such as "Cheerful Chimney Sweep", "Kominichek", "Sazhinet". Burning in the furnace, the resulting products bind to existing deposits, loosening them. Further, with smoke emissions, flocculent formations fly out or are deposited on the channel bottom.

Similarly, when burned, soot is bound by other "natural" products.

Potato peelings

The smell of fried potatoes is not always the result of cooking dinner. It has long been known that by throwing potato peelings into a burning oven, you can clean the chimney. So if there is no one to feed the waste, then the best use for potato peels is burning it in a firebox. The resulting starch-containing vapors bind soot layers, as a result of which it falls away from the walls of the channels. Flakes along with smoke can fly out for more than one day after the procedure.

Pre-drying promotes better combustion. To do this, simply leave the chips in the bucket for a day or two.

Salt

Salt should be sprinkled on dry firewood laid for kindling. In this case, soot settles less on the walls of the smoke exhaust channels, narrowing their clearance.

The use of this method is more suitable for prevention and in "severe" cases is not effective.

Naphthalene

One tablet of this substance is enough to reduce the precipitation of tar formations that are released during the furnace.

Due to the explosiveness of the chemical compound, use the method with caution!

logs

A special combustible mass mixed with chemical compounds is formed in the form of logs, which periodically need to be placed in the oven during kindling. The cleansing effect of this method differs depending on the manufacturer and the composition used by him.

Folk remedies can be called the use of aspen or alder logs. Having a high heat transfer, such a material causes the soot that has stuck around the pipe from the inside to burn out and is the essence of the following method.

soot burning

Not every oven will withstand such a test. It is first necessary to check the integrity of the chimney, since if it is violated, a fire may occur. Further:

• A large amount of highly combustible wood material is laid (aspen, alder, oak),
• Provides maximum oxygen supply due to open blowers.

At a temperature of about 600 0 C, the soot accumulated in the pipe ignites - a kind of self-cleaning of deposits.

walnut shell

It is not often that tenants have this material in large quantities. But burning it in a furnace makes it possible to release a large amount of heat and clean the inner surfaces of the chimney from the resin by burning it out.

mechanical cleaning

The need to clean pipes with various devices has existed since the advent of furnaces. Brushes and scrapers of various designs are still the main tools of chimney sweeps.

Mechanical and manual cleaning can be carried out without the help of professionals. This can be done either from above - through the pipe, or from below - through the base of the chimney. Both options can be used if necessary.

To avoid spilling soot on the floor during cleaning, it is better to close all openings with rags. Upon completion of the main work, it is good to use a vacuum cleaner with a fireplace cleaning function.

It is believed that the chimney needs to be cleaned at least once a year. It can be carried out, for example, before the start of the heating season or after its completion. The intensity of operation of the furnace and the time elapsed between cleanings affects the amount of "harvested". It can be a bucket, two or a whole bag.

Traditional brushes with metal bristles can be replaced with homemade devices, the effectiveness of which is no worse:

• A plastic bottle with cuts imitating bristles, mounted on a hose,
• Spruce legs tied to a long stick
• Bath brooms, planted on a cable or other likeness of an elongated handle.

In the case when the chimney is cleaned from top to bottom, it is reasonable to mount the cleaning devices not on the handle, but tie them in a rope with a load at the end. The length of the rope should be slightly longer than the length of the channel, the weight of the load should be about 10 kg.

Rooftop Safety

Work carried out on the roof requires not only skill, but also the observance of personal safety rules. No one acquaints them with a signature, but the price of life is perhaps the best motivation to listen to them.

• Do not clean in rainy and / or windy weather,
• A rope tied at one end to a belt is the simplest fall arrest device,
• A roof ladder is used to move around the roof,
• It is unacceptable to engage in work while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs that inhibit activity.

Recommendations for preventing soot accumulation in the chimney

Just as any health problems are best prevented, excessive soot accumulation, which requires a lot of time and effort to clean, is best avoided altogether.

First of all, it concerns what material is used for the firebox. It is possible to reduce the amount of soot deposited on the inner walls by eliminating combustion in the furnace:

• Raw firewood (with a moisture content of more than 20%),
• Resinous wood materials (oily products of combustion contribute to excessive deposits),
• Household waste (plastic bags, disposable tableware and other plastic

The problems of the initial poor design of the chimney are solved only by disassembly and new masonry. Only professionalism at the stage of planning and manufacturing the furnace will help to avoid problems during its further operation.

Under the bewitching crackle of firewood in the fireplace and the touch of spreading waves of heat, all the worries associated with maintaining the normal operation of this wonderful heating device are forgotten. Like any organism, albeit not a living one, it requires regular care for itself, endowing it with trouble-free work in return. By adopting folk methods for cleaning the chimney, you can save on purchased products and extend the time between mechanical cleanings.

We have all known chimney sweeps since childhood. The character of Andersen's fairy tale, so cute and clean, and so far from the real prototype. Indeed, in life, a person who cleans chimneys must be a strong, healthy man, and his hands can rarely be white. Cleaning the chimney is a responsible event that is vital for the normal functioning of the hood. During the combustion process, various substances are released, which, settling on the walls of the chimney, worsen the efficiency of the heating equipment, and in exceptional cases even cause failures in operation.

How to clean the chimney: methods and devices

A layer of soot on the pipe walls causes a decrease in traction, which not only affects the efficiency of the heating unit, but also ensures safety (read: ""). The fact is that with insufficient exhaust from the chimney, toxic carbon monoxide remains in the chimney and, even worse, it can enter the room. And this is fraught with consequences. In addition, the soot that has settled on the walls of the chimney consists of oily compounds that may well ignite. As a result of this, the walls of the pipe can stick out, which again leads us to the negative effect of carbon monoxide indoors. In addition, sparkling soot can ignite dry leaves on the roof or wood structures close to the house.

The question of how to clean the chimney from soot arose a long time ago, and therefore even today you can find folk methods that came to us straight from the past. But in addition to the ancient methods, there are modern ones that allow you to carry out this procedure as efficiently as possible.

How to clean the chimney from soot - folk method 1

You can clean the chimney with table salt. This procedure can be attributed to preventive, since the salt is unlikely to clean off the existing layer of soot and deposits. But with regular use of this method, a new deposit is formed much more slowly.

The essence of the method is too simple - you need to add a handful of ordinary kitchen salt to the firewood. When burning, it affects the chemical processes inside the stove or fireplace and, as a result, soot does not settle so intensively on the walls of the chimney. This method of cleaning the pipe should be resorted to if the chimney is not yet clogged with soot.

Unfortunately, no one has tested how effective such a smoke chimney cleaner really is. But, by the way, if salt did not help, then no one would just throw it into the fire.

Removing soot in the chimney - method number 2

An effective, but at the same time risky method. Its essence is to completely burn the existing plaque on the walls of the chimney. It relies on the chemical composition of the soot in the pipe. The fact is that sticky oily compounds that have settled on the walls of the chimney are nothing more than unburned chemicals that simply did not have enough oxygen for complete combustion. Thus, if the firebox is heated to a sufficient temperature, the soot itself will burn out, leaving no trace on the walls of the chimney.

The riskiness of the method lies in the fact that not every stove or fireplace can be designed for such a high temperature. During such a burn, you should be attentive to the sparks flying out through the chimney. They are quite capable of setting fire to the roof or neighboring houses.

Some folk craftsmen, considering that it takes too long to burn soot with wood, use naphthalene or gasoline. But in this case, the level of risk is even greater. The use of flammable substances can cause not only a fire, but also a real explosion. Therefore, do not be lazy and come up with methods of "bypassing".

Chimney soot removal - method number 3

In this case, potato peelings are used. The method is based on the fact that potato starch will interact with soot on the walls of the chimney and simply split it. It is recommended to add half a bucket or a bucket of potato peels to a burning stove (depending on the size of the stove). Instead of peeling, you can add whole potatoes. This method is relevant if the quality of the potatoes does not suit you.

After burning potatoes, starch rises through the pipe, interacting with soot and deposits on the walls. In this case, the very structure of the soot changes. After a while, the deposits themselves will begin to fall off the walls. If it seems to you that the intensity of soot falling off is not high enough, then you can knock on the chimney tube with a stick.

Removing soot in the chimney - mechanical cleaning

Mechanical cleaning is the most reliable way to care for the flue pipe. With a carbon deposit thickness of more than 2 mm, mechanical cleaning is a necessary solution. Other ways to remove soot and soot are preventive and only allow you to delay time.

Brush with load

Chimney cleaning with the help of various mechanical devices has been known for a long time. It was this method that was imprinted in the folklore of many European countries. Monuments to chimney sweeps can be found not only in the west, but even in Russia. Which once again speaks of the importance of their work. However, we will not be distracted from the main goal, namely, from answering the question of how to clean the chimney.

For round pipes, a ruff is best. This is a disc-shaped metal brush that is hung from a cable or rope. From below, a load is attached to the brush - a core or a spherical weight. Other items can also act as cargo. But here it is important to remember that only objects with a stable and undisplaced center of gravity should be used. Otherwise, such a load may get stuck in the pipe, and then the problem can only be solved by completely disassembling the chimney.

Under the action of gravity, the brush moves down the pipe. A rope is used for lifting. The core itself (without brush) can be used to break through tight blockages and plugs. Thanks to carabiner connections, brush elements can be quickly separated and assembled in the desired sequence.

Brush with prefabricated handle

In the arsenal of chimney sweeps, there is also an ordinary brush with a long handle. At the same time, the brush handle is a team, which allows you to significantly lengthen it. Such a tool is convenient to use not only when cleaning from top to bottom, but also when cleaning fireplaces from the bottom. With a screw connection of the brush sections, it cannot be rotated in the pipe, since part of the device may simply remain in the chimney.

Scraper

In the case of massive soot, one brush will not be enough. To do this, the soot on the walls is first cleaned with a scraper. In its form, it looks like a chisel. The scraper handle can also be split, allowing you to reach even the most remote parts of the chimney. The scraper allows you to remove massive deposits of oily deposits, after which you can proceed to brushing.

After the cleaning procedure, the ash is collected through special holes. The furnace is cleaned at the very end of the procedure. To collect soot, you can use a special fireplace vacuum cleaner or a vacuum cleaner with a fireplace cleaning function.

Safety

In the process of cleaning the pipe from the roof, you should always remember the safety measures:

• do not work on the roof in rainy or windy weather;
• be sure to use insurance;
• in the absence of a safety system, you can tie yourself around your belt with a strong rope;
• before work, it is forbidden to take any medicines that can reduce the reaction rate. It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol.

How to clean the chimney, an example in the video:

Various animals can often live in the chimney pipe - birds like to build nests there, wasps build their honeycombs, etc. If it is possible to get a nest, then it is better to remove it through the top of the pipe. If it is deep, then it is better to push it down. Wasp nests should be handled with care. If a colony of wasps lives in it, then it is better to play it safe once again and put on a special beekeeper suit.

Do-it-yourself chimney for a bath - device and installation "). That is why it is important to entrust this procedure to professionals who know how to clean the chimney, depending on its operational condition and design features. Also read the article: "".