WOOD STOVE CLEANING
FREE STANDING WOOD STOVES
Metro Chimney is your go-to for all your wood stove cleaning and maintenance needs. We handle both free-standing and inserted wood stoves, with or without a liner. In many Oregon homes, wood stove units serve as the primary source of heat, with free-standing wood stoves being the most common type.
Additionally, we work with Wood Stove Inserts and Pellet Stoves (see below). To ensure the safe and efficient operation of a wood stove, it’s essential to perform an annual chimney cleaning to remove creosote deposits and conduct regular inspections of the installation and ash handling.
Wood stove pipes have a smaller diameter compared to standard chimney flues, which leads to quicker accumulation of soot and creosote. Creosote, a by-product of burning wood, forms when wood smoke condenses inside a cool chimney. Most wood stove pipes have a diameter of no more than 8 to 12 inches, but some have larger diameter liners. As smoke rises through the pipe, it adheres to the inner walls and builds up, narrowing the passage and impeding proper venting flow. Cleaning the pipe is crucial to ensure that smoke flows out of the chimney and not back into your house.
One of the advantages of a wood stove over a standard fireplace is its superior air control for efficiency. However, this efficiency is achieved through air passages that can become clogged with regular use. To maintain optimal efficiency, these passages require annual cleaning to ensure proper airflow.
A fundamental guideline for safe and effective wood stove usage is to clean both the stove and its flue at least once a year, or after burning every 2 cords of wood in it.
WOOD STOVE INSERTS
WOOD STOVE CLEANING
FREE STANDING WOOD STOVES
Metro Chimney is your go-to for all your wood stove cleaning and maintenance needs. We handle both free-standing and inserted wood stoves, with or without a liner. In many Oregon homes, wood stove units serve as the primary source of heat, with free-standing wood stoves being the most common type.
Additionally, we work with Wood Stove Inserts and Pellet Stoves (see below). To ensure the safe and efficient operation of a wood stove, it’s essential to perform an annual chimney cleaning to remove creosote deposits and conduct regular inspections of the installation and ash handling.
Wood stove pipes have a smaller diameter compared to standard chimney flues, which leads to quicker accumulation of soot and creosote. Creosote, a by-product of burning wood, forms when wood smoke condenses inside a cool chimney. Most wood stove pipes have a diameter of no more than 8 to 12 inches, but some have larger diameter liners. As smoke rises through the pipe, it adheres to the inner walls and builds up, narrowing the passage and impeding proper venting flow. Cleaning the pipe is crucial to ensure that smoke flows out of the chimney and not back into your house.
PELLET STOVES
A pellet stove is designed to burn compressed wood, generating heat by gradually feeding fuel from a storage container (hopper) into a burn-pot area. These stoves maintain a consistent flame with minimal manual adjustments required. Pellet stoves used during the winter months typically require more frequent cleaning compared to standard wood stoves.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In the state of Oregon Chimney Sweeps are licensed differently from our counterparts in other states. In Oregon Chimney sweeps can only clean the liner sticking out of the back of the pellet stove to the T connection and the liner running up to the roof. We can not clean anything on the inside of the stove except for the parts that the stove owner is instructed in the manual to clean regularly themselves. Anything inside the stove falls under the ORCC endorsement of Wood Stove Installer. Wood Stove Installers can not clean the liner of the pellet stove as that falls under a chimney cleaner.
WOOD STOVE LINER CLEANING
Our cleanings effectively remove soot and creosote from the interior of your wood stove liner flue. Soot has a magnetic attraction to itself, leading to the accumulation of layers that gradually close down the dimensions of the flue. In the mechanical workings of a wood stove, each dimension relies on the others. When soot buildup causes the flue size to narrow, it significantly affects the draft capability.
If the wood stove or wood stove insert is heavily used and have enough of a level of 2nd or 3rd stage creosote in the liner we will direct you to get a certain anti creosote spray and instruct you on how to use it to take care of that. Chimney sweeps can only knock off soot and First Stage Creosote with our brushes. Second Stage Creosote is tar and Third Stage Creosote is varnish and they will embed themselves into the pores or pits created by soot being on the metal for a long time of a used liner and the spray we are recommend will change them into a fluffy substance that is no longer flammable or acidic, will not cling to the liner and will either fall off on it’s own or during the next chimney cleaning. If the 2nd stage or 3rd stage creosote level is bad enough, we will put you on a detailed burning regimen using the Anti Creosote spray to get rid of it as much as possible. Also do not use those Anti Creosote Logs you see sold in stores in the winter time. They do not work. We have also tried the many expensive one time creosote cleaning products that other companies are offering and we have found they do not work either. The spray is the best of the Anti Creosote Sprays available, and it is the only one that really works but it does over a period of time every time you use your fireplace.
The images below illustrate the appearance of a dirty wood stove flue and how soot gradually accumulates, obstructing the flue. Regular cleaning is essential not only to maintain proper draft but also to prevent soot buildup from corroding or rusting the flue’s interior metal. Carbon, if left unchecked, can corrode materials at a molecular level. To extend the lifespan of your flue and avoid costly replacement, it’s advisable to have your wood stove cleaned annually if in use.
FIREPLACE AND CHIMNEY SAFETY INSPECTION
During your wood stove cleaning, we conduct a comprehensive inspection of your system, providing you with a Safety Inspection Report detailing your fireplace and chimney’s condition. Any identified problem areas and repair recommendations are included in this inspection, which is also documented on your receipt.
ATTENTION
During our inspection of your unit, we will look for anything that appears to be an improper installation, confirm that clearances from combustible surfaces are maintained, and ensure that there is a proper non-combustible surface behind it. If we notice anything unusual with your stove or its installation, we will refer you to a Licensed Wood Stove Installer.
Chimney Sweeps in Oregon are Specialty Contractors with endorsements for chimney cleaning and masonry repairs. We are not licensed to repair free-standing wood stoves, inserted wood stoves, or pellet stoves. Those repairs fall under a Licensed Wood Stove Installer.
We can install a chimney cap on top of a free-standing wood stove or wood stove insert only if it does not have a liner and vents through a standard brick chimney. Any Chimney Sweep in Oregon claiming they can repair your wood stove is performing an illegal repair. If something goes wrong due to that repair, your insurance will not cover the loss of life or property damage.
We are only authorized to clean the unit and flues on wood-burning stoves and wood stove inserts. For pellet stoves, we can only clean the flue sticking out the back of the stove at the T-connection, through the liner, and up to the cap. We are not allowed to clean or repair anything inside the pellet stove unit itself. For that, you must call a Licensed Wood Stove Installer.
Anytime you burn material, you get two types of emissions. Solids burn as carbon (soot). Carbon can corrode metal at the molecular level, resembling rust, and can build up inside the liner enough to severely affect the draft. Liquids and unburnt gases form creosote, which is acidic, damages the liner, and is the main cause of chimney fires.
If you use your wood stove throughout the winter months, you will definitely need to clean it every year and use the anti-creosote spray I recommend for every fire.
FIREPLACE AND CHIMNEY SAFETY INSPECTION
During your chimney cleaning, we conduct a comprehensive assessment of your entire system, providing you with a Safety Inspection Report detailing the condition of your fireplace and chimney. Any identified problem areas and recommended repairs will be documented on this report, which will also be included with your receipt. If repairs are required, we will send you an estimate for the necessary work.
Even if your chimney doesn’t require cleaning but you need an inspection, please note that there is still a service call charge. At that time, we will perform a Safety Inspection of your chimney for this service call fee.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In Oregon, Chimney Sweeps are no longer allowed to repair either wood or gas stoves. Those repairs must be done by either a Licensed Wood Stove Installer or a Licensed Gas Installer. We are only allowed to clean wood-burning stoves or inserts.
Gas stoves have one pane of glass that cannot be opened (see example picture below). Many wood stoves have front doors with glass panes that you can open. A gas stove, however, is screwed shut and cannot be easily opened.
If the unit operates with a remote or a wall switch, it is a gas stove or insert. If you cannot open the front without unscrewing it, then it is either a free-standing gas stove or a gas stove insert. These must be cleaned or serviced by a Licensed Gas Stove Installer.
Cancelled appointments will be subject to a cancellation fee. Once you schedule the chimney cleaning, at that point you are authorizing the terms of the cancellation fee. Cancellation fee applies to people who cancel the chimney cleaning or call in to say they need to reschedule but are not actually rescheduling the appointment at that time. To not get the cancelation fee, you actually need to call up and physically reschedule the appointment time to another day/time. The charges do not apply to people who call in and actually reschedule the time.