Cleaning the stove from soot with your own hands. How to clean soot from a stove chimney: traditional methods and new technologies

Those who have stoves or fireplaces in their home or apartment know how important it is to regularly care for and clean them. After all, no matter how thorough and perfect a stove is, if you don’t take care of it, sooner or later it may break. Few people know, but the operation of the device depends on the design of the stove itself, its quality, the type of fuel consumed and operating conditions. But, even if you comply with all the conditions specified in the instructions, then after a year you will have to think about how to clean the chimney.

You can get rid of pollution in the form of soot either independently or with the help of a chimney sweep - it all depends on your desire and, of course, on your material wealth. So, first you need to understand why soot comes out of the chimney and is it really so important to clean it on time? In any furnace, when fuel burns, soot is always released. Under the influence of hot air, soot and soot rise up and settle on the walls of the chimney.

If this soot is not removed, it gradually accumulates, and after a year the soot layer is several tens of centimeters. Ultimately, this can lead to quite unpleasant consequences. The chimney opening narrows and the draft becomes much less. And this phenomenon already leads to wear and tear of the chimney walls, as a result of which the chimney duct may catch fire. There are numerous cases of fires that occurred as a result of a clogged chimney. You need to get rid of soot in the chimney at least for basic safety reasons.

Cleaning the smoke duct is divided into 3 main groups:

  • Self-cleansing;
  • Chemicals;
  • Mechanical cleaning.

How to clean a pipe in an apartment using so-called home remedies? One of the most common methods is the usual table salt. According to experts, this method is more suitable for preventing the formation of soot in the chimney. Before adding fuel, mix it with a few glasses of salt and then you can forget about cleaning the chimney for several years. Remember that salt will not help clean the stove with a large number soot on the pipe.

The second popular method is to use potato peelings or regular raw potatoes. In this case, the amount of potatoes is taken based on the diameter of the chimney pipe. On average, to get rid of soot, you will need 2 buckets of potatoes.

So, how to clean the stove? Take the potatoes and pour them directly into the fire. The effect is that the starch is released from the vegetable and begins to soften the soot, which as a result begins to come out of the chimney. After you burn the potatoes, clean the oven. Otherwise, all the smoke will come back again and there will be a large amount of burning in the apartment.

Exposure to chemistry

How to clean a chimney in an apartment using a chemical? This is the second way to clean a chimney from soot. You can get rid of soot and clogs using a special anti-carbon chemical composition, for example, Kominichek from a Czech company. This powder must be added along with fuel, observing a dosage of 200 grams of product per 1000 kg of fuel.

How does the effect of the powder manifest itself? During heating, the soot begins to gradually burn, and the temperature of this reaction should not be high. Such powders work with both liquid and solid fuels.

If you cannot purchase cleaning powders, then pay attention to logs called “Chimney Sweeper”. This product is quite economical and you will only need one briquette for 6 months, but this is provided that you light the fireplace twice a week.

Before using any of the above products to clean soot in an apartment, you need to make sure that there are no foreign objects or debris in the pipe.

Do not be alarmed that after using the Chimney Sweeper log, soot will fall out of the chimney for two weeks; this is normal and indicates that the product is working effectively.

Mechanical cleaning

You can get rid of soot mechanically. But here it is important to observe correct sequence actions. If this is your first time doing this, then it is better not to risk it and call a chimney sweep. Those who are confident in their abilities are advised to follow these rules:

  • Close the openings through which smoke escapes from the apartment. If you don't do this, all the soot from the chimney will fly into the house.
  • Close the firebox door tightly. Fireplace open type will need to be covered with a damp cloth.
    Now you can climb to the roof, but follow safety precautions. Under no circumstances should you clean the chimney in windy or rainy weather.
  • Open the channel that is designed to remove smoke and look at the soot layer. If it is insignificant, that is, less than 5 mm, then go home and start cleaning with chemical or home remedies.
  • If the soot layer is more than 5 mm, then carefully inspect the chimney for debris. If you find any, push them down with a long stick to remove them already in the apartment.
  • The soot layer must be cleaned with a scraper or brush.
  • To clear the jam, you need to use a small metal ball that is attached to a cable.
  • After cleaning the chimney, you need to open the cleaning holes slightly and remove soot from them.
  • In the last move you need to clean the firebox.

If you have a fireplace with a direct chimney, then it is best to clean it through the firebox, that is, from below.

Cleaning a chimney is actually quite simple, the main thing is to know what and how to do. You can choose one of three oven cleaning options. Before cleaning, be sure to look at the amount of soot that has accumulated on the chimney over the entire period of operation. Most owners of fireplaces and stoves clean the chimney themselves mechanically. But, you must understand that this is a very dirty job that will take several hours of your time.

If you clean the chimney of soot, you can safely forget about problems with the fireplace for a long period of time. To reduce the amount of soot that accumulates on the walls of pipes, try not to burn various garbage in the form of plastic bags and plastic bottles in the firebox. It is also not recommended to put raw spruce or pine wood into the stove.

You can tell by the color of the smoke that it’s time to clean your chimney. If the pipes have not had time to accumulate soot, then clear smoke will come out of them. If the soot layer exceeds several centimeters, then black and thick smoke comes out of the chimney.

The stove and fireplace are the main elements country house and dachas. 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 a chimney is affected not only by brickwork, but also quality 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 gets into the pipe, small insects and even birds. 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 most easy way How to clean a chimney in a stove in a private house. 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 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.

Clean thoroughly inner surface on each side, without missing 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 traditional methods, which 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 combustion, pour it onto the burning fuel. small quantity table or rock salt;
  • Potato peelings - effective method, which will help remove soot and soot from the pipe walls. 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 pipe walls, after which the usual mechanical cleaning using a brush;
  • Aspen and birch firewood- effective, but not the most safe way. 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.

Cleaning with chemicals

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 bad smell, which can only disappear after a few days.

Popular cleaning products are PHC, Kominichek, and Log Chimney Sweep. Alternatively, you can use a mixture 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 compositions provide 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 work 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.

Residents of private houses heat stoves and fireplaces during the cold season. During operation heating devices Soot accumulates in chimneys. This makes it difficult for smoke to escape, creating a risk of fire in the room and intoxication of the people living in it.

From burning and black soot in the chimney, you need to know how to clean chimneys in the stove using folk remedies. Many people think about solving the problem when smoke is already coming into the room.

The need to clean the chimney

In winter, stoves and fireplaces are lit almost continuously. Over time, cravings get worse. Soot settles on the walls of the chimney. It narrows the existing opening and does not allow smoke to fully pass through and enter the room.

Because of high temperature Accumulated soot in the chimney can catch fire. This leads to its destruction. Sparks flying from the pipe become a source of fire. Or lead to poisoning carbon monoxide. The owners have a question about how to clean the chimney pipe.

The condition of the pipe must be inspected at least twice a year. Before the start heating season and after it.

When to clean

Whether the chimney needs cleaning can be determined by eye. First of all, pay attention to the color of the smoke. If the stove is intact and the chimney is clean, then clouds of light gray or white. Dense black smoke signals the need for preventive measures: Soot has accumulated in the chimney.

The color of the flame in the firebox also matters. If the light orange tint changes to dark orange, the structure needs to be cleaned.

Soot deposits

Smoke contains mechanical particles. They stain the surface of the canal. Soot accumulates in the pipe and a black coating appears. Deposits harden as a result of saturation with water vapor. The pipe is clogged. Channel bends, transitions, surfaces brick pipes covered with a layer of soot.

The volume of deposits depends on various factors:

  • The stove or fireplace is not installed correctly.
  • The technology for laying the product components is broken.
  • Construction materials poor quality. Cracks appear on the surface of the chimney.
  • The chimney system is cluttered with debris.
  • There is no umbrella on the pipe. Depending on the humidity, type of fuel and features of the fireplace, the rate of deposit accumulation depends.

Traditional methods of cleansing

The quality of operation of a stove or fireplace is affected by the layer of soot on the walls of the chimney pipe. The fumes enter the living space, and the soot deposited on the chimney ignites. Troubles can be avoided if you do not forget to clean the chimneys of stoves and fireplaces from soot.

DIY cleaning methods:

If the soot does not come off well, you can tap the chimney wall with a stick. But it is not always possible to clean the chimney efficiently using potato peelings. This is only a means to help soften the soot so that it lags behind the pipe walls. After peeling potatoes, it is advisable to carry out mechanical peeling.

A good way is to burn aspen wood in a stove. But it's not entirely safe. The soot catches fire and flakes out of the chimney. They cover the roof and area around the building. Therefore, you first need to make sure whether the roof can withstand such a load and inspect the condition of the chimney pipe.

If there is a lot of soot in the pipe, it is better to use another, safer method.

Tools and materials

First you need to prepare your tools. In order to clean the chimney, you will need:

The core is used not only to remove blockages. To make cleaning effective, you can use it to make the brush and brush heavier.

The length of the device can be changed by connecting the elements using carabiners and a cable.

Mechanical cleaning

This method is also popular. In the old days, chimney sweeps used cannonballs secured by cable. They broke through dense soot growths. Ruffs were also used different shapes, scrapers.

Cleaning process:

Sometimes the pipe is high and you can’t get to it from the roof. Then clean from below.

If the chimney is metal and there is a cleaning glass, it is unscrewed and a brush on a bendable rod is inserted into the pipe. If it is not there, clean it through the cleaning hole.

Cleaning the chimney through the firebox is time-consuming and inconvenient. Cleaning metal pipe using a brush is not effective. Soot remains on the walls. In this case, the brush is replaced with a rag.

Homemade brush

From polypropylene pipes make a brush for cleaning. The pipes are cut one and a half meters long. Threaded fittings are placed at their ends. A metal brush for an angle grinder is attached to one of the fittings. The wire is fluffed onto the brushes using pliers or pliers. This creates a telescopic cleaning rod for the chimney.

Small mechanization can be used. The method consists in placing an attachment on the impeller of the chainsaw, which allows for forced ventilation of the pipe.

This method is extreme, it can be used in agreement with neighbors

Special store preparations

There are various cleaners sold in stores. You can buy them in the form of powder, logs or briquettes. Please read the instructions before purchasing. Preparations can be for fireplaces, sauna or closed heating stoves.

Popular means:

Work safety

Work on cleaning the chimney from soot requires compliance with safety precautions in order to avoid accidents.

Safe chimney cleaning:

  • Do not remove soot in wet weather, with high humidity, in strong winds.
  • You cannot climb onto the roof without a safety belt. You can tie the belt with a strong rope.
  • It is prohibited to drink alcohol or drink before work. medicines, slowing down the reaction. The measures taken will help avoid risks when cleaning the chimney.

Professional chimney sweeps know how to clean soot from a chimney pipe. You can use their advice. They will help increase the life of the fireplace.

Undesirable:

Cleaning the chimney of a sauna stove

The Russian bathhouse is always associated with wet steam and a stove. There is a chimney there that needs to be cleaned periodically.

If you don’t do this, the sauna will heat poorly and there will be no traction. A fire may occur.

Causes of a clogged chimney sauna stove:

  • Condensate.
  • Soot and soot.
  • Trapped foreign objects.

To quickly and easily clean the chimney with your own hands, you can use special briquettes with chemicals. When burned, they destroy the soot. The briquettes are burned in a furnace and within a day the dirt will fall into the firebox itself. But similar drugs It is not recommended to use it for cleaning a bath pipe.

You can use a special brush or ruff. They are hung on a weight and lowered into the pipe.

Sometimes the smoke comes back when lighting. There is probably a foreign object in the chimney. It could be a masonry brick or a bird's nest that fell from nearby trees.

It is more difficult to get rid of such a blockage. You can take a stick or long pole and try to push the object inside. At the end of the stick, a hook is made from a nail to hook the object. Good result provides heating of the stove with aspen wood.

On bath pipe It is advisable to make a removable visor. Snow and rainwater will be prevented from entering the chimney.

Attention, TODAY only!

Heating a house, cottage or bathhouse is rarely complete without a stove or boiler. For our winters, this equipment is optimal: it can produce the required amount of heat. But both stoves and boilers require maintenance, and one of the mandatory procedures is chimney cleaning.

Why does the chimney become overgrown with soot?

The combustion process of fuel is an oxidation process, and this requires oxygen and high temperature. If at least one of these conditions is not met, soot appears - this is the result of insufficient oxidation of carbon. Externally, the presence of soot can be determined by the color of the smoke - if it is black, it means it contains soot particles, but most of it settles in the chimney, especially in places of turns.

Now a little about what can cause active soot formation:

The rate at which the chimney becomes overgrown with soot also depends on the type of firewood. Resinous spruce and pine in this regard are not best choice, but burn with expensive oak or other deciduous trees not everyone has the opportunity. In any case, you can make sure that the firewood is dry. To do this, it is worth building a larger one so that it can accommodate a supply for 2-3 years. Then you can use the most seasoned and dried logs, and let the fresh ones lie and reach condition.

How can you clean a chimney from soot?

There are three ways to clean a chimney:

  • Mechanical. A brush is inserted into the chimney, with the help of which the soot is knocked off the walls. The disadvantage of this method is that you need to have access to the pipe, which is not always easy. Not everyone is able to climb onto the roof, and cleaning from below requires flexible rods and access. Another unpleasant moment: all the contents fall down, you will have to collect it and take it out, and then spend a long time washing the soot from the stove or fireplace. Therefore, before starting cleaning, place some kind of container into which everything will be poured.
  • Chemical chimney cleaning - powders and briquettes (logs). When the system warms up, the powders are poured into the fire, and logs are placed under the firebox. The substances they contain soften the soot, it gradually flies into the pipe, but can fall down and block the passage altogether. So it is better to use these products for prevention when there is still a little soot.
  • Traditional methods. The problem of chimneys becoming overgrown with soot is not new, and our ancestors knew how to deal with it without chemicals. There were, of course, chimney sweeps, but they worked in cities, and their services cost a lot. Nevertheless, the problem was dealt with, and very by simple means- salt or potato peelings.

There is another drastic solution - go to the fire department and call specialists. They are no longer called chimney sweeps, but perform the same functions, albeit by different means. The solution is not bad, they know their job, since soot is explosive, as long as they don’t give permission to anyone. The only negative is the cost of such services.

Mechanical chimney cleaning products

Cleaning chimneys using brushes has been used for centuries, and they are still available today. A brush-ruff is attached to the end of a long elastic and flexible cable. Diameter - individually depending on the size of the chimney. A small metal ball can be tied under the ruff to make the tool go down easier. This construction is lowered into chimney, raised, lowered again and raised again. Do this until the passage is clear. Everything works simply - the bristles knock off the soot from the pipe.

This chimney cleaning has one feature: if there is good draft most the crushed soot flies out into the chimney. Therefore, firstly, you need to tie yourself down so that you don’t fall off the roof due to involuntary movement, and secondly, put on safety glasses and a respirator. Gloves would also help, but they are needed to prevent the cable from injuring your hands.

If you decide to make a chimney brush yourself, hang the ball below, and a centered one. Weights or wrenches are not suitable - sooner or later they become a waste in the chimney. You will be lucky if you can remove the tool without disassembling the pipe.

The chimney is not always such that it can be cleaned from above - it can rise several meters above the roof. You can’t put a ladder up to it, you can’t get close to it in any other way. In this case, the chimney is cleaned from below. For this purpose there are brushes on flexible rods. Fragments of the rod are connected to one another, the brush moves along the pipe. In this case, part of the soot is also carried away by the draft, but part of it falls down and this must also be taken into account. Professional chimney sweeps use special vacuum cleaners for collection (not household ones, since soot is explosive); if you clean it yourself, you will have to collect everything by hand.

If you have a fireplace, everything is simple - access is free, but if it is a boiler or sauna stove, the matter is more complicated. If the chimney has a glass to collect condensate, by removing it, you can run a brush into the pipe without any problems. If there are no revisions, you will have to try to get to the pipe through the firebox. If this is not possible, you will have to disassemble the chimney. Then it’s better to immediately redo it by installing a tee with a glass.

Chimney cleaning products

Clean the chimney using chemicals You can, as long as it's not too crowded. If the pipe is brick, these products help make mechanical cleaning less frequent. As an independent product they can be used for ceramic chimneys or those made of stainless steel. All these powders or logs for removing soot from a pipe are preventative. Clean them chimney from large quantity soot is not always successful. There have been cases when the soot that fell after burning the powder clogged the chimney tightly. I had to take a brush and clean it by hand.

Despite these shortcomings, the products are used and here’s why: during processing, the soot that is in the boiler, sauna stove or smoke ducts also softens. Pulling them by hand is a small pleasure, but regular use does a good job of eliminating the problem.

There are plenty of products for cleaning chimneys from soot in stores, but here are the most popular:


After using all chemicals, the room must be ventilated and the stove or fireplace must be cleaned. Please note that after treatment, the soot may still fall off for a couple of days - the remnants fly off.

Traditional methods of chimney cleaning

The easiest way to prevent soot formation is to heat an already heated stove with aspen wood. They burn with a very hot flame, and the soot in the chimney burns away. The action is effective, but dangerous - if a lot of soot has accumulated, it explodes when ignited and can rupture the pipe.

There are safer folk remedies that make chimney cleaning both effective and safe. Add half a kilogram of salt or about a bucket of potato peelings to a melted and well-heated oven. It is better to dry the peelings or add raw ones little by little - so as not to reduce the temperature in the firebox. The effect is approximately the same as when using chemicals, only a little softer - the soot flies out of the chimney for another three days.

There is not a single heating boiler or stove that does not have a chimney to remove combustion products. Chimneys differ in material, design, location in space, but the requirements for them are always the same - creating good draft for burning fuel and removing heat from hot gases.

The effective operation of the channel largely depends on correct operation and timely cleaning of soot and soot on the internal walls of the chimney.

Causes of plaque on the chimney

Combustion waste accumulates in the chimney for various reasons. For example, one of the reasons may be the design of the chimney. If a direct-flow channel is provided for the exit of smoke, then soot and soot accumulate slowly in it, since the speed of passage of gases is high and deposits do not have time to hit the inner surface.

But such outlet channels are rarely used; they are mostly used chimneys in the form of a labyrinth, which are created to slow down the emission of smoke and intense heating of the chimney walls.

The efficiency of heating the room increases, but this design leads to a large deposition of soot on the walls of the chimney, and it's difficult to clean because of large number turns. Chimneys of this type are equipped with special inspection hatches for cleaning soot.

Wrong fuel

It is known that in order for the stove to burn hot and provide warmth, the wood must be dry or have no more than 20% humidity. But this does not always happen in practice, which leads to incomplete combustion and particles entering the chimney, where they settle.

Resinous wood species give a lot of deposits, sometimes they throw wood into the oven that has been in use and has accumulated negative qualities. For example, old parquet, which was removed from the floor to be replaced. They throw it into the firebox, not thinking about the fact that it is covered with resin and varnish.

Often the mouth of the furnace is used for burning household waste. But if we are talking about cardboard and paper, then this is normal, which cannot be said about disposable tableware, plastic bottles, plastic bags and other similar waste human life . When burned, chemicals release products that spoil the inside of the chimney, depositing on its walls.

Damage to masonry and poor quality material

The chimney can be made of brick, ceramics, metal and asbestos. The last two steadfastly resist decomposition from the effects of combustion products. The brick, despite the fact that it is fired, is gradually destroyed by the action of gases and acids.

This leads to significant roughness on the inner walls. The smoke, passing through the smoke channel, gradually clings to irregularities, its speed decreases, therefore, the rapid release of combustion products does not occur.

When laying a chimney, stove makers try to lay the brick with the smooth side inward, but no matter how hard they try, stove chimney gradually loses smoothness. In addition, when laying, sometimes the standards for preparing the mortar are not followed, it dries out, the pipe cracks, which allows soot deposits to accumulate in the resulting irregularities.

Cracks are dangerous in terms of fire; at high combustion temperatures in the furnace, hot gases and soot burning on the walls can fly out and cause a fire, for example, flooring or roofing materials.

If you do not clean the chimney, the roughness of the walls becomes greater, the force of air friction against side surfaces increases. The traction force is spent on overcoming this resistance and, as a result, the rate of release of combustion products decreases and the air consumption for heating decreases.

The temperature in the firebox drops, the house is getting cold. Instead of cleaning the channel, the owners of a private house begin to add fuel. All of the above reasons lead to a violation of traction, which manifests itself in following indicators works:

  • The amount of heat in the house remains constant, but more fuel is required to achieve this.
  • Hot gases can cause soot in the pipe to ignite and lead to a fire.
  • Burning soot emits black smoke visible from the chimney, and absolutely dry fuel can be loaded into the stove.
  • The color of the flame turns into a dark red hue, which indicates a lack of fresh oxygen due to reduced draft.

The chimney in the house should be cleaned only if it discharges products combustion solid fuel . In case of combustion gas fuel Other problems arise in the chimney related to the formation of condensation.

It is considered normal to clean the chimney from soot. once a year, this is done in any way at the beginning and end of the season, which prevents major cleaning or even disassembly of the chimney pipe.

To clean a chimney pipe, you can resort to several methods:

At the help of three Using the first method, you can clean channels that have a slight degree of contamination. But if the walls of the chimney are overgrown with soot, then mechanical method it will be just right. The first two ways to clean the channel are to place it on hot fuel in the stove. chemical drug or folk remedy and is set on fire.

Substances released during combustion actively decompose pollution. Some of the soot in the form of flakes escapes from the pipe and falls down onto the courtyard, the rest falls down to the channel bottom. Calcination of the chimney although it relates to folk methods, but doing it yourself is dangerous, you can start a fire.

Calcination is the burning of soot in a chimney due to the high combustion temperature. To do this, the furnace or boiler must be forced to operate at full power, which is ensured by the supply the largest number oxygen. After heating, gases heated to a temperature of 600ºС make the soot burn in the chimney and clean it.

The method requires preliminary verification integrity of the smoke channel, which can collapse over time, even simple rodents can contribute. Fire hazardous materials may ignite through openings.

Mechanical way to clean a chimney duct

This difficult task will become simple if you familiarize yourself with the information presented in this article. Before cleaning the stove, you should remove from the firebox all items that are poorly secured and may interfere. Oven and hob, if there is one, cover it with thick cellophane or fabric and secure it with a weight.

You need to start cleaning the chimney from the bottom, for this use special brushes, brooms. After freeing the accessible part of the pipe, clean the chimney from the roof side. To do this, you need to secure yourself with a mounting belt, and using a sinker, try to push or pull out the layers of soot in or out.

If a lot of debris and soot has accumulated in front of the stove, you can get rid of it using a vacuum cleaner or a broom and dustpan. This type of work is usually performed by men, as it requires some effort.

Soot can be considered the main enemy of a chimney; it reduces cravings and the pipe gradually destroys. If soot begins to burn, then not all channel materials can withstand such heat.

Chimney cleaning with potato peelings

To clean the oven in this way, it is melted, then potato peelings are placed on the fire. The peel is pre-dried so that it burns well in the oven. The cleanings are placed in a container the size of a bucket and kept for several days. After this cleaning is ready for use in the form of a cleanser.

During combustion, cleaning releases starch, soot destroyer upon contact with her. If the work is done correctly, then within a few days the soot will fall out of the chimney in pieces, falling into the firebox. To clean the chimney faster, you can use mechanical cleaning items.

Using salt to get rid of soot

This method is more suitable as a preventive method for removing soot deposits, which it is advisable to use constantly. Salt is poured in an amount depending on the size of the stove onto the hot fuel.

When burning, salt particles will react with oxygen molecules and destroy soot in the pipe. The effectiveness of the measures taken depends on the choice of salt quality, but you can choose the right substance by trying this cleaning several times.

Traditional recipes for burning soot

We can say with confidence that these means of cleaning channels for removing combustion products are dangerous and not every chimney can withstand this. Cracks appear in the walls of the chimney due to high temperature; sometimes it is better to use other means for cleaning.

Walnuts and aspen. Shell walnuts has the amazing property of high heat transfer. Therefore, to clean the chimney you need to place about two-liter jars of shells in the firebox. This product will make the rising smoke as hot as possible, which will burn the soot in the chimney.

Aspen was available material in the northern and central regions of Russia, therefore it was used quite widely. This method applies to the best for cleaning, but against the backdrop of modern chemicals undeservedly forgotten. When burning aspen logs, all stove valves and doors should be closed.

After combustion, white flakes begin to fly out of the chimney, which are a product of soot combustion. The oven will make a loud noise and the soot will burn out completely, but the cleaning method is dangerous for weak chimneys.

Chimney cleaning with mothballs

Before using this method, you must ensure the following:

  1. There are no cracks, damage or holes on the outside of the chimney; if any are found, they are carefully sealed with mortar and allowed to dry.
  2. Make sure that no objects or work items accumulate in the channel passage.

Naphthalene for small ovens in a private home, it is used in the amount of one tablet, which thrown onto burning fuel. Soot, as in the case of aspen, will fly out in white flakes.

Naphthalene is a substance with a crystalline structure with a sharp, characteristic odor; sometimes, when used as a chimney cleaner, it explodes, which can lead to destruction of the pipe and subsequent fire.

Cleaning if the pipe lumen is completely blocked

To do this, pour water (about three liters) into the chimney from above. After this, steam is released, which cleans the hole in the pipe. Soot flies out of the chimney in a compacted cloud of thick consistency. To prevent a chimney made of steel from rusting, they immediately begin to heat it and warm it up until the last moisture evaporates.

There are special cleaning logs or pellets, which are placed in the oven without opening the packaging, while the fire continues for about two hours. After this, the accumulation of soot and soot in the channel becomes loose, the separated light particles rise, and the heavy ones fall down into the firebox.

If special inspection holes are provided along the chimney, it is recommended carry out preventative cleaning after using the cleaning logs. There are special powders for cleaning the furnace outlet channel, for example, a Czech product called Kominichek, Dym-Glas and others.

For their use instructions have been developed, which will tell you how to use them correctly and what dosage to use. But they are all used in the furnace to obtain chemical reaction and as a result of which substances are obtained that destroy the soot layer in the pipe.

In conclusion, it should be said that cleaning smoke channel In any case, it should be ensured that the misfortune of a poorly burning stove is not added to the misfortune of sudden smoke in the room or a fire in the attic where a pipe clogged with soot passes through.

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