How to clean vertical chimneys at the stove. We clean the chimney ourselves. How to clean a chimney manually

More recently, both in cities and in countryside There was only one type of heating - stove. Their technical condition was monitored by specially trained people - chimney sweeps. They checked the chimneys for cracks, monitored the draft in the furnace and cleaned the soot. Today, private houses are equipped with a variety of stoves, stoves, fireplaces. You have to serve them with your own hands - clean the chimney and monitor the technical condition.

The device of the chimney, what is its cleaning and how often should it be carried out

The first cleaning of the chimney should be carried out 1.5–2 years after the start of operation of the furnace. During this time, a soot layer of more than 2 mm accumulates in the pipe, which is a guideline for cleaning. In the future, the chimney should be cleaned 1-2 times a season. This is best done in spring and autumn. In order to facilitate this process, it is necessary to apply preventive measures, which will be discussed below.

The chimney is covered with soot during the combustion process. It appears gradually from the products of combustion and layer by layer is deposited on the walls of the pipe, gradually narrowing the passage. And since soot is a very good thermal insulator, the stove channel heats up much weaker and a much larger amount of firewood is required for heating.

A thick layer of soot reduces traction, which means that the amount of condensate increases, which, in turn, contributes to the rapid formation of new layers. Unburned solid particles accumulate in the pipe, which can easily ignite when gas flows rise. This leads to the fastest burning of the pipe walls and increases the risk of fire. Especially in severe frosts, when a large amount of firewood is used to heat the house and the temperature in the furnace is very high, sparks and even small lights fly out of the chimney clogged with soot. And this threatens to fire outbuildings and even neighboring houses.

In the event of a strong blockage, the likelihood of a reverse draft increases - the smoke will partially or completely go into the room and the likelihood of being poisoned by combustion products increases.

Cleaning the chimney consists, first of all, in freeing the surfaces of the pipe from soot, debris (after summer season there may be small branches, dry leaves, and even bird nests). At the same time, all elements of the furnace are checked and cleaned. Lastly, the firebox and ash pan are cleaned.

With timely cleaning of the chimney, you will significantly reduce the consumption of firewood, you will be sure of your own safety, and the chimney will not need emergency repairs.

Methods and devices for cleaning the chimney with your own hands

There are three main ways to clean the chimney: chemical, biological and mechanical. Biological and chemical methods are rather preventive, preventing the formation of too thick a layer of soot. All these methods can be carried out independently, without resorting to the help of specialists, following certain rules.

Biological (potato peeling, starch, firewood, etc.)

One of the simplest and most common methods, widely used by the people because of the ease of use and the availability of the necessary funds. IN more is preventive - prevents the appearance of a thick layer of soot. For this method, aspen wood, salt, potato peelings, shells are used. walnut, naphthalene, blue mixture.

Potato peelings need to be pre-prepared. It will take about half a bucket of well-dried cleanings. They need to be poured directly onto the heat so that they burn out immediately. During combustion, a large amount of starch is formed, which softens the soot. You can apply this method before proceeding with mechanical cleaning - it will be much easier to remove the soot layer.

Rock salt is more of a soot preventative. A small handful is poured on firewood until kindling. Vapors of sodium chloride destroy viscous deposits in the pipe.

Aspen firewood is the most effective remedy. Since aspen has a high combustion temperature, firewood must be used at the end of the firebox. The fumes generated during combustion peel off the soot from the walls of the chimney and, during intense heat, it burns out. Therefore, when using aspen, you need to ensure that sparks do not fly from the chimney. An alternative is birch firewood, previously peeled of bark. The effect will be about the same.

Walnut shells are an excellent chimney cleaner. It has a very high combustion temperature, so you can not use more than two liters in one go. An alternative to aspen wood.

Naphthalene is a good prophylactic. It is enough to throw one tablet into the fire, as the soot will begin to flake off and come out with the smoke. But the smell of naphthalene is very persistent and then it is very difficult to get rid of it.

Blue mixture - easy to make yourself if you have the right ingredients. Mixed 5 parts blue vitriol, 7 parts of saltpeter and 2 parts of coal (coke). About 20 grams of the mixture is poured into a preheated oven and the door is tightly closed. This mixture should not be used to clean open lesions.

Chemical method

Like biological, it does not solve the issue of complete cleaning of the chimney and is preventive. The stores sell a large number of a wide variety of compositions for cleaning the chimney: logs, briquettes, tablets, solutions. Principle of operation - the harmless gas released during combustion decomposes combustion products and their components, which could later turn into soot.

In almost all cases, there are detailed instructions for use, dosage. Portion packs are very convenient. As a rule, together with the packaging, they are placed in an oven and burned either separately or together with firewood. If the chimney is heavily clogged, use either several packages at the same time, or several times in a row.

"Log - chimney sweep" - a small bar or briquette, consists of ammonium sulfate, coal wax, phosphorus oxide and several other components. Prevents the formation of carbon deposits and the removal of previously accumulated soot. With constant operation of the furnace for the season, you need to burn only 2 logs. If the stove is heated 1-2 times a week, then one bar is enough.

"Cominichek" - is used only if the soot layer is up to 2 mm. The package contains 5 bags of 15 grams. The active substance is copper chloride. Converts soot to oxide, allowing it to burn at a lower temperature without causing a fire. Since chlorine is included in the composition, it cannot be used for open stoves. When using, close the door tightly and at the end of the firebox, ventilate the room with a “comic cut”.

PHC - anti-stain chemical composition. The powder is burned together with paper packaging, together with firewood or separately from them. Powder consumption per ton of firewood is 150–200 g.

Since there are a lot of funds and they are produced both in our country and abroad, you can always pick up best option after trying several types.

mechanical method

It is used in cases where the chimney is very heavily clogged. The soot layer, as mentioned earlier, is more than 2 mm. Before proceeding with this type of work, the furnace should be prepared. Preheat using potato peels, aspen wood, or walnut shells to soften the soot and peel it off the chimney walls. This will greatly facilitate further work.

Required tools:

• Ruff for cleaning the chimney with a diameter 1.2–1.3 times larger than the diameter of a pipe made of plastic or metal;
• A flexible cable with a handle (similar to plumbing) or a strong rope;
• Hard brush with a long handle (or with the ability to build it up);
• A metal weight or core that can be attached to a brush. Must be centered so as not to damage the chimney, and with a diameter 2 times smaller than the diameter of the pipe;
• Metal scraper with handle.

The chimney can be cleaned both from above, from the side of the pipe, and from below - if it is a fireplace or an open stove. To perform pipe cleaning work from above, prepare a small ladder that can be mounted on the roof. To prevent falling from the roof, use a safety rope. All tools that may be required, lift to the roof immediately, so as not to go down again.

• Shoes should be non-slip, protect your hands with gloves.
• Use a respirator to prevent combustion products from entering the respiratory tract.
• Start work only in dry calm weather.
• Before starting work, do not take drugs that reduce the reaction, and alcohol.

The oven must be completely cool before starting work. combustion chamber completely free from unburned logs and ashes. Close the furnace, cleaning and ash doors beforehand so that soot cannot enter the room through them. Curtain open fireboxes with a dense, damp cloth, which you will not be sorry to throw away later. The dampers must be opened completely, otherwise soot will fall on them and may lead to a new blockage.

Remove the cap from the chimney pipe to provide access. Carefully inspect the pipe and proceed to cleaning. Begin work with the core attached to the cable. This will help to immediately eliminate large blockages and will show the distance that the chimney can be cleared. If the layer of soot is very large, it is better to immediately use a long-handled scraper to clean the walls and work with it, and then clean the walls using a brush with a core attached to it. Make sure that the core is in the center of the chimney and cannot damage the pipe.

If the stove is with an open firebox, after cleaning from above, proceed to clean the chimney from below. Use a ruff or brush with a long, flexible handle that can be extended.

The combustion chamber is cleaned last. Collect soot with a special vacuum cleaner or sweep with a special brush.

If it so happened that you do not have the opportunity to purchase a special brush, you can make it yourself from plastic bottle.

Video: how to make a plastic bottle brush

In some regions, it is common to clean the chimney with a chainsaw or a leaf blower (a leaf blower). Of course, in this way it is quite simple to clean the chimney using a special snail nozzle with an air duct. Of course, from the point of view of ecology, this method cannot be called correct.

Video: how to clean a chimney with a chainsaw

Technological elements for cleaning the chimney

In many ways, chimney maintenance can be simplified if cleaning methods are provided at the design stage. As a rule, now chimneys are made of sandwich pipes or metal. It is not always installed strictly vertically, and sometimes serves several stoves in the house at the same time. In this case, cleaning from soot will become more complicated due to the corners. And if a horizontal pipe section comes from the furnace, it is better to use a tee for connection. One of its sides opens with a threaded lid. Through the hole, you can both remove moisture and clean the riser. In some cases, a special removable glass may be provided.

In ovens made of bricks, hatches for cleaning are necessarily provided. In some stoves, there may be several hatches.

Prevention of clogging of the chimney pipe

What needs to be done so that the chimney does not clog so quickly? Proper use of the stove. The rules are simple, but if you follow them, it will simplify care and help you use firewood more economically.

• Coniferous wood should not be used for the firebox - they contain a lot of resin, which will remain on the walls of the chimney. Give preference to hardwoods. At the end of the firebox, add aspen logs or any other folk remedies.
• Heat the stove only with dry wood - wet ones give a lot of soot.
• There must be a cap on the pipe. It will not only protect the pipe from debris, but also from precipitation.
• To reduce the accumulation of condensate, the pipe must be insulated.
• Do not turn the stove into a place for burning garbage. Plastic, polyethylene, rubber melt and remain in the oven and on its walls. It is better to throw garbage in a container or burn it on the street.
• Do not use flammable liquids for ignition.
• In severe frost, sometimes a fire occurs due to the fact that the stove is hot. Try not to overheat it.
• Timely carry out preventive work, carefully monitor the condition of deposits on the walls.

With proper cleaning and constant adherence to the rules of the firebox, the stove and chimney will last a long time and will not require special care, and sometimes unforeseen repairs.

Every owner of the house sooner or later faces the question of how to clean the stove. And specifically the chimney in the furnace. As the smoker of the stove becomes dirty, the draft becomes less and all the smoke goes into the house. If measures are not taken in time, the stove will become unusable and it will have to be disassembled and assembled from scratch, and this process is very difficult and time-consuming, so you need to clean the stove as it gets dirty, at least once a season.

How to tell if your oven needs cleaning

The time it takes to work without cleaning is different for each furnace. It also depends on how to properly heat the stove, how and how often. If the owner of the oven does not allow such blunders like burning unnecessary things in the oven, trash, plastic bottles and other material unsuitable for the furnace, the stove will last a long time. You can heat the stove only with wood and coal, and everything else threatens the stove by cluttering the chimney.

However, firewood can also lead to clogging. This happens if firewood is thrown into the firebox without being dried. This is unacceptable, because raw firewood can be in two cases:

• If the tree has just been cut down and the firewood has not had time to dry naturally.
• If the firewood has been stored in a wet or damp room or in the rain.

To reduce the pollution of the stove, you need to use dry firewood to the maximum, which has not just been cut down, but which has lain in a dry place for more than a year.

As for the types of wood, this fact has great importance, as well as the fact that wet wood cannot be heated. For example, varieties such as spruce, pine are difficult to dry due to the presence of resin inside. When fired, this resin will clog the chimney, and therefore this type of wood is not suitable, but such fruit trees like cherry, apple, apricot and plum are quite suitable for fireboxes.

How to know when it's time to clean the oven

How to clean a chimney. Chimney cleaning methods

• First you need to inspect the chimney. To do this, lower the weight into the chimney. If it runs normally, then the chimney is not clogged. And if it gets stuck, it means that there is a lot of soot in the chimney.
• Check traction. If there is no draft, then you need to clean the stove from soot.

You can use folk remedies to try to cure the stove of soot without mechanical cleaning.

There are two ways to do this.

Folk ways to clean the chimney

1. Throw in the potato peeling oven. When they burn out, starch will stand out, which will go into the chimney and clean the soot from the stove.
2. Throw dry aspen logs into the oven. They heat the stove to the maximum temperature, and thanks to this, soot breaks through and flies out of the stove. However, such a procedure requires a strong oven.

Methods for mechanical cleaning of the furnace:

• The stove is heated from three sides, holes
• First, a long pole is inserted through the chimney, on the end of which you can put a metal brush. You need to move the pole as far as possible.
• The work of a chimney sweep is dirty, so you need to be prepared for the fact that soot can stain not only the chimney sweep itself, but also the room in which the stove is located. To do this, close the valve in the furnace with a plug and close the door so that soot does not enter the room through these holes.
• After cleaning the pipe, soot will fall closer to the furnace. It is necessary to carefully open the door and clean the soot from below through the lower compartment where firewood is laid.

The cause of pollution can be not only soot, but the ingress of foreign objects into the chimney. For example, there, in the chimney, birds can arrange nests. Remove the nest through the cleaning door. To do this, you will need to push this nest through the chimney with a rod, and then remove it.

In order not to subtilize devices for manual cleaning. You can buy a universal brush for cleaning the chimney.

Do-it-yourself chimney cleaning is a troublesome and tedious procedure. But to make this work. You need to spend a whole day. It should be borne in mind that washing after cleaning also needs to spend a lot of time. Professionals do it faster and easier because I have many special devices and also have skills in cleaning. But you can also clean it yourself, especially if you do it together, because alone it is not very convenient, and even boring.

How to check the ventilation duct for the concept of pollution

Every apartment has ventilation. Old houses were built more than 50 years ago, and in most cases no one checked the ventilation. And this must be done, because the direct purpose of ventilation is ventilation, and if dirt is clogged in the channel, then it is absent.

To check ventilation, you need to bring a match to the hole and check the draft. If there is a draft, then the channel is most likely open and it is not necessary to clean it. And if there is no traction, then you urgently need to start cleaning.

Chimneys and ventilation ducts are cleaned according to the same principle. A thin long rod is taken, preferably hard, that is, metal, so as not to bend. For this, a thick wire is suitable. Then the wire is pushed into the hole and cleaned. In practice, more than two buckets of garbage can usually be shoveled out of the vent. There are leaves, and dust, and foreign objects, and fragments of bricks and dried mortar. People living on the upper floors sometimes making repairs in their apartments can pollute the ventilation ducts. Over the years, all the garbage accumulates and makes the structure unusable.

If cleaned annually ventilation duct, then this will allow you to be in the apartment without the risk that people will breathe dirty air, soot and other muck that is not visible at first glance and a person does not feel it.

Modern technology allows you to clean the chimney gas oven with a special vacuum cleaner. Such devices are very effective, however, only specialists have them. And to clean the chimney yourself, you can take into account the length of the chimney and the degree of pollution. A rod of a certain size is selected, a brush clings to it and the pipe is cleaned with simple movements back and forth. Cleaning the chimney of a gas boiler is a very responsible process and must be done on time, in accordance with the pollution. It is better not to joke with gas and therefore treat the gas stove responsibly, that is, operate it in accordance with the rules.

The tool for cleaning chimneys is a metal ruff. In addition, a scraper may be used. It is necessary in order to clean a very clogged chimney from a dense layer of soot. And there is such a tool as a steel core. It is lowered into the chimney on a steel rope to break through dense pollution. And then a ruff and a scraper are already applied. They will completely clean the walls of the chimney from soot.

After the soot is pierced from above and pushed down, it must be raked out of the furnace. It's dirty work and very difficult. And the difficulty is that soot can be smeared with everything that is next to the stove and yourself. And washing the soot is not so easy. Therefore, before cleaning the stove, you need to dress appropriately in a robe and equip yourself with gloves and an easy-washing raincoat, shoes and a hat.

One of the latest ways cleaning is the vacuum cleaning of chimneys. However, such methods do not always help, especially if the pollution is complex and there is no experience in cleaning. One of the popular and simple ways is this way: pour 3 liters of boiling water from the top of the pipe. This type of cleaning can break through the plug of contamination and wash off the soot that has settled on the walls of the pipes.

A very effective way to clean pipes is logs. Chimney sweep logs are a special log made from a powder with the addition of chemical substances, which, when burned, settle on the chimney and prevent soot from settling for several months. This procedure is recommended to be carried out 2 times per season. You can use several logs for burning at once. They put them on hot coals and burn them.

After burning, the room may be bad smell which must be ventilated. This cleaning method is less labor intensive and can be a good alternative to mechanical cleaning. But if the log does not help, then you need to break through the pollution from above with a ruff, and then set fire to the log in the oven. This will definitely clear the chimney.

Safe and comfortable use of stoves and fireplaces is impossible without good draft, which, in turn, depends on the condition of the chimney. How to clean the chimney from soot and prevent it from clogging, you will learn from this article.

At first glance, it seems that after burning firewood, the smoke disappears without a trace, but this is not at all the case. In addition to the gaseous products of combustion, the smoke contains solid particles, it is they who settle on the walls of the smoke channel, forming a gray or black coating. Water vapor, which is also contained in the smoke, holds the soot together, and the plaque becomes dense and hard. Narrow places, turns of the smoke channel, as well as rough walls of brick pipes are especially prone to clogging.

Soot deposits in the pipe

In addition, mechanical blockages are possible: garbage accidentally falling into the pipe, tree leaves, bird nests or bricks that have fallen out of the masonry. Even a small blockage can worsen traction, and soot deposited on a foreign object quickly clogs the chimney, making further operation of the furnace impossible. There are several ways to clean the chimney from soot and blockages, which are described below.

Chimney cleaning methods: which one to choose?

Chimney cleaning methods and chimneys quite varied, from folk ways, proven for centuries, to modern, based on scientific developments. Let's take a closer look at all of them.

Folk remedies

Our ancestors were well aware of the features different types wood. Coniferous firewood contains a large amount of resins emitted along with smoke. Poorly dried, damp wood smolders, gives off little heat, and at the same time emits water vapor, which settles on the walls of the pipe, fastening loose soot into a monolith. Dry wood is best suited for burning stoves hardwood: birch, alder, aspen. They burn with increased heat transfer, practically do not give soot and soot and do not clog the pipe.

To clean the chimney in the old days, aspen firewood was used, burning with the formation of a high hot flame. When the walls of the chimney are heated, the soot loosens and burns out, and its remnants are carried out through the chimney along with the smoke. Many are based on the same principle. modern ways cleaning pipes, which are described below. For the prevention and periodic cleaning of the chimney, you can use this the old fashioned way, throwing several dry aspen logs into the heated firebox. At the same time, it is necessary to observe fire safety and prevent overheating of pipes.

Another interesting folk method chimney cleaning is to burn dried potato peelings. When they are burned with smoke, substances are released that loosen the soot and make it easy to remove it through the cleaning holes.

Video - a folk method for cleaning the chimney

Folk methods are interesting, but sometimes ineffective, especially when a blockage has already formed. In this case, it is more reasonable to resort to chemical cleaning of pipes.

Chemical cleaning of the chimney

Furnace stores offer a large selection of various products that allow you to clean the chimney from soot without any hassle. These products come in the form of powders, tablets, liquids or briquettes that mimic logs or pellets. Their use is quite simple: you need to place the package in a stove or fireplace and burn it, together with firewood or separately. detailed instructions usually indicated on the package, as is the dosage.

Powder cleaners are usually packaged in single-dose sachets, depending on the degree of contamination of the pipe and chimney, one or more bags may be needed. They are thrown into the fire after kindling the furnace, without opening. The appearance of a blue or green color flame indicates that the product is working and emits chemically active substances that break down soot and plaque.

Means for chemical chimney cleaning

Cleaning pellets or logs are more convenient to use, they are simply placed in a fireplace or stove right in the package and set on fire, after which they continue to burn the stove for one to two hours. During this time, the resins and creosote that hold the soot in the chimney decompose, and small particles are carried out with the smoke, and large blockages fall down. Therefore, after cleaning and cooling the furnace, it is recommended to inspect the smoke channel through the doors specially designed for this.

Cleaning the chimney to prevent blockages is carried out several times a year. If the oven is used no more than once a week, it is enough to use these products a couple of times a year. With the daily burning of the stove or the use of low-quality firewood, prevention is carried out more often, once every two months, without waiting for the chimney to become overgrown with soot.

Mechanical cleaning of the chimney

In case of serious blockages caused by a strong narrowing of the lumen or debris entering the pipe, chemicals may be powerless. The operation of the stove becomes impossible and very dangerous - deposits on the walls of the chimney ignite when overheated, and together with the smoke, sparks or even flames burst out of the chimney. In dry weather, this can cause a fire. If there is no draft at all in your stove, and the smoke goes inside the room, it must be cleaned mechanically, using a special tool.

Devices designed to clean the chimney from soot and soot are very diverse: these are brushes, scrapers, ruffs of various shapes and sizes, as well as cores on a strong cable that break through dense blockages. They can be purchased at specialized stores or made by hand.

Video - how to make a do-it-yourself chimney brush

Chimney cleaning is usually carried out from top to bottom: they break through blockages in the chimney, clean it with scrapers, ruffs and brushes, after which they clean the smoke channels through the cleaning doors, and lastly clean the dampers and the firebox itself, as well as the ash pan. Chimney pipes of a simple configuration can be cleaned from below, with the help of ruffs on a long handle. How to clean a chimney mechanically, described below.

Chimney cleaning technology

1. Before taking on the role of a chimney sweep, take care of your own safety. Must be installed on the roof comfortable stairs and take care of insurance that will not allow you to fall. When cleaning the chimney, use a respirator.

Work Safety Measures

2. The dampers are open, otherwise soot will accumulate on them, which can lead to even more clogging. But the doors - furnace, ash and cleaning - must be tightly closed so as not to stain furniture and floors with soot. It is better to hang open fireplace inserts with a damp cloth, which is not a pity to throw away - most likely it will not work to wash it off.

3. Cleaning starts from the top, from the chimney. Before cleaning, remove the head from the pipe, remove soot with a scraper or a stiff brush at an accessible distance. The tool can be extended with an extendable handle.

Cleaning starts with a pipe

4. Inaccessible parts of the chimney are cleaned using a flexible brush - a cable with a nozzle at one end and a handle for rotation at the other. The diameter of the nozzle should exceed the diameter of the pipe by 1.2-1.3 times. The cable is inserted into the chimney and begin to gently advance by turning the handle.

Flexible brush for cleaning pipes from soot

5. If the ruff gets stuck, it means that a serious blockage has formed in the chimney, and it can only be broken through with the help of a core. The core on the cable is sharply lowered into the chimney, trying not to touch the walls so as not to chip the brick. Having eliminated the blockage, continue cleaning with a ruff.

Pipe cleaning core

6. After cleaning the pipes, they begin to remove soot through the cleaning doors. In a complex furnace, as a rule, there are several of them, and they are located in the places where the smoke channel turns. First, the soot that has fallen from above is raked out, then the smoke channel itself is cleaned with scrapers and a ruff. At the same time, they move from top to bottom, to the firebox. In fireplaces with a direct chimney, there may not be any cleaning doors at all, and all the soot immediately falls into the furnace.

Cleaning of smoke channels from soot

7. The furnace and ash pan are cleaned last. Final cleaning can be done with a vacuum cleaner. If your vacuum cleaner is equipped with a fabric dust bag, it is better to buy a disposable paper bag for this purpose, since it is impossible to clean it of soot.

Removing soot from the furnace with a vacuum cleaner

8. Melt the stove and check the draft. If cleaning has eliminated the blockage, then after the furnace has cooled down, the head is put back on. If the draft has not improved, the smoke channel in the hard to reach place, and you can’t do without the help of a qualified stove-maker.

9. In the future, when using the stove, do not neglect the prevention of blockages using the folk or modern methods described above.

To prevent the chimney from overgrowing with soot, you must follow a few simple rules:

• It is better to use dry firewood as fuel from deciduous trees, and at the end of the furnace, periodically place aspen or preventive measures in the furnace.
• Do not burn garbage in the oven, especially plastic, polyethylene, wrapping paper.
• To reduce moisture condensation, the chimney must be insulated, especially if it is made of metal. Usually, ready-made double sandwich pipes with a layer of non-combustible insulation are used.
• It is imperative to put a cap on the pipe to protect it from accidental ingress of debris or precipitation.

At correct use stove, the question “how to clean the chimney from soot” will arise very rarely, and you can fully enjoy the bright flame and heat.

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, on which not only comfortable accommodation, 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 built into the heating system. electric heater.

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 the timely cleaning of 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 lot of soot remedies on the market, so by testing you can choose for yourself the best option.

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 below from the hearth, fireplace or furnace furnace.

Chimney sweeps use special ruffs on a long cable

As preparatory activities 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. Firebox door, blower, and lids hob close tightly and hang with a wet cloth 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

Feature of the product is high quality inner surface 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. Nevertheless, if such a need arises, you can use an elongated brush made of thin pile. The flexible composite 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 the brushes used in succession. different size and designs.

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. It is easiest to manage with straight pipelines, and if there are knees - we recall that there should be no more than two of them - you may have to dismantle the chimney if it does not provide for special windows for cleaning.

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 surfaces. various kinds.

the only effective way the fight against tar deposits is the prevention of 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 turns 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. Residual resin on the walls turns 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!

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the chimney for optimal operation of the thermal unit. The main task of this device is the removal of combustion products from the furnace into the atmosphere. At the same time, the following tasks should be solved along the way:

1. Obtaining a uniform thermal regime during the day in the house.
2. Optimum fuel combustion mode, taking into account its economical consumption.
3. High-quality removal of combustion products from the furnace and prevention of their entry into the residential area of ​​the building.

The solution to this triune problem is ensured by the correct design solution of the thermal unit itself and its high-quality maintenance during operation.

The chimney plays an important role in this. The effectiveness of this device is determined by several important factors:

1. Proper selection of the section and dimensions of the chimney. With a square or rectangular pipe, the flow of flue gases, which rises in a spiral, forms stagnant zones in the corners. They form soot deposits in the first place. The size of the channel must be one and a half times larger than the furnace opening in the furnace, the minimum dimensions of the square smoke channel are 140x140 millimeters, and the cross-sectional area of ​​​​the round one must be no less than square in the indicated dimensions. The total length of the smoke channel is required to be more than 5 meters. The length of the horizontal section is allowed no more than one meter.

To improve draft in a square or rectangular smoke channel, liners are often installed, which to some extent reduce the formation of soot.

1. The material from which the chimney is arranged. In this case, two factors matter - the quality of the inner surface of the smoke channel and the thermal conductivity of the material from which it is made. In the first case, the effect of unevenness, in addition to reducing the flow rate, affects the ability to deposit soot. The high thermal conductivity of the pipe material contributes to the rapid cooling of furnace gases, and consequently to increased condensation and soot deposition on the wall.

1. The level of heat loss during operation. Insufficient draft in the chimney adversely affects the degree of fuel combustion, which leads to increased planting of the smoke channel. A soot fire in a pipe is often tantamount to a natural disaster.

The combination and interaction of these factors determines the success of the smoke exhaust system.

We deliberately omit a number of rules and important factors in the construction of a chimney, focusing the reader's attention on the causes and consequences of the formation of soot deposits.

What is soot and how is it formed?

Soot is a product of fuel combustion. It is contained in flue gases in the form of fine unburned particles. In addition to it, they contain water vapor from the moisture contained in the fuel, carbon monoxide(CO2) and other products of active fuel oxidation. At high temperature a chemical reaction occurs, as a result of which vapors of hydrochloric and carbonic acids are already formed.

Hot smoke condenses on the inner surface as an oily, foul-smelling liquid. Solid unburned substances get into it, as a result of which, over time, the condensate turns into a tarry precipitate. If a number of rules for using a thermal unit are not observed, this sediment accumulates quite quickly, reducing the cross section of the chimney up to its complete closure.

It should be noted that certain conditions are necessary for condensation. One of them is the temperature at which it starts. There is even a term for this - "dew point". Obviously, when the chimney warms up, it will spread higher along the chimney channel.

A situation may arise when the “dew point” is outside the chimney, and condensation occurs already in open space. This leads to the conclusion that it is impossible to avoid the formation of soot on the walls of the chimney. But a properly arranged flue gas exhaust system significantly increases the frequency of cleaning.

About the prevention of the chimney pipe

In the process of development, heating systems became more and more perfect. Empirically, some techniques have been developed to significantly reduce the formation of soot, such as:

1. Chimney insulation. This is done in the following ways: by plastering the surface of brick pipes; covering the outer surface with various rolled or plate heaters, followed by the installation of protection from foil film, metal sheet and other materials; the use of special insulated blocks with ceramic pipes for the chimney device; protective devices for sheltering the outlet of the chimney from debris and nesting birds; the use of two-layer "sandwich pipes" made of metal with a layer of insulation.

The purpose of all these activities is to create conditions for quick warm-up flue duct, causing the dew point in the process to rise higher, up to the outlet to the environment.

1. The greatest amount of soot is formed on the bends of the chimney, therefore, no more than one knee should be used in the design if it is absolutely necessary to change its direction.
2. When installing a chimney, it is mandatory to scrape the inner surface in order to reduce the number of irregularities that contribute to the deposition of soot.
3. The use of chemical or biological methods for cleaning the inner surface of chimneys during combustion.

Chemical cleaning methods

How to heat the stove to clean the chimney? These substances include the following:

1. Naphthalene. It is applied to the surface of the fuel of a well-heated furnace. At the same time, naphthalene evaporates, and its vapors destroy the integral layer of soot deposits. It is carried out in the form of flakes into the atmosphere. The disadvantage of this method is the unpleasant smell of this drug, remaining in the room. Therefore, it is not used for cleaning pipes where an open source of ignition is used (for example, a fireplace).

1. A handmade mixture from simple and affordable ingredients of blue color. Let's get acquainted with the composition:
   • 1/5 blue vitriol;
   • 1/7 saltpeter;
   • 1/2 coke medium fraction.

The mixture is introduced into a well-heated firebox. Evaporation products, as in the first case, destroy the layer of soot that escapes with flue gases to the outside. The amount of the applied mixture for one cleaning is about 20 grams, the frequency of use is 1-2 times a month. The door of the firebox after making the mixture must be tightly closed.

1. To combat soot deposits, aspen firewood is used, which is brought into the most heated firebox in the amount of 1-2 medium-sized logs. The combustion temperature of such firewood is higher than that of conventionally used fuel, and slight soot deposits are burned directly during combustion. With significant deposits, this method is not used so as not to provoke a fire. It is recommended to produce regularly with a frequency of a couple of times in 7 days.

1. Walnut shell. Its combustion also occurs at a significant temperature and the principle of operation is the same in the previous case. A single dose of shell should be no more than three liters.

1. Salt rock. It is introduced into the furnace when the furnace is ignited in the amount of 1-2 tablespoons. Evaporation from it softens the soot layer in the pipe, which peels off the walls and falls into the accumulator.
2. Potato peelings. They are used by introducing into the furnace in an amount of up to 5 kilograms in dry form. Starch vapor effectively softens the soot, and it literally falls off the pipe walls in pieces. The tool is used as it accumulates.

You can also use starch to clean the chimney in the amount of one spoon per firebox.

1. Chemicals for the protection of chimneys. They are produced by industry purposefully to protect chimneys from soot and soot. Forms of release are different from imitation of firewood or briquettes to powder or liquid formulations. Let's point out some of the most popular ones:
   • "Log - chimney sweep." It is produced in the form of small briquettes. It consists of ammonium sulfate, phosphorus oxide, carbon wax, and other chemically active components may also be present. During the heating season, it is enough to use 1-2 logs to keep the chimney in good condition. The tool eliminates the formation of soot during combustion, and the old soot is loosened and removed from the walls. Release form - briquettes for cleaning the chimney. Not to be confused with the log-chistotrub, which is also effective tool- cleaner.

1. • "Kominichek" - a powdered substance, contains 5 sachets of 15 grams in one package. The basis is copper chloride, which contributes to the flameless combustion of soot and soot at a low temperature without a flame. It is recommended to use when the thickness of the soot layer is not more than 2 millimeters. When using the product, the room must be thoroughly ventilated.

1. • Anti-scale chemical composition - (PCC). Means is burned directly in bags in a fire chamber. It will take about 200 gr. for 1 ton of firewood.

Carbon removers are available in stores in a wide range, and you can always choose suitable option for any situation.

When using purchased means from planting chimneys, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations of the manufacturer, especially in terms of safety requirements.

Mechanical soot removal methods

This, as a rule, is a cardinal intervention and is performed at least once a year at the beginning of the heating season. This is due to the need not only to remove the soot layer, but also the debris caused by the wind. And sometimes you have to get the bird's nests that appeared during the downtime of the thermal unit.

Mechanical cleaning is carried out on top of the pipe using various tools and devices, both manually and using drives from an electric drill or chainsaw.

If the lumen of the pipe is heavily clogged with soot, the initial punching must be done with a clean core to collapse the soot, and then continue with ruffs and brushes to clean walls.

Before starting work, it is advisable to heat the oven with potato peelings or starch to soften the soot. After the furnace has cooled, its surface must be covered with a wet cloth to prevent soot from entering the room when it collapses, if this happens, cleaning the room will take more than one month. You also need to tightly close the door of the furnace and blower, and open the damper completely.

Work must be carried out using a roof ladder, if necessary, install a fence. Before climbing to a height, do not take potent medicines. Alcohol intake is strictly excluded. Otherwise, the chimney sweep risks his health.

All work must be carried out in dry, calm weather during daylight hours.

Watch the video - an easy way to clean

When performing work on cleaning the chimney, the following materials and tools are used:

1. Ruff for cleaning the clearance of the chimney. It can be made of plastic or metal 1.5-2 times the size over size channel.
2. A flexible cable with a handle for rotation (similar to plumbing), as well as a fairly strong rope.
3. Rigid brush with synthetic bristles on a long handle. It is necessary to provide for its additional lengthening, because we remember that the length of the chimney is at least 5 meters.
4. The cargo is metal, in the classic version in the form of a ball. It is attached to a rope below the brush. The size of the ball is chosen no more than half the size of the chimney opening.
5. Metal scraper for removing stubborn soot stains.

Cleaning work must be done in the following order:

1. Cleaning begins with the use of a weight with a ruff. Primary punching of the inner lumen is performed. When performing this operation, the device must not be swung, so as not to damage the walls of the chimney.
2. With a thick layer of soot, it is better to work first with a metal scraper to remove the protrusions and soot stains.
3. Fine cleaning should be done with a stiff bristle brush.
4. Further, furnaces with open fireboxes are cleaned from below, removing soot through the furnace space. The walls are cleaned with a brush with a long pile, at the end the chimney is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
5. There is now a vacuum chimney cleaner on the market. Its advantage lies in high-quality cleaning. For the price, this is a tool for professionals.

If, for some reason, a ruff of the right size was not available, it can be made on the spot from a plastic bottle. To do this, its walls are cut vertically into strips 15-20 millimeters wide so that they are bent vertically. Such a homemade tool works no worse than a standard one.

When cleaning a chimney with a chainsaw, it is used as a drive for a traditional tool

Features of stainless steel pipe cleaning

Such chimneys are characterized by high quality of the inner surface. This property allows condensate to flow freely down into the condensate collector, from where it is periodically drained and disposed of. The absence of condensation prevents the formation of soot. But carbon deposits, for various reasons, still form and need to be cleaned. This is done as follows:

1. Through the hole in the tee, a round brush on a flexible shaft is inserted into the pipes. Nagar is cleaned by rotating the brush from the electric drill. As it advances, the drive shaft grows in length to clean the entire length of the pipe.
2. With stable soot, cleaning can be done by burning with a blowtorch. To do this, it is necessary to dismantle the chimney and burn it out. At a temperature of 800-900 degrees, sufficient for the intended purpose, even tarnishing colors will not appear on a high-quality stainless pipe.
3. Upon completion of cleaning, it is desirable to insulate the chimney riser in order to divert the dew point outside the chimney.

The described option is only suitable for austenitic stainless steel. If you are sold pipes made of ferritic or semi-ferritic grade steel, they most likely will not have the desired performance. It is easy to determine the correspondence - normal stainless steel is not magnetized.

Watch the video

The need to clean the inner surface of sandwich pipes does not occur often - condensate flows out of them regularly. But if you suddenly need to perform this procedure, then you need to use an elongated cylindrical brush on a flexible drive cable that receives rotation from an electric motor.

You can also disassemble the chimney and clean each pipe separately.

Cleaning the chimney from tar deposits

Some fuels form viscous components from condensate and slow-burning creosote components. It is very difficult to deal with them, and it is difficult to clean them.

To reduce the likelihood of such precipitation, use chemical drug"Hansa", which is a crystalline substance. It has a complex composition, one part of which contributes to the decomposition of wood into resin and water vapor, and the second part decomposes the resin into combustible components, which are burned here. Previously deposited resin stains on the walls of the chimney also decompose into small crystals and crumble into the furnace.

"Hansa" is loaded into a burning firebox. At the beginning of the heating period, it should be used daily, then periodically. Details on the package.

Cleaning a curved chimney from soot

Installing a chimney with a bend is the last solution to consider. This is mainly due to the design of the house. Cleaning the pipe elbow is not difficult if you have taken care of installing inspection hatches during installation in advance.

Watch the video

Through them, the pipe can be cleaned without much difficulty. However, it is undesirable to arrange more than two bends on one chimney. Installing a cleaning hatch is a must.

Cleaning the chimney of a gas boiler or column

The reason for performing such an operation will be to reduce traction. This poses a considerable danger, especially when it comes to adaptation to apartment building. In such a situation, not only residents of one apartment are endangered.

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To determine the reduction in thrust will not amount to a pipe. The signal may be the "clapping" of the igniter. Cleaning the chimney of a gas column is similar to cleaning a conventional stove channel.

As a result of the long-term use of heating stoves, gas boilers, etc., a number of rules have naturally developed aimed at the efficient use of thermal devices. The main ones are:

• It is not recommended to use resinous wood species such as pine, spruce and other similar ones, as well as raw firewood for heating the stove. In this case, intensive formation of soot and resins is observed.
• The oven must not be fired with scraps of composite materials, including plywood, chipboard, OSB, hardboard and other similar materials. The composite materials used in their manufacture actively clog the chimney with hard-to-remove sediments on the walls.
• When used as fuel hard coal(for most designs wood stoves it fits) you need to choose the right variety. One of the best is anthracite of the "nut" fraction, which does not emit a large amount of soot components. A good fuel is metallurgical coke. It is produced from high-grade anthracite by burning in coke batteries. At the same time, all harmful elements burn out, so the coal burns evenly and hot. The disadvantage is difficult ignition. Therefore, it is better to use a mixture of coke and anthracite. The cheapest and "harmful" of the fuels of this class are varieties of gas coal ("fuel"). They burn out faster and release a large amount of planting components. Burns well and emits little soot briquetted coal
• In solid fuel stoves, it is strongly not recommended to use household waste as fuel, especially plastic. When heated with garbage, a guarantee of the rapid formation of soot deposits on the pipe walls.
• When installing the chimney duct, it is necessary to strictly comply with the requirements that ensure maximum traction. This primarily applies to the rules for installing pipes in height.

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and operational qualities. Now knowing how to heat in order to clean the chimney, it is easy to keep it in working order for at least the heating season. But cleaning at the beginning of the heating season is, after all, a real and inevitable necessity. However, good luck to you!