Expert: Bart Ogden - 3/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: we have had this stove since 2002 - but, my husband is deceased and he had all the know how.  this stove i havent seen an image of- does the pipe attached immediately to the stove remove?  we havent removed just cleaned with a brush - but as i remember when my husband brought it in - this stove pipe was not attached.  It is on there like stone and i can see that the cresote is built up and with it attached it probably could hve been cleaned better removed - we clean all the pipe every year - but this week we took apart to clean (march) and i have never seen so much build up! it was cleaned in sept. but we have runned it none stop since then.  Is that the reason for the build up?

ANSWER: Hi Melissa,

The connector piping and the chimney must be thoroughly inspected on at least an annual basis and cleaned as necessary.

It sounds like you have a stage 3 buildup which will require special tools to remove.

Please do NOT use this unit until it is properly and professionally serviced.

I recommend you contact a local CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to do some on-site diagnosis of your problem.

You can find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep at www.csia.org.

Thanks for using AllExperts.Com and good luck with your project.

Sincerely,
A. Bart Ogden, President
Home Safe Hearth & Chimney, Inc.
Wichita, KS
Voice 316-265-9828
Fax 316-265-9890
www.HomeSafeKS.com

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep #2653
CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician #10
NFI Certified Wood Specialist
NFI Certified Gas Specialist
NFI Certified Pellet Specialist
NFI Master Hearth Professional
NCSG Technical Advisory Council Member

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for the response - i will say last year i had a chimney sweep co. come out and look - he thought the pipe looked good inside and the chimney, but said we were about 6 inches short of the tile on the floor being code

does the 1st pipe (thats what i meant) connected to the stove remove? all the others are on the front porch -

Answer
Hi Melissa,

Yes, that pipe should remove from the stove.

If you've burned a lot of wood or burned your wood with the air controls nearly closed, you will have typically have a lot of buildup.

The system might even need servicing more than once per year.  We have several customers that we service twice per winter.

Thanks for using AllExperts.Com and good luck with your project.

Sincerely,
A. Bart Ogden, President
Home Safe Hearth & Chimney, Inc.
Wichita, KS
Voice 316-265-9828
Fax 316-265-9890
www.HomeSafeKS.com

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep #2653
CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician #10
NFI Certified Wood Specialist
NFI Certified Gas Specialist
NFI Certified Pellet Specialist
NFI Master Hearth Professional
NCSG Technical Advisory Council Member