Chimney And Chimney Connector Maintenance; Why Chimney Cleaning Is Necessary; How Often Should You Clean The Chimney; Cleaning The Chimney - Century CB00008 Installation And Operation Manual

Century FW3300 Installation and Operation Manual

5.2 Chimney and Chimney Connector Maintenance

5.2.1 Why Chimney Cleaning is Necessary

Wood smoke can condense inside the chimney connector and chimney, forming a
combustible deposit called creosote. If creosote is allowed to build up in the venting
system it can ignite when a hot fire is burned in the stove and a very hot fire can progress
to the top of the chimney. Severe chimney fires can damage even the best chimneys.
Smouldering, smoky fires can quickly cause a thick layer of creosote to form. When you
avoid smouldering so the exhaust from the chimney is mostly clear, creosote builds up
more slowly. Your new stove has the right characteristics to help you to burn clean fires
with little or no smoke, resulting in less creosote in the chimney.

5.2.2 How Often Should You Clean the Chimney?

It is not possible to predict how much or how quickly creosote will form in your chimney. It
is important, therefore, to check the build-up in your chimney monthly when getting used to
the new stove until you determine the rate of creosote formation. Even if creosote forms
slowly in your system, the chimney should be cleaned and inspected at least once each
year.
Contact your local municipal or provincial fire authority for information on how to handle a
chimney fire. Have a clearly understood plan to handle a chimney fire.

5.2.3 Cleaning the Chimney

Chimney cleaning can be a difficult and
dangerous job. If you don't have
experience cleaning chimneys, you
might want to hire a professional
chimney sweep to clean and inspect
the system for the first time. After
having seen the cleaning process, you
can decide if it is a job you would like to
take on.
The most common equipment used are
fibreglass rods with threaded fittings
and stiff plastic brushes. The brush is
forced up and down inside the chimney
flue to scrub off the creosote.
The chimney connector assembly
should always be cleaned at the same
time the chimney is cleaned.
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