In rural areas or outside the city, people with private homes use a stove heating system. Previously, specially trained people - chimney sweeps were engaged in cleaning these structures. However, modern man seeks to do everything on his own, so he wonders how to clean the chimney in the stove of a private house. This article will help you figure out how this can be done.
Chimney sweep work
The demand for this profession in the Middle Ages was justified by an increase in the number of fires in cities. The authorities thought about the reasons and found a connection between the condition of the chimney and the occurrence of fires. This influenced the appearance of specialists who could provide quality service to furnace systems.
The first chimney sweeps guilds appeared in the German principalities in the 17-18 centuries, and then this profession spread throughout Northern Europe. These people knew very well how to clean the chimney in the stove of a private house. This made their profession important and in demand.
Where to look for the chimney sweep
In modern society, this profession is almost forgotten, but in places of sale and installation of furnace and boiler equipment, you can probably offer services for the inspection, repair and cleaning of the chimney.
If you could not find a company that provides such services, then you will have to learn how to clean the chimney in the stove of a private house yourself.
How to understand that the chimney is clogged
The main indicators that it is time to clean the chimney are:
- Traction reduction. You can open the gate. If after this the draft situation does not improve, then you definitely need to clean the chimney pipe.
- The flame attenuation in the furnace.
- It’s hard to light a fire. If, despite the use of dry firewood, the flame flames up with difficulty, then the reason is in the chimney.
- Acquisition of orange shade by flame.
- Caustic smoke in the room. In this case, carbon monoxide gets into the house, it is also carbon monoxide. This is very dangerous, so you need to urgently ventilate the room and eliminate malfunctions in the furnace.
If you observe at least one of the signs listed above, then you need to think about how to clean the chimney in the stove of a private house. After all, the life and health of your family may depend on this.
Cleaning frequency
Before you learn how to clean the chimney from soot, you need to decide how often you need to do this. The first time you need to clean the chimney after 1.5-2 years from the start of use of the furnace. The chimney pipe is cleaned of soot. Its layer should be at least 2 mm.
After the first cleaning, it is advisable to look after the chimney 1-2 times a season. This is usually done in the autumn or spring. In addition, clogging prophylaxis is recommended. Then the question of how to clean the chimney in the house will arise before you no more than once every two years. However, the timing may depend not only on preventive measures, but also on the type of fuel.
Why clean the chimney
In the process of using the furnace in the chimney pipe, soot is deposited layer by layer. This leads to a narrowing of the passage. Because of this, traction gets worse. In this case, the consumption of firewood will be greater, which is very bad for the family budget. Therefore, it is advisable to learn how to clean the chimney in a private house.
Reduced traction also leads to the formation of condensate, and this leads to more rapid layering of soot. It is a powerful heat insulator. Because of it, the stove channel warms less. If soot has accumulated a lot, you have to use more fuel to feel the heat and warmth from the stove.
Unburned solid particles regularly enter the pipe. Hot air, rising through the chimney, leads to the ignition of these same particles. As they burn in the chimney, this entails a thinning of its walls and an increased likelihood of uncontrolled fire. Many fires in the rural area are caused precisely by improper care for chimneys.
Severe frosts force people to use more firewood. This raises the temperature in the stove and chimney. If the latter is clogged, then during operation sparks fly out of it, which can lead to the ignition of outbuildings.
If the chimney has not been cleaned for a very long time, back draft may occur. Part of the smoke and the same sparks can get into the room. In this case, there are two options for the development of the situation: fire in the room or poisoning by combustion products.
The essence of chimney cleaning
Why you need to carry out the cleaning procedure, we figured out. Now consider how to clean the chimney in the furnace. Usually the whole process consists in removing soot and debris from the inner surface of the pipe. It happens that during cleaning, small branches, dry leaves brought there by the wind from trees, even bird nests, are removed from the chimney.
Together with the cleaning of the chimney, check all the elements of the furnace. It should be noted that the furnace and ash pan are cleaned last.
If you clean the furnace and all its elements in time, then you should not be afraid of fire. In addition, this helps to significantly save money and prevent the need for emergency repairs to the heating unit.
Biological methods
How to clean the chimney with your own hands? To do this, you can use improvised materials: firewood, salt, potato peelings, walnut shells, naphthalene, blue mixture. This will save you money, but it does not guarantee a good result. The use of these funds has a more prophylactic effect. The products listed above only prevent the accumulation of a thick layer of soot and soot.
To easily clean the chimney, you need half a bucket of dry cleanings. We throw them into the heat, they immediately burn out and in the process they release a large amount of starch. This is precisely the essence of this method. Starch has a softening effect. After this, it is advisable to carry out a mechanical cleaning.
The next remedy is rock salt. It is sprinkled with firewood in front of the firebox. Vapors released during its combustion prevent the formation of deposits on the walls.
Cleaning with firewood requires the use of a certain type of firewood. Suitable aspen or birch (peeled from the bark). It is enough at the end of the furnace, when the combustion temperature is much higher, to throw firewood into the stove. Vapors exfoliate soot from the walls. It burns out in extreme heat. The main thing here is to ensure that sparks do not get into the room.
Aspen firewood can be replaced with walnut shells. The essence of their action is the same. It is not recommended to use more than 2 kg of shells at a time.
Naphthalene also promotes peeling and soot release. But this method is rarely used, since the smell of naphthalene is very difficult to tolerate. After this method, you should carefully ventilate the entire house. If you decide to use this product, throw one tablet into the fire.
The blue mixture must first be prepared. We mix copper sulfate, nitrate and coal (coke) in a ratio of 5: 7: 2. The finished mixture in an amount of 20 g is poured into a preheated oven and the door is closed. It is not recommended to use this method for open foci.
Chemical methods
Consider how to clean the chimney from soot with your own hands using chemicals. There are many ready-made products on the market for this process. The principle of their action is the same. According to the instructions, it is necessary to throw into the fire the amount of the product indicated on the package. The substances released during the combustion process break down the components that could become soot.
Such drugs are produced in the form of tablets, briquettes, bars, solutions. In most cases, they are already packaged in portions.
Among the drugs you can find the following:
- "Log chimney sweep." The briquette consists of ammonium sulfate, coal wax and phosphorus oxide. For the season you need 2 logs.
- "Kominichek" (5 sachets of 15 g each). The product contains copper chloride. Use only if the soot layer is up to 2 mm. With severe pollution, Kominichok is ineffective. It converts soot to oxide, which burns at a lower temperature.
- "PHC" (anti-burn chemical composition). It is burned with firewood. 150-200 g of powder is required per ton of fuel.
There are a lot of tools to combat soot. You can always choose the best option for you.
Mechanical cleaning
You can clean the chimney from soot at home mechanically. It is usually used in conjunction with biological agents. Before mechanical cleaning, the soot is softened using the preparations described above.
Next, we need a certain set of tools:
- Special ruff (it should be slightly larger than the diameter of your metal pipe).
- Cable or rope with a handle.
- Hard brush with a long holder.
- A weight made of metal (it should be half as much as the diameter of the pipe). It needs to be attached in the center to the brush.
- Scraper with a metal handle.
Cleaning is carried out both from the side of the pipe (from the roof), and from the side of the fireplace or open stove (from the house). Be sure to observe the following precautions:
- Shoes are best used on non-slip soles, and hands should be protected with gloves.
- Protect the respiratory system with a respirator, because during the cleaning process, combustion products can enter the lungs.
- The weather should be dry and calm.
- Before cleaning, refrain from drinking alcohol or drugs that reduce the reaction.
It is necessary to wait until the stove has completely cooled down, to free the furnace from unburned firewood and ash. Close all doors so that soot does not enter the room during cleaning. A firebox without a door must be curtained with a thick, damp cloth. She will not let soot inside the house, but after that she will have to throw it away. The flaps must be opened so that they do not clog.
First remove the cap from the pipe, inspect it and proceed with cleaning. Start to work as a weight on the cable. This way you will remove large blockages and check to what point you can clean the chimney. If the pipe is very clogged, then initially use a scraper with a long handle, then a metal brush with a load. It is important that the item selected as the cargo is in the middle of the pipe and does not damage it.
After cleaning the top of the chimney, proceed to the bottom. Use a brush with a flexible handle that can be grown if necessary. The furnace is cleaned of soot last. Litter is collected with a special vacuum cleaner or sweep away with a brush.
Cleaning the chimney of a gas water heater
The guideline that it is time to carry out the process is also a deterioration in traction and a decrease in the quality of the heating unit. If you hear the popping sound of a column igniter, then it's time to learn how to clean the chimney of a gas boiler. Timely precautions will help you secure your home.
For work, the same ruff is used, as well as special vacuum cleaners. It is permissible to use special chemicals to soften and remove soot and soot.
It is important to know that generally accepted preventive measures in the case of a geyser are not possible, therefore it is necessary to clean the pipe at the first sign of clogging.
Technological elements
Even if you know how to clean the chimney pipe in a private house, you can greatly facilitate the care of this heating element. In the construction of modern chimneys, sandwich pipes and metal are used. It is allowed to install them in any direction for servicing several furnaces simultaneously. This arrangement of pipes makes their cleaning more difficult due to the numerous angles.
In such designs tees are used to connect pipe sections. In this case, one side is closed by a lid, through which it is possible to clean the chimney.
In brick ovens, special hatches are laid during the planning process. If the chimney is very long, for example, to the height of a three-story building, then there may be several such hatches.
Preventative measures
How to clean the chimney from soot so that it no longer clogs? For this, there is prevention:
- For firebox it is recommended to use logs of deciduous trees, and at the end to throw aspen. Fuel from coniferous trees leaves a lot of tar on the walls of the chimney.
- Firewood for the furnace must be dry, otherwise there will be a lot of soot.
- The pipe must be protected by the head. This prevents debris, rain and leaves from entering it.
- To reduce condensation, the pipe must be insulated.
- Do not burn garbage in an oven. Plastic bottles, plastic bags and rubber products do not burn completely, but only melt, remaining on the walls and making it difficult to clean the chimney.
- Do not ignite flames with flammable agents.
- You should regularly clean the chimney and monitor the deposits on its walls.
These simple recommendations will help improve the operation of stoves and fireplaces.