How to clean soot from a stove. What and how to clean the stove from soot with your own hands - effective means. Cleaning a chimney yourself is not an easy task.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of a chimney for optimal operation of a heating unit. The main task of this device is to remove combustion products from the furnace into the atmosphere. At the same time, the following tasks must be solved:

Obtaining a uniform thermal regime in the house throughout the day.
Optimal fuel combustion mode taking into account its economical consumption.
High-quality removal of combustion products from the furnace and preventing them from entering 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 case. The effectiveness of this device is determined by several important factors:

Correct selection of cross-section and dimensions chimney. With square or rectangular shape pipe flow flue gases, which rises upward in a spiral, forms stagnant zones in the corners. They are the first to form soot deposits. The size of the channel should be one and a half times larger than the combustion hole in the furnace, minimum dimensions The square smoke channel is 140x140 millimeters, and the cross-sectional area of the round one must be no less than the square one 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 square smoke channel rectangular section Often liners are installed, which to some extent reduce the formation of soot.

The material from which the chimney is constructed. IN in this case Two factors matter - the quality of the internal surface of the smoke channel and the thermal conductivity of the material from which it is made. In the first case, the influence of irregularities, in addition to reducing the flow speed, 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 deposition of soot on the wall.

The level of heat losses during operation. Insufficient draft in the chimney negatively affects the degree of fuel combustion, which leads to increased clogging of the smoke channel. And the ignition of soot in a chimney is often tantamount to a natural disaster.

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

We deliberately omit a number of rules and important factors chimney devices, concentrating the reader’s attention specifically 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, unburnt particles. In addition to it, they contain water vapor from the moisture contained in the fuel, carbon monoxide (CO2) and other products of active oxidation of the fuel. At high temperatures it occurs chemical reaction, as a result of which pairs of hydrochloric and carbonic acids are formed.

Hot smoke condenses on the inner surface as an oily, foul-smelling liquid. Solid unburnt substances enter it, as a result of which, over time, the condensate turns into a tarry sediment. If a number of rules for using a heating unit are not followed, this sediment accumulates quite quickly, reducing the cross-section of the chimney until it closes completely.

It should be noted that condensation requires certain conditions. 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 smoke exhaust channel.

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

About chimney pipe prevention

In development heating systems became more and more perfect. Some techniques have been experimentally developed to significantly reduce soot formation, such as:

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

The purpose of all these measures is to create conditions for rapid heating of the smoke channel, as a result of which the dew point in the process rises higher, until it exits into the environment.

The largest amount of soot is formed at the bends of the chimney, so no more than one elbow should be used in the design if it is absolutely necessary to change its direction.
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.
The use of chemical or biological methods for cleaning the internal surface of chimneys during combustion.

Chemical cleaning methods

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

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

A mixture made with your own hands from simple and affordable ingredients. of blue color. Let's take a look at the composition:
- 1/5 copper sulfate;
- 1/7 saltpeter;
- 1/2 medium fraction coke.

The mixture is added to a well-heated firebox. The evaporation products, as in the first case, destroy the layer of soot that goes out with the flue gases. The amount of mixture added for one cleaning is about 20 grams, the frequency of use is 1-2 times a month. The firebox door must be closed tightly after adding the mixture.

To combat soot deposits, aspen firewood is used, which is added to the maximum heated firebox in the amount of 1-2 medium-sized logs. The combustion temperature of such firewood is higher than that of commonly used fuel, and minor soot deposits burn directly during combustion. If there are significant deposits, this method is not used so as not to provoke a fire. It is recommended to do this regularly, a couple of times every 7 days.

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

Rock salt. It is added to the firebox when igniting the stove in the amount of 1-2 spoons. The evaporation from it softens the layer of soot in the pipe, which peels off from the walls and falls into the storage tank.
Potato peelings. They are used by adding to the firebox in quantities 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 product is used as it accumulates.

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

Chemicals for protecting chimneys. They are produced by industry specifically to protect chimneys from soot and soot. Forms of release vary from imitation firewood or briquettes to powder or liquid formulations. Let's point out some of the most popular ones:
- “Log is a chimney sweep.” Produced in the form of small briquettes. Its composition includes ammonium sulfate, phosphorus oxide, coal wax, and other chemically active components may also be present. During the heating season, it is enough to use 1-2 logs to maintain the chimney in good condition. The product eliminates the formation of soot during combustion, and old carbon deposits are loosened and removed from the walls. Release form: briquettes for chimney cleaning. Not to be confused with the cleaner log, which is also an effective cleaner.

- “Komichek” is a powdery substance, containing 5 sachets of 15 grams in one package. The basis is copper chloride, which promotes flameless combustion of soot and soot at low temperatures without flame. It is recommended to use when the carbon layer thickness is no more than 2 millimeters. When using the product, you must thoroughly ventilate the room.

- Anti-carbon chemical composition – (PCC). The product is burned directly in the bags in the firebox. You will need about 200 gr. for 1 t. firewood.

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

When using purchased chimney preventatives, you must strictly follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, especially regarding safety requirements.

Mechanical methods for removing soot

This is, as a rule, a drastic intervention and is carried out at least once a year at the beginning of the heating season. This is caused by the need not only to remove the soot layer, but also debris caused by the wind. And sometimes you have to get out bird nests that appeared during the period of inactivity of the heating unit.

Cleaning mechanically is done 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 should be done with a clean core to collapse the soot, and then continue with brushes and brushes until the walls are clean.

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

Work must be carried out using roof ladder, if necessary, install a fence. Do not take strong medications before going to altitude. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited. Otherwise, the chimney sweep risks his health.

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

Watch the video - an easy way to clean

When performing chimney cleaning work, we use following materials and tools:

Brush for cleaning the chimney lumen. It can be made of plastic or metal with a size of 1.5-2 times larger size channel.
A flexible cable with a handle for rotation (similar to a plumber's), as well as a fairly strong rope.
Stiff brush with bristles synthetic material on a long handle. It is necessary to provide for its additional extension, because we remember that the length of the chimney is at least 5 meters.
The weight is metal, in the classic design in the form of a ball. It is attached to a rope below the brush. The size of the ball is selected to be no more than half the size of the chimney opening.
Metal scraper for removing stubborn soot stains.

Cleaning work must be carried out in the following order:

Cleaning begins with the use of a brush weight. The initial piercing of the internal lumen is performed. When performing this operation, the device must not be rocked, so as not to damage the walls of the chimney.
If there is a thick layer of soot, it is better to first work with a metal scraper to remove protrusions and soot stains.
Finish cleaning should be done with a stiff bristled brush.
Next, stoves with open fireboxes are cleaned from below, removing soot through the combustion space. The walls are cleaned with a long-hair brush, and finally the chimney is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
Currently, a vacuum chimney cleaner has appeared on the market. Its advantage lies in high-quality cleaning. For the price, this is a tool for professionals.

If, for some reason, you do not have a brush of the required size at your disposal, you can make one on site from a plastic bottle. To do this, its walls are cut vertically into strips 15-20 millimeters wide so that they bend vertically. Such homemade instrument works no worse than standard.

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

Features of cleaning stainless steel pipes

Such chimneys are typical high quality 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:

Through the hole in the tee, a round brush on a flexible shaft is inserted into the pipes. Carbon deposits are cleaned by rotating the brush from an electric drill. As you move, the drive shaft increases in length to clean the entire length of the pipe.
If the carbon deposits are persistent, cleaning can be done by burning them out using 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, on a high-quality stainless pipe Even tarnished colors will not appear.
After cleaning is completed, it is advisable to insulate the chimney riser in order to move the dew point outside the chimney.

The described option is only suitable for austenitic stainless steel. If you were sold pipes made of ferritic or semi-ferritic steel, they most likely will not have the required performance qualities. Determining compliance is simple - normal stainless steel is not magnetic.

Watch the video

The need to clean the inner surface of sandwich pipes does not arise often - condensate flows out of them regularly. But if you suddenly need to carry out 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 low-flammability creosote components. They are very difficult to fight and difficult to clean.

To reduce the likelihood of the formation of such precipitation, the chemical preparation “Hansa”, which is a crystalline substance, is used. It has a complex composition, one part of which promotes the decomposition of wood into resin and water vapor, and the second part decomposes the resin into flammable components, which burn here. Previously deposited tar stains on the walls of the chimney also decompose into small crystals and fall into the firebox.

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

Cleaning a curved chimney from soot

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

Watch the video

Through them the pipe can be cleaned without special labor. However, it is not advisable to install more than two bends on one chimney. It is mandatory to install a cleaning hatch.

Cleaning the chimney of a gas boiler or water heater

The reason for performing such an operation will be a decrease in traction. This poses a considerable danger, especially when we're talking about about adaptation to apartment building. In such a situation, not only the residents of one apartment are at risk.

Watch the video

The pipe will not determine the reduction in thrust. The signal may be the “popping” of the igniter. Cleaning the chimney of a gas water heater is similar to cleaning a conventional stove duct.

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 heating devices. The main ones are:

It is not recommended to use resinous wood, such as pine, spruce and others, as well as raw wood for heating the stove. In this case, intensive formation of soot and resins is observed.
The stove must not be heated with scraps of composite materials, including plywood, chipboard, OSB, hardboard and other similar materials. Used in their manufacture composite materials actively clog the chimney with difficult-to-remove sediments on the walls.
When using coal as fuel (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. Metallurgical coke is a good fuel. It is produced from high-grade anthracite by burning in coke oven batteries. At the same time, all harmful elements burn out, so the coal burns evenly and hotly. Disadvantage: difficult combustion. Therefore, it is better to use a mixture of coke and anthracite. The cheapest and most “harmful” of the fuels of this class are types of gas coal (“goryuchka”). They burn out faster and release a large amount of planting components. Briquetted coal burns well and emits little soot
In solid fuel stoves, it is strictly not recommended to use household waste as fuel, especially plastic. When heated with garbage, a guarantee of rapid formation of soot deposits on the walls of the pipe.
When installing a chimney duct, you must strictly fulfill the requirements to ensure maximum draft. This primarily applies to the rules for installing pipes in height.

Watch the video

and performance characteristics. Now knowing what to use to clean the chimney, it is easy to keep it in working order at least during the heating season. But cleaning at the beginning of the heating season is still a real and inevitable necessity. However, good luck to you!

A home oven installed at home, no matter how ideal it is, becomes dirty over time. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically think about how to clean the stove from accumulated soot. It should be noted that the quality of the furnace assembly will affect the frequency of the process. But if we take into account that pollution occurs due to the fault of the owners, then the cleaning process should be carried out once a year. And you need to think about how you can clean the chimney.

Experts do not recommend lighting a fire with liquid fuel or throwing it into the fire. plastic products and cellophane. The same applies to damp firewood, food scraps and garbage. All listed components lead to accelerated formation of soot in the channels, which, in turn, leads to condensation, which destroys the pipe.

How to clean the stove from soot and get rid of it using modern and folk remedies? In practice, both of them prove to be quite effective. Among these methods are:

Furnace structure

The stove has long been considered a symbol of the hearth, as it decorated the home, gave warmth and “fed” delicious dishes. However, to this day a stove is installed in private homes to create unique comfort. Each has its own characteristics. But the design of all stoves has the same elements, since they are intended to heat a home.

Main elements of the furnace:

foundation;
furnace;
grate;
ash chamber;

The foundation can be either monolithic or made of brick or reinforced concrete. The height will depend on the degree of load.

The process of combustion of firewood and other fuels occurs in the combustion chamber. It must withstand extreme temperatures and not be large in size. By the way, the size of the chamber affects the efficiency of the furnace, since air flow is absorbed and distributed here. This process occurs with the participation of the grate. This is a cast iron grate with holes along its entire length, which is intended for fuel different shapes. The grate is installed between the combustion and ash chambers with a slight inclination. When the fuel burns out, the resulting ash enters the ash chamber through the grate without clogging the firebox.

The ash chamber is most often located under the firebox in order to regulate air output and accumulate ash. After each combustion process, it is necessary to clean the ash chamber from the soot accumulated in it.

A chimney is a set of channels connected to the combustion chamber. Good draft ensures the transportation of flue gases from the combustion chamber to the channels. Moving through the channels, they give everything thermal energy walls. This is the principle of operation of the furnace. The efficiency of the furnace depends on the gas distribution mechanism. Such mechanisms are channel and bell-type.

IN channel system, air moves directly through channels, which can be placed either horizontally or vertically. In such a design there is either a parallel channel or one serial one. The advantage of parallel channels is that in them the resistance to the movement of flue gas is significantly reduced, as a result of which the power increases, which means the furnace heats up evenly. However, the installation of such a system is quite complicated.

Kolpakovaya The system operates according to a free movement scheme. Gases from the combustion chamber penetrate the bell, accumulate at the top, since they are light, and push out cold masses of air that accumulate at the bottom of the bell. Further, due to traction, the gases begin to move through the channels. Those of them that come out of the combustion chamber are significantly higher in power than those that accumulate in the bell. This furnace design has high efficiency, as well as a low level of resistance to the movement of flue gases. In this case, it is very beneficial to interact with a low pipe.

How often should you clean your oven?

As mentioned above, the frequency of the oven cleaning process depends on the quality of the design. It should be done at least once a year.

It is necessary to start cleaning on the eve of the heating season. But there is soot in the oven itself
does not accumulate as actively as in a chimney, since coal or firewood constantly moves in the combustion chamber, so soot does not accumulate here. All these movements (placing firewood or coal, turning over with a poker) not only contribute to better combustion of the fuel, but also prevent the accumulation of soot. Naturally, you should periodically clean the grate and the inside of the stove, as well as the entrance to the chimney. But this should be done only after preliminary cleaning of the pipe, since debris can get into the oven from it.

Signs that it's time to clean the oven

It is necessary to start cleaning the stove before the start of the heating season, when indicated

signs:

Smoke color. This is one of the indicators of chimney cleanliness. If from the pipe goes black smoke, then this is a clear sign that the channels are filled with soot, and you should start cleaning the system.
The color of fire. Another indicator of cleanliness. If the flame acquires a light shade, then it is good sign. If the flame darkens, then this is a signal of lack of draft.

Cleaning the chimney yourself

Traditional methods

Folk wisdom even helps in solving ordinary everyday problems. And to the question of how to clean a chimney from soot folk remedies, she will also respond since the problem is relevant to home owners. Soot accumulates on the walls of the pipe, which affects both the functionality of the stove itself and the safety of the entire structure. The fumes inside often penetrate into the living space, causing poisoning. Soot particles are considered flammable and accidents may occur. But all this can be avoided if you clean the chimney pipe from soot in a timely manner. Moreover, this is done with the help of improvised means that everyone has at their disposal.

Most common traditional methods clean the chimney:

Tools

A real chimney sweep knows how to clean a chimney. In his arsenal he has a metal brush, the diameter of which is larger than the pipe. If the chimney is square, it is best to use a brush with metal bristles. Before you clean the chimney, you will need a cable on which the brush is lowered. You should also have a scraper with a heavy core on hand. The established layer of soot is first removed with a scraper, and only then a brush or brush is used.

As you move deeper into the pipe, plugs may occur that prevent the tools from moving further. A traffic jam may be caused by accumulated debris or fallen bricks. Such a plug can be easily removed using a steel core, which is attached to a cable. The cannonball is thrown in the center to destroy the plug.

Instructions

Before cleaning the pipe, it is necessary to cover all open areas through which soot can penetrate. It is better to close the fireplace door. Cleaning the chimney is only allowed in calm weather, as there is a risk of falling from the roof. But in any case, you should insure yourself.

If the fireplace or stove has not been used for a long time, then you need to check if there are bird nests in the chimney. Before you clean your chimney, it is best to get rid of nests and other debris. If the soot layer reaches 2 mm or more, then it makes sense to start cleaning. If the level is less than 2 mm, then you can forget about full cleaning for a while.

Safety precautions:

It is prohibited to perform work in rainy or windy weather;
you should take care of the safety rope in advance;
if there is no reliable safety system, then you can tie the body with a strong rope;
It is not recommended to take before cleaning medications, since they can reduce the reaction rate;
it is not advisable to take alcoholic drinks, because the stability of the body on the roof is disrupted.

Checking the patency of the channel

The patency of the canal can be checked using a mirror, which is lowered inside on a cable. Specialists use a miniature video camera with backlight. Then on the video you can examine in detail all the missed zones.

Coniferous trees cannot be used continuously as a fuel material. They contain a lot of resin, which only accumulates on the walls of the chimney;
Wet firewood should not be placed in the stove, as steam is released, which leads to the destruction of the chimney;
Garbage should not be used as fuel;
The best fuel is wood from deciduous trees.

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

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

Soot deposits in the pipe

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

Chimney cleaning methods: which one to choose?

Methods for cleaning chimneys and chimneys are quite diverse, from traditional methods proven over centuries to modern ones based on scientific developments. Let's take a closer look at all of them.

Folk remedies

Our ancestors knew well the characteristics of different types of wood. Coniferous firewood contains a large amount of resins released along with the smoke. Poorly dried, damp wood smolders, gives off little heat, and at the same time releases water vapor, which settles on the walls of the pipe, holding the loose soot together into a monolith. Dry hardwood wood is best suited for heating stoves: birch, alder, aspen. They burn with increased heat transfer, practically do not produce soot and soot and do not clog the pipe.

In the old days, aspen wood was used to clean the chimney, burning with the formation of a high, hot flame. When the walls of the chimney are heated, the soot loosens and burns, and its remains are carried out through the chimney along with the smoke. Many are based on the same principle modern methods cleaning pipes, which are described below. For preventive maintenance and periodic cleaning of the chimney, you can use this ancient method by throwing several dry aspen logs into the heated firebox. In this case, it is necessary to comply fire safety and prevent pipes from overheating.

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

Video - a popular method of cleaning a chimney

Traditional methods are interesting, but sometimes ineffective, especially when a blockage has already formed. In this case, it is wiser to resort to chemical pipe cleaning.

Chemical chimney cleaning

Available in stove stores big choice various means that allow you to clean the chimney from soot without unnecessary hassle. These products come in the form of powders, tablets, liquids or briquettes that imitate 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 well as the dosage.

Cleaning products in powder form are usually packaged in single dosage bags; 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 lighting the stove without opening them. Appearance of blue or green color flame indicates that the product is working and releases chemically active substances that break down soot and plaque.

Chemical chimney cleaning products

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

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

Mechanical chimney cleaning

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

Devices designed for cleaning a chimney from soot and soot are very diverse: these are brushes, scrapers, brushes of various configurations and sizes, as well as cores on a strong cable, which are used to break through dense blockages. They can be purchased in specialized stores or made with your own hands.

Video - how to make a brush for cleaning a chimney with your own hands

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

Chimney cleaning technology

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

Safety precautions when working

2. The dampers are opened, otherwise soot will accumulate on them, which can lead to even greater blockage. But the doors - furnace, ash and cleaning - need to be tightly closed so as not to stain furniture and floors with soot. It is better to cover open fireplace inserts with a damp cloth, which you don’t mind throwing away - you most likely won’t be able to wash it.

3. Cleaning begins from the top, from the chimney. Before starting cleaning, you need to remove the head from the pipe and remove soot from an accessible distance with a scraper or a stiff brush. The tool can be extended using an extendable handle.

Cleaning starts from the 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 carefully moved by rotating the handle.

Flexible brush for cleaning pipes from soot

5. If the brush 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 cannonball is abruptly lowered onto a cable into the chimney, trying not to touch the walls so as not to chip the brick. Having removed the blockage, continue cleaning with a brush.

Pipe cleaning core

6. After cleaning the pipes, begin to remove soot through the cleaning doors. IN complex oven As a rule, there are several of them, and they are located in places where the smoke channel turns. First, they rake out the soot that has fallen from above, then use scrapers and a brush to clean the smoke channel itself. At the same time, they move from top to bottom, towards the firebox. In fireplaces with a straight chimney, there may be no cleaning doors at all, and all the soot immediately falls into the firebox.

Cleaning smoke ducts from soot

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

Removing soot from the firebox with a vacuum cleaner

8. Light up the stove and check the draft. If cleaning has removed the blockage, then after the oven has cooled, put the head back on. If the draft has not improved, the smoke channel may be clogged in a hard-to-reach place, and you can’t do it without the help of a qualified stove technician.

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

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

It is better to use dry wood as fuel from deciduous trees, and at the end of the firebox periodically add aspen or preventative agents to the stove.
Do not burn waste in the oven, especially plastic, polyethylene, and packaging paper.
To reduce moisture condensation, the chimney must be insulated, especially if it is made of metal. Usually they use ready-made double sandwich pipes with a layer of non-combustible insulation.
It is imperative to put a cap on the pipe to protect it from accidental ingress of debris or precipitation.

If you use the stove correctly, the question “how to clean the chimney from soot” will arise very rarely, and you will be able to fully enjoy the bright flame and warmth.

Unfortunately, quite often people think about cleaning the chimney when the draft has already disappeared and the opposite one appears - the smoke simply goes into the room. But this is already an extreme degree of clogging of the chimney. But even at the beginning of the problem, you are already breathing not only smoke, which seems safe (we all go to barbecues), but also dangerous carbon monoxide. And the soot that accumulates on the walls of the chimney can even catch fire and lead to a fire!

That is why the profession of a chimney sweep has long existed and been revered. And today’s owners of private houses and bathhouses are not at all afraid of cleaning the chimney - today a wide variety of special brushes are sold for this purpose, with a long handle or telescopic, round in the form of a brush with a weight on a cable, or more intricate ones. And believe me, there is nothing tricky in this matter!

When is it time to clean?

It is impossible to completely avoid cleaning the chimney, no matter what material or design it is made of. After all, over time, due to soot, the passage into chimneys narrows and the so-called reverse draft effect occurs, when the smoke no longer enters the street, but into the room. If you wait a little longer, any oven will simply become unusable. Not to mention the fact that reverse thrust dangerous even for people living inside the house!

When approaching the issue of chimney cleaning, you need to consider the following factors:

Downtime, namely how long there was no cleaning.
What is the design of the chimney, how smooth are its walls and what is its service life.
What kind of fuel was used, were any plastic bottles or similar rubbish thrown into the firebox?
Was wet firewood used?
Was there pine or spruce among the firewood? from them resinous substances settle on the wall of the chimney.

You can notice that your chimney needs cleaning based on the following signs:

Change in smoke color. It is ideal if almost transparent, inconspicuous white smoke comes out into the street, but it is bad if it becomes dark - this indicates the presence of a large amount of soot.
Change in flame color. The color of the fire in the firebox also indicates problems: if it is light orange and the wood is crackling, then everything is in order. And if the flame turns a dark orange color, almost orange, this is a sign that the chimney needs to be cleaned.
And finally, there remains the simplest and most logical method - a preventive inspection of the chimney. It's good if a professional technician can do this, but even you can notice problems. For example, professional chimney sweeps lower a special weight along the diameter of the chimney into the chimney, and if it passes easily, everything is in order; if it rests, then it will have to be cleaned.

Moreover, the situation with soot can reach such a critical point when the pollution completely blocks the chimney and ice jams occur. And even worse is coking, when soot accumulates on the bumpers and burns there to large solid fractions similar to coal. Such fractions clog the chimney and block the draft. And to remove all this, just a brush with a load will not be enough; you will have to use a special jack to lift the chimney and clean the stove. This is why it is so important to make all sections of the chimney straight. And on rare bends, install tees with a cleaning system.

In total, three types of methods for cleaning chimneys are practiced today: mechanical, using special devices, which need to penetrate the pipe, biological, when used natural ingredients and chemical, when cleaning is carried out using industrial special drugs. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Mechanical chimney cleaning: only in the warm season

As a rule, ordinary owners of stoves and fireplaces clean their chimney once, before each heating season, and it’s good if this is enough. And the mechanical method is the oldest and even today it makes sense:

You can clean the chimney manually both from inside the house, from below, and from above, directly from the roof. And for each method there is its own tool.

If you choose the brush that is used from above, you need to tie a rope to it and hook a load onto it, and after that launch it into the chimney through the roof. This will go along the entire chimney and pick up soot from the walls. It is only important to lower the brush carefully and gradually, slowly, so that the soot is collected efficiently and the load does not damage the chimney itself. In the same way, lower and raise the brush several times until it becomes noticeable that the soot has been cleaned and the blockage has been broken.

Typically, such a brush lasts up to three heating seasons. But this method has its disadvantages:

Firstly, you will need a lot of time for all this, at least an hour;
Secondly, if you need to clean the chimney, you will not always be able to climb out onto the roof, especially when it is snowing and the wind is strong;
And finally, with such a device it is quite difficult to clean chimney elbows and hard-to-reach places, or the chimney itself is designed in such a way that it is generally impossible to clean it from the outside, through the roof.

And the method of cleaning the chimney from below, from the room, is much safer for humans. You can easily do everything necessary work and don't risk your life. Simply take the brush, place it on the flexible holder and slide it through heating device or a special inspection hole.

In addition, from below, with the help of long flexible holders, soot is easy to clean even in high bends:

For example, a brush with a telescopic holder is good because it is convenient to use on the roof: you just need to insert one part into another, gradually lowering the brush down, and in reverse order disassemble when going upstairs:

Here is a step-by-step illustration of what is needed for mechanical cleaning of a chimney with a brush and a weight:

Cleaning using traditional methods: both in snow and rain

Today, many are asking the question: how to clean a chimney from soot using folk remedies in the middle of winter, without the need for mechanical cleaning, safely and reliably?

The most famous biological methods (they are usually called traditional) are cleaning with potato peelings. This method allows you to avoid rough mechanical removal of soot from the walls of the chimney and is ideal for those areas where the heating season is quite long, because then you will not have to stop the furnace firing for a long time.

The second method is dry aspen firewood, which burns so quickly and hotly that it burns all the soot in the chimney. But this method must be used carefully so as not to actually cause a fire.

The third one is relatively cheap and reliable method To extend the life of the chimney during the heating season, sprinkle salt on the firewood. With each kindling, the salt binds the soot and does not allow it to settle on the walls of the chimney.

You will be surprised, but even the usual, long-known in Rus', chimney cleaning with potato peelings is actually a fairly effective method:

Let's just give little advice: If you want to clean your chimney with raw potato skins, you need to clean at least half a bucket of it. When the peel is burned, starch will remain from it, which will corrode the soot, and it will simply fall down. After this, all the ash will simply need to be removed from the oven.

Dry cleaning: caution required!

But it happens that soot is difficult to clean, especially if old firewood was used, and then you will have to resort to chemical method. The advantage of this method is that it will not take up either your time or your energy.

The variety of special products for cleaning chimneys today is pleasing to the eye: liquids, briquettes, special powders. Their secret is that such substances are ignited in a heating device and they release active gases, which are what soot is afraid of. Under their influence, it becomes fragile and begins to fall off. Moreover, some of the small particles simply fly out along with the smoke, and the rest falls down and is removed along with the ash.

The powders are simply thrown into the firebox without unpacking, directly with the firewood, and there should be a lot of firewood itself. You only need to throw in one packet every two to three weeks. The only limitation of this method is that it makes sense to use powder products only if the soot on the chimney walls is no more than 2 millimeters. But if you use this powder constantly, you won’t need to clean the chimneys at all:

But if you have a deeper problem, then you will have to use a log - this is a chemical substance in the form of a briquette, which you just need to put in the firebox once every two months, also in a package. It is used when the wood has already burned out, in order to set it on fire separately. This log contains wooden saw blades, urea, sodium sulfate, coal wax, ammonium sulfate and amorphous silicon.

This composition of active substances is capable of removing all accumulated soot in the chimney in just one go. After you burn the chemical log inside the firebox, you will still have soot falling off the chimney walls for another two weeks, and you just need to clean it up.

Very convenient: just put a log on the fire, and chemical gases corrode the soot not only on the surface of the chimney walls, but also inside the heating device itself, even on the heat exchanger and the internal chimney. And in its own way it even prevents the appearance of new soot. It is this method that allows you to remove soot in the most inaccessible places of bends and knees. And, most importantly, such cleaning can be done at any time of the year - even with an active winter furnace. The only point: if the chimney has not been cleaned for a long time, a blockage is clearly felt and there is almost no draft, then first you will still have to use a brush.

Here clear example How to clean a chimney using modern chemicals:

Professional chimney cleaning: fast, reliable and expensive

Strange as it may sound, the profession of chimney sweep exists and is still valued all over the world. You will be interested to know that the traditional chimney sweep cylinder has always been the privilege of the master only. And to become one, you had to serve as an apprentice for more than one year - this specialty is so complex.

In recent years, the profession of a chimney sweep has been on the verge of extinction, and only relatively recently has it become in sharp demand. It's all about fires due to poor installation of chimneys and their operation. Modern house is so expensive today that it makes more sense to hire a specialist than to rely on “maybe.” Indeed, it is much more logical to call a professional chimney sweep before the start of the heating season, rather than fire truck in the middle of winter.

For a long time, chimney cleaning was carried out by the All-Russian Voluntary Firefighting Society, but today such services are already offered more by private companies. After all, the correct operation of modern chimneys requires periodic inspection, cleaning and prevention. So the concept of professional chimney cleaning appeared, when special equipment was brought in for such a purpose. For example, a special vacuum cleaner that simply sucks out soot from the chimney through the firebox. And then you don’t need to drag it across the entire room (and soot is volatile and difficult to wash off furniture).

Therefore, to this day, professional cleaning is simply not enough in the most advanced cases, when:

the chimney is covered with a dense layer of hard soot (especially from wet firewood);
the chimney walls are old and damaged, and soot clings tightly to them;
You don’t have the slightest desire to do such menial work.

In practice it looks like this:

For example, in professional cleaning of chimneys of private houses the following special devices are used:

Modern high-speed installations that completely clean the chimney in just an hour cope with their task quite quickly:

How to make DIY cleaning devices

Special devices for cleaning chimneys from soot are sold in a regular hardware supermarket or specialty store, or you can make them yourself.

Let's compare a metal brush with a plastic one. Let's start with the fact that a metal brush, of course, will retain its working shape longer, but with particularly intensive cleaning it can scratch the chimney from the inside. Modern plastic cleaners are soft and scratch the chimney much less, although they do not last long and easily break, losing their working shape. That’s why there is an unspoken rule among summer residents: for brick chimney take a metal brush, and for metal – a plastic one. Basically these are the following devices:

Plastic brush: short-lived, but gentle on the chimney

Making a plastic brush is as easy as shelling pears:

If you are going to build such a brush for cleaning the chimney, then the whole job will take you no more than 15 minutes.

So, a regular chimney brush is a strong base with a brush threaded through a metal wire with a weight on a chain. In addition to all this, you will need a rope along which the brush will need to be lowered into the chimney. Instead of a weight and rope, it is quite enough to use a special holder. At least then the brush won’t get stuck in the chimney and you won’t have to pull it out later.

Plastic bottle brush: no cost

Moreover, you can even make a homemade brush from an ordinary plastic bottle (at least several). Just 2-3 of these brushes will be enough for one season. So, here's how to make such a bottle brush:

Step 1. Make round holes in the center of the lid.
Step 2. Cut the walls of the bottles into strips lengthwise, approximately 1.5 or 2 centimeters wide.
Step 3. Make a hole in the bottom of the bottle using a heated nail and thread a 5 mm thick wire through it.
Step 4. Now simply insert one bottle into the other through the cut strips and attach a thick wire to one end.
Step 5. Place two plastic bottles, press and secure them so that it is convenient to tie them with plastic wire.
Step 6. Spread the cut strips of plastic evenly in a circle and secure the steel cable as finished.

The only difficulty in making this is to make sure that the load and rope (cable) are exactly in the center, and the brush does not warp during use.

Hard round brush: using scrap materials

Another great option is to make such a brush from a disc brush for an angle grinder. This brush is much stronger than previous options and can handle even the most soot. It is only important that the diameter of the brush is equal to the diameter of the chimney, because its bristles are stiff and do not bend well:

To such a brush you need to hang a weight of about 5 kg on a steel cable, behind which you will pull the brush along the chimney. Just in case, attach another rope to the load, which will help another person from inside the room pull out the stuck brush. It is important that the load is at least a third less than the chimney, otherwise it will get caught and you will have to tinker.

Clean the chimney with similar homemade devices you need this:

Step 1. Climb onto the roof, remove the damper from the chimney and lower the brush into the chimney all the way to the end.
Step 2. Now start pulling the brush back.
Step 3: Lower the brush down again and pull it out again.
Step 4. All this needs to be done within a few minutes, keep in mind that below, inside the room, soot will fall abundantly and this must also be removed.

As you can see, everything is simple!

Asymmetrical wire brush: for difficult sections of the chimney

If your chimney does not have a large length, elbows, bends and does not become very clogged (for example, we are talking about a chimney in a seasonal bathhouse), then the following simple devices are suitable for one-time cleaning:

Telescopic brush: for working indoors

Usually, flexible meter-long sticks that twist into each other and are also called telescopic, otherwise prefabricated, work well as a gesture. Working with it is quite simple:

Step 1. Screw the brush onto the first handle, push it straight through the heating device, push it through and clean it for one meter.
Step 2. The next step is to screw the second one to the end of the handle that you are still holding and which sticks out of the chimney and thus push the brush another meter up the chimney.
Step 4: Repeat this entire process until you have completely cleaned the entire chimney.

See how simple everything turns out to be in practice:

A telescopic brush can penetrate very deeply into the chimney pipe:

This brush costs significantly more than the previous option, but the advantage is that such sticks usually do not break and last quite a long time. In addition, with such a rigid handle it is easier to push through the blockage in the chimney. In addition, using this method is quite difficult to clear soot from the bends of the chimney.

As for choosing the size of the brush, everything is simple here: you need to select one according to the diameter of the chimney, preferably equal to it or 12 cm larger, so that the brush can easily catch on and not slide along the walls, slightly missing them:

Let's summarize: no matter what device you use to clean the chimney yourself, the main thing is to do this cleaning regularly.

A brick stove is a design whose reliability there is no doubt about. However, even after years it may require repairs. To return the stove to working condition, you need to cover up the cracks that have appeared and remove the bricks that have fallen into the chimney. Defects in the home heating device must be quickly eliminated, otherwise they will lead to damage to the stove. We will tell you further how to clean and repair it yourself.

Reasons for repair

The furnace needs work to eliminate defects in the following cases:

Cracks appeared in the plaster applied over the bricks and in the area of masonry joints. The fact is that certain areas of the furnace always have to work for wear and tear, since they are exposed to high temperature that occurs during wood burning. All materials that are heated or cooled change in volume and, consequently, crack.
Plumes of smoke do not go into the chimney, but into the room, which is due to poor draft. Because of this, not only the stove deteriorates, but also people’s health. The draft, on which the heat supply depends, may disappear as a result of overcooling of the smoke exhaust pipe. This means that the chimney is clogged with soot;
Combustion products are poorly discharged into the chimney, and a certain area of the furnace remains unheated. This problem occurs due to the formation of cracks in the chimney or stove walls, which disrupt the combustion process and lower the temperature.

Such a defect is the result of improper operation of the structure.

It happens that the defects of the stove are not visible, but the house smokes. Certain violations can lead to this:

incorrect location of the chimney or stove nozzles, which is caused by poor quality workmanship or burnout as a result of long-term operation;
fragments of bricks or pieces of clay mortar getting into the smoke riser, creating a blockage;
incorrect connection of the steel pipe to the chimney;
blowing out the final section of the chimney with heavy winds;
dampness in the room or warm temperature on the street, the influence of which can be eliminated by opening the forward flow valve.

Do-it-yourself stove repair: types of work to eliminate defects

Repairs aimed at eliminating the causes of damage to the stove can be divided into 3 groups:

current, which is a regular check of the furnace’s performance, that is, cleaning it, filling up cracks and attaching fallen bricks;
partial, involving the replacement of some elements furnace design, chimney repair and channel cleaning;
capital, implying that individual sections of the furnace need to be dismantled or reconstructed.

Dropped Bricks

Before covering with plaster and carrying out other repair work, it is necessary to inspect the structure, because bricks could fall out of it. If you do not put them in their place, the oven will malfunction.

To detect fallen bricks, you need to do the following:

examine the channels through which smoke escapes;
having found a brick protruding a few mm, pull it out, first scraping off the mortar around it;
prepare a new one clay mortar and use it to place the brick in place.

As soon as the heating season ends, it is recommended to overhaul the furnace in which the bricks fell out. It will not be possible to postpone this task for another year, since next winter the collapsing stove will most likely not be able to work.

It happens that some bricks crack so badly that they are no longer suitable for reuse. To replace them with new ones, you need to find the following materials and tools:

new bricks;
chisel (to easily remove damaged bricks);
a brush that removes old mortar;
a sprayer filled with water and necessary to moisten the material before placing it in the masonry;
brush;
the raw materials from which the solution is made, that is, purified sand, cement and clay;
a trowel, a spreading compound that holds the bricks together;
sieve for sifting sand;
hammer;
fireclay powder (optional);
a wooden trowel, the function of which is to level a new layer of plaster.

Repairing a stove with severely cracked bricks is carried out in several steps:

removal of the damaged element;
cleaning the area from under the brick with a brush;
wetting the new masonry element with water;
brick installation;
applying a solution, into which it is recommended to add a little water to avoid the formation of cracks in it;
plastering (after the solution has completely hardened).

How to seal cracks

If cracks are found in a structure, which tend to gradually increase and lead to the collapse of some areas, then the first step is to determine the cause of their appearance. Most often, cracks form next to a door that is installed incorrectly and therefore contributes to overheating of the brickwork.

This problem occurs frequently, but is easily fixed.

Since it will not be possible to dismantle the oven door, because it is installed in the compartment for storing firewood during the bricklaying process, proceed as follows: the clay-based solution that was applied around the perimeter of the door is removed, and then the seams are closed with a freshly prepared composition. Thanks to this, new cracks will not appear on the stove, and the soot that forms along with the cracks around the door will disappear.

Plaster coating

Sometimes the oven is not treated with a special finishing compound, which cannot but affect its operation. Unplastered brick construction To heat the room, over time it becomes covered with many cracks through which smoke can pass. To return the stove to its proper appearance, it must be treated with a special composition only after creating a preliminary screed of the structure.

Repair work aimed at eliminating defects that appeared due to the lack of a layer of plaster implies the following:

Channels are created in the furnace that are horizontal and 1.5–2 cm deep. These grooves must surround the entire structure so that it is possible to create a strong frame;
Steel wire is laid in the channels. Then it is tensioned, for which a simple thick nail or metal rod is used;
The reinforced structure is covered with plaster.

The repairs done are a guarantee that the cracks that have formed will not become wider. A stove with reinforcement and plaster serves the owner of the house much longer.

A special tool allows you to apply the plaster evenly

Strengthening or replacing parts

If it is noticed that the oven door has become loose, then the masonry around it will have to be dismantled. Once this is done, the door is secured in place using steel wire. And if you need to replace the grates, you need to know one thing: cast iron grate under fuel is installed at a distance of 5 mm from the brickwork. The gaps left should be filled with sand.

Sheets may need to be replaced before firing. Typically, this need arises when holes or rust stains appear on these parts. The operation of replacing pre-furnace sheets is carried out as follows: the old material is removed, the nails are removed, a fragment of felt treated with a liquid clay solution is placed under the bottom, and a new sheet is nailed on top.

In case of failure of the firebox lining or damage to the chimney renovation work will be more complex. When replacing the lining in the firebox, you need to keep in mind that the new lining must be made from old bricks, since the coefficient of expansion of the stove from heat must remain the same. Taking this rule into account, bricks are also placed in the chimney area.

As you can see, the grate does not come into contact with the walls of the firebox

Connecting a new stove to an old chimney

If the pipe is in good condition, then, when starting to build a new stove, you can get by with the old chimney. To do brickwork without touching the chimney, you need to do the following:

Use a hammer drill and a chisel to make 2 holes in the pipe in the attic, stretching a steel channel through them, which is pressed to the chimney with wedges almost at floor level;
Create additional support by fixing in the original position 3 rows of masonry passing through the ceilings between the 1st floor and the attic;
Use as support posts wooden blocks with a cross-section of 100 x 50 mm, because the weight of the masonry is relatively small - no more than 60 kg;
Dismantle several rows of chimney masonry under the ceiling, place a beam under the pipe and support it with racks, well fixed and located so as not to interfere with further work - dismantling the stove down to the foundation.

Improving performance

To ensure that the stove always provides good heat, you need to follow some recommendations:

ensure that soot does not accumulate inside the furnace, that is, clean the structure once a month;
keep control of the dampers, which should be closed tightly;
do not leave the door open, as this may cause heat to escape;
clean areas that provide traction from soot and ash every year;
sometimes load aspen or alder firewood, as they help burn out soot deposits;
avoid overheating the walls of the stove, which often leads to heat escaping outside the house;
Do not throw garbage like polyethylene into the firebox along with firewood, which increases the amount of soot.

Proper operation of the stove is a guarantee of its long service life

Video: restoration of a stove in a private house

Video: repairing a brick stove with your own hands - cleaning and lining

How to clean soot from the stove yourself

It is recommended to clean the chimney, grate and stove wells in the summer. Any parts can be cleaned either manually or with special means. It all depends on how badly the oven is clogged. When getting down to business, you need to fully open the damper and close the vent and firebox doors tightly.

Removing carbon black from the chimney

To clear soot from a chimney, you can use folk remedies, such as rock salt. It is thrown into the firebox when the wood is already burning in it. Salt will help push soot out of the chimney, but it is unlikely to clean the chimney perfectly. Instead of her, wanting to achieve best result, it is better to use potato skins.

A bucket of cleaning material is usually enough to remove soot from a chimney. The potato skins need to be poured directly into the fire. The starch, which rises along with the evaporated vapors, softens the soot, as a result of which it comes out of the chimney on its own.

And yet significantly better chimney clean with special chemicals in the form of powders, liquids or briquettes. They are also placed in the firebox during the burning of wood. Burning up chemical substances destroy the soot deposited on the walls of the pipe and do not cause harm to humans. Typically, an anti-carbon chemical composition is used as a chimney cleaning agent.

Soot can be removed from the chimney mechanically. To do this you need to perform certain actions:

climb onto the roof using a ladder;
inspect the walls of the pipe and decide whether they need to be cleaned, because it is advisable to do this only if the thickness of the deposits is at least 2 mm;
check if there is any debris in the chimney, which must be removed with a stick;
remove soot from the top of the pipe using a scraper;
in the middle and bottom of the chimney, remove soot using a large-diameter brush.

The master uses a brush whose diameter is larger than the diameter of the pipe

Well cleaning

Wells, that is, chimneys in the furnace cavity, are supposed to be cleaned every 3 years. These structural elements are usually located on three sides of the stove, but not in the place where the stove is installed. The wells are located next to the bricks, which lie on edge and act as a kind of doors.

Cleaning of chimneys in the furnace cavity is carried out in several stages:

plaster is removed from the area where the wells are located;
the halves of the bricks are removed;
wells are cleaned of light gray ash using a scoop;
the removed bricks are returned to their place and covered with mortar, which dries quickly.

Wiping the grates

Products made of cast iron are fragile, so they should not be hit during cleaning, otherwise cracks will appear. To remove ash and soot from the grate in the firebox, you need to use a thin L-shaped rod. It is important to carry out this work only at that hour when the oven has already cooled down. Ignoring this rule can lead to the destruction of the grate, which is not able to withstand sudden temperature changes.

It is necessary to clean the stove from soot regularly. At the same time, not only the chimney, but also other parts of the structure need to be removed. By following the recommendations for cleaning the oven, you will be able to extend its service life.