Hit 500 sweeps last month and it completely changed how I think about creosote buildup

I crossed 500 chimney sweeps last month, which I never thought would be a milestone that mattered. But looking back, I started noticing a pattern around sweep 300 where certain wood types and stove designs always had heavier glazed creosote. It's not just about burning seasoned wood anymore, I can almost predict which houses will have issues based on their chimney height and flue liner age. For me, hitting that number made me pay way more attention to the smaller details that I used to overlook. Has anyone else found that a certain number of jobs shifted their whole approach to cleaning?

3 comments

3 Comments

mila_brown1022d ago

Around sweep 375 I started clocking those same patterns with glazed creosote and low chimney temps. It's wild how the numbers just click after a while.

mitchell.lee22d ago

307 here. My dad used to say the stove was just being "moody" when temps dropped like that. Turns out he was right about the glaze being the real issue. You ever try a wire brush on the baffle plate mid-season?

keithbutler20d ago

Huh, I gotta say I'm not buying the glaze theory as the main culprit here. I've had my 307 for like 8 seasons now and I've seen temps drop for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with the baffle plate. Draft issues from tree growth, damp wood from a wet winter, even just the barometric pressure changing. A wire brush mid-season sounds like a good way to scratch up the baffle and mess up the airflow actually. @mitchell.lee I think your dad's "moody" comment was closer to the truth - these stoves are finicky with a ton of variables, not just one thing. And every time someone swears it's the glaze, I end up finding the firebrick is cracked or the door gasket is shot instead.