Moisture in my clay flue chimney

[bama]

I went to check the cleanout of my chimney and it was half full of moisture.

It is an outside masonry chimney(8" flue). There was no way to put one in the house the way the furnace is plummed, so I had it rebuilt where the old one was when I re-did the house two years ago.

I thought the moisture happened when I left the cap on and as the smoke cooled on the cap, it dripped down to the cleanout, but I noticed some forming without the cap.

I have now plugged the cleanout to help keep warmer air in the bottom of the stack. I also have a BIG torch to warm up the ice if it becomes a problem.
The worst was when it froze all the way up to the stovepipe(on the old chimney because of the cap and green wood). It took several hours of torching with "big Bertha" to get that crap out of there.

Does this happen to anyone else? I am burning seasoned(2 years) oak and ash.

 

[sdt7618]

You should have gone with Selkirk Metalbestos!


You've got about the worst possible chimney set up for a modern wood stove and it's going to be the bane of your existence!

jeez tell it to him straight!!! lol :monkey:

 

[Rookie1]

What size flue do you have. If its too big it wont get hot enough to exhaust all the byproducts of combustion and it will condense on walls of flue. I have 14x14 and oil furnace. Installed newer more efficient furnace with lower stack temps. Nasty black water/moisture would run out the cleanout. I had to install 5" s.s. liner. Now alls fine.

 

[coog]

I agree with Rookie.With that 8" flu you should be able to slide a 6" insulated flex down to your furnace.Hard to keep the tiles warm/hot with the weather you are having.

 

[bama]

I agree with Rookie.With that 8" flu you should be able to slide a 6" insulated flex down to your furnace.Hard to keep the tiles warm/hot with the weather you are having.

That is my plan for next year. I saw someone else who had poured vermiculite around the liner as well. Didn't have trouble last year. Even the creasote buildup was not bad. Cleaned it a few times because I like a clean chimney.