Some cleaning questions

[WhiteMike]

For those who clean their own stove...

Do you use those creosote logs or any of the agents that supposedly attach to the creosote and make it fall off/easier to clean? Do they actually work? What techniques and tools do you use to clean your stove? I paid 150$ for my first cleaning back in the summer and it seemed like I just paid the guy to vacuum it out and clean the glass. Also I'm not sure exactly what to look for as far as when the stove needs to be cleaned so here are some pictures after about a month of continuous daily burning of fir and pine. All of the pictures are from above the fiberboard in the very top of the stove. How does it look as far as needing to be cleaned?
Thanks!

 

[CaseyForrest]

Doesn't look to bad. You could probably stand to burn the stove a little hotter. Most of that would disappear on its own.

I used some of the creosote sticks in the old stove last winter. Didn't need to clean the chimney this year. But I also run the stove at the higher end of optimum.

 

[laynes69]

Personally, I just take a wire brush, or sometimes just my hand and wipe things off. Most of that, if not all looks to be ash. It doesn't take too much to insulate things and slow heat transfer. I always pull our baffle and do a thorough cleaning.

 

[backhoelover]

I used to clean our stove till I found out that our insurance will only cover a stove fire if a professional chemney sweep clean it every year. Have y'all ever of heard this?

 

[trophyhunter]

I used to clean our stove till I found out that our insurance will only cover a stove fire if a professional chemney sweep clean it every year. Have y'all ever of heard this?

Most people haven't, they don't really understand how many exclusions exist in their policies that absolve the insurance companies from loss payouts when things go bad.