I just have to get this off my chest and need a place to let out some frustration.

With the burn season just starting I'm getting very busy sweeping chimneys and at least every other customers home I go into I hear, "I don't burn pine."

I would like to respond, "So?"

Why? Becuase it doesn't matter what type of wood you burn, you're going to get creosote! Problem is that most people wait until the very last minute to have their wood delivered like they do to have their chimney swept.

Most of the wood I see delivered just before the burn season or during the burn season has just been cut and split. It needs to be seasoned for at least 6 months. I personally season mine for a year.

I always advise that you buy your wood for next year now! I believe the reason that people think pine is bad to burn is because green pine will cause more creosote than green oak, a lot more.

I'll burn pine all day long and you can burn oak that you just had Billy Bob deliver in his beat up pick up truck, and I'll have less creosote build up than you!

Difference in burning well seasoned pine and well seasoned oak is that pine burns hotter and faster, meaning that you don't want to load as much in the fireplace or stove as you would oak, and that you have to get up off the couch and tend to the fire a little more often. It tends to pop a little more also.

I guess what bothers me so much about my customers saying this all the time is NOT that they say it trying to show they know something about wood burning when it actually shows their ignorance, but the fact I want to point it out to them that they are wrong about burning pine.

Just ain't good business practice telling people they are wrong.

I will take them out to their wood pile and tell them they need to get the stuff off the ground and cover the top of the pile. Doesn't matter if that stuff has been seasoned for a year or not. As soon as it rains on it, it's green again!

Okay, I feel better now. Don't expect any replies, but anyone want any wood burning tips for wood stoves e-mail me! Wood heat is my speciality...and I haet my entire home with a wood stove!

A few other things that frustrates me:

"...what do you mean you can't come sweep my chimney until Nov. 7th!"

"...well your uncle only charged me $65 back in '96 to clean my stove."

"...your uncle cleaned my chimney just 2 years ago." I bought the business 4 years ago.

"...why are charging me twice as much to clean out two fireplaces when I only have one chimney?"  ---because there is two flues!

"...I don't want that cracked flue tile written on your report. We just got a buyer for our house." Sorry buddy, it's my ass on the line not yours.

"...could you clean that gutter out since your up there anyway?" NO! I got places to be.

Got plenty more!

Now I do love it when people ask me what's the best wood to burn.

Answer: "FREE WOOD!" [:D]

They take care of the furnace if it needs something done to it right?

I'd point out your short term concern to them. Also, your fireplace and chimney is classified as an appliance, just like the furnace. If they refuse to have the chimney inspected and swept, tell them one of the reason you moved into the place was because it had a fireplace and if you can't use it that you want your rent decreased.

Or, pay for it yourself and deduct it from your rent and send them the receipt.

Note: I ain't a lawyer, just what I'd do.

Might want to visit [url]www.csia.org[/url] and print some things out to support your arguement for having the thing inspected and swept.

No, not at all. As long as your entire garage is condtructed of masonry and you have a hole in the roof to let the smoke out.

Oh, and you might want to keep the gas cans a couple of [b]inches[/b] away from the fire, you know, just to be on the safe side! [:D]

Seriously though. What are you burning them in? My opinion is that 1) you shouldn't burn lumber to begin with 2) if your garage is truly a garage where you park cars, lawnmowers or just store stuff, it's not a good idea. In fact, in my area the two pages of code we do have on wood burning appliances it specifically prohibits them in garages unless they have been converted to a living area of the home.

DEpending on what type of metal pipe you have. If it's got a U.L. Listing of 103HT it can take quit a bit of abuse, but not having a chimney fire is the best thing to do. I've seen chimney fires do everything to a metal chimney from bust the welds or seems apart to just melt them. You got to remember that the flue wasn't designed to have a fire in it, only to remove the flue gases safely to the outside atmosphere. Each chimney fire you have is gping to make that pipe that much weaker.

Also. some forms of creoste, e.g., "glazed" creosote will expand when burnt. I've seen flues completely clogged shut after a chimney fire.



You need to stack it, off the ground and don't stack it to tight. As an old farmer once said, the gaps in between the logs should be just wide enough to let a rat run throught them but not the cat chasing it. You should also stack it facing south so that it gets the most sun on it and cover it. Like I said up top, you need to cover it the top. I just keep tarps over mine and let them hang down about a foot on the sides. Don't want to cover it completely up, you'll just trap the moisture in the wood. You can have wood that's been seasoned for a year, but as soon as it rains on it, you've got green wood again.

Sorry guy, but you actually started late. Should have cut it last year or ealry spring at the latest. Can't do much about that now though. Just might want to start plannng on getting your firewood for next year now.

Hehehe! Any lumber is too dry to be burning in your fireplaces and stoves! Plus that stuff pops like crazy! uh....don't ask me how I know!

AS far as prices go, depends on where your at. Some areas of the country can be as low as $65. In my area I charge $125 and that's around $15-$25 more than what any other chimney sweeps are charging.

I'm not looking to be the cheapest, just the best. Charging more also keeps me away from the people that won't bother in having any repairs made that I recommend. Another reason I charge more is because I have the equipment to do the odd ball things that come up from time to time, and a $3,500 camera I can send up the chimney if I suspect something may be wrong---something no other sweep around here has...along with a Certification and liability insurance.

Remember, chimney sweeps aren't licensed in most places. You get what you pay for. Personally I would hire anyone that doesn't have a working knowledge of NFPA-211 (National Fire Protection Assoc. Standard for Chimney's, Fireplaces and Wood Burning appliances and/or isn't certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

They have a sweep locator on their web page: [url]www.csia.org[/url]

That guy ain't to bright if you ask me. Back in the old days when the chimney's were 8-12" thick stone without these clay flue liners they have today, it was a comon practice to wait for a rainy day and purposely have a chimney fire. Consdiering that chimney sweeps in the U.S. more or less were non-existant after the turn of the century when everyone started switching to other fuels to heta their homes and didn't make a come back until the late 70's this was about the only choice they had.




Not exactly sure what your talking about here. Are you talking about a gas starter to start the wood? If so that's all it should be used for, to get wood burning, not just burn as a flame for heat. ...or do you have gas logs? If you have gas logs, you probably will never need to have the chimney swept, just inspected from time to time.



NO! If your burning wood, you DO NOT want a fire in the flue, which is the only way the creosote is going to be removed by heat. The reason the creosote is there in the first place is because the smoked cooled down enough to turn into creosote after it left the fire and the only way for it to be removed by heat is for it to burn itself.

If you've "burned" that stuff out even once, you may want to inspect that inner flue pipe. I've seen them bust apart at the seems from a chimney fire, close back up so that you couldn't tell anything had happened, only to open back up again when the home owner had another fire.

Found a few like this when I'd get on top and find creosote in between the pipes, but couldn't see anything wrong visually from the top or bottom. That's when that $3,500 camera comes in handy!

Here's an excellent link to just about anything anyone ever wants to know about wood burning:

[url]www.chimneys.com/burnsec[/url]

FatMan,

I can believe it. You'd be amazed at some of the things I  see! I've been in homes where they burn their trash in the fireplace.

I normally will get a dozen phone calls during Jan. from  people that had chimney fires on Christmas morning. The fireplace may be a convient place ot get rid of the wrapping paper, but it's expensive!

Had one customer last year call me and said, "I'm burning my christmas tree in the fireplace and I'm out standing in my yard looking at flames coming out the top of my chimney. Is this normal?"

Doh!

I told him to hang up and call 911 then call me back to give directions to his house. It didn't just crack his flue liner, it busted it to peices which some ended up falling down into his firebox!

Don't waste your money. Not only do they not work, they won't tell you of any problems you might have inside your chimney.

Ouch! Do you really have moss growing inside your chimney? Hell even on the outside isn't good. I mean it looks nice and everything, but if you have moss growing on the chimney you got water penetration into the chimney.

Hint: I make more money in repairs for water damage than I do for damaged caused by chimney fires.


Ain't I getting annoying yet? [:D] Hell, atleast I can cut lose on you guys and not have to worry about offending ya!

LOL! You guys get much rain out there? [:D]

Hehehe, [b]FREE WOOD![/b]

But tell the women it's the best quality, most expensive seasoned red oak there is and that you've been saving it for a special occasion!