Those who like to take a steam bath in their own bathhouse often have a question about how to clean the chimney in a bathhouse in the most effective way when minimum costs.

If this is not done in a timely manner, you will soon notice a significant decrease in draft and incomplete combustion of wood in the stove, which can result not only in the failure of the chimney itself, but also in the outbreak of a fire.

Regular cleaning of the chimney from soot is necessary even if modern modular systems.

The accumulation of soot on the walls of the chimney is a serious problem that today can be dealt with without outside help.

This situation is also relevant for fireplaces equipped with their own chimney and installed in the kitchen of a house or apartment.

In most cases, cleaning is done using special devices and products that today are presented in a large assortment in specialized stores.

Some owners resort to traditional methods to get rid of soot in the chimney. How to clean a chimney is described in detail in the video below.

Chemical cleaning methods

Clogging of the chimney, including in the kitchen, occurs due to the fact that the smoke contains small solid particles that settle on the walls of the channel and are held together by water vapor generated as a result of the combustion process.

The formation of soot in the chimney from a stove in a bathhouse or kitchen, as well as from a fireplace in an apartment, contributes to a significant deterioration in draft and, as a result, the inability to operate stove equipment.

Also, the chimney can become clogged due to the accidental entry of leaves and other debris into the pipe, collapsing brickwork.

Before cleaning a chimney pipe in a bathhouse or kitchen, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with each method separately and choose the most effective one.

So, a fairly old and time-tested method of cleaning a chimney (including in the kitchen) from soot, which our ancestors used, is burning the stove with dry aspen wood.

When this type of wood burns, the flame temperature reaches quite high levels, which promotes burning of plaque and cleaning of the channel.

In addition, you can try burning potato peelings, the smoke of which loosens soot deposits and makes it easy to clean it off the surface.

Nowadays, in specialized stores you can purchase special chemical compounds that promote quick and effective cleaning chimneys in the bathhouse.

They come in different forms, ranging from powders and tablets to liquids and briquettes. These products are placed together with firewood in the stove and completely burned.

During their combustion, they emit smoke saturated with chemicals, which promotes the decomposition of resins, as a result of which small particles of soot are carried out with the air flow, and large ones fall down.

Typically, when burning data chemical compositions the color of the flame becomes blue or green. This means that the product is effective.

This prevention should be carried out at least once a month, before the chimney has time to become completely clogged with soot.

Mechanical cleaning methods

Chemical compounds are not always effective when cleaning a chimney in a bathhouse or kitchen.

All sorts of debris can get into the pipe, which will interfere with the formation of draft and interfere with the combustion of special chemicals.

The pipe can be cleaned using brushes, scrapers and ruffs of various sizes and shapes.

In addition, in some cases, a special core with a cable attached to it may be required, with which you can break through fairly dense blockages.

All of these devices for cleaning smoke ducts can be purchased at the store or made independently.

It is best to start cleaning the chimney from the top of the pipe, gradually working your way down. Carry out cleaning through equipped cleaning doors.

Lastly, the firebox itself and the ash pan adjacent to it are cleaned.

Before starting all work on cleaning the chimney on the roof of the house, the ladder is well secured. You should also open all the dampers and, conversely, tightly close the openings of the firebox and ash pan.

In addition, the head is first dismantled from chimney. All work must be performed wearing a respirator.

It is a cable, at one end of which there is a handle for rotation, and at the other - a special nozzle, the diameter of which should be slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe itself.

The cable is moved along the smoke channel by rotating the handle as carefully as possible.

If the brush's progress stalls, it means it has encountered a dense blockage that will have to be broken through using a core.

It should be lowered into the pipe with sharp movements, without touching its walls, otherwise the brickwork may break. After removing the blockage, continue cleaning with a flexible brush.

After the pipe is completely cleaned, it is necessary to remove soot through special cleaning doors.

In most cases along the entire length smoke channel install several of these doors.

First, the channel is cleared of soot that has fallen from above, after which, using a scraper and a brush, its walls are cleaned, gradually moving downward, where the firebox is located.

Some stoves have a straight chimney structure with no cleanout doors. In this case, the soot removed from the channel walls falls into the furnace.

On final stage The ash pan and firebox should be thoroughly cleaned. To do this, you can use a vacuum cleaner, which is first recommended to be equipped with a disposable paper bag for garbage.

At the end of the work, you should light the stove and check the presence and quality of draft. If everything went well, then the previously removed head is mounted on the top of the pipe.

To ensure that the chimney from the stove or fireplace gets clogged as little as possible, it is recommended to use only firewood hardwood trees.

Use conifers It is dangerous because when they burn, they release an increased amount of resin, which tends to settle in a dense layer on the walls of the smoke channel in the form of a viscous mass.

It is also undesirable to use even a small amount of diesel fuel to light the stove, which contributes to the formation of a dense deposit on the chimney.

All wood that is intended to be burned in a stove or fireplace must be thoroughly dried.

When burning, wet wood releases wet steam, which not only contributes to the accumulation of soot and soot on the walls of the chimney, but also destroys the chimney itself.

It is worth completely abandoning the burning of all kinds of rags in the stove, plastic bags, rubber products, as well as plastic bottles and other similar debris.

The fact is that the combustion products of various synthetic materials form a very dense coating on the walls of the smoke channel, which is extremely difficult to clean off.

In addition, when burned, these materials emit smoke, which is hazardous to the health of both people and animals.

As preventive measures At the end of each kindling of the stove, it is recommended to burn several aspen logs in it or generously sprinkle the remains of smoldering firewood with salt.

This will help prevent excessive soot settling on the smoke duct. In any case, plaque forms in the chimney over time, regardless of the firewood used and the observance of preventive measures.

You should make it a rule to regularly inspect it and, if necessary, clean it.

Cleaning chimneys of combustion products and soot should be approached with full responsibility.

The oven will not be able to function properly if it is clogged, and this can lead to serious consequences, including a fire.

In the event that you cannot cope with cleaning the smoke duct on your own, it is recommended to seek help from the appropriate specialists.

How to properly clean a smoke duct in various ways, described in detail in the video posted above.

When driving chimney In a bathhouse, due to a blockage, a number of unpleasant consequences can occur - poor draft, prolonged temperature rise and even fires.

Therefore, it is necessary to clean the pipe regularly, fortunately there are many effective ways.

Contents of the article

Why does the chimney become clogged?

There are several reasons why pipes in a bathhouse become clogged, this could be:

• soot and soot deposits;
• condensate formed on the inner walls of the pipes;
• foreign objects falling into the pipe.

When soot accumulates on inner surface chimney pipes become clogged, and the draft force is sauna stove decreases significantly.

The soot layer can “grow” by 1.5-2 cm over the course of a year. It all depends on the characteristics of the fuel used.

You will have to clean soot from pipes much more often if you use firewood from coniferous trees.

Condensation and soot deposits in most cases lead to almost complete blocking of the chimney.

Clogging occurs due to the heating of the bathhouse with firewood high acidity. Condensate forms resinous deposits on the pipe walls, the thickness of which in some cases reaches 2.5 cm.

The chimney can be cleaned using a special chimney sweeper when lighting the stove. In this case, it will be almost impossible to clean the chimney mechanically - the resinous condensate will simply be smeared on the inner walls of the pipes.

Cleaning the pipes if foreign objects get in is necessary immediately, as the smoke will stop coming out and will go back into the room.

This may be harmful to your health. Cleaning the chimney will be quite difficult, but possible.

To do this, you should use a long stick or pole, with which you can push a foreign object inside. The stick can be equipped with a hook, which will allow you to clear the blockage more effectively.

It is worth noting that thorough and regular cleaning of stove pipes from deposits (soot) in the bathhouse is necessary even when using expensive stoves modular type.

Cleaning methods

Most effective methods, with a guide to which it will be possible to clean the pipes, the following are considered:

• mechanical;
• folk;
• chemical.

The easiest way to clean the smoke vent of a bathhouse from soot is with a regular nylon brush equipped with hard bristles.

The nylon fiber is well pressed to the inner surface and has a high degree of flexibility.

This product will help you create the inner surface of a bath pipe with your own hands without any hassle.

However, before cleaning the inside of the chimney, it is important to correct selection such a brush.

In this case, a nylon product will be most suitable - such a brush can easily penetrate the most inaccessible areas, and cleaning will not take much time.

It is important to remember that the brush handle has a high degree of flexibility for better control of movements.

Traditional methods

You can also clean the chimney in a bathhouse using traditional methods. For example, using potato peelings.

To do this, you need to throw a bucket or half a bucket of potato peelings into the previously heated oven.

Cleaning will be carried out due to the fact that during the combustion of the material starch will be released, which will effectively contribute to the destruction of soot deposits.

After 2-3 days, unnecessary sediment will completely disappear from the inner walls. For preventive purposes, tie a brick and a pipe brush to a strong rope and further clean the pipe in the classic way.

Another way is to clean the chimney using aspen firewood. For this purpose, aspen wood is placed in the stove, and it is properly lit.

Such raw materials provide a fairly high pressure temperature. During the kindling process, it is important to open all existing doors and latches and throw in new logs from time to time.

As a result, the soot will begin to burn, and the stove will emit a characteristic hum. Perhaps fire will come from the chimney, and the entire area around the bathhouse will be covered with soot.

It should be remembered that such cleaning is carried out only if the pipe is not designed for a temperature of more than 1100°C, at which the soot burns out.

You can get rid of sediment without much effort and use a regular garden watering hose. To do this, a glass is removed from the bottom of the chimney, and a hose with maximum rigidity is inserted from above or below.

You can clean the inner surface using reciprocating movements, as a result of which all the sediment will end up at the bottom.

To enhance the effect, you can attach a chopped piece to one end of the hose. plastic bottle or a brush - this will help you get rid of plaque easily and without any special material costs.

Application of chemical cleaning method (video)

Chemical method

This method involves the use of various chemically active substances. They are produced in the form of special powders, briquettes or liquids.

This method is especially good for preventive removal of deposits and is characterized by high convenience and low labor intensity.

When implementing this method, during the combustion process, wood is added to the firebox required quantity chemically active substances.

When burned, they will initiate the release of gases that are not capable of harming humans. Gases can effectively destroy the internal structure of deposits, which will fall down.

The most popular chemicals for removing soot deposits in a chimney are an anti-carbon chemical composition (PCC), a chimney sweeper log, and a product called Kominichek.

PCP is sold in the form of a powder, which must be burned in a package along with firewood or charcoal. Following the instructions, you need to ensure that the powder consumption does not exceed 150-200 grams per kindling.

Kominchek is a product that is produced in the Czech Republic. It is packaged in bags containing only 15 grams of active substance.

When carrying out preventive maintenance, one package of this chemical can last for more than 3 months.

Kominchek is most effective if the thickness of the soot deposit does not exceed 2 mm. During the resulting catalytic reaction, all deposits become oxides and burn without residue.

A log chimney sweep is considered the most popular means for removing soot from masonry chimneys.

The product is presented in the form of briquettes or bars, which release active compounds during the combustion process.

As a result of their influence, the creosote sediment on the inner walls of the pipes dries out and falls into the firebox. Chimney sweep logs are also highly recommended for preventive purposes.

Making your own brush

In order to clean the chimney pipe in a bathhouse, it is not necessary to purchase finished product, you can save money and make a special brush yourself. For this you will need:

• synthetic round broom;
• steel cable for the entire length of the chimney;
• stud and washers with 8 mm thread.

After acquiring all the components, the bristles of the plastic broom are unbent in different directions. Due to the fact that it has a certain elasticity and rigidity, physical effort will be required to bend it.

After which the fixing nut and washer are screwed on. It is important to know that the tighter the washer is tightened, the more the brush pile will diverge in different directions.

After this, a pre-prepared steel cable is attached to the ruff using a bracket. Then it will be necessary to measure the diameter of the chimney and cut the pile taking into account its size.

To achieve high precision You must first try on the trimmings of the ruff fibers and make a round template with the appropriate diameter from cardboard. At the end, any load is securely attached to the cable. Its weight must be at least 2 kg.

Operating procedure

Cleaning the chimney can be done on your own; for this you can use either special sets of brushes with compound handles or a brush made by yourself.

First of all, it is necessary to remove all loose parts from the stove and free the room in the bathhouse from foreign and interfering objects..

The brush is screwed to the cable along with the load. If the tool is factory-made, then the brush is attached to the first link of the composite handle.

The tool is carefully inserted into the part of the chimney that is located above the firebox. It is necessary to wrap a blanket or other prepared fabric around the handle and press it with weights to the edges of the firebox opening.

The brush is pushed along the chimney until there is a noticeable weakening of the resistance.

This means that the tool exits . It is not recommended to make rotational movements with the brush - this can lead to twisting of the cable and unwinding of the compound handle.

The product must be pushed until the blockage is removed, and you can feel how everything moves more freely in the pipe. After the work, you will need to remove ash and soot from the firebox.

The issue of safe operation of a sauna stove is very important and relevant, because the possibility of spontaneous combustion of accumulated soot deposits or carbon monoxide poisoning is very likely, which can threaten not only health, but also life. Further in the article with photos we will tell you how to clean the chimney in a bathhouse from soot so that the operation of the stove is not only efficient, but also safe.

Currently, such a profession as a chimney sweep practically does not exist. Yes, and self-made sauna stoves of simple design can be cleaned with your own hands. But if you are not sure how to clean the chimney in a sauna stove that has complex system modules and many bends, it is better to turn to professionals. Fortunately, such services are provided by some private companies or individual craftsmen.

It is noteworthy that no matter what the pipes are, soot still accumulates on them, and the quality of the firewood significantly affects the amount of deposits. Therefore, regular cleaning of the chimney of a sauna stove is mandatory.

For what reasons does the chimney become clogged?

When wood burns, it releases carbon monoxide and smoke. White smoke is formed by the evaporation of water in wood fibers, but black smoke is the result of the formation of coal, soot and creosote. This black smoke, carrying particles of combustion products, gradually settles on the walls of the chimney pipe, and the thickness of the deposit depends on the structure of the surface.

Thus, the clearance in the chimney pipe becomes smaller and draft worsens. And all the settled particles can either damage the chimney or re-ignite, leading to a fire.

How can you clean a chimney?

There are many ways to clean a chimney pipe in a bathhouse on your own. Improvised means such as brushes, cables or chemicals are also used.

In addition, there are a number of techniques that have long been used to clean the chimney in a bathhouse, and it was not necessary to climb onto the roof to do this. Next, we will consider the most common and popular methods of cleaning pipes.

Cleaning soot with a brush

The most affordable and in a simple way The key to cleaning soot from a pipe in a bathhouse is the use of a brush. Considering individual characteristics chimney, you should select suitable model, which can reach all corners and bends of the pipe and clean the chimney along its entire length.

It is best to use a brush with nylon fibers. Having sufficient strength and flexibility, such fibers penetrate deeply into the thickness of the soot layer and gently remove it without damaging the surface of the pipe.

The advantage of such a nylon brush is that it is perfectly capable of reaching the bends of the chimney pipe in order to remove soot and soot from there. But it is not advisable to use hard brushes in this situation, since they can leave scratches and nicks on the surface of the chimney, on which more soot will accumulate.

The flexible handle of this brush makes it easier to reach far corners and is convenient to manipulate.

Burning potato peelings

Potato peelings have long been used to soften and break down soot deposits on the walls. This method involves burning in the furnace firebox near a bucket of fresh potato peelings, or rather, as much as will fit in the firebox.

As they burn, they will release starch, which will peel off soot from the chimney walls. Over the next couple of days, the layer of soot will fall off on its own and partially fall out. And experienced people already know how to clean a pipe in a bathhouse from soot from the roof. To do this, tie a brush made of rods to the brick and clean it.

Heating the stove with aspen wood

Our ancestors also knew how to clean a chimney in a bathhouse with aspen wood. To do this, it is enough to heat the stove with them intensively. However, we must not forget that this method is quite dangerous.

The fact is that when the aspen fires the stove, a very high temperature is built up inside the chimney, as a result of which the soot ignites and bursts out of the chimney upward, then settling in white flakes in the yard.

To get this result, all the dampers and doors in the oven are left open, creating good draft. Wood is constantly being added to the firebox, so that the fire burns intensely and a hum can be heard in the chimney. In this case, the temperature in the chimney reaches 1100 ºС, at which soot burns. However, the cleaning is very effective.

Burning aluminum cans

Enough in a non-standard way how to clean a pipe in a bathhouse, is combustion aluminum cans, which produces virtually no soot. To get rid of soot, you should burn the jars about once every ten kindlings.

However, to get the right temperature and get the can to burn and not just warp and change color, you need to use hard carbon. If the oven temperature is high enough, it will take about 5 minutes to burn one can.

Cleaning the chimney with a watering hose

Quite a lot of bathhouse owners don’t really think about how to clean the chimney in a bathhouse. They always have a proven method in their arsenal - cleaning with a watering hose.

In order to clean a pipe in this way, you need:

• remove the glass at the bottom of the chimney;
• insert a rigid hose into the hole - from above or below, whichever is more convenient for you;
• use progressive movements to clean the soot that settles at the bottom of the pipe.

You can attach a plastic bottle with cut strips or a brush to the end of the hose. This device will easily clean the chimney.

Use of chemical reagents

Chemicals for cleaning the chimney in a bathhouse serve more to prevent excessive accumulation of soot than to actually remove it. Such substances are not able to completely remove plaque without using mechanical methods cleaning.

In addition, most of them have a sharp unpleasant smell, which will disappear for several days. However, it is worth noting that, as a last resort, you can use tools such as “Log Chimney Sweep” or “Komichek”.

Mechanical chimney cleaning method

So, in order to get the job done as correctly and without problems as possible, we suggest detailed instructions with a photo of how to clean a chimney in a bathhouse. However, before starting work, make sure that all windows are covered with thick fabric and the furniture is covered with polyethylene.

Personal protective equipment - gloves, goggles and a respirator - will also be needed. Next, you need to clarify what design your sauna stove is. Some models have several doors for removing soot from the chimney, which greatly facilitate the work.

The technology for cleaning a stove in a bathhouse looks like this:

1. Before starting work, you need to wait until the oven has completely cooled down. Next, the remains of firewood or other fuel are removed from the firebox and the ash is cleaned out.
2. The doors are opened at the chimney inlet.
3. Insert the cleaning brush into the pipe passage, holding the handle firmly.
4. Using a circular motion, carefully brush the brush over all surfaces of the chimney pipe, trying to reach all corners.
5. Gradually pushing the brush even higher, the soot is cleaned in the upper sections of the pipe.
6. All settled soot is removed from the hole.
7. After this, the doors are closed and the equipment is washed with warm water.

It is important to remember that in addition to soot, in the chimney there may be accumulations of cobwebs, small debris from the street and even bird nests. Therefore, if in summer period If the bathhouse has not been used for a long time, the chimney will need to be cleaned again before heating the stove. This is necessary so that in the event of kindling, all foreign objects in the pipe do not catch fire and emit unpleasant odors, which will then be very difficult to get rid of.

Making your own pipe cleaning brush

To properly clean a chimney pipe, it is not at all necessary to purchase expensive equipment. You are quite capable of making a device than cleaning a pipe in a bathhouse with your own hands.

So, we offer a simple way to make a chimney brush yourself:

• You will need a synthetic street broom, a long metal cable, clamps, a threaded rod and 2 8 mm ears, washers of various diameters.
• The bristles on the broom are bent in different directions to create something like a circle. If the fibers are very hard, you can use boiling water to soften them.
• On one side, screw the ear onto the pin and thread the washer through. This end is threaded into the hole at the bottom of the broom and the second washer is put on. Their diameter coincides with the holes in the broom.
• Next, lightly press on the base of the broom and fix the second fastener. The more you twist the ear, the wider the broom pile will spread.
• Turning the broom over so that the ear is better visible, the final tightening of the attachment is made.
• The cable is secured to the brush with staples. The size of the hole is measured and the pile is cut to length so that the diameter of the brush exactly matches the size of the chimney. If it is less, it will not reach the walls, and if it is more, it will slide.
• For convenience, a weight of 2 kg or more is attached to the end of the brush.

With this simple device You can quickly and conveniently clean the chimney yourself.

Good and regular cleaning of the chimney is necessary even when your stove comes from expensive and modern modular systems. But even with very careful and careful operation, soot still settles on the walls of the pipes, and if you also heat it with not the best wood, then its volume may surprise you. Soot collects even on the most smooth surface, and it needs to be cleaned - unless, of course, you want your bathhouse to burn down. But the time is already behind us when only a professional chimney sweep could clean the chimney. Today, in fact, there is no such profession - instead, in some schools they train only “cleaners”, although they cannot boast of special skills. True, occasionally you can find advertisements for the private services of a real chimney sweep. And this makes sense - a professional will not only clean your chimney efficiently, but also check it yourself technical condition chimney. Therefore, if your chimney has bends, it was not made by you and you do not really understand all these subtleties - hire a specialist, it will be safer for your health and life. But if construction is a fairly close topic and the chimney is the work of non-visiting migrant workers, and its design is quite simple - feel free to pick up a brush!

Why does the chimney get clogged in the first place?

Let's take a closer look at this process - and much will immediately become clearer. Thus, when wood burns, smoke is produced and gas is released. White smoke comes from water vapor from wood, and black smoke comes from coal, soot and creosote from the same wood. It is from black smoke that a deposit forms on the inner surface of the pipe, and the rougher it is, the more soot will settle on it.

The result: it is more difficult for smoke to pass through, thrust decreases, and fuel does not burn completely. In the best case, the chimney will deteriorate over time, in the worst case, the bathhouse itself will burn down.

How can you get rid of accumulated soot?

Sometimes, rather than hiring a non-professional, it’s much easier and safer to remove soot from your own bathhouse yourself - using brushes, modern chemicals for cleaning chimneys and even “old-fashioned” methods, and without necessarily climbing onto the roof!

Let's look at the most popular options for cleaning soot from a chimney and how to do it.

Using a special brush - a simple and proven method

Of all modern mechanical and chemical means, a brush is the simplest and safest. It is only important to choose one that is suitable for your chimney - both in diameter and in length, so that you do not worry about how to clean your chimney of soot along its entire height.

Particularly good is a nylon brush with stiff bristles, which is easy to clean a chimney of any material. Nylon pile is flexible and adapts well to any pipe shape, while simultaneously coping with the most stubborn plaque. But at the same time it does not scratch or damage its inner surface.

The most difficult thing is to choose a good brush for chimney bends. This is where the soot settles, and it is not so easy to get it out. Nylon bristles are most suitable for this purpose - they will easily penetrate into the most hard to reach places, while hard brushes will simply scratch the folds. And more scratches - less smoothness - more soot clings.

It is also important what kind of handle the brush has - it must have sufficient flexibility so that it can fit into the most invisible nooks and crannies and at the same time be easy to control your movements.

Potato peeling - the old-fashioned method

Here's how to clean a chimney in this way: throw a bucket or half a bucket of fresh potato peelings into a well-heated stove - that's how much will fit in it. During their burning, starch will be released, and it decomposes the soot. Within two to three days it will almost completely fall off the walls of the chimney and partially fall out. After this, tie a brush made of twigs to the brick and clean the top of the chimney in the classic way - it will be easy!

Aspen wood - with fire from the chimney

Cleaning a chimney with aspen wood is as old as the hills. But this method cannot be called safe - let's figure it out.

We put aspen wood in the stove and light it well. They burn well and produce a very high temperature. At this time, all doors and valves of the stove should be open, and do not forget to add more firewood. The result is that the soot itself lights up and the stove begins to make a loud noise. If you go outside at this moment, you will see fire pouring from the chimney on the roof of your bathhouse! And the surrounding area will quickly become covered with large white flakes. But the chimney will be cleaned, and cleaned well. If only it can withstand this test - after all, not every chimney is designed for 1100 ° C, and it is at this mark that soot will burn in it.

Aluminum cans - unusual, but effective

The cans need to be burned once in ten fires - this is enough, and very little soot will be collected. The only condition: the fire needs to be made hot, with plenty of hard coal– so that the cans actually burn, and do not lie on the firewood and change color. Normally, one can should burn out in five minutes.

Hose - whatever is at hand

Some bathhouse attendants don’t bother themselves much with newfangled methods and clean the chimney with a regular watering hose. The whole procedure looks like this:

• Remove the glass from the bottom of the chimney.
• We insert a hose from below (preferably from above), preferably a hard one.
• A few cleaning movements - all the soot is already at the bottom.

You can additionally attach a cut-up bottle or brush to the end of the same hose - and you will see how easy it is to clean the chimney effectively and cost-effectively!

Chemical cleaning is unpopular and unpleasant

Chemical cleaning of chimneys is more of a preventative measure than a real cleaning. The bottom line is that after this the soot will fall off in places, but you will still have to use an additional brush. Plus, the smell in the bathhouse can last for several days. Therefore, if potato peelings are not available to you, you can buy some “Komichek” or “Log-chimney sweeper”.

How to properly clean a chimney with a brush?

First of all, before cleaning the furniture in the bathhouse, be sure to cover it. plastic film, and cover the windows with thick fabric. Protect yourself from soot: wear gloves, safety glasses and preferably a respirator. Next is this: in most models of stoves and chimneys, manufacturers install special inspection doors to make cleaning easier and more convenient. Pay attention - do you have these?

So, here's how you can clean your chimney properly:

• Step 1. We wait until the stove has completely cooled down and remove any remaining firewood or any other flammable materials from it.
• Step 2. Remove the damper at the entrance to the chimney.
• Step 3. Holding the brush firmly by the handle, insert it into the chimney hole.
• Step 4. Move the brush in a variety of directions, trying not to miss any hard-to-reach places.
• Step 5. Move the brush further up, and now clean the highest places of the pipes.
• Step 6. Remove the accumulated soot.
• Step 7. Close the chimney and rinse the brush with regular warm water.

It is necessary to clean not only soot from the chimney, but also cobwebs, accidentally flying debris and sometimes even bird nests. Even if you cleaned the pipe well, and then didn’t use the sauna at all for a month or two of summer, still pick up the brush.

The fact is that during this time the birds could actually build a nest in the chimney, and the small inhabitants of the corners could weave new webs. And if you carelessly light the stove, it will all burn, and it burns with a special soot and unpleasant odor, and even caustic soot, which will instantly stick to the walls and will “delight” you with a suffocating aroma all winter. Do you need it?...

How to make a good brush with your own hands?

Here's how to make a great budget chimney brush:

• Step 1. We purchase the following from the market: a synthetic round broom, a steel cable along the length of the entire chimney, clamps, 2 ears and a pin with 8 mm thread and washers of different diameters.
• Step 2. Unbend the pile in different directions - it is hard and elastic, so make an effort. The result will be something like a bouquet. If it doesn’t work, put it in boiling water.
• Step 3. Take a hairpin and screw the ear - from one end, after which we put on the washer and insert it into the hole at the bottom of the brush, then the washer again. The diameter of them just fits the holes of the broom.
• Step 4. Press down on the base from above and carefully screw on the second fastener. The more you twist, the more the bristles of the brush will diverge to the sides.
• Step 5. Turn the brush over, see the eye of the fastening and tighten it to the desired size.
• Step 6. We fasten the cable to the brush using a bracket, measure the chimney opening and cut the fibers exactly to the size of the chimney pipe. If it turns out to be less, it won’t be cleaned. And for accuracy, first try on and cut out a template from cardboard.
• Step 7. We attach the load - this can be a regular weight from 2 kg.

That's it! You can put up a ladder and go clear the chimney of soot. Good luck!

Outside the city, a favorite place for many people is the bathhouse. During the combustion of some materials, soot and soot accumulate on the walls. If you heat a sauna with wood or coal, sediment will form on the inside of the pipe quite quickly. Against this background, the clearance of the pipe decreases, which can cause a fire. There are several ways to clean the chimney and remove blockages in the stove channel in the bathhouse.

Types of blockages in the chimney pipe

When wood burns, carbon monoxide and smoke are released. The black tint is the result of soot, coal and creosote.

Pipes in a bathhouse can become clogged for several reasons:

• formation of soot and soot;
• condensation accumulation;
• foreign objects getting inside;
• resin deposition;
• accumulation of ash.

All wood contains resins. When heated, they decompose and evaporate. Subsequently they settle on the walls of the pipe. With frequent use of the bath, deposits are layered on top of each other and there is a high probability of completely blocking the passage opening. The thickness of the layer depends on the structure of the surface.

Soot accumulation on the inner surface

The formation of blockages can be affected by violation of the chimney laying rules, as well as poor quality material from which the channel is made.

The chimney pipe can become clogged when burning garbage: plastic bottles, plywood, firewood with paint, etc. As a result, the oxide from the garbage will settle faster.

The rate of heating of the bath and the combustion activity of the products will depend on how the chimney pipe is cleaned.

If you do not clean the chimney, the smoke will not be able to escape outside, which means it will accumulate inside the room. In the future, this can cause suffocation. Over time, the walls will begin to collapse due to high temperature And chemical reactions. In addition, there may be poor draft and a large amount of ash can lead to fire or fire.

When and how often to clean the chimney

The main signs that indicate that it is time to clean the chimney:

1. Poor draft from the stove during combustion;
2. Black smoke from the chimney;
3. Soot flakes fly from the chimney;
4. Smoke enters the room;
5. You have to open the lower damper more to make the wood burn;
6. Arbitrary flame extinction;
7. An unpleasant odor appeared during heating.

Black smoke is one of the signs that you need to clean your chimney.

If the coating layer is thick enough, it can ignite from sparks during combustion. This may contribute to the destruction of the chimney system.

If the design simple type, then you can clean the chimney yourself. Work should be carried out from the inside and from outside buildings.

The stove chimney is cleaned regularly every six months. However, the procedure can be performed earlier if there are characteristic features clogging.

Cleaning methods

Depending on the length of the chimney and the material of the pipe, cleaning can be done in several ways: mechanical and chemical. There are also folk methods that were used by our ancestors. If you carry out the work using one of these methods, the sauna stove will clog much less often.

You can clean the pipe yourself, and if you have any questions, seek help from specialists.

To avoid problems when cleaning the chimney, you should consider all methods, and also take into account additional factors: access to the pipe, clogging, and the material from which the chimney is made.

Mechanical method

This is the simplest and most popular method of cleaning a chimney. It is important to know what you can use to clean the channel without damaging the entire system.

When using this method It is advisable to assess how clogged and narrowed the lumen is. To clean using this method, you should purchase a special brush. Thanks to it, you can remove the resulting layer of soot or soot. This brush has a flexible handle, which allows you to thoroughly clean the pipe. You can use a special flexible stick that is screwed into each other.

Cleaning brush

If the chimney is metal, then you cannot use a brush or a brush with a metal base, as this can damage the structure. It is recommended to use a polymer brush made of plastic.

When choosing a cleaning tool, it is important that it matches the size of the pipe. The device moves up and down.

Some craftsmen attach a weight at the bottom of the brush, which is put on a cable. It is advisable to take a cable that is designed for cleaning sewers. It spins well and doesn't bend. This method is used when a congestion has formed and the brush does not pass further.

Ruff with load

Before you begin cleaning, you should close all openings that lead into the house. This will prevent soot from getting inside. An open fireplace should be covered with a wet rag. Mechanical cleaning is recommended when the soot layer thickness is more than 1.5 mm. You can do the cleaning yourself without involving other specialists.

Chemical method

You can get rid of soot and soot using chemicals. The substances destroy formed deposits and do not harm health.

The most popular means for removing soot and soot are:

• "Kominichek";
• "Chimney Sweep";
• Anti-carbon chemical composition.

It's comfortable and safe means, which allow you to clean the chimney without physical effort and expense.

In construction and hardware stores you can find a wide variety various means for cleaning the chimney in the form of tablets, briquettes, logs. The operating principle is as follows: the chemical decomposes combustion products, which prevents the formation of soot. Under the influence of high temperature, the granules melt and a substance is released that dissolves the soot. This occurs through a catalytic reaction - the soot burns without forming a flame.

Exposure to chemicals

The product is placed in an oven and burned with wood. If the blockage is severe, you can use several packages. At least these chemicals are harmless, but at high concentrations they can be dangerous to the skin and mucous membranes. To avoid this, you do not need to remove the protective shell. After cleaning, the room should be ventilated.

Traditional methods

One of the methods for cleaning a chimney from accumulated soot is the use of aspen firewood. Wood differs from other types in the absence of resins and low density.

First you need to prepare the firewood. They must be dry and clean. First, light a fire using birch or other traditional wood. Then load aspen logs into the firebox. The oven door and damper must be opened. The firewood should burn strongly and the resulting flame will penetrate the chimney. The soot will then ignite on the chimney walls. During the heating process, you can hear the hum of the stove, orange smoke above the chimney, and white flakes on the ground around the bathhouse. These signs indicate that the process has reached a certain phase.

Aspen firewood - good method clean the chimney pipe

If the soot blockage is strong, you can break it through with boiling water. Before heating the stove, you need to pour a few liters into the pipe from above hot water. Cool boiling water will soften the build-up and promote the destruction of hot combustion products. As a result, plaque will fly out along with smoke.

To prevent soot formation, use table salt. During combustion, you need to add a small amount of sodium chloride to the firewood.

Effective remedies for soot accumulation are potato peelings and naphthalene.

• Before you start cleaning, you need to cool the stove and clean the firebox, and also remove the dampers. Work should be carried out using protective equipment. During the procedure harmful substances may fly apart and land on mucous membranes.
• It is advisable to combine methods for cleaning chimneys for preventive purposes.
• Over time, soot may again appear in a cleaned pipe, so for preventive purposes it is recommended to carry out work at least 1-2 times every six months.
• Work should not be carried out in rainy or windy weather. If the deposit thickness is more than 2 mm, a major cleaning will be required.
• When cleaning a chimney on the roof, you should prepare a safety device.
• It is recommended to prevent excessive soot accumulation and avoid it altogether, as cleaning requires a lot of time and effort.
• It is not advisable to use resinous rocks for heating.
• If the blockage is severe, then you can combine two methods: first clean it using chemicals and then mechanically.
• When using chemicals, you should read the instructions. Some of them can be used in different ways, so it is important to know all the nuances: whether or not to remove the wrapper, whether the room needs to be ventilated, etc.
• If during mechanical cleaning If you use objects with a displaced center of gravity, there is a high probability that they will get stuck in the pipe. To remove it, you will need to completely disassemble the chimney.

The listed tips are useful to know not only for beginners, but also for experienced craftsmen.