With your own hands, it often causes difficulties. On the other hand, a poorly functioning chimney in a bath or residential buildings reduces household comfort - the stove starts to smoke, the heating boiler gives less heat.

Safety requirements imply that the chimney of a heating boiler or stove in a bath must always be kept in good condition. Otherwise, the risk of carbon monoxide gas returning to the inside of the room, smoke pollution of the room or ignition of soot and foreign objects in the chimney increases.

Why do you need to clean the chimney

There are many constructive answers to the question of how to clean a chimney at home. It should be borne in mind that it is necessary to clean the pipe systematically, and not only in an emergency.

With a weak draft, the fuel will not completely burn out, the rotation of smoke and carbon monoxide is disrupted, it is time to clean the chimney. Experts advise not to wait for the chimney to clog up thoroughly in a house or a bathhouse - do preventive cleaning regularly.

Prevention will provide good, consistent traction. The frequency of prevention depends on the intensity of use (how much soot is released and how often).

Also, don't forget about the difference between gas burners heating boilers and burning solid fuels. In the first case, the pipe clogs up rather slowly. But the cause of the violation of patency can be the ingress of a foreign object or the "collapse" of the chimney (the stainless steel pipe was flattened, the gap disappeared).

If you have installed a low-quality heating boiler pipe, it makes no sense to fix the defect. Contact the supplier, insist on dismantling the low-quality part.

Combustion of gas and liquid fuels

Gas or oil fired boilers do not leave thick smoke. As a result of combustion, transparent carbon monoxide is formed, which cannot be visually recognized (diesel fuel also leaves a little soot, which after a while is converted into soot on the walls of the chimney).

However, difficult combustion is a clear sign of weak draft and a signal that it is time to clean the chimney. In addition, there is always the possibility of deformation of the outlet pipe, which also requires measures to restore the chimney passability.

Combustion of solid fuels

Smoke is a warning sign in systems fired with wood or coal. If it does not go outside and accumulates in the room, again the whole thing is in the narrowing of the passage of the outlet pipe due to the formation of soot inside the pipe.

So it's time to remove this soot. In solid fuel systems, it accumulates quite quickly, and especially with frequent use or in the house (heat is consumed not only for heating the room, but also for cooking).

Take the problem seriously. Negligence - the threat of ignition of large soot formations in the chimney.

Causes of blockages

Before you start looking for useful videos on the Internet, you should understand the reasons why the chimney in a bathhouse or residential building is clogged:
• non-observance of operating rules;
• ingress of small birds, insects, foreign objects into the pipe (garbage carried by the wind - polyethylene bags, crumpled newspapers, etc.);
• wrong masonry technology brick oven or fireplace, installation of a heating boiler in the house, proportions and connections of structural units;
• absence of a protective "umbrella" at the end of the chimney from the street side (rain and snow penetrate the chimney, turn the soot masses into dense slurry and lumps).

All these circumstances lead to the fact that the products of combustion of the fuel of the fireplace, stove or boiler do not have time to be removed outside. They settle on the walls of the chimney in the form of soot - sometimes it is a "fluffy" light mass, and sometimes in the form of rather large flakes (typical for stoves and).

Each separate case individual. First, find out the nature of the blockage, the density of soot and the size of the layer on the walls of the chimney (or the presence of a foreign object in the pipe). The choice of tool and cleaning method will depend on this.

Cleaning methods with folk remedies

For centuries, people have had the knowledge of cleaning home stoves and chimneys with simple, affordable means. These include:
• firewood with a high combustion temperature (birch, aspen);
• table salt or naphthalene (today they resort to naphthalene less and less, since it leaves an unpleasant long-lasting smell in the premises);
• potato peelings.

Birch or aspen wood

Features of the method:
• these types of wood emit a lot of heat energy;
• high temperature cleans stainless steel or brick chimneys well;
• old soot formations are literally torn off the walls in rags and are forcefully carried out;
• the method is also recommended for the prevention of pipe blockages in a house or bathhouse (at high temperatures, the chimney overgrows with soot extremely slowly).

When using this method, remove the bark from the wood. The cleaned wood burns out completely, and flaky particles remain from the bark.

Potato peelings

Procedure:
• prepare in advance potato peelings in the amount of about ½ a bucket (the amount depends on the size of the furnace and the power of the chimney);
• dry them so that there is no rot;
• flood the stove in a bathhouse or in a house with high-calorie charcoal, placing dry potato peelings on top - the resulting hot steam contains a lot of starch, it will help soften the soot in the pipe. It will subsequently exfoliate, heavy fractions will fall down (you will remove them when you clean the furnace in a planned mode), and light flakes will fly up under the action of thrust.

Table salt

The method is good for home and bath chimneysand also for cleaning fireplaces:
• pour 1.5 cups of ordinary table salt on hot fuel;
• when interacting with oxygen, salt forms an environment in which the formation of soot and soot deposits is minimal.

Chemical methods

Opponents of chemistry should remember that it is used quite often for cleaning sewers in houses and apartments. Unlike sewage, cleaning agents are supplied from below through steam (in sewer pipe would have to pour in from above).

Do not forget to properly follow the precautions - following the indicated dosages, ventilation from vapors, protection from contact with eyes, skin and mucous membranes.

PKhK drug

This potent substance is sold at hardware and hardware stores. Suitable for solid fuel boiler and brick wood stoves residential building. Proceed strictly in accordance with the attached instructions.

There is no need to unpack PCC - burn directly in the package.

Copper sulfate with saltpeter

Features:
• the substance is a mixture of copper sulfate, saltpeter and powdered coke coal;
• more than 200 g of the substance cannot be used at a time;
• the powder is scattered over the fuel burned to the stage of red coals;
• the chemical reaction will lead to the shedding of soot build-up from the walls of the chimney.

"Cominchek" made in the Czech Republic

Features:
• the product is very effective, but only if the soot layer is not thicker than 2 mm;
• one dose is 14 g, but it is enough to keep the chimney of a furnace or boiler clean for the next 3 months and maintain a high permeability.

It is enough to clean the chimney with this tool once every six months, and then maintain the condition of the pipe in a clean state through preventive measures.

Chemical log-chimney sweep

You don't even need to watch the instructional video to use this method. Simple actions:
• buy in a store and read the recommendations carefully;
• put in the furnace of the stove when burning firewood;
• the released active substances exfoliate soot build-ups well.

From the results of using such a simple tool, you will see that the traction has improved significantly. Flake delamination will be observed for another 1.5-2 weeks after cleaning.

The log contains:

• urea;
• ammonium sulfate;
• zinc chloride;
• coal dust;
• charcoal wax;
• amorphous silica;
• sawdust;
• phosphorus oxide;
• anhydrous sodium sulfate.

For cleaning works all harmful components evaporate with draft through the chimney into the street. Therefore, poisoning does not threaten you.

Mechanical cleaning

For this type of cleaning work - the widest opportunities. Among the advantages, one can note the availability and absolute environmental friendliness (without chemistry). The disadvantage is the danger of working at height.

Tools

What can be used for mechanical cleaning:
• weight on a chain. With its heavy weight, it falls into the chimney, punching through thick creosote layers (the weight is held by a strong cable, to which it is additionally recommended to attach various scratching devices);
• hard brushes of various sizes and shapes (of course, you need to take care of the sufficient length of the handles so that they penetrate into distant places);
• ramrod, pole or long hook;
• all kinds of stainless steel ruffs on a long cable - by analogy with how to clean the sewer system mechanically.

You will also need a ladder to climb to the height.

The design of the device is based on understanding the essence of the method. The tool should scrape, scrape, scrape off soot build-up.

Protective and auxiliary means

Do not forget about personal protective equipment when working with soot and soot. Prepare in advance:
• respirator;
• gloves;
• protective glasses;
• overalls;
• do not neglect the safety ropes for working on the roof.

For details on how to work with a cable with a ruff, watch the video - everything is painted there in steps. This advice is especially addressed to beginners.

Operating procedure

If you clean the chimney from above:

• climb to the desired height;
• lower the cable with a ruff into the chimney shaft and perform reciprocating movements (this is well shown in the training video);
• it is sometimes useful to make rotational movements according to the gimbal principle.

Many in life had to clean the sewer pipe with a special twisted cable - now it is time to repeat the familiar actions exactly.

Unlike sewers, there is no moisture in chimneys. But there is inevitably a large amount of mechanical dust and particles flying out of the pipe. Be sure to use a respirator and goggles.

If you clean the chimney from below:

• this path is typical for cleaning fireplaces - the chimney opening is very close (while heating furnaces it is practically impossible to get to it through the firebox);
• first work with a long-handled brush, a hook, brushes;
• then apply the rotational technique (as if in front of you is a sewer pipe - twist the springy cable, first in one direction, then in the other direction).

If there is an opportunity to work together:

• the ideal option is to clean with a brush on both sides. The mechanical device is dragged through the chimney completely, from the street side to the firebox itself;
• several intense movements are made both vertically and with rotation.

A large amount of creosote debris will fall down. Cover the surface with a dense technical material (eg tarpaulin). At the end of the work, you can easily remove the waste from the firebox.

Complex furnace designs
Often in large private houses, instead of a modern heating boiler, a complex configuration is often laid out.

Cleaning features:
• turns at an angle of 90 degrees - an insurmountable obstacle for ruffs, brushes and hooks;
• find special cleaning holes (miniature doors) through which you can get into hard-to-reach places;
• if a "walking" brick is installed instead of a door, it is best to invite a specialist who knows all the details oven masonry... Without special skills, it is very difficult to install a removable brick in place.

It is recommended to clean the chimney in early autumn, in calm weather, and here's why:
• the stove is not heated in hot summer, therefore it is difficult to determine the degree of permeability and effectiveness of the cleaning carried out;
• in winter, the heating system must work properly, without any technical "interruptions". In addition, there is snow on the roof, slippery and dangerous.

There is nothing better than conscientious prevention. It will protect the chimney from premature wear, extend its service life. Heat the stove regularly for 2-3 days in a row with birch or aspen wood, peeled of bark. Do this at least 3-5 times a quarter, monitor the quality of traction.

Any fireplace requires maintenance, regardless of its size and design. One of the main maintenance methods is cleaning the chimney from soot. The question is how to clean the chimney folk remedies worries many owners of fireplaces and stoves, and most turn to specialized services. However, you can perform such an event as cleaning the chimney in the bath on your own in various ways.

How to heat to avoid the appearance of soot? And how to determine that it is necessary to clean the chimney?

The degree, speed of clogging and the need to perform an action such as cleaning the chimney with your own hands depends primarily on the fuel being burned. The better the fuel and the higher the quality of the technology for building a fireplace or stove, the less often cleaning is required. It is better to refrain from burning synthetic materials, plastic and plastic items (garbage, bags) in the hearth. Firewood for fuel, regardless of the breed, must be dry. It is better to refrain from using coniferous wood as fuel. They usually contain a large amount of resinous substances, which settle on the walls of the chimney with each furnace fire. You can stop your attention on deciduous trees - this is the most suitable fuel. You should also avoid colored paper and cardboard boxes - they also leave behind a lot of soot. The same applies to low-quality coal.

Chimney sweep cleans the chimney from soot and soot

High quality fireplaces, if properly used, can be costly for the first few years of cleaning. However, even if the fireplace is relatively new, but the following symptoms have been noticed, it is better not to tighten it with cleaning.

Chimney clogged symptoms:

• deterioration in traction;
• the fireplace (or stove) has become worse to heat the room. As a result - an increase in the required amount of fuel;
• the appearance of smoke in the room;
• change in smoke color. A normally functioning heating device should have a white or light gray smoke. The darker the smoke, the worse, and the sooner you need to start clearing the chimney from soot;
• change in the color of the flame. With a normally functioning oven, the flame is light orange, and with a large amount of accumulated soot, it turns dark red;
• the appearance of sparks flying out of the pipe.

The best time of the year for holding an event is considered the beginning of autumn and the end of spring, but any cloudy, cool day will do. It is necessary to clean the chimney about twice a year, even if there is no obvious reason for this.

Chimney cleaning methods

How you can clean a chimney is a question that causes stupor for most stove owners. There are three main cleaning methods:

1. Cleaning by folk methods. How to clean the chimney from soot with folk remedies? Quite simple, but it would be more accurate to call this method not cleaning, but prevention of chimney blockage. Some folk methods will be available to everyone, and some of them are risky, so they should be treated with caution;
2. Mechanical cleaning is a surefire way to get rid of heavy soot layers that you can do yourself. Requires special equipment, time and effort;
3. Chimney cleaning with chemicals. Similar to traditional methods, chemical will be an excellent option for preventing soot accumulation. However, some preparations can cope with small (a few millimeters) layers and save the owner of the oven from the hassle of mechanical cleaning.

Chimney cleaning with a brush and handle extensions

What happens if you don't clean the chimney?

Consequences of neglecting cleaning:

• the likelihood of fire. No matter how incredible it may sound, in some cases it is the neglect of the timely cleaning of the chimney that causes a fire. In large quantities, soot on the chimney walls can ignite when exposed to high temperatures. Even if it is possible to avoid a fire, the fuming soot will cause the chimney to crack, and over time it will begin to collapse;
• poor draft and smoke penetration into the room. An obvious consequence of a poorly cleaned chimney. The settling soot, which becomes larger and larger with each use of the fireplace or stove, gradually fills the chimney and the space intended for the passage of smoke narrows.

Chimney cleaning methods: folk methods

If it is obvious that it is time to clean the chimney, then you can try folk methods - it is inexpensive and accessible to everyone. So, about how to clean the chimney in simple ways:

• rock salt. An unexpected option, but nevertheless popular. Rock salt is generously sprinkled on fuel during combustion. Salt should be poured regularly, at each firebox of the hearth. In the process of combustion, a chemical reaction will be formed, due to which the soot deposited on the walls of the chimney will be destroyed. This method is not suitable for long-uncleaned chimneys, but it is a good and inexpensive way to prevent pollution;
• naphthalene. Quite an effective option, but in a certain sense risky. Before starting to clean the chimney with naphthalene, check that the chimney is intact, has no obvious cracks on the outside and inside. If there are any defects, they must be patched up and the insulating materials allowed to dry. If any defects are missed or the chimney cannot withstand the high temperature, then, possibly, its complete destruction and / or fire. In addition, there should be no foreign objects in the chimney, and the soot layer should not exceed ten centimeters. After the precautions have been taken, you can throw naphthalene into the melted hearth. Important: use no more than one tablet at a time! Naphthalene is an explosive substance and you need to be very careful when using it. When cleaning with naphthalene, soot will fly out of the pipe in the form of white particles, and the fuel will emit a characteristic unpleasant odor when burning. Perhaps cleaning the chimney with mothballs is the most unsafe option, but quite effective;
• use aspen or alder as fuel. The difference between the type of fuel is small: alder burns a little hotter, the flame flares up brighter, the draft works better, but it will also be more difficult to cope with such a fire. It is also important to observe safety measures here: not every pipe will withstand cleaning from soot with aspen or alder. Before applying the method, it is necessary to verify the durability of the pipe at very high temperatures. The consequences of non-observance of safety measures are unpleasant: a destroyed pipe and a fire. It is worth noting that although soot burns well, and this method is considered one of the most effective, it is fraught with fire at home and neighboring buildings. Therefore, before lighting it up, it is worth closing the valves;
• using potatoes or potato peels - original way, known for a long time. You will need about a bucket of potatoes (or potato peels). Potatoes or cleaning are poured into a well-burning flame: the released steam will clean the chimney well, while the remaining soot will fall into the hearth itself - cleaning may be required after the procedure. Just like rock salt, potato peelings are more of a preventive measure, but relatively safe. In addition, it is convenient not to throw away potato peels after each potato preparation, but to use them - a kind of waste-free production; and the chimney will be fine;
• shells from walnuts. In large families, such shells can accumulate in bags, and now there is a way to use it. The shell burns perfectly, but in this matter it is important not to overdo it: it is better not to use the husk as the main fuel, but to throw no more than one and a half liters at a time to the burning wood;
• birch logs. Less effective than aspen, and more suitable for preventing chimney clogging. To get the desired result, you will have to remove the bark and throw the logs only in the "naked" form;
• canned food cans made of aluminum. Nowhere to put the tin cans? No problem. Now they can also be used for preventive work.

The most popular and effective folk way - chimney cleaning with potato peelings

Self-service manual chimney cleaning: tools and technology

Manual chimney cleaning is a difficult but effective method. Devices that will allow you to clean the chimney are very diverse and can be found in every home. Among them:

• scrapers;
• chimney brush (sandwich type);
• brushes and a brush for cleaning large chimneys;
• rope weights - can be used on particularly tight blockages to clear chimney pipes that cannot be cleared by anything else. Care must be taken during use so as not to damage the integrity of the pipe.

It is worth noting that all any tool for cleaning the chimney (brush, special firewood) is best bought in special stores. Making, for example, a brush or a brush for cleaning a chimney with your own hands is not easy. How to clean the chimney to remove soot and how to clean it will be discussed below.

Cleaning the chimney from soot, the main steps and how to properly clean the chimney in the bath:

1. Before direct work, you must make sure that the position of the ladder on the roof is stable and that there is insurance. Do not neglect eye protection and respiratory tract: a respirator will do, or at least arm yourself with gauze. The most suitable weather is a cool, cloudless day. It is not safe to be on the roof in the rain, and in hot weather you can get heat or sunstroke;
2. The doors of the stove or fireplace are tightly closed, but the dampers, on the contrary, should be as open as possible. Otherwise, some of the soot will accumulate on the dampers, while the rest of its volume will stain the room, and getting rid of it is not easy. The fireplace is covered with a thick cloth, which is pre-soaked in water (it will be impossible to clean the cloth after use). This will maximize the protection of the area around the fireplace from soot. The head of the chimney is removed while the chimney is being cleaned;
3. Cleaning chimneys Is where to start. The removal of soot from chimneys is carried out from top to bottom: starting from the end of the pipe, gradually moving downward. The soot is first scraped off with the available tools for cleaning the chimney, then the space is cleaned with brushes and brushes.
4. If the tool gets stuck, a chimney weight can be used. It must be sharply, but carefully, lowered so as not to touch the walls of the stove chimney;
5. Similarly to cleaning the chimney, they begin to clean the chimney through the oven doors to remove soot from the chimney;
6. The hearth of the fireplace or chimney is cleaned last. If possible, it is convenient to use a suitable vacuum cleaner - this will allow you to get rid of soot as quickly as possible;
7. Cleaning the chimney from soot is over, now you can check the draft. If the draft is still not very good during the firebox, and the room is filled with smoke, then the fire must be extinguished immediately and contact an experienced specialist - here you cannot do without his help.

Chimney cleaning with chemicals

A more convenient and practical way than a mechanical one is a chemical chimney cleaner. These can be chimney cleaning powders and fluids that are usually used during fuel combustion. Often, if you use a soot chimney cleaner chemical type, the flame takes on an unusual color - green or blue. This is normal. Such a change in the color of the flame is evidence of a chemical reaction taking place.

Before proceeding with the cleaning of the chimney with chemicals, it is necessary to check that there are no foreign objects in the pipe and the hearth.

How to clean a chimney with chemistry? The most popular and effective chemicals:

• cleaning logs. Such firewood is simply thrown to the main fuel, together with which it burns. When burning, the log releases substances that provoke chemical reaction... The burned soot is not thrown out with the smoke into the street, but falls into the hearth. When using such a chemical composition, the fireplace or stove is heated for several hours to obtain the desired effect. Chemical firewood is mainly used to prevent blockages chimneys, a serious layer of soot exceeding two millimeters, they will not clear. For prevention, it is enough to burn one piece of such a log every six months. Ideal for brick stoves and fireplaces;
• PKhK - anti-carbonic chemical composition - perhaps the most popular chemical composition to clean the pipe. It is a powder mass that can be burned either separately or together with wood. Has strict dosage indications, which are usually indicated on the package;
• powder "Kominichek" is a Czech-made chemical pipe cleaner with a charming name. One package of the product is enough for a long time of use.

So, it is obvious that you can clean the chimney with folk remedies yourself. The main thing to remember is that the better you take care of the stove or fireplace, the less often it will require radical cleaning, which will require a lot of effort, time and money. Properly maintained ovens with regular blockage prevention (twice a year) may not require cleaning for several years, and their owners do not have to think about how to clean the pipe and why it clogged at the last moment.