That stat about creosote buildup rate really caught me off guard

I was reading through some NFPA reports last week and found out that a 1/8 inch layer of creosote can cut your flue draft by nearly 30 percent. Never would have guessed that small of a deposit makes that big of a difference. I always thought you needed a solid quarter inch before it started messing with performance. Has anyone else run into weird efficiency drops from what seemed like a light coating?

2 comments

2 Comments

torres.leo5h ago

Jump into cleaning a chimney that looked almost spotless last fall and then watch your fire turn into a smoke machine. Tbh I thought I was just being paranoid until the whole living room smelled like a campfire. Ngl it's such a pain to run a brush for what feels like nothing, but then you see the difference in the flame the next time. Honestly creosote is like that ex who seems fine but quietly ruins everything until you finally deal with it.

parker_jones5010h ago

Totally agree man, blew my mind too. Had a old stove pipe last winter that looked barely dirty, maybe 1/16th inch max. Draft got so weak the fire would just sit there and smoke. Cleaned it down to bare metal and bam, fire was roaring again. Those thin layers really do sneak up on you.