For more details on how to assemble Imperial single-wall stove pipes, please refer to the instruction sheet.

Soot vs Creosote

Soot and Creosote are byproducts of the combustion of wood or coal in wood stoves or fireplaces. Physically, soot (image on top) is powdery to touch, brown or black, and only settle on the surface. Soot is formed from the smoke. As the smoke rises from the stove, the dry particles cling to the pipe lining. Due to its color and consistency, soot can soil your carpets or stain surfaces such as walls and floors. Cleanup can be extremely messy. Protect the area surrounding your wood stove from soot with heat-resistant stove boards. Creosote (image at the bottom) is a more severe combustion byproduct; it’s tarry, thick, and sometimes flaky. The smoke from flames travels upward and mixes with cold air and moisture from the top of the chimney. Once cooled down, it sticks to surfaces more like cement, making it harder to remove. Over time, the risk of chimney fire increases as the buildup gets thicker. Toss in a stick or sprinkle some soot remover ideally, once per week, onto a brisk hot, burning fire to prevent further buildup. Use Soot Remover Dry Sponge to quickly clean soot on exposed surfaces of wood stoves and fireplace walls. Diligently cleaning these surfaces will prevent the accumulation of baked-on dirt and soot.

Creosote vapors condense in the relatively cool chimney flue of a slow-burning fire. As a result, creosote residue accumulates on the flue lining.

Install stoves pipes, elbows, and other fittings with the crimped end toward the appliance.

Always insert the stove pipes to the stove collar with the crimped end or male end pointing down. It is necessary to have the stove component’s male end point toward the stove to ensure condensation and creosote travel down only within the pipe to prevent creosote leakage. Connecting pipes this way will result in adequate condensation. It will allow the creosote to flow within the pipe and return to the firebox to be burnt and fully dissipate. See picture. Exposed creosote is not only unappealing; it is also a fire hazard and a health risk. Avoid creosote leakage by properly installing a stove pipe.

In general, the entire wood stove installation should run on a one-size stove pipes system. Not running the same size stove pipes or running the pipe line from a large stove opening to end on a small chimney pipe will cause draft issues and excessive creosote within the pipes that will reduce the efficiency of your stove. While a transition in diameter of stove pipes is not recommended, if one is necessary, make it at the farthest point possible from the stove appliance, i.e., at the chimney outlet. Installing the increaser or reducers away from the stove will maximize the evacuation of flue gases allowing warm air to rise steadily within the pipes. Note: Unless your appliance manual recommends it, do not use a reducer. Reducers can cause downdrafts.

Initial Burn

The paint on newly bought and installed black matt stove pipes or accessories is not cured. The protective high-temperature paint will melt and peel off if the paint is not cured correctly, per instructions.

TYPE 1 STOVE BOARDS have an R-value of 0. For use with appliances that require only ember protection. Do not use this stove board for appliances that specify Type 2 thermal floor protection or a specific R-value requirement.

TYPE 2 STOVE BOARDS are for use with appliances that require thermal floor protection or ember protection, or both. This stove board has an R-value of 1.5.

*The R-value must be equal to or greater than the R-value of the heat-producing appliance.

POLYSWEEP POLYPROPYLENE BRUSHES are economical brushes used in clay and stainless chimneys to remove the minor build-up of creosote in chimneys.

SUPERSWEEP PREMIUM WIRE BRUSHES are stiff wire brushes used in clay and masonry chimneys. The wire construction is designed to remove significant creosote build-up in chimneys.

PELLET STOVE BRUSHES are rigid fiber brushes made of Tampico used to clean stove flues and clothes dryer vents.

WHAT ARE CREOSOTES?

Creosote is a byproduct of burning plant-derived materials or fuels. When combustion happens in woodstoves, the rise of high-temperature smoke from the flames mixes with cold air and moisture from the top of the chimney. The condensation forms traces of coal tar in the pipes that solidify and get thicker over time.

The buildup of creosote is a fire hazard and health risk. Annually inspecting woodstove pipes is recommended to prevent chimney fires and downdrafts, avoiding toxic substances from entering your home.

Once inspected, what do I do next?

Treating creosote buildups depends on its severity. There are three (3) stages of creosote problems. Determine the extent of your creosote problem first to know how to treat it efficiently.

FIRST STAGE

At this stage, the creosote looks dusty, flaky and can be removed by a chimney brush. Catching the combustion particles at this stage and treating it is the best time before it gets worse.

Choose among Imperial Chimney and Pellet Stove Brushes to clean out the creosote from in flue pipes.

Toss in a stick or sprinkle some creosote conditioner ideally, once per week, on a low burning fire or bed of coal to prevent buildup and turn flaky creosote to brushable ash consistency.

SECOND STAGE

You will notice minor or formation creosote buildup. The creosote is thicker, starting to form layers, and it looks more like tar than soot. Sometimes, it may look flaky to an untrained eye, but the creosote has firmly adhered to the pipe lining. A more industrial and rigid approach to cleaning is needed. Rotary loops and drills are required to remove the creosote at this stage. Often, chemical solvents help loosen the buildup for easier removal.

Sprinkle some creosote treatment powder onto a low fire or bed of coal twice-weekly for four (4) weeks to break apart the creosote buildup. Then use a chimney brush or rotary loop and drill to clean out the loosened creosote.

REPLACEMENT GASKET 

All woodstoves must have an airtight-sealed door to prevent air leakage, foggy glass stove door, and overheating.

We recommend that you replace the door gasket every year to keep your wood stove in good working condition. Before using your stove for the season, remove all the old gasket and run a new one around the stove door channel. Make sure that you use a gasket adhesive and press the gasket firmly into the channel. The gasket adhesive will secure the gasket in place for a long time.

• We recommend that you always wear protective gloves and follow product instructions closely.
• Make sure to use cleaning and maintenance products on cooled-down surfaces or only at required conditions to avoid bodily harm.
• Always read the labels and SDS sheets of our Stove and Fireplace Maintenance Products before using them. Some of our products include Crystalline Silica, a mineral known to the State of California that can cause lung disease and cause cancer. Proposition 65 Warnings Website - Your right to know (ca.gov)

METHODS

TOOLS

There are three (3) methods to clean chimneys.
The necessary tools depend on the method of cleaning and chimney type.

TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN INSTALLING WOOD STOVES 

STOVE PIPE COMPONENTS 

• 18-in minimum clearance from combustible materials is required
• 24-gauge, cold-rolled steel construction for durability and lasting performance
• Black matte paint coating that resists heat, surface scratching, and chipping
• Paint coating that tolerates maximum continuous operating temperatures of 700° F, with short exposures up to 800° F
• Crimped male ends on most stove pipe components for snug pipe connections
• Install crimped end down toward the stove to prevent condensation or creosote leakage
• Secure stove pipe connections with at least three (3) self-drilling stove pipe screws

HEAT SHIELDS AND STOVE BOARDS

• Heat Shields can reduce the clearance between stove pipe and combustible materials by 67%
• Stove Boards or thermal hearth pads (Type 1 or 2) insulate and shields floors, walls, and ceiling from heat, hot coals, ashes, and soot
• Stove Boards (Type 2), when used as a wall protector, require 1-inch clearance from walls; use wall spacers
• Combination of stove boards, stove pipe, or elbow heat shields in any wood stove installation is a standard practice Scroll down for other types of installation.

Scroll down for other types of installation.