Rock Salt in Wood Stove?

[hayray]

Does putting rock salt in a wood stove actually reduce creosote build up. And if so, how does it work?
 

[retired farmer]

Salt combines with water vapor to produce a weak acid which eats a little of the creosote in the pipe. Actually not recommended because over time it will weaken the metal pipe.
 

[MarkB_MI]

Hmm. If you rot the bottom out of your stove, I don't think you'll need to worry about creosote.
 

[rabbit]

They claim a few aluminum cans from time to time work, too. Wonder what"s in those "creasote eating logs" theytout on TV?
 

[Stephen Newell]

I agree that salt is a bad idea and will rust out the pipe and stove which is far more dangerous. For the most part cresote will just plug the pipe where smoke doesn't draw right. It doesn't take long to run a brush down the pipe once or twice a season.
 

[Bret4207]

I can't understand the idea behind risking a fire compared to the very minor trouble of running a brush up the chimney a couple 3 times a winter.
 

[Russ from MN]

Never! It would ruin the stove and chimney! If your wood is dry and you burn it hot you will not have creosote.
 

[DiyDave]

Creosote is caused by tar resins condensing on a cold chimney. If you want less creosote, keep the fire burning hot!
 

[JD Seller]

Well Bret I would not call cleaning my chimney a minor trouble. LOL On a full two story house in the winter with snow ans ice all around it is a real adventure.

I do not miss that problem from when burning wood. I now run a corn/pellet broiler. I like it much better. So far I have been finding rejected seed corn to burn in it.
 

[NCWayne]

I burn one of the inserts that has the catalytic elements in it so even when the fire is hot the gases that exit up the flue have been cooled quite a bit on their journey through the elements and out. As a result I knew I was going to get some creosote buildup and wanted to cut down on it as much as possible. I've never heard of the rock salt deal, and I've never tried one of the logs either. Instead I buy the crystals made my Rhutland that are designed to do the same thing the logs do. I typically throw a scoop on the fire at least one or twice a month and it seems to keep things in check.

That said, the last few years have been crazy as heck for me and I got neglectful and didn't clean my flue for 4 seasons. When I did it this year I found it had a bit more buildup in it than I like, which I expected given the circumstances. The good thing was all of the buildup was dry as powder and brushed right off with no problem. Too there was no actual tarry creoote buildup left on anything. In other words the creosote remover stuff doesn't so much actually remove the creosote as it does dry the oils out of it and turn it into basically a sooty ash that isn't going to burn like the tarry buildup will. Looking at the ingredients on the package, one of the main ingredients is TSP and breaking down greases and oils is one of the things it does well, which is probably why the stuff works so good. Beyond that all I know is I've been using the stuff for going on 10 years now and my flue looks as good with the insert burning 'cold' as it did with me keeping a roaring blaze in an open firebox for nearly the same amount of winters.
 

[Bret4207]

[55deere70]

I always check my flue with a mirror in the clean out door whenever the fire is out. I let my stove roar at least once a week until the pipe starts to glow. Keeps everything pretty clear.
 

[BobinSD]

I put a little TSP in every couple of weeks. Catch it when it"s burned down to coals, stir them up just enough to get it drawing well and put a couple of tablespoons of TSP on the coals. I leave the bypass damper open for 5-10 minutes so that the chemical goes up the chimney.

I"d like to say that I went from having to clean 2-3 times a season to it not really looking like it needed cleaned when I ran the brush up it once a year, but I also burned it a little hotter* shortly after I started using the TSP and I"m sure that helped also.

*I have a flue thermometer on the stove itself (since the pipe is double-wall). I used to keep it in the 250-500 F range, but now keep in the 400-750 range). Also, we had a lot of (well seasoned) cottonwood and it"s probably more ash and "other" lately.
 

[Iowa Barber]

I have a wood burning furnace that I use to

heat my two story house in north central Iowa

for many years and used to have to climb on the r

roof every year to brush the chimney clean. I

started using the creosote logs about once every

month and a half and have not had to brush since.

I also check with a mirror and like it was said

it was dry and clear. I too use well cured wood,

some hard some soft. Love the logs. Brian
 

[Richard G.]

What is the name of the creosote log and where can I find them?
Richard