Is it true that burning an aluminum can in the fireplace gets rid of creosote, and thus helps to prevent a chimney fire?
I would venture that getting a fire hot enough, to melt aluminum in your fireplace, will definitely determine if you are at risk for a chimney fire.
THis says yes
Not sure how to judge the dangers of breathing manganese gas.
Oh wait here’s the manganese wiki
Probably safer to find an additive for wood fires which cleans creosote buildup out of your chimney. My aunt heats her home with a wood stove and has to dump a couple tablespoons of the stuff on the fire a couple times a week; the stuff burns up and falls to the bottom of the stove pipe and needs to get shoveled out.
the only way to know if your chimney is clean is to inspect it from the top. you might as well have it brushed clean while someone is up there.
I call BS on the whole thing.
Aluminum is very reactive. It will oxidize at room temperature with contact with 20% oxygen (typical atmospheric amounts). The only reason it does not is a protective film of Al2O3 (aluminum oxide, alumina) that forms on the surface. You can “burn” an aluminum can in a fire because when you get hot enough to melt the aluminum, the surface film slides away, exposing the molten aluminum. Aluminum will melt around 1200F, a dull red hot for most situations (you would have to be in a dark room to see the red from 1200F). The coals in the fireplace will be hotter than this. The flames will be closer to 1800F.
The alloy used in aluminum can bodies is typically 3004 alloy, which has about 1% Manganese and maybe 1.5% Magnesium. The tops are of a different alloy, which contains more Manganese and Magnesium (which makes the material more brittle) to help the pop tops work. The level in the 3004 is a limit on the amount of these residuals that begin to interfere with the deep drawing process that is used to produce the can bodies, as about 30-50% of aluminum cans come from recycled cans.
The low level of either Manganese or Magnesium (people like to get these two confused) in the base alloy is negligible to the “fumes” that result from burning the can. Most of the fumes result from the burning of the lacquer that is applied to the inside of the can to prevent the contents from reacting with the can. The oxides of Aluminum, Manganese, and Magnesium have a very high melting point, and do not vaporize in a typical wood fire. None of them would affect the creosote in the chimney.
I did an engineering fair on recycling of aluminum, where is much of the knowledge behind this is based. Things have changed since the 70’s, but not much.
Creosote build-up is a serious issue. You really should consult an expert if you have been burning pine, spruce, poplar, or other creosote creating woods, and you should have your fireplace examined regularly. Oak, hickory, and the like burn much hotter, so they don’t create much of a problem. Burning green wood (even oak and hickory) will lead to a problem.
excavating (for a mind)
The only thing you can put in your fireplace to actually get rid of creosote is a chimney sweep.
Those sweeping logs do a better job of removing money from your wallet than they do at removing anything from a chimney, and their use can actually increase the risk of a chimney fire as anything that comes loose from using them will just land on the smoke shelf and accumulate, where it will eventually ignite, at which point you wind up calling my sister in law twice. (She’s a firefighter and an insurance agent.)
Hi I was wondering if you Knew the name of the stuff your Aunt burnt in her wood stove, Im having terrible trouble with creosate build up in my flew.
I think it was this stuff, but if you google “creosote removal powder,” you get several products listed.
Who said anything about climbing up there?
inspect it and brush it from the bottom then if your situation makes that easier.
Sorry. I misread your post (hard to explain).
Thanks I looked it up and I cant get that stuff shipped to Australia. Im sure If I tried hard enough I would find a way. On the weekend I lit my flew, it frightened me the whole flew glowed red. I shut the fire and flew down but some big chunks of creosate fell and smoldered for ages. My chimney is so high and cools so much at the top Im having huge problems. I live quite rural and Its hard to get a sweep here, that will climb up there. I wish I knew all this was going to happen I would have designed the house differently at least the roof line for better access anyway
I’ve seen this stuff used, and it does seem to harden up the creosote and make some of it fall off. I doubt it could be a real substitute for proper chimney cleaning. It doesn’t sound like there’s much managanese in an aluminum can, but if it acts as a catalyst maybe not much is needed.
Thats a great idea why didnt I see it. I even watched my chimney sweep do it :smack: . As he was telling me he wouldnt come next year as he was too old to climb my steep roof and high chimney.I have great access to my flew from the bottom even I could send a brush up. Thanks
We tried that, but he got stuck and I had to burn him out. Took a long time, made a mess, but the whole neighbourhood smelled like roasting pork.
You can buy Trisodium Phosphate (creosate cleaning powder) in the (Australian) shops. Bunnings, in the cleaning-chemicals section. It’s used to clean home-brewing equipment. Mildly caustic, like many cleaning compounds: obey the handling instructions.
I imagine that, like any oven cleaner, it also is a bit corrosive to metal, so don’t use it more than the once-a-month that Rutland suggests.