Solution to Summer Corrosion

Last year I had a severe stove pipe corrosion issue due to negative pressure in the house from stove and bath exhaust fans causing very humid air to be drawn in the house via the chimney. A 25 watt bulb in the stove didn't create enough updraft. My stove in in a cool basement family room which is in conditioned space. Condensate occurred when the outside dew point was very high. I believe this method would work anyplace where the room the stove is in is not extremely humid, non condensing.

This year I decided upon creating positive up flow with a small muffin fan. I didn't want to run the combustion fan all summer.

I used a small, less than 5 watt, muffin fan supported against the combustion air intake to create 24/7 chimney upflow. I'm certain any small muffin fan would work but I used a

Thermaltake Mobile Fan II External USB Cooling Fan - Usb, $11.34 at Amazon
and a Motorola SPN5504/SKN5004A micro-USB Home and Travel Charger for power, $3.66 at Amazon.
I've inspected the interior of the pipe twice and have had no problems this very hot and humid summer!

gerry

Clever solution, but why not just remove the stove pipe and cap both the stove and the chimney breaching? I remove the entire vent system from my Keystoker 90 direct vent stove and plug the holes with some margarine containers that fit nicely. I can then take the vent pipe outside and give it a thorough brushing and then I store it in the basement, which has both a dehumidifier and is air conditioned.

I also place a "Damp-Rid" bucket in the stove, and even with all the openings fairly well sealed, I still collect quite a bit of water. But, there is no rust aside from just a bit of slight surface corrosion here or there.

Now, my boiler setup is out back in the garage/shop building and while I can air condition it with a window unit, I don't leave it on. Therefore, I placed TWO Damp-Rid buckets in the boiler as well as leave a 60 watt bulb going inside. I even used my cheap little sandblasting gun to blow baking soda all over the inside of the boiler as well as shoot some up the stack, which is 9 feet of 6" prefab from Menards and another 7 feet of 6" stove pipe below the ceiling. I'm not sure what would work better - the 60 watt bulb and Damp-Rid refills all summer or buy a dehumidifier for the shop? It was murder early this spring when we'd get a real humid warm day after it had been cold and the floor would be wet like a cold beer can. I'm guessing a dehumidifier would suck up a lot of electricity trying to keep it dry since there is quite a bit of air infiltration around the roll-up door, and the door faces west into the wind.

europachris wrote:Clever solution, but why not just remove the stove pipe and cap both the stove and the chimney breaching? I remove the entire vent system from my Keystoker 90 direct vent stove and plug the holes with some margarine containers that fit nicely. I can then take the vent pipe outside and give it a thorough brushing and then I store it in the basement, which has both a dehumidifier and is air conditioned.
.

I mentioned this is a family room, thus the stove is an important part of the room's aesthetics. This is where we entertain.

If a 5 watt fan solves my problem, I see no reason to leave things torn up all summer.

gerry

Fair enough, sounds like the fan works good for you.

Fwiw, I placed an inflatable kid's ball in my flue piping at the flue end. Should seal air and help prevent corrosion in all but the very end.

Dave

I guess you care about looks more than being practical. That'll cost you. I just take my stove apart - problem solved. No money spent on a fan, & no money spent on electricity.

I know those money trees produce heavily in eastern MA, so I can't blame you for your decision.

SMITTY wrote:I guess you care about looks more than being practical. . I just take my stove apart - problem solved. No money spent on a fan, & no money spent on electricity.

I know those money trees produce heavily in eastern MA, so I can't blame you for your decision.

Pretty harsh, ignorant and judgmental response!!!

I live in a modest home, live on a disability income which doesn't imply we don't care about the stove being an attractive feature of the room. My Pioneer is a work of art with it's craftsmanship. Money is exactly why I use coal! I see nothing impractical about a fan.

I keep the problem solved cheaply, thus I don't understand your "That'll cost you" comment. Running a 5 watt fan 24/7 for 4-5 months during the summer cost me just over $2! Hardly need a "money tree". Guess you gather with your family for under $2.

dave brode wrote:Fwiw, I placed an inflatable kid's ball in my flue piping at the flue end. Should seal air and help prevent corrosion in all but the very end.

Dave

I first considered the "plug" idea. Having had kids I know inflatable balls do go soft on occasion thus choose an active system (fan)

The attributes of a fan (since it works and is cheap) attracted me. After a spring clean out, everything remains ready for a fall cold snap. Even my wife can fire the stove No need to tear things apart before use.

No argument that a ball that stays inflated works, just, for me, the fan is simpler.

gerry

gerry_g wrote:Pretty harsh, ignorant and judgmental response!!! ........

Way to take a joke Gerry.

= "RAZZ" .... or in other words, I'm joking around by bustin' your balls. Sheesh!

SMITTY wrote:

gerry_g wrote:Pretty harsh, ignorant and judgmental response!!! ........

Way to take a joke Gerry.

= "RAZZ" .... or in other words, I'm joking around by bustin' your balls. Sheesh!

With your explanation, I accept it as "intended humor" and retract my comment. Internet messaging has it's faults.

As written, your only indication of "RAZZ" was associated with money trees in Eastern MA. If the entire message was humor, spreading out multiple smilies might have helped.

Razz is a particularly hard smilie to understand since common usage varies. By dictionary look up:

Razz - "to deride; make fun of; tease."

Deride - "to laugh at in scorn or contempt; scoff or jeer at; mock."

This is an internet characteristic, not a personal one. In face to face meetings one can see how a message is being received (and delivered) and rapidly adapt. More care is actually needed with quick internet messages. Tiny smilies don't replace words They are simply a cute way to enhance words.

I've been guilty of poor wording on occasion where a smilie didn't convey intent of a message well and thus now try to use words with smilies simply for cuteness, not content.

Peace

gerry

My solution to Pocono summer corrosion based on past years no summer corrosion seen.

End of season<

1) all pipes removed, vacumned.

2) Inside of stove scrapped with paint scraper with some steel wool in hard to get areas and vacumned out. No water and backing soda. No rust preventative.

3) All coal removed.. Stuff plastic bags in hopper hole above grate.

4) Plastic bags taped around exhaust pipe.

5) Humidity absorbing flakes from Home depot put in cup @ stove bottom along with exhaust pipes.

6) got cheap digital humid meter, can watch when flakes are used up, usually 30% humidity in box when flakes are newer

7)Doors closed tightly.

8) check flakes and meter every 3-4 weeks.

Uglysquirrel wrote:My solution to Pocono summer corrosion based on past years no summer corrosion seen.

End of season<

1) all pipes removed, vacumned.

2) Inside of stove scrapped with paint scraper with some steel wool in hard to get areas and vacumned out. No water and backing soda. No rust preventative.

3) All coal removed.. Stuff plastic bags in hopper hole above grate.

4) Plastic bags taped around exhaust pipe.

5) Humidity absorbing flakes from Home depot put in cup @ stove bottom along with exhaust pipes.

6) got cheap digital humid meter, can watch when flakes are used up, usually 30% humidity in box when flakes are newer

7)Doors closed tightly.

8) check flakes and meter every 3-4 weeks.

This topic has brought out many solutions s which is great. Folks can compare their situations and pick or make a new combination. Appearance is significant to some, not all.

For me, I like to leave it ready to go and assembled for looks. My fan is holding it's own at very low cost (~$2/summer). Of course that only works if the stove's environment is not extremely humid.

The constant in all posts so far seems to be a good spring clean out!

Of course there are acid resistant steel alloys that would work if used for the stove, pipe and chimney all were made from it. I'd hate to even dream of the cost of such! Even DeLorean's didn't use such.

gerry