Vent: Saw some scary creosote buildup at a cabin near Lake Tahoe last weekend

I was out near Lake Tahoe doing a seasonal clean on a rental cabin, and what I found in their flue was honestly bad. There was almost an inch of glazed creosote in spots, and I'm guessing they hadn't had it touched in at least 3 years based on the layers. The homeowner said they only burn 'premium fire logs' and thought that meant no maintenance needed. I had to use a rotary tool to break through some of it because a standard brush wasn't even scratching it. Has anyone else run into people thinking those manufactured logs don't create creosote?

3 comments

3 Comments

stella_scott962d ago

Wait, they actually thought those manufactured logs were some kind of magic solution? I've seen that same thing before, people buy a $6 fire log and assume they're off the hook for cleaning. Glazed creosote is no joke, I've had to chip that stuff out with a hammer and chisel before.

hannahcraig2d agoTop Commenter

Some of those logs actually work pretty good if you follow the directions.

abbyp612d ago

That $6 log trick got my cousin too until she had to pay $400 to have her chimney scraped out. Did the directions on those things actually mention you still need a proper clean after burning them? Because I've never seen a package admit that part.