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TIL from an old timer that soot buildup patterns tell you a lot about draft issues
Met a retired sweep named Ed at a hardware store last week. He pointed out how my photos showed uneven soot on one side of a flue - said that means a blockage or offset above. Has anyone else used soot patterns to diagnose problems before pulling out a camera?
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matthew_owens91mo ago
My buddy Dave had a woodstove that kept smoking into the living room. He cleaned the flue twice but still had issues. An old mason told him to check the soot pattern on the stovepipe. Heavy black streaks only on the right side meant a cracked clay liner above. Dave was pissed he spent two days scrubbing when a quick look at the soot told the whole story.
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jennifer_west1mo ago
Same thing happened at my place last winter. I was getting smoke back every time the wind blew from the north. Cleaned the pipe, checked the cap, nothing worked. Finally called a guy who just looked at the chimney from outside while I lit a fire. He saw smoke curling out from between two bricks halfway up. Turned out the mortar joint was completely gone. I felt like an idiot for not spotting it sooner. A flashlight and a mirror would've saved me a lot of frustration.
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