To the Editor:

A week or so ago I noticed that my wood stove was not “drawing” too well. I made plans to check it out on the next suitable day. Yesterday was that day and I let the fire go out and the stove cool.

I made proper preparations by taping a tarp to the wall behind the stove and under the flue pipe, as well as covering the near floor.

Then I pulled the stove pipe and carefully took it outside. It was literally full of soot and flaked-off creosote. I did a lot of gentle tapping and removed a lot of caked creosote. I cleaned all pipes, the back area where the pipe goes into the stove and the flue.

Using a mirror, I found that the chimney was clean and there wasn’t much in the cleanout.

I normally do this at least once a year, but forgot to clean it last spring.

I feel that the worst was avoided and I didn’t have a chimney fire, but I also did not have a problem with carbon monoxide, which is just as bad and could have been a real threat.

If you haven’t cleaned your pipes recently, do it, or have someone do it for you.

My stove is now burning very nicely and efficiently.

Dorothy Burgess
Brunswick