How to clean the boiler from soot
A solid fuel boiler is the optimal solution for autonomous heating equipment in a private house. However, during its operation, soot, tar, and resin inevitably accumulate on the walls. As a result, the service life of the boiler is reduced, and heat transfer is reduced. Therefore, every owner of such equipment must understand in advance how often boilers need to be cleaned and how to do it correctly.
The cause of soot formation in the boiler
Boilers are quickly contaminated when using low-quality fuel and improperly organizing its combustion. Coal, firewood, pellets, peat can be used as fuel, which, after combustion, leave deposits on the walls of the equipment - tar, soot, and tar. They accumulate mainly on the walls of the furnace, heat exchanger and smoke removal system.
Causes of tar accumulation in the boiler:
- fuel with a high moisture content;
- incineration of household waste in a boiler;
- loading a large volume of fuel into the combustion chamber;
- insufficiently high temperature, which leads to decay;
- use of resinous firewood.
Rapid accumulation of soot on the walls of the chimney is observed when there is a lack of oxygen during combustion, as well as an insufficiently high temperature in the chamber.
Tar is formed in the system in such cases:
- improper arrangement of the heating system;
- low chimney;
- insufficient air injection into the combustion chamber (in pyrolysis boilers).
Cleaning of the solid fuel boiler from any deposits should be carried out regularly to avoid unpleasant consequences and maintain the functionality of the equipment.
Negative consequences for heating equipment
The accumulation of tar, tar and soot on the walls of the heating system significantly reduces heat transfer: just 2-3 mm of soot reduces the boiler's power by 30%. As a result, you will not be able to warm the house quickly and evenly, you will not burn fuel efficiently - its consumption will increase significantly.
If there is no timely cleaning of solid fuel boilers, the consequences on the part of the heating system may be as follows:
- failure of elements that perform the heating function;
- corrosion of metal parts of the boiler;
- smoke in the boiler room.
What to clean the boiler with and how often to do it depends primarily on the type and quality of the fuel being burned. If you use high-quality raw materials, it is enough to clean the combustion chamber every month. If the fuel is low-grade, the optimal cleaning frequency is every 14 days.
How to clean a solid fuel boiler from soot
Every owner of an autonomous heating system faces a natural question: how to clean the boiler from soot, tar and other deposits? Below we will analyze the possible ways. But the main thing to remember is that frequency is important, because even thorough cleaning every six months is unlikely to save the situation.
Mechanical cleaning of the boiler
This cleaning is performed using tools such as brushes, poker, spatulas and scrapers. The walls of the combustion chamber are manually cleaned of deposits and then removed with a spatula. The work is performed in cooled equipment.
How to clean the boiler from soot if it burned resinous wood and the layer of deposits is thick? In this case, more effort is required. First, the boiler must be heated so that the deposits become soft and move away from the walls more easily. Then they should be removed with a brush and a spatula. Finally, the boiler should be heated so that the residues are completely burned off.
Chemical cleaning of a solid fuel boiler
This method requires the use of special products that neutralize tar, tar and soot. How to clean a boiler from carbon deposits using a chemical method? There are two ways:
- A special agent is added directly to the fuel; during combustion, it interacts with carbon deposits, destroys them and removes them through the chimney.
- An acidic agent is applied to the walls of the equipment to destroy the deposits. Then it remains to mechanically clean and remove them.
Work with boiler cleaning chemicals carefully, strictly following the manufacturer's recommendations on the label.
Steam method
Cleaning is carried out using a steam generator and it is impossible to do it yourself at home. You need to involve a specialist.
It's up to you how to clean a solid fuel boiler from tar, tar and soot. To facilitate this process, as well as to reduce the rate of carbonization on the walls of the equipment, the following recommendations will help to reduce the rate of carbonization:
- refuse to burn resinous firewood - birch, pine;
- make sure that the combustion chamber receives enough oxygen during operation;
- burn dry firewood with a moisture content of less than 20%.
Follow these simple rules, clean your boiler regularly, and it will serve you for decades to come.