Ski Mask and Goggles Day.

If the weather permits, we are going to sweep our chimney today. Oh, joy.

The stove has been acting wonky - occasionally down drafting, poofing smoke, and most recently, smelling of creosote when it isn't lit. I really (really) don't like that last one - and the first two aren't so wonderful either.

It's such a messy, messy job. I've decided that a ski mask to protect my hair and the skin on my face is a good idea, along with goggles, so that I can see once the soot settles. I suppose I'll have to use swim goggles, since the safety ones have air vents on the sides.

My poor, poor neighbors.

Yesterday I decided to get everything ready that I could. I cleaned out the ashes, vacuumed the inside of the stove, and as I was vacuuming the door the fiberglass roping on the window shifted a bit. That might be the whole problem right there, but we're not sure. A trip to town for fiberglass gaskets and gasket sealer took care of the glass, and while I was at it, I did the edge of the door too.

I have enough to re-do the seals on the 'lid' of the stove as well. The lid comes off and gives us access to the horizontal stove pipe in the back. I removed the lid, cleaned that whole area including about half the pipe, then sealed that up. (Remember my favorite blue shirt that I ruined sloshing butter all over it? Today it will (hopefully!) keep the soot and ash out of our house.)

I hadn't really planned on all that, but one thing led to another. It's good that we're all prepped for today. Now it's all up to the weather. Pray we don't have windy conditions, because our chimney is rather tall, and I don't want my sweetie up there on a windy day.

I won't be doing photos of the sweeping, because it's a horribly messy job and I don't want to ruin the camera. Anyway, wish us luck!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Aw, c'mon, can't we at least see a picture of you in your goggles??? :-)
Ginger said…
now that's what I am talking about, where are the pics of the googles!!
good luck, we will get a chimney sweep in when ours needs doing in the Spring.

Gill in Canada
Oh Dearie! I feel your pain. Dealing with chimney soot has *got* to be the worst chore EVER! I sure hope after all of this your troubles are resolved.

Now, I've got two chimneys that could probably use better attention than they received before this season. Since you've got all the gear, wanna come over? *ducking*

Hugs and love!
Laura said…
I couldn't find the goggles! It went better this time than it did the first time we did it. I'm going to try to get a post up before the weekend is over!

Thanks for your well-wishes, y'all!

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