Glazed creosote in wood stove flues
Why it happens here
Wood stoves run at lower flue temperatures than open fireplaces, so creosote condenses and hardens into a glaze. In Blue Ridge Boulevard, where many homes use stoves as primary heat, this happens within a single season of heavy burning.
Our approach
We treat glazed flues with a hand scraper first, then follow with a wire brush and flue brush. A standard sweep alone will not remove glaze. We also recommend a mid-season cleaning for anyone burning more than two cords per winter.