How to Disconnect a Rusty Wood Stove Pipe

When a wood stove pipe gets rusty, it's time to replace it.

When remodeling or redecorating your home or vacation cabin, the rusty wood stove pipe is often an overlooked item. The pipe rusts over time with use, when exposed to moisture, or when the fittings where the it exits through the ceiling leak onto the pipe. Because rust eats away at the pipe, this causes weak areas or holes to form in the pipe where smoke might escape into your home. While not a hard job to complete, removing a wood stove pipe can be messy because of the creosote build-up on the interior of the pipe.

Things You'll Need

• Chimney sweep rod and brush
• Ladder
• Dropcloths
• Screwdriver
• Spray rust remover
• Hammer
• Work gloves
• Goggles
• Dust pan and broom

Instructions

Preparatory Cleaning

1. Prepare to clean out the stove pipe before attempting to remove it. You want to break down the creosote within the pipe so that when you do remove it, you minimize the dust that escapes into the home.

2. Run a long chimney sweep brush and rod rented from a local equipment rental yard into the pipe from the point where the pipe exits the home. This may be on the roof and require access by ladder and removal of the chimney cap.

3. Run the brush up and down through the pipe several times to loosen the material clinging to the inside of the pipe, spinning it in the process.

4. Keep the pipe attached to the wood stove so that it captures the dust falling down from inside the pipe.

Removal

1. Spread out several dropcloths around the woodstove to capture any remaining dust that might escape when removing the rusty stove pipe.

2. Tap the stove pipe inside the home with a hammer along its length and at section connections to loosen any excess material.

3. Spray a rust remover around each of the connecting sections of stove pipe and allow it to sit 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure the solvent gets between the connections of stove pipe.

4. Remove any screws securing the sections of stove pipe together using the appropriate screwdriver based on the screw types, slotted or Phillips.

5. Position a ladder near the rusty pipe and remove the top piece that exits through the ceiling connection first. This helps to keep the dust down and once one section is removed, the rest is simple.

6. Grasp the pipe with both hands and spin it while an assistant holds the section below. Slightly lift up as you spin the pipe and pull it away from the main section of pipe. Once free of the connection, pull the pipe out of the ceiling connection. Set it aside.

7. Remove the rest of the sections by grasping the section with both hands, slightly twisting and lifting up. These may again require an assistant to hold the section below as you remove the section above.

8. Repeat this process until all the rusty pipe sections are removed. Most city and county dumps provide a location for recycling metal, so dispose of the rusty pipes there or find a scrap metal recycling yard to take them.

Tips & Warnings

• Stubborn sections may require using a hammer to break up the rust keeping the section attached to another section. Tap around the section joint. If it doesn't come apart, move to the next section and try to remove it there, as you can with help from others, remove two 4-foot sections at once. Each section is generally 4-feet long.

• Always wear work gloves when working with rusty piping to avoid cuts. Wear goggles to protect your eyes from creosote dust.

References

• Michigan State University Extension; Wood Stoves; Thomas J. Karsky; June 2008
• Alternative-Heating: Chimney Cleaning
• Alternative-Heating: Woodstove Installation