Chimney Sweeping and Soot Cleaning

 Searching through my previous posts, it seems that the last time the chimney was cleaned was in 2018. Today, I finally got around to doing the dreaded dirty deed. Running the stove consistently once per week for 4 years, I think it was time.

The two things I hate about sweeping the chimney are:

1. Climbing up on the roof.

2. Taking the pipes apart and putting them back together.

This year, I figured I try and make it easier and sweep from the inside. Since the pipes need to be taken apart going from the stove to the ceiling anyway, as I need to catch the debris, sweeping from the inside was worth a try. This part was definitely a win. Worked just fine and got the pipes clean. No need to be on the roof. Just make sure the chimney brush doesn't knock off the chimney cap. You'll feel when the brush pops out of the chimney.

The separating of the pipes is of course a pain. Partially, because they rust due to humidity. However, my biggest PITA is the top pipe that slides on the collar pipe near the ceiling. It's a very tight fit. To get it to slide, you need to put WD-40 or something slippery on it. The problem is that after a few twists, WD-40 dries up and you're stuck with the pipe being too far in and it doesn't want to move. This is even worse in reverse, when trying to put the pipes back.

Once I was able to separate the pipes and get them out of the way, here's what I found:

Soot inside the stove.

Soot inside one of the pipes- creosote.

Soot inside the dampener pipe.

Soot inside the collar pipe in the ceiling.

Some collected soot along the way.

As much of a pain as this was and always is, I'm glad I got the cleaning done. Now I can enjoy a few more years of sauna without worrying about a fire or inefficiency of the burn.

Do you have any tips that you've picked up which make this job easier? Especially removing the pipes. Please share in the comments.

Pizza and wings satisfy the sauna crowd

Special meals in the sauna are great. Planning what to cook, buying the ingredients, cooking the meal-- all adds to the preparation and excitement of sauna later in the day. However, sometimes, you just want to order out and get the food without putting in much effort. After all, sauna is for relaxing ;) 

My go-to delivery food for sauna are wings in some sort of spicy sauce. The kids, of course, love pizza. Part of the fun is trying new restaurants and finding something new to like. Everyone makes ordering online these days too easy. The delivery staff gets a kick out of delivering to a sauna as well! 

Spicy BBQ Sauce Chicken Wings

Stuffed Crust Delivery Pizza

Of course, not every sauna goer cares deeply about the quality of food, some like these 2 dogs, will take anything they can get:

Sauna dogs Bruno and Tigri

Food or no food, they love sauna. They rush towards the sauna building any time they're outside. They love going into the hot room and getting warm.

Tell me about your favorite delivery food for sauna. What kind of food do you order out for to eat while warming up?

Paella- great dish for sauna sharing

Paella is a Spanish rice dish that is easy to prepare and is made to be shared. Looking up recipes online, you will see that there are many variations. There's also arguments as to which way is the right way to make it. Is using chicken the authentic way, or is it seafood? Each region has their own twist. All the existing variations are what give you the freedom to try and come up with your own version. Post your recipes in the comments below please!

Cooking arguments aside, everyone can agree that sharing is important and that is what makes paella a great sauna dish. Once the paella is cooked, it stays in the pan put on the table to share. Everyone grabs their own plate and work and serves themselves. The spices fill the room and make the sauna even more enjoyable.

The images below are of the paella I made for one sauna night. Yes, it's beef (why not, right?) and it was good. Look for exact recipes online but below is a quick glimpse of how I cooked it. 

Sweat the onions, garlic and sweet red pepper.

Brown the meat.

Add chicken stock and spices.

Add Paella rice and simmer.

Paella is ready to serve to your sauna guests!

Crayfish boil for sauna food

A crayfish boil is a great sauna dish that hits the spot and goes fast! This is finger food at its finest and great for sauna. The dish is easy to make and can have many variations you can try. Add corn on the cob. Add other seafood you want. Maybe other vegetables? Add your variations in the comments section below, we'd love to try something new!

Seafood boil spices are available at most grocery stores. Boil a pot of water with those spices, then add the potatoes and seafood. All sorts of recipes are available online, so find what you like and give it a try! If you find a winner, please post it in the comments. 

Boiling crayfish/crawfish in spices.

Boiled crayfish/crawfish with potatoes and spices.

Is an outdoor sauna a good investment? Is it worth it?

For me, building a sauna was a great investment. No, I don't mean financial. A sauna does not raise the price of your home. But the return on my investment has been huge I believe. 

Bragging Rights:

Back in 2015, I spent about $10000 in materials on this sauna build. The rest was free labor of myself and my friends which I paid for with pizza and beer :) The fact that I can say I did everything from pouring the foundation to roofing, electrical, finishing work and so one is a big bragging right.

Family Pride:

My children are proud of me. They tell their friends that dad built the sauna. They are also proud of the little things they helped with in the sauna build. They're happy they have a special tradition they grew up with, and the hot saunas they've had during cold winter months. I can tell that even my wife is proud of me when she says "You built a whole sauna out there and you can't hang this shelf I've been asking you for months?"

Common Interest:

When you meet other people who enjoy using saunas you have a common interest. It's fun to share photos or share your sauna with them and hear how great of a job you did in the layout and the whole sauna experience you created.

Weekly Use:

I use my sauna every week. I have friends that come once per week to socialize, share stories over drinks and sauna rounds, eat food and laugh. Just as much as I enjoy the socializing, I also enjoy the preparation. To prepare for the sauna night, I need to start the fire and get the room up to temp. I need to figure out what we'll have for food for that night. Sometimes I order out. Sometimes I ask my friends to bring food. Sometimes when I want to make it interesting, I cook myself. I've made chicken wings, cray fish, seafood boil and more. Every week it gives me something to look forward to.

Convenience:

The sauna sits just steps away from my house. It's far enough that the family can't hear the sauna activity, but close enough that if I'm needed at home, I'm there. As an extra selfish bonus, I don't have to drive. Whether being very relaxed after sauna or with the addition of a few alcoholic beverages, I don't  need to get behind the wheel. I'm home in 30 seconds and in the shower before bed.

Stability:

With the chaos of everyday life, you never know what the next day brings. My once per week sauna night is something I look forward to and motivates me all week.

Is a sauna a good investment? For me, the return on investment has been one of the best I've ever had. 5 years after building it, it still gets the frequent use and I still look forward to each upcoming sauna session. In fact, it has been so good that we ended up buying a pre-built barrel sauna for our cabin.