Posted by: Heather on January 15, 2004 at 16:29:57

I just installed a used Vermont Castings Vigilant Stove with new metal abestos pipe. We started a fire and it is working great. It has been burning 6 hours. I noticed brown liquid leaking from the bottom of the pipe, (outside). Could this be problem? Normal for starting up an old stove?

Answer:
It happens; but it should not be considered normal. What you are seeing is creosote forming inside the chimney due to the fire being too small to keep the inside of the chimney hot enough to evaporate the moisture. In time this will collect on the inside and in a few years the coating can light off and reach temperatures of 2000 degrees to malform the chimney and send sparks around the neighborhood.
Have a chimney sweep or someone knowledgeable clean that creosote from the chimney at the end of the heating season.