I've had my 08 for 15 years and use it 8 - 10 times a year. I've done three or four briskets and pork shoulders plus 10 - 20 smoked salmons over this time period. My main use though is for BB ribs. I've never done much of a cleaning to the interior with the exception of scraping/wiping up fat from the bottom after each use. I have used a rigid plastic spatula to lightly scrap the sides and the top but never the back interior wall.
I recently placed an oven thermometer inside the smoker and set the dial for 225F. After an hour I opened the door to check the temp and it was a little over 250F. That got me wondering about where the internal thermostat gauge was located. In looking inside on the back wall I see a round horizontal thin tube about 4-5 inches long covered in what I assume is creosote. Could this be affecting the temperature and if so how would you suggest cleaning it without damaging it?
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