hi, i live in ohio and purchased my pacific insert stove and s/s flexpipe kit in ontario and installed it myself a couple years ago and now need to clean it for the first time--i know, i prob should've done it last year but didn't. the store was out of the 6" poly brushes, which they recommend, so i still need to get a brush and possibly sectional rods, but have a few questions to those who may have already learned the best way to do this. first a little history about my setup:
although the 20' roll of lightweight pipe only cost ~$300, i believe it might be 316ti--but not sure. at first i thought it was aluminum because it was so lightweight, but when they told me to try and crush it with my hands, i was convinced it must be s/s because i couldn't squish it at all! anyhow, i had to cut out an opening in the top of the steel heatilator (smoke shelf rusted through was part of the reason i decided to line my 13" x 13" clay tile flue) in order to fit the 6" flex pipe through the damper opening and remove the le mance damper mounted on top of the chimney. as you'd imagine, i had to curve the flex pipe a bit before i could connect it to the top of my stove after feeding it down about 15' from the top of the chimney and trimmed off the excess before capping it off.
although the manufacturer says i should remove the stove and pipe from the fireplace to clean & inspect, it also says if this is not possible, i can remove the baffle assembly and insulation (around baffle) to gain access to the flue outlet--well, it's possible, but not convenient!. Enough history, now for the questions.
1. i anticipate trouble pushing the 6" poly brush down from the roof past the curve near the stove--has anyone found it easier to drop a rope/weight down, then "pull" the brush back up from the top of the chimney?
2. if i do get the rods and push brush down, should i get the 3/8" fiberglass ones -or- the 1/4" nylon ones which may be more flexible around curves?
3. are all 6" round poly brushes about the same, or have any of you found one brand/type better than others?
4. how about rods? are they all about the same too?
any input/guidance is greatly appreciated--thanks in advance
although the 20' roll of lightweight pipe only cost ~$300, i believe it might be 316ti--but not sure. at first i thought it was aluminum because it was so lightweight, but when they told me to try and crush it with my hands, i was convinced it must be s/s because i couldn't squish it at all! anyhow, i had to cut out an opening in the top of the steel heatilator (smoke shelf rusted through was part of the reason i decided to line my 13" x 13" clay tile flue) in order to fit the 6" flex pipe through the damper opening and remove the le mance damper mounted on top of the chimney. as you'd imagine, i had to curve the flex pipe a bit before i could connect it to the top of my stove after feeding it down about 15' from the top of the chimney and trimmed off the excess before capping it off.
although the manufacturer says i should remove the stove and pipe from the fireplace to clean & inspect, it also says if this is not possible, i can remove the baffle assembly and insulation (around baffle) to gain access to the flue outlet--well, it's possible, but not convenient!. Enough history, now for the questions.
1. i anticipate trouble pushing the 6" poly brush down from the roof past the curve near the stove--has anyone found it easier to drop a rope/weight down, then "pull" the brush back up from the top of the chimney?
2. if i do get the rods and push brush down, should i get the 3/8" fiberglass ones -or- the 1/4" nylon ones which may be more flexible around curves?
3. are all 6" round poly brushes about the same, or have any of you found one brand/type better than others?
4. how about rods? are they all about the same too?
any input/guidance is greatly appreciated--thanks in advance
