Chimney cleaning question and a pic

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BillsWS

BillsWS

Feeling the Heat
Dec 20, 2011
275
U.P. Michigan
Hello, it was in the 30's today so I decided to clean my chimney from inside. I taped a plastic bag at the bottom after I put the first section and the brush into the chimney. First I had the hole in the bottom of the bag and the crud was coming through pretty freely. So, I put the hole about 1/2 way up the side of the bag and most of it is being caught in the bag now. Anyway, my question, the plastic brush that I have (one previous use) isn't tight at all inside the pipe. I bought the brush last year at Menards and it is snug inside the Class A they sell, but my installer used a different brand and the brush dosen't seem to be snug at all. I am rotating the rod while I go up and down and moving the rods around as much as possible. I am getting black small particles (about a cup full) so should I be "ok" or be conncerned and go buy a brush that seems to fit tighter? (In the way of detail, this is my first cleaning of the year and first cleaning of this new stove and pipe install. My wood is running just over 20% moisture content, its oak. I don't have a good enough light to visutally inspect inside the pipe so I can't really tell how clean it is now)
 

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What brand of pipe do you have?

I just have the Rutland steel brushes, both 6" & 8", and they fit the Selkirk pipe that I have pretty tightly. I think the plastic brushes are meant more for liners that are a much thinner material than class A pipe.

Sounds like you are doing okay. Maybe pick up a steel brush between now and your next sweeping.

I do mine from the top down, but that's almost exactly how I clean my sister's. I start the brush in, then poke the rod thru the bag a few inches from the top, and tape the bag to the pipe. Surprisingly little mess.
 
jeff_t, the pipe brand is Duratech. It seems like nice stuff. I am satisfied that the brush I had did the job. I will pick up a better light to inspect after the next cleaning. Slowly gaining experience. This is my first year of full time burning. And I like it! Just got to keep hustling to get ahead on wood for next year.
 
jeff_t said:
What brand of pipe do you have?

I just have the Rutland steel brushes, both 6" & 8", and they fit the Selkirk pipe that I have pretty tightly. I think the plastic brushes are meant more for liners that are a much thinner material than class A pipe.

Sounds like you are doing okay. Maybe pick up a steel brush between now and your next sweeping.

I do mine from the top down, but that's almost exactly how I clean my sister's. I start the brush in, then poke the rod thru the bag a few inches from the top, and tape the bag to the pipe. Surprisingly little mess.
Click to expand...


You should not use a steel brush in stainless chimney.. The steel will scratch it and rust will start at the scratches and catch more creosote. Only use plastic in stainless. I'm sure some others will back my claim.
 
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A member here is a respected long time professional dealer and all his sweeps use is steel brushes for Class A and liners and has never had either fail in the last 25 years.
 
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stainless steel doesnt rust to the best of my knowledge. Buy a metal brush and see if that gives you a tighter fit, only about $10 at menards. I use one in my liner but i had to trim mine down a bit because it was too snug.
 
The exposure with steel brushes in liners is those bits that come off of the end of the bristles sticking in the corrugations and setting up corrosion. I am thinking of going back to steel. I use the more flexible pre-fab chimney poly brush because the regular stiff poly brushes are brutal on a liner.
 
I have both poly & steel, and have used both. I actually prefer the steel as I feel and have seen it cleans better.
And in my first year I was in a pinch and had to clean the top while the stack was still hot. Can't do that with a poly.
If you cleaned with a poly and the stack was hot, you may have singed the ends enough that it is now a loose fit?
Mine are both made by Rutland and the poly does seem tighter, stiffer, and harder to get through the flex section.
I have been using the poly the last couple years, but still feel the steel gives better cleaning results with more ease of going down the rigid and through the flex at the bottom of my set up.
I am thinking of going back to the steel. They can say all they want, but I am in agreement the poly is stiffer, more work and harder on the flex. And to boot, does not clean as well as the steel.
 
I took a spare piece of liner and pulled the stiff poly brush through it and it put grooves in the thing. That is when I went to the poly pre-fab chimney brush. Doesn't get it as clean but it doesn't dig into the liner either.
 
Poly pre-fab? Got a photo & link? Curious
 
Not to get away from the main topic but if you have a hand held mirror that works way better to shine light down the chimney for a good look.
 
BrotherBart said:
The exposure with steel brushes in liners is those bits that come off of the end of the bristles sticking in the corrugations and setting up corrosion. I am thinking of going back to steel. I use the more flexible pre-fab chimney poly brush because the regular stiff poly brushes are brutal on a liner.
Click to expand...
What exactly is a "pre-fab chimney poly brush" and where would I find one as opposed to stiff poly's? Any info on the Sooteater chimney version? I have the pellet Sooteater and have found it quite useful, and was considering that manufacturer for the wood flue liner as well.
 
i'd take a flashlight and shine it up the pipe and take a peek. you'll see how you're doing and if you're getting all or most of it. if not, ram it again.
 
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I had the same problem, I have a Rutland brush (#16906) It fit OK in the Simson double wall pipe but it was somewhat loose in the Simson Class A pipe ( It got even looser after it melted from cleaning when the stove was still hot;sick)

Here is the solution I posted previously.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...if-your-brush-is-too-small.70908/#post-894139

This really works well, I cleaned my chimney last week, and when I was done the chimney looked almost brand knew. You can get the correct the fit of the brush by adjusting the size of the filter material you use.
 
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