Chimney Cleaning Brushes - Poly vs Wire?

Most stainless liner manufacturers call out poly brushes in their literature, whereas the steel brushes are generally for clay liners. Several here have used steel brushes in their stainless liners for years, and claim it does no harm, while others say they're just shortening the life of their liner without realizing it. Bottom line, if you think you might have a warranty claim someday, it might pay to buy and use a poly brush.

When we put up a new SS chimney we asked questions. Perhaps one of the best was when we asked two fellows who had over 20 years experience with installations. They said either will work but then cautioned that the only time they had seen SS chimneys fail before 20 years were cleaned using steel brushes but they had never seen one fail after using poly brushes.

In our case, we had a good wire brush but figured the price of a brush ( I think was around $15) was so low that, why not? We bought one. Then the funny part is that the new stove burns so clean we've used the brush exactly twice! I think the brush will outlast our grandchildren.

Either are fine. There are a few sweeps on here that will attest to that.
Poly seems to be a bit stiffer and and some here have stated they are harder to get down through the flex.
I have both and have used both. IMO personal situation, I feel the wire one cleans much better. The poly knocks any heavy off, but leaves a thin layer behind.

As far as manufacturer advisement, I can only say I called the maker of my liner, Duavent, and they said the same thing....either will be fine.
I have been using the poly the last few seasons, and stated before I am thinking of going back to the steel brush.
Steel can also be used in an emergency situation if the liner is plugged from wet wood burning. Not to say that it is condoned to burn that wood, but we all been through it at some point.
You can't sweep with a poly, when using the stove, or between loads if needed in a pinch (usually at the top of the stack).

Wire was the only way for me to get my stovepipe clean.
But the TSP product broke down the stuff enough in my chimney so I could get it out with the poly.
Brush heads are cheap $15-25 bucks each.

bholler said:

Soft bristle stainless brushes are of with most warranties just not carbon steel brushes.

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This is worth repeating and emphasizing, it's not just wire vs poly that is the issue, carbon steel vs stainless steel wire are not the same. I can't comment on how much damage it does in this application, but I've seen stainless steel pipes destroyed because they were stored on then dragged along carbon steel racks.

I bought a steel wire brush, but it doesn't say what it is made from, I need to test it with a magnet, and if its magnetic, it will never see my liner again.

TE

I use a poly brush on my flex liner. When we pulled the five inch unit out to put the six inch in, I was surprised how easy the five inch got cut against a metal edge on the flashing.

Also, I once got a brush stuck. Since it was poly, we lit a kindling fire and out it came. Threw it away. Turns out it's was a half inch bigger than the liner. Would still be there if it was steel. I guess I'm saying a poly brush is stupid proof.

So, for future knowledge, I shouldn't use carbon steel bristle brush on my 6" single wall rigid stovepipe (duravent says plastic, wood or flexible steel brush)?...Unless it's a matter of getting stage 3 creosote out or not?
Poly has been working on the SS chimney, after I got the TSP going.
Probably won't have to use the 6" cs brush again, but it's what the store had, and I had bigger problems.

But I try to use the softest brush that gets the job done. I'll have to look into ss brushes and ss flatwires.

Brushes are cheap. Accessorize.

Adamkyr said:

I have two chimneys lined with 6 inch SS flexible liners - both attached to wood burning inserts. What is the proper brush to use - wire or poly? I used a wire brush on one of them last year, but had trouble getting past the portion that I had to ovalize to get through the damper area. The other liner is new this year, so has not been cleaned yet.

Are there pros/cons to using a poly brush vs. a wire brush?

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Maybe you have to do a top-down clean because of the oval? My wire did bend more than the stiff poly bristles.

Kosmik said:

So, for future knowledge, I shouldn't use carbon steel bristle brush on my 6" single wall rigid stovepipe (duravent says plastic, wood or flexible steel brush)?...Unless it's a matter of getting stage 3 creosote out or not?

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I can't say that it's a problem in this situation, but in aqueous environments using carbon steel to scrub stainless will deposit free iron molecules into an area of stainless where the passive layer has been scratched away, accelerating the onset of pitting/crevice corrosion. A chimney is hardly an aqueous environment, but a cool liner all through the hot summer could have condensation. Why risk it?

Lastly, my brush was magnetic, so it's not stainless, oops. Thanks for reminding me that I needed to check.

TE

Bringing this post up again.... Poly or non carbon steel brush? Will this attach to a drill or are we drill free here? If can post a URL to Amazon as example, all the better. THANKS!

oconnor said:

I use a poly brush on my flex liner. When we pulled the five inch unit out to put the six inch in, I was surprised how easy the five inch got cut against a metal edge on the flashing.

Also, I once got a brush stuck. Since it was poly, we lit a kindling fire and out it came. Threw it away. Turns out it's was a half inch bigger than the liner. Would still be there if it was steel. I guess I'm saying a poly brush is stupid proof.

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Wow, I wish I had read this post a year ago. That idea (I had many, one of which worked after about 3 hours of cursing) didn't even come close to occurring to me.

I use a drill wth my brush. Works good.

I have been looking into getting a 8" brush to clean my chimney my self. The last 3 years I have had a sweep come and do it but he said it is so clean he feels bad taking my money.

So I started to look into a brush and what to use. I have a Selkirk 8" double wall sst 20' straight chimney so I just looked up what they say to use. Glad I did as they recommend a poly brush and not a metal one as the metal can and will damage the pipe over a period of time.

If its good enough for them then its what I will use. Just thought I would pass along what the manufacturer recommends .