Chimney sweep -Quad 3100

[Jay H]

I bought a 6" brush and made some poles using NM rigid conduit and some PVC fittings earlier this spring but I just climbed the roof and took off the cap and found that I am too short to securely get the brush and poles into the flue as I'm only 5'5". I'm kind of wondering if anybody else is in the same boat, I'm considering perhaps if I can just take some wood and nail down a 2x4 above the chimney and then make a removable platform using that 2x4 to give me extra height as well as a stable and level platform for me to stand on. Has anybody done this before.

Short of building a wooden platform for me to stand on, I'm thinking of just removing the brush and using it along with rope and a partner, just to use the brush part , kind of like dental floss, to clean my flue by sawing the brush up and down the chimney. I put a deadweight on the brush and drop that down the flue, align the brush and with a partner, just pull the brush up and down the flue to clean. The con of this would be to clean my flue, I'd have to have the wood stove door open to allow for a friend to pull the rope which means it could get messy...

Any tips for the short wood stove owner???

Jay

 

[Backwoods Savage]

How high is the chimney above the roof? For sure if you have to climb you would want something very sturdy to climb on. Can you put a ladder up the side of the house? And I don't think it would work having a rope running down and then out the stove door.

 

[Jay H]

It's to the town regs which is something like 10ft above anything within 2ft. Standing next to the chimney, I do get a little boost cause of the roof slope but I can only just about get the brush over the lip of the metalbestos flue. And with a 10ft section of conduit, it's waaaaaaayyyyyyyy too wobbly to attempt. I didn't even try.

First, I do need to cut down on the length of the conduit I'm using if I was to do the above. I'm thinking 3 6' sections max as 10ft is way too long to be comfortable.


Well, the second method would not use any rigid poles and suspending the brush in between section so rope so somebody on the bottom will pull the brush down then I could pull the brush up on the upswing... I guess I may go build the little ladder thing.. It'll certainly be easier for me to be able to stand on a level platform anyway..


Plan one

OK, If I'm going to build a small platform on the roof, I'd like to do this in two parts but need a hand in recommending a method.

I would like to permanently mount a 2x4 right above the flue, I will nail this down into the roof somehow and then build a removable platform using this anchored 2x4 as a base. I could put posts in the wood just to keep the platform from moving but the platform will be removable.

How do I go about nailing the wood into the roof? Any type of stainless steel lab bolt or something? I guess I would have to silicone seal the wood to keep water from tricking under the roof and through the bolt holes... Any tips are appreciated!

Jay

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

disasemmble the top section

edit, a boz chimney sweeper might be easier than building a platform...