Chimney swept.. well, almost sort of?

[Slow1]

So I've watched my chimney get swept from the bottom up for the last couple years and figure I should be able to do this myself... Off I go and buy a set of rods and a nice new brush (metal).

Today was a nice day and I had a bit of time so off I go on the great new adventure.... I managed to get the ladder up and the cleanout cap off with no proplems. A little bit of fluff/flakes in the cap, realized I forgot to bring out a bag to dump it in... back on the ladder with a bag now and I dump this in.

I got the brush attached to the first section of pole no problem and started it into the bottom of the clean-out and it verified that I could reverse (whew!). Started up the pipe and guess what... I realized (under a dusting of black) that I should have attached a bag or something under the clean-out. Starting to feel a bit foolish here at this point as I get down again and find a bag to attach. Now I have the bag attached and stick another pair of poles on the end and start pushing it up the pipe.

All is going well and confidence is building until I hit the bend. Suddenly my progress comes to a halt. I back up and shove a bit harder a few times but I just can't get it to make the turn for some reason. I can push harder and feel the poles (3 4' sections at this point) bending inside and yet it still won't go past the the bend. So I cleaned up, closed up and headed in to make this post in hopes that someone will have a suggestion on where to go from here. Should I just shove harder? (Seems that will be hard unless I find a new way to stand the ladder up.) Should I consider a different brush or maybe trim/bend some of the leading edge of mine to help it navigate the turn?

I know the 'best' part of the dirt is up there waiting for me still. At least I have a few months to figure this out!

As usual, open to suggestions....

Thanks in advance!

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

I wouldn't recommend pushing too hard. You're liable to separate the pipe, depending on what type of pipe it is. Cleaning a chimney is much easier from the top down where you can use gravity to get the soot dislodged out of the way as opposed to shoving it up above the brush. I would recommend doing it this way if you can get on the roof safely.

 

[fishingpol]

Try a Sooteater.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Slow, now you know why I hate bends in the flue or chimney. Of course one possible solution is to clean from bottom up as far as you can and then from top down as far as you can and all should be okay.

Sort of reminds you of the ladies of old; wash as far up as possible, then as far down as possible. Then kick everyone else out of the house and wash possible.

 

[wkpoor]

I have 2 30degree bends in mine. Any flue that runs from inside to outside will have to have bends. So I know exactly what you are talking about. My guess is your just afraid to make it happen. It will take a bit of force depending on how much buildup your trying to get past. Try little baby pushes with force. Those rods are pretty strong and luckily I have never been faced with a broken one and a brush halfway up. Only other option is top down with a string on the brush as a plan B.

 

[woodchip]

I have seen brushes with guide wheels and balls used here on bendy flues.

I think the sweep had quite a bit of experience on getting round bends ;-)

 

[raybonz]

I have seen brushes with guide wheels and balls used here on bendy flues.

I think the sweep had quite a bit of experience on getting round bends ;-)

Chip I've seen Mary Poppins more times than I care to admit and the Brits have the chimney sweep thing down to a science! Just ask Burt and he'll tell you!



Ray

 

[woodchip]

[Brits have the chimney sweep thing down to a science!

Nice to see we are not just famous for Royal Weddings

And here is one of the places here that sell the brushes with guide wheels:
http://www.hotline-chimneys.co.uk/products.asp?recnumber=872

 

[jimbom]

Slow, now you know why I hate bends in the flue or chimney. Of course one possible solution is to clean from bottom up as far as you can and then from top down as far as you can and all should be okay.

Sort of reminds you of the ladies of old; wash as far up as possible, then as far down as possible. Then kick everyone else out of the house and wash possible.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[remkel]

Try a Sooteater.

+1

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So do we get an update on here Slow1?

 

[Slow1]

Sorry - I haven't had time to take any suggestions yet.

Sooteater - well, I should have done this to begin with perhaps but now that the brush and rods are a bit sooty I don't think a return is in order so I may as well try and make them work eh?

More force - that is my plan. I may well have been too timid. I'll try again and push a bit harder. I don't think that it is a massive clog of anything as I really didn't get a whole lot out of there in the first 8-12' of the pipe... but what do I know, I'm certainly no expert here eh? ha.

So, whenever I get another chance (in a few weeks?) I'll give it a go and update. Combination of weather and schedule (4 kids 9 and under) makes it require the stars to align just right for me to be able to do things like this... weekend only type of project for me. Once I know how it all works out I suppose it will be a quick 30 min job, but until then I have to assume I'll be at it longer and not exactly something I want to be watching over the toddler while I'm doing it.

 

[woodchip]

Be a bit careful on bends, you can damage flues with too much pushing when the brush is positioned wrongly entering the bend, that's why the brushes ove here with guide wheels are so handy.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Sorry - I haven't had time to take any suggestions yet.

Sooteater - well, I should have done this to begin with perhaps but now that the brush and rods are a bit sooty I don't think a return is in order so I may as well try and make them work eh?

More force - that is my plan. I may well have been too timid. I'll try again and push a bit harder. I don't think that it is a massive clog of anything as I really didn't get a whole lot out of there in the first 8-12' of the pipe... but what do I know, I'm certainly no expert here eh? ha.

So, whenever I get another chance (in a few weeks?) I'll give it a go and update. Combination of weather and schedule (4 kids 9 and under) makes it require the stars to align just right for me to be able to do things like this... weekend only type of project for me. Once I know how it all works out I suppose it will be a quick 30 min job, but until then I have to assume I'll be at it longer and not exactly something I want to be watching over the toddler while I'm doing it.

Here's how to do it in one minute or less.

 

[Fsappo]

Dont know if it makes a difference, as I havent cleaned a ton of chimneys personally, but on metal flues we use a poly brush. If its real tight they are very easy to trim down a little bit.