Cleaning an "Ovalized" Flue

[ValentineHill]

Hey gang,

Burning season's starting up here, and I'm already anticipating cleaning the flue in a month or two, so I'm wondering what advice you guys could offer for my slightly odd-ball flue setup.

Not being a man of great wealth, I relined my chimney myself two weeks or so ago, using a 15' length of 6' wide flexible steel piping. This takes it to around 5-6' from the top of the chimney (or rather the 8"x12" clay tile flue that the fireplace used to vent into). I know this isn't ideal, but I got the 15' length for free from a mason who does a lot of chimney relining, and beggars really can't be choosers.

Also, I 'ovalized' almost all of the liner, warping it into an oval shape slightly so that it would fit through the damper of the fireplace. In the end, I ended up removing the damper, so the ovalization wasn't needed, but it's nonetheless still there.

So, my question: How the heck do I go about cleaning this? I'm comfortable with working on a roof, so I think I can get the last 5-6 feet of the old 12x8 flue without too much trouble, but what should I put through the ovalized steel flue?

 

[webbie]

Maybe a 5 1/2" round brush will do the job? Here's a poly one - about 17 bucks......

This should do if you didn't ovalize it too far.....
http://www.caseybrush.com/custom_polyclean.html

There are oval brushes, but they are quite expensive. Personally, I'd probably make due in some way....

There are also rotary types like this:
http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=4272662

 

[ValentineHill]

Thanks for the tips! It's reasonably ovalized (4" or 4 1/2"), so the brush might not work, but I didn't realize the Sooteater was so versatile. Looks like that's the way I should be heading...

 

[midwestcoast]

If you want a cheaper method than the sooteater you can use a 6" poly brush & trim the bristles with wire cutters,tin snips, sturdy scissors, into an oval shape until it fits the liner nicely.

 

[scotvl]

buy a 6" poly brush with the appropriate lengths of fiberglass poles. My father in-law has a semi oval 6" corrugated stainless liner and the poly brush works great. Don't even try a steel brush it will get stuck, ask me how i know. LOL

 

[ValentineHill]

UPDATED QUESTION:

Sorry to open up a thread that's pretty much been closed for a few months, but I have an updated question about the flue cleaning.

I have been putting off cleaning all month, but I finally sat down today, trimmed the heck out of the 6" round brush that I have, and went to work cleaning. No luck. Even properly ovalized, I can't get the brush around the 90 degree turn from where the liner goes from the smoke shelf up the chimney. I've been pushing and pushing all day, but I can't get it past this point.

I'm a first season burner, so I've got less-than ideal wood (15-30%, with most being about 25%) which means that flue is *dirty*. I really want to get in there to clean it, but right now I'm just scratching my head.

 

[pen]

It's your thread, bring it up when appropriate! No worries!

Unfortunately, you aren't going to get a brush attached to any normal rod around a 90 degree bend. You need to go from the other direction I'm afraid. Done carefully, I've heard that the soot eater can do that kind of angle, but I haven't tried it personally.

pen

 

[ValentineHill]

Thanks, pen, that's good to know!

Unfortunately I can't do a top-down clean of this system since the top of the makeshift SS liner is 12 ft+ from the top of the chimney. I plan on replacing the liner and doing it properly this spring/summer, but right now there just isn't the money in the bank to do a reline. I know the liner's pretty dirty, but there doesn't seem to be any blocks. Can I make it to the end of the season without a clean and then just take the liner out and try again?

 

[pen]

Thanks, pen, that's good to know!

Unfortunately I can't do a top-down clean of this system since the top of the makeshift SS liner is 12 ft+ from the top of the chimney. I plan on replacing the liner and doing it properly this spring/summer, but right now there just isn't the money in the bank to do a reline. I know the liner's pretty dirty, but there doesn't seem to be any blocks. Can I make it to the end of the season without a clean and then just take the liner out and try again?

If I'm following you correctly, the liner you have is 12 feet short of the top of the chimney? Or is it somehow hanging out 12 feet above the chimney?

If it is short of the top, the problem is that creosote can fall and wedge between the liner and the chimney itself and be un-cleanable which is dangerous as it sounds you know. If you have a brush to clean the area above the liner, then I'd suggest to do what you can with that area. However, more info on the chimney size versus liner size, access to the area above and below, etc, will be helpful in letting you know you options / risks. Is it possible to pull this liner back out, and sweep the chimney and the liner separately???

If you know it's dirty, it needs to be cleaned. I know what I get in my chimney as far as accumulation, I know what is normal, but I have no clue if that amount were to light off if the chimney could handle the conflagration. I would assume since it's a safe and proper install that it could, but I'm not going to be able to sleep easy w/ the possibility of the worst.

You can of course do as you like, but if you want my advice, you need to find some way to reduce the build up in that chimney. You say

I know the liner's pretty dirty

what are you seeing that makes you say that? Usually the top of the chimney is worse than the bottom. If you are trying to clean from the bottom and you are saying this, I am concerned.

Can you access the chimney as it is from the roof? I've cleaned chimneys by putting chains in a bag of burlap and working it up and down. If you can access the 90 degree bend you mention from the bottom, then whatever you clean out from top down should be able to be removed.

Anything you can do to reduce what is in that chimney is the wisest course of action to take. If the worst were to happen, the less fuel available means the lesser the chance of disaster, or of having a problem in the first place.

If you need suggestions of how to make this happen on a budget (since I'm having a hard time visualizing this) I'd suggest posting up whatever pics you can and the best descriptions you can of what you have; then we can fix you up as best as possible until you can make it right for the long haul.

pen

 

[Hogwildz]

http://www.caseybrush.com/customchimney.html
Scroll down and you'll see oval sizes.

 

[pen]

Got thinking this morning, I wonder if the brush itself would make it around the bend if you ditched the rods and used a rope to pull it through?

This of course would require you to get on the roof, and I'm not sure if that is a possibility or not.

pen

 

[mellow]

Sounds like the soot eater would be the answer.

To use a rope he would have to get it into the liner that is 12ft down, that would be interesting to watch.

You really should clean that chimney if it is your first year.

 

[pen]

Sounds like the soot eater would be the answer.

To use a rope he would have to get it into the liner that is 12ft down, that would be interesting to watch.

You really should clean that chimney if it is your first year.

Maybe tie two ropes on to the brush? One to pull down and clean, one to pull up w/ if it won't go? That of course is if it will go through the bend which I think it will. Mine will anway, it's the rods that won't make it.

pen

 

[mellow]

That would work. He will also have to figure out how to clean the terracotta above the liner (8x12), and then how to clean the smoke shelf from all the droppings from the top of the chimney.

I hated cleaning my smoke shelf (another reason I love liners), you really need a vacuum to stick down from the top to clean them things good.

 

[ValentineHill]

Wow, I love this forum -- thanks for all of the great replies!

Mellow is right about the problem of cleaning from the top. My roof is accessible, and I was up there a couple of days ago (got to love a warm winter), but I can't get a brush down to the flue from the top of the chimney, since it's 12 feet down from the top.

I don't think that the brush head will make it around the 90 degree -- it looks like it keeps getting stuck at the bottom (only maybe 5 feet in), before the rods get anywhere near the bend.

I know it's dirty because of the soot I can see at the bottom and the glazed creosote I can see on the tiles at the top of the chimney. I can't make any apologies, because I've known all winter I was burning it slightly dirty, but I have been having my fires as hot and clean as somewhat wet wood will let me. A year from now I'll have 4 cords of great, 2 year-dry wood, but this year I'm just making do with what I can.

Getting to the smoke shelf won't be any problem -- I took the fireplace damper out when I installed the SS liner, and now it's right in front of my thimble. Accessing it is as simple as bending over a couple of inches.

Thanks for everything, guys! I'll post some pictures when I'm back from work tonight!

 

[ScotO]

Sounds like the soot eater would be the answer.

To use a rope he would have to get it into the liner that is 12ft down, that would be interesting to watch.

You really should clean that chimney if it is your first year.

Maybe tie two ropes on to the brush? One to pull down and clean, one to pull up w/ if it won't go? That of course is if it will go through the bend which I think it will. Mine will anway, it's the rods that won't make it.

pen

Rutland makes a thread-on ring that uses the pipe threads on the other side of the chimney brush for rope pulling applications. I bought one just to have it in case I wanted to clean out my elbow on my interior pipe, but never used it. That, along with a standard 6" brush with the bristles trimmed to make it ovalized (like another poster mentioned) may do the trick to get you through that pipe...