do i need to clean my chimney?

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moondoggy

New Member
Oct 29, 2007
518
Long Island NY
Hi All,
on my install,
if i run the insulated flue pipe all the way up and out my chimney, do I have to get the chimney cleaned prior?
its clear, i burn fires all the time, but hasnt been cleaned in years.
i see no lumps when i look down or up, but it is black
its costly, and if I can avoid it I will.
 
I would run a brush up and down it just to be safe. Your liner could touch a chunk of creosote and lite her off.
 
Sounds like you will be doing the liner install, right? If so, buy a chimney brush set for 15 or 20 bucks and knock it out! Then sell the rods and brush on ebay or craigslist.
 
If you have ever had or seen a blazing chimney fire, the answer becomes obvious: YES. AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, PERIOD.
 
"Sounds like you will be doing the liner install, right? If so, buy a chimney brush set for 15 or 20 bucks and knock it out! Then sell the rods and brush on ebay or craigslist."

Or , especially if you have a tall chimney, buy a brush and a lenght of rope and pull the brush through from the bottom clean out, a couple of times and it will be clean enough for your install (the rods get all wobbley the longer you stack them and I had a hell of a time cleaning until I started pulling it).
 
you all are great.
i didnt think i could do it, but its just a matter of running the brush and vacccuuummmnnnn i guess.
for a 10" chimney, I need a 10" brush right? not 12"?
 
moondoggy said:
you all are great.
i didnt think i could do it, but its just a matter of running the brush and vacccuuummmnnnn i guess.
for a 10" chimney, I need a 10" brush right? not 12"?

Or a ball of chicken wire and a rope.
 
Or a ball of chicken wire and a rope.[/quote]



your a smart man, when the big bomb finally drops, those around you will be blessed to share in your ingenuity.

nothing listed on craigslist/ebay in a 10"swuare
woodland wants 29.+ship
http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Square-Wire-Chimney-Brush
or a
10"square chicken wire block cant be too hard to make...esp. considering i only need it once.
 
Actually I can't take the credit even though I have used some pretty weird things to clean a chimney. The chicken wire idea is from seeing what hearth.com's favorite building inspector has been using for 28 years to clean his chimney.
 

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Absolutely! If you dont believe me, take a trouble light with a 100 watt bulb in it. Then take a handfull of the junk you just swept out of your chimney. Put some on the bare light bulb. Within minutes you will have a cherry red, smoldering, lava like mess. I know! I cleaned my chimney recently and was cleaning the smoke shelf/box. I usually have a flourescent stick light to shine up there, but it was somewhere I didnt feel like going to, and I used a trouble light with bulb. Couldnt believe how quickly it started to smolder. And I just had the "powdery" stuff.
 
Michael6268 said:
Absolutely! If you dont believe me, take a trouble light with a 100 watt bulb in it. Then take a handfull of the junk you just swept out of your chimney. Put some on the bare light bulb. Within minutes you will have a cherry red, smoldering, lava like mess. I know! I cleaned my chimney recently and was cleaning the smoke shelf/box. I usually have a flourescent stick light to shine up there, but it was somewhere I didnt feel like going to, and I used a trouble light with bulb. Couldnt believe how quickly it started to smolder. And I just had the "powdery" stuff.

Next time make a little pile outside and hit it with a propane torch for a second. Quite a show.
 
BrotherBart said:
Next time make a little pile outside and hit it with a propane torch for a second. Quite a show.

LOL. BB, you have kept my quite amused with all your "creosote" experiences throughout the years. I think a book may be in order. Maybe - "Fun with Creosote" or "1000 things you wanted to know about creosote but were afraid to ask" LOL.
 
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