Do you clean your own chimney?
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Yes I do but I am a pro. I clean every 2 years but most need it every year. Some more often than that it all depends on your stove your chimney and your fuel.
Yes, have cleaned it for the past few years after hiring a sweep and seeing only cups of soot cleaned out. Cleaning this fall with a sooteater found about 4 oz (half cup) of soot.
sportbikerider78
Minister of Fire
Yup..because it is ridiculously easy for me to do it. I have nothing but straight pipe. I can easily get on my roof. It isn't a dangerous pitch.
Poindexter
Minister of Fire
I brush mine about every four cords burned, so about twice a season.
Generally have a pro in every summer, mostly for the wife's peace of mind.
Generally have a pro in every summer, mostly for the wife's peace of mind.
I clean both chimneys every fall. It makes sure there's nothing in there that'll catch on fire or stop smoke. I had yellow jackets come down 1 year!
I do look up mine every year with a mirror in the cleanout to make sure it is clear before i fire it up
I'm not, but I think I'd be able to do it, after getting familiar with the procedure.
Yep, I sweep my own chimney. Been doing it for the past 30+ years. I'm also using a Sooteater which makes it a little easier on the old bones.
Some chimneys are really easy some are not. We do many that take 20 mins but some take 2 to 3 hours it all depends.
Easy Livin’ 3000
Minister of Fire
Just did for the first time last night. It was hard, dirty work, but only took about an hour, including disassembly of the stove, sweeping, reassembly, and cleanup. Started about 8 pm and had a fire started by 9:30.
The sweeps around here advertise a higher price for inserts as compared to free standing stoves, I think about $200, and I understand why, now. The tools I used cost me $30. I plan to do it annually going forward, optimally in late May, but will probably end up doing it around this time of year when I start to worry that I'm going to have a chimney fire.
The sweeps around here advertise a higher price for inserts as compared to free standing stoves, I think about $200, and I understand why, now. The tools I used cost me $30. I plan to do it annually going forward, optimally in late May, but will probably end up doing it around this time of year when I start to worry that I'm going to have a chimney fire.
Really I find most modern inserts easier than many freestanding stoves. Unless the chimney comes straight up off the stove then they are about the same.
Wondering on what I would need and how I would do it without moving my insert. I have about 20 feet of straight -straight pipe and then about 4-5 feet of flex pipe that connects the the insert. I'm fine with the straight but trying to picture how to get the last bit of flex pipe.
1x/year since the new Alderlea -- during the summer.
Every 2-3 months when we had the old Fisher w/ terrible triple wall chimney.
Wife doesn't like me on roof any more, so usually get a son-in-law to help though did it myself again this summer.
Every 2-3 months when we had the old Fisher w/ terrible triple wall chimney.
Wife doesn't like me on roof any more, so usually get a son-in-law to help though did it myself again this summer.
Easy Livin’ 3000
Minister of Fire
If you are using a rotary, I would agree. Using a tight fitting brush while standing on my head, I think it getting it up off the ground would have been easier. I think the premium price probably doesn't have much to do with the difficulty of the task in this instance.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
Same here. Inserts are great. Espescially models with easily removeable baffle/tube systems. Stoves with a connecting pipe dumping into a clay lined masonry chimney I find as one of the worst. More time consuming and if it's interior I've crawled through a few nasty spaces now to get the cleanout.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
If you're uncertain or can't confidently figure it from researching. I'd recommend hiring a pro in and watching and asking lots of questions. Then you'll get the pointers specific to your system.
I have zero issues with people doing that. I think it's great when people will step up and service their own system. Just do a good job, and oh yah. Don't make a mess! Lol.
We either use rotary or relatively soft stainless bristle brushes on our viper for inserts. But usually rotary now. If it is not based on difficulty and time what are they basing it on? Now if it is a slammer just slid in that we need to pull to clean first off we will not work on it unless we are hooking a liner to it but the cleaning charge for getting them ready for a liner is usually about $400.
That is usually the hard part. Anyone can clean their chimney but it takes allot more to do it without making a mess
No, but I don't hire a pro either.
My plan is to get my brother in law to do it. He has done this chimney when it was my grandfather's and he does a lot of roofing work in (general contractor). I burned for a year until I noticed issues with my liner. Got a pro to replace the liner over the summer, and will have the BIL sweep it out in the spring.
My plan is to get my brother in law to do it. He has done this chimney when it was my grandfather's and he does a lot of roofing work in (general contractor). I burned for a year until I noticed issues with my liner. Got a pro to replace the liner over the summer, and will have the BIL sweep it out in the spring.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Yes . . . I sweep my own chimney.
Every month . . . it is admittedly over-kill for me after having burned 8 or so years as I know my wood is well seasoned and I have a pretty good handle on how to use the woodstove. However, I continue to do it about every month since a) it is ridiculously quick and easy for me as I have an outside T with a straight shot up so it literally is a 5-15 minute job and it's not all that messy and b) if I ever had a chimney fire and the guys at work found out I would never hear the end of it so I don't want to be THAT guy on the fire department . . .
As I said . . . admittedly over-kill.
Every month . . . it is admittedly over-kill for me after having burned 8 or so years as I know my wood is well seasoned and I have a pretty good handle on how to use the woodstove. However, I continue to do it about every month since a) it is ridiculously quick and easy for me as I have an outside T with a straight shot up so it literally is a 5-15 minute job and it's not all that messy and b) if I ever had a chimney fire and the guys at work found out I would never hear the end of it so I don't want to be THAT guy on the fire department . . .
As I said . . . admittedly over-kill.
Rearscreen
Minister of Fire
I do my own once a year but along with it I do a thorough cleaning of the innards of the woodstove all the while checking on gaskets. Not something Bert would do if I hired him. I think he's retired now.
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blacktail
Minister of Fire
I run my Sooteater up my non-insulated liner 2x a year. Once around Jan 1st and again at the end of burn season. Takes me 15 minutes.
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