poly brush vs steel brush for SS class A chimney

[greythorn3]

ive been using a poly brush to clean my class A, well the extensions i bought used also came with a steel brush, is it ok to use these on a ss chimney? i bought a poly brush and have been using it, i always thought you were not supposed to use steel brushes on ss class a? but would like to try the steel out if its ok to use.

 

[mellow]

I use steel on mine, but my steel brush only lasted 2 years before it started falling apart, does the poly last longer? I have yet to see any hard evidence that steel does more damage than poly.

 

[wkpoor]

Seems last year this question got tossed around. Plenty of answers not to use steel but I believe most do including me. And my brush feel apart too after a couple seasons. Its OK since they are cheap. I never saw an option to buy the poly so I guess I just bought what the store had. Never even realized till this forum there was such a thing as a plastic brush.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've posted this before but talking to a fellow who has been installing for many, many moons stated that of course you can use a steel brush. However, of all the SS chimneys he has installed and others who he knew, those who used a steel brush risked replacing their chimneys as he had several fail around the 20 year time frame. At the same time he knew of nobody who had to replace their chimneys after using a poly brush.

With this in mind. I was willing to spend the little bit to get a poly brush although I have the steel brush. $15-$20 is cheap when it comes to the cost of SS chimneys. But if those unbelievers persist on using steel, that is fine. It might or might not fail in time. For that few dollars worth of insurance, I don't think you could go wrong.

 

[Stump_Branch]

Stainless stays that way mostly due to its nickle content in relation to carbon. Steel brushes when they scrape and score the pipe both ss and mild steel are removed and transfered. Adding more mild or carbon steel ups the carbon to nickle in the ss metal. These pits give corrosion a 'hand/foot hold' then the protection ss offers is compromissed.

Can you, simply yes you can. Youll just be replacing sooner. Not decades earlier but certainly pleanty of years earlier. Poly is a bit of insurance.

But like backwoods said, why have to come back here in 20 years with chinmey brand questions.

 

[Loco Gringo]

Just my opinion, but I expect liners to improve over the next 20 years. Hell even within the next 5 years. Considering the money Im saving by burning I wont mind replacing mine at the 5 year mark should we see that happen. Sure I would buy a poly brush, but I have a steel cuz thats what my local Ace had and it only cost $15 so I just went with it. I would like to hear from the certified sweeps we have as members here chime in and share what they have experienced during their careers as well as what they use themselves. And for what its worth, I slide mine down, and pull it back up. Liner is shiney again with a handfull of powder in the floor of the firebox.

 

[Stump_Branch]

Not sure on how they will improve, but hardly cheaper. Better denotes more exotic and commodity traded alloys.

I believe all chimney are 'replaceable' or liners of them. Masonary included. Just the frequency and cost becomes the debate.

Figure just strech the savings is all im getting at. Even 20 vs 5 years, adds up.

 

[btuser]

I used the steel brush but thought it was a little rough on the insert liner so I bought a poly brush. Not expensive.

 

[sebring]

My new flexible SS liner has a lifetime warranty if it is swept using a poly brush.. Plus it needs to be inspected by a chimney sweep every year, which Im never gonna do. So I guess the warranty is worthless, but they say plastic is better.

 

[firefighterjake]

I always figured a poly brush was cheap insurance . . . and it works well in my Class A.

 

[jimbom]

Page 8, "Maintenance and Cleaning of Chimney", of the SUPERPRO Installation Instructions & Maintenance Guide - Last sentence of last paragraph of this section, "This will permit the insertion of a properly sized plastic chimney cleaning brush."

 

[Sisu]

6 burn seasons and my poly brush is still going strong. I have +25 feet of stainless flex liner which I sweep out once annually. It does the job great and I would think that steel would be too abrasive.

 

[blacktail]

The guys who installed insert said "you can" use a wire brush but they strongly recommend a poly one. I got the poly.

 

[ScotO]

I use poly too, and it kinda seemed like it wasn't getting the flue as clean as I wanted it....until I read a post on here a month ago, that showed a great way to boost the performance of your poly brush.....the poster, who I can't recall, had a thread on The Gear forum, and he had wrapped his poly brush with a piece of furnace filter material, the reusable stuff.....you could even substitute a Scotch Brite pad for the furnace material.....wrap it around, embed the bristles of your poly brush into the scotch material, and secure it, end to end, around the brush......amazing how much better it cleans your class A, and no scratching.......almost looks like a rifle barrel after you brush it this way.....

 

[Treacherous]

Nothing in the Excel warranty about brush type to be used.

It just says "We strongly encourage you to have your chimney cleaned regularly". It's really only guaranteed 100% for the first 10 years and then 50% after that.

Interior Ultrablack ICC is covered 100% for life. No mention at all for cleaning on this.