Sweeping my Chimney can i do it myself?

[Andy99]

Im about to order my first wood burning stove and Im having it installed professionally. Im running 6 inch pipe up my existing fireplace chimney and the stove place is recommending I have the chimney cleaned before they install the stove and metal flue. Im spending more then i really can to buy the stove and dont have extra money to pay someone to clean the chimney. How do i know if it needs to be cleaned? I never burned anything in the fireplace but I dont know about the guy I bought the house from 12 years ago. the house is over 30 years old. If im going to do I my self what do you use? I imagine something tied to the middle of a rope me on the roof and my wife in the house working the rope up and down but what do I tie to the middle of the rope to really brush the flue?

 

[hotcookcpl]

I measured my flue size, bought the correct size brushes (two different flues and different size pipes) and poles and cleaned the chimney myself a number of times. We don't use the fireplace and stove a lot so our flues are quite clean to begin with. It doesn't take a long time to clean them if there's not a lot of build up. When buying brushes it's important to know that you must buy the correct size brush, too big and it won't fit, too small and it won't do much of anything. The brushes and poles didn't cost very much so I feel it's weel worth it.

Chimney inspection is important too. It may not matter too much if you are going to line it though. Maybe someone else knows more about this.

 

[RAY_PA]

if your going to install a metal one in the mason one, this will be the last time you clean it....might not be worth the money or agrivation to buy the stuff and do it yourself.....unless you could borrow the brush and poles...

 

[Andy99]

since im putting the metal one in to I even need to clean the masonry flue? How can I tell if it needs to be cleaned?