Broke Pellet/Lint Brush in My Chimney

[The Other One]

I just broke my pellet/lint brush in my exhaust pipe. Luckily, enough of it was sticking out to remove. Something to keep in mind. It never occurred to me that this would happen.

 

[PoolGuyinCT]

I understand the lint eater is preferred over the soot eater amongst the masses.

I see that the soot eater is less likely to sheer, as the surface area is far less than the liner eater brush.

I was going to pop on the lint eater brush, but I will stick with the soot eater for OP's experience.

 

[Xena]

I use three sections connected together to clean my 15 ft vertical run.
If it ever snapped inside I'd prob have to ask my brother to pull the
chimney cap and push something (another brush) down the stack to
get the brush out. Hoping it never happens. Glad you got it out.

 

[Lake Girl]

The advantage of a short horizontal run. Glad you recovered the brush...

 

[VTrider]

This has been one of my worst case scenarios anxieties. My stove is located in the basement and although running the pellet brush through the exhaust pipe is basically a piece of cake (only around 4 or 5 feet with a couple of elbows) - it connects to my 6" 25 foot liner through the chimney. I annually clean my chimney myself using a 6" poly brush and about 8 sections of 3' fiberglass rods from the top of the roof - pushing down.

Now I know anyone here who sweeps their own chimney has had that thought of 'how would I get the brush out if one of the rods snapped half way down?'. Luckily for me, this hasn't happen (yet) in the 8 seasons i've been doing this, but as Xena pointed out - I guess pushing another brush down from above would do the trick? Since this thread brought the topic up, i'm just curious as to how other members would (or have) dealt with this type of situation?

 

[Xena]

It might be a good idea to connect a safety line to the brush since
that is what most likely would get stuck.

 

[teetah222]

For my once a year usage, I'll stick with my lint eater. I only have one short section of 45 degree angled piping, the rest is all vertical. Only reason I'd anticipate losing any of my brush is if I got stupid and unscrewed it halfway up inside the pipe.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

For my once a year usage, I'll stick with my lint eater. I only have one short section of 45 degree angled piping, the rest is all vertical. Only reason I'd anticipate losing any of my brush is if I got stupid and unscrewed it halfway up inside the pipe.

yep, i did that accidentally reversed my cordless (absent minded as i can be sometimes) and te brush unscrewed while in the pipe. had to take a few sections apart to get it out, my arm wouldn't fit in the pipe to pull it out

love my "lint eater" though, i recommend it to people every time someone asks about brushes. great product!

 

[whlago]

accidentally reversed my cordless​

Ouch! I could see how this could easily happen...not even an abesentminded thing....

 

[gbreda]

I use the lint eater but I dont attach to a drill. Just run it repeatedly through the piping from the cleanout T and then from the short horizontal starting from outside. This way, I can start it from inside at the T and attach a few lengths as needed. No worries of snapping or unscrewing.

 

[Wooden Head]

I have 2, 90 degree elbows in my pipe. My lint brush won't pass by the first elbow. Have tried turning with a drill, still won't pass. Seems the flex plastic rod won't make the turn. Any Ideas?

 

[ekarlis]

Hey Guys:
Just some info. I clean my flue in mid season (Jan). While cleaning with 5 foot rods that screw together, one came apart
& droped to the bottom of my 25ft - 4" flue. I took a string with a nail & droped it down the flue. Went in the basement &
reached thru the tee & tied the string. I was able to pull it up. Now I tape each connection w/aluminum tape.
Stay Warm

 

[Evan_J]

I second the tape idea. Our insert liner is 26 feet long and I clean it with a soot eater. One of my fears has always been getting distracted by one of the kids, dogs or whatever and reversing the drill and unscrewing parts inside the liner. I use strips of duct tape on each of the screw joints on the soot eater. It probably adds 5 to 10 minutes to the process, but the peace of mind is worth it.

 

[DirtyDave]

I buy the cheap lint brush thats 20' thru amazon, has a flexable shaft thats sorta pastic/nylon but very weak. If I get carried away in a hurry I snap the junky thing at the 12' mark normally. Gonna oreder a real vent brush and rods next time.

 

[SwineFlue]

I have 2, 90 degree elbows in my pipe. My lint brush won't pass by the first elbow. Have tried turning with a drill, still won't pass. Seems the flex plastic rod won't make the turn. Any Ideas?

Lowe's has an "Imperial" pellet stove pipe brush with a very flexible shaft, unlike the straight semi-rigid Linteater rods. In fact the 48" shaft comes coiled up in a small plastic bag. It should easily make 90 bends, but it might be too floppy to daisy-chain several together.

 

[Ejectr]

This has been one of my worst case scenarios anxieties. My stove is located in the basement and although running the pellet brush through the exhaust pipe is basically a piece of cake (only around 4 or 5 feet with a couple of elbows) - it connects to my 6" 25 foot liner through the chimney. I annually clean my chimney myself using a 6" poly brush and about 8 sections of 3' fiberglass rods from the top of the roof - pushing down.

Now I know anyone here who sweeps their own chimney has had that thought of 'how would I get the brush out if one of the rods snapped half way down?'. Luckily for me, this hasn't happen (yet) in the 8 seasons i've been doing this, but as Xena pointed out - I guess pushing another brush down from above would do the trick? Since this thread brought the topic up, i'm just curious as to how other members would (or have) dealt with this type of situation?

What I would do in your case is tie an adequate length of clothesline rope to the end of the brush to reach the bottom when the brush is just at the top of the chimney.. Drop the rope down the chimney and then push the brush through. If it ever breaks off the poles, you can always pull it through with the rope at the other end.