Please recommend the proper device to clean my own chimney

[clydesdale]

My installer showed me how to do this from the inside last year. He had a one piece chimney brush that was wound around on a reel. He just sent it up from inside and set up a shop vac in the firebox to catch the falling soot. He stated there was next to nothing and that I could skip a year. But, I would feel more comfortable doing it. Any idea what this really nice chimney brush on a reel is? My thought is that I would not have to worry about something separating in the pipe with the one piece design. Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Crisputer]

Sooteater is what I use. Easy peasy.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0010H5JXA/?tag=hearthamazon-20

 

[black smoke signals]

Soot Eater using a reversible cordless drill and taking your time going up the liner works for my stove! Chimney caps with screens sometimes require to be cleaned by hand. 90 degrees elbows in the liner can sometimes be a challenge but doable.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Saw the Soot Eater over at Rockford Chimney, too. Cheaper at the Amazon link, above.

https://www.rockfordchimneysupply.com/tradetools

I'm going to buy a 6" brush and rod kit after the season.

 

[ThunderMedic]

I bought myself a Sooteater this year, as I had choked my cap off at the end of last winter with some wet wood trying to get an extra few weeks of burn time. That Sooteater is the best money I've spent after the stove itself! Took me less than 15 minutes from start to finish, including cleanup. Fantastic product. Use the Amazon link, as stated above.

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[bholler]

My installer showed me how to do this from the inside last year. He had a one piece chimney brush that was wound around on a reel. He just sent it up from inside and set up a shop vac in the firebox to catch the falling soot. He stated there was next to nothing and that I could skip a year. But, I would feel more comfortable doing it. Any idea what this really nice chimney brush on a reel is? My thought is that I would not have to worry about something separating in the pipe with the one piece design. Thoughts? Thanks.

He had a viper we have one but never use it anymore. Our rotary cleaner is faster easier and does a better job.

 

[prezes13]

Soot eater is nice. I have been using it for two seasons now. Before I used to go on my roof. If you are new to burning once per season is a bare minimum. Some people do it twice a season. My average amount of soot is a coffe cup but still I clean it once a year.

 

[clydesdale]

Do they come in different sizes? Also, how do you guys inspect the liner from inside? My liner is insulated and one piece. But, I wonder about the connection at the top of the stop. That segment is only 2 seasons old.

 

[prezes13]

You trim the brush to size you need.

 

[ThunderMedic]

Do they come in different sizes? Also, how do you guys inspect the liner from inside? My liner is insulated and one piece. But, I wonder about the connection at the top of the stop. That segment is only 2 seasons old.

The original kit comes with 18 feet of rods. They are 3 feet each. I have a really tall chimney so I bought an expansion pack of 2 rods to get my 23 footer. They snap together using button locks, so they can't come undone inside the flue liner. I screwed and siliconed my cap very securely when I installed it three years ago, so I'm not worried about inspection for a few years. I burned for two whole winters,5 cords per year, before cleaning mine and only got enough black and gray powder to fill maybe 3 coffee mugs. And that was with having my cap completely blocked off with creosote from my boneheaded mistake last spring.

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[fire_man]

He had a viper we have one but never use it anymore. Our rotary cleaner is faster easier and does a better job.

How can a rotary cleaner with all those rods to assemble be faster/easier than the one-piece Viper?

 

[bholler]

How can a rotary cleaner with all those rods to assemble be faster/easier than the one-piece Viper?

Because the viper can be a pain to roll back up. And to do anywhere near as good a job you would have to go up and down many times then climb up to clean the cap. A rotary cleaner does it all in one pass. Our viper hasnt been on the van for 2 years now. We just never used it anymore. Now i am using 3' pro rotary cleaning rods i dont know how easy the soot eater works.

 

[fire_man]

I can see how rolling up the Viper could be a pain.

The sooteater is good - it just sometimes takes some fussing to disconnect rods that bind up from the spinning.

 

[bholler]

I can see how rolling up the Viper could be a pain.

The sooteater is good - it just sometimes takes some fussing to disconnect rods that bind up from the spinning.

Mine never bind up. I guess that is the difference between a $100 system and a $400+ system

 

[AaronMColeman]

Mine never bind up. I guess that is the difference between a $100 system and a $400+ system

I'm a contractor, I get the idea of paying for the right tool because it will pay for itself. But to clean my chimney twice a year max, I think the $90 option is right...my chimney is 30'+ so I'm just getting 2 of the $45 kits instead of all of the extra rods, seems cheaper that way plus I get two of the heads!

 

[bholler]

I'm a contractor, I get the idea of paying for the right tool because it will pay for itself. But to clean my chimney twice a year max, I think the $90 option is right...my chimney is 30'+ so I'm just getting 2 of the $45 kits instead of all of the extra rods, seems cheaper that way plus I get two of the heads!

Yes i agree buying a pro setup does not make sense for a homeowner who only cleans once or twice a year. But i clean hundreds a year.

 

[Hogwildz]

Clean every year. Some precautions you just should not skimp on. Here, the ol brush and rods from top down method is used. No fear of heights and personally I like the peaceful view.

 

[bholler]

Clean every year. Some precautions you just should not skimp on. Here, the ol brush and rods from top down method is used. No fear of heights and personally I like the peaceful view.

I have no fear of heights either but every time i step on a roof it is a risk. By cleaning from the bottom as much as possible i minimize that risk

 

[ajayabb]

Love my Soot Eater
Agree buying 2 kits makes more sense then buying the expansion kit


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[clydesdale]

Well, the soot eater did not work for me. I broke a rod in under 2 min. I had only 3 rods attached at the time. I did not have the balls to send it back up the chimney for fear it would break up there. I have a cat stove and the rods were rubbing up against the edge of the bypass door at first, so the first two rods got scratched up. I gave the rods additional pressure to keep it off the bypass door edge and one snapped under the torque. So, I think I may need the more flexible viper. Thoughts or advice? Thanks.

 

[bholler]

Well, the soot eater did not work for me. I broke a rod in under 2 min. I had only 3 rods attached at the time. I did not have the balls to send it back up the chimney for fear it would break up there. I have a cat stove and the rods were rubbing up against the edge of the bypass door at first, so the first two rods got scratched up. I gave the rods additional pressure to keep it off the bypass door edge and one snapped under the torque. So, I think I may need the more flexible viper. Thoughts or advice? Thanks.

I am not a fan of the viper at all.

 

[showrguy]

I used my soot eater today, for the 1st. Time going through the stove, through a 90* sweep 90, to avoid any sharp edges and bends..
Broke 2 rods coming out with rotation, both in the sweep 90 ??
Both broke in the same spot>........ So far not impressed...

 

[Huckleberry]

Well, the soot eater did not work for me. I broke a rod in under 2 min. I had only 3 rods attached at the time. I did not have the balls to send it back up the chimney for fear it would break up there. I have a cat stove and the rods were rubbing up against the edge of the bypass door at first, so the first two rods got scratched up. I gave the rods additional pressure to keep it off the bypass door edge and one snapped under the torque. So, I think I may need the more flexible viper. Thoughts or advice? Thanks.

I just use a brush and rod setup I bought somewhere online.
The brush has an integrated loop on the bottom
which I attached a rope and weight onto.
I drop the weight down the chimney to my assistant, who then
pulls the brush down as I push it, pausing to add rods as needed.
Once down, once up, and we're done.
We do this two or three times a year.

 

[weatherguy]

I just use a brush and rod setup I bought somewhere online.
The brush has an integrated loop on the bottom
which I attached a rope and weight onto.
I drop the weight down the chimney to my assistant, who then
pulls the brush down as I push it, pausing to add rods as needed.
Once down, once up, and we're done.
We do this two or three times a year.

Can I borrow your assistant? Does she wear a short sparkly dress?

 

[Huckleberry]

Can I borrow your assistant? Does she wear a short sparkly dress?

Yes, but not while we're cleaning the chimney.
I don't usually loan her out, but I have a back-up assistant
who's a senior in high school that I could outright give you.