Best way to clean a stainless liner? brush?

[RickInNJ]

Hi,

After doing a lot of reading on this forum, last year I self-installed a Fireplace Xtraordinair Large Hybrid Insert, liner, and damper block-off plate (with insulation) last winter. I had to elongate the 6" flex liner (single layer) during install to fit past the mortar joints in the rectangular (ceramic/terracota) flue.

Needless to say, the low cost heat was wonderful and the insert has performed amazingly well. We used it quite often with some oak + wild cherry that was quite dry.

Though the FPX doesn't create a lot of emissions (0.5 g/hr) I'm thinking that I should clean out the flue before starting to burn this season.

I've just picked up a 6" Rutland chimney brush that I may trim down a bit (e.g to a 5" radius since I made the liner oval to fit down the flue), and will pickup poles tomorrow.

The thought is to carefully brush the inside of the liner lightly (to avoid puncturing) while the liner is still connected to the insert, and that any soot that gets knocked down will not cause any blockage issues.

As an alternative, I've also seen some creosote removing sprays, but don't see how I could coat the length of the liner.

Your advice is very welcome since I'm new to this.

 

[JA600L]

Did you buy a poly or metal brush? For the liner you need a poly brush.

 

[Supersurvey]

I use a Rutland PFT-8 with torque lock. It is very flexible and fits my 6 inch ss liner well.

 

[Mr. Jones]

So for a 6 inch liner, we're supposed to get an 8 inch poly brush? Or 6 inch?

 

[jatoxico]

I use a Sooteater which be used from the bottom up. Many discussions/reviews on it here.

 

[nola mike]

So for a 6 inch liner, we're supposed to get an 8 inch poly brush? Or 6 inch?

That brush has softer bristles than a standard brush and will fit down smaller chimneys. Stiffer poly brushes 6" brush-->6" liner.

 

[RickInNJ]

Thanks for all the replies.

I bought this Poly Brush by Rutland for the flexliner and will likely go top down. Triming it down a bit from 6" might make sense since I've had to elongate a 6" liner to get down the chimney past some mortar joints.

I have a SootEater and did use that on the original chimney cleaning, but would hesitate on using it on a flexliner (esp. since it's a single-ply liner) for fear of tearing it. Bottom up would also be hard because I'd have to disconnect the insert from the flexliner, move the 500 lb insert, and then re-caulk it with Stove Gasket Cement each year.

Do people really do the latter? [I've read through the archives of this forum now, thanks, but it wasn't clear that people do this with flexliner and inserts] I guess it'd be much easier to get the soot out (from the bottom) that's in the bend of the liner near the damper opening, and I'd think that most of the soot is closer to the bottom, but that's a good bit more work.

 

[jatoxico]

I remove the burn tubes and baffles which gives full access to the flue. Whatever you decide works best for you the baffle has to come out to remove the sweepings, unless I'm missing something(?).

 

[Supersurvey]

Yes the brush is 8 inches. I tried that poly brush you have and it was so stiff I couldn't get it more than 2 feet into the liner.

 

[blacktail]

Thanks for all the replies.

I bought this Poly Brush by Rutland for the flexliner and will likely go top down. Triming it down a bit from 6" might make sense since I've had to elongate a 6" liner to get down the chimney past some mortar joints.

I have a SootEater and did use that on the original chimney cleaning, but would hesitate on using it on a flexliner (esp. since it's a single-ply liner) for fear of tearing it. Bottom up would also be hard because I'd have to disconnect the insert from the flexliner, move the 500 lb insert, and then re-caulk it with Stove Gasket Cement each year.

Do people really do the latter? [I've read through the archives of this forum now, thanks, but it wasn't clear that people do this with flexliner and inserts] I guess it'd be much easier to get the soot out (from the bottom) that's in the bend of the liner near the damper opening, and I'd think that most of the soot is closer to the bottom, but that's a good bit more work.

Disconnect the liner? Move the insert? No.
I move a couple of baffle bricks, run the Sooteater up the liner, put bricks back. Done.