Chimney cleaning

[ddahlgren]

I am wondering if after 3 months and 2 1/2 cords of mostly good wood though too many cold starts as this will not go through the night and if I don't get up to reload there are coals and no more. So maybe a 100 to 200 degree stove. If I do it myself what do I need? 5 ft Dura-vent plus and 8 ft single wall with 2 30 degree angles 6 inch diameter.

If I have someone do it what would sound like a fair price in SE CT or close by?

I had read somewhere to not use a wire brush with a metal chimney as it will scratch it up and allow to collect more creosote. Old wives tale or truth?

Any help appreciated
Dave

 

[jharkin]

A lot of us like using the sooteater, especiaslly if you don't have a simple straight shot. Easy to clean bottom up and it will scub out the inside of the cap.

If you hire it out, expect over $100 for somebody reputable. Last time I did I was charged 150 a flue.

 

[ddahlgren]

A lot of us like using the sooteater, especiaslly if you don't have a simple straight shot. Easy to clean bottom up and it will scub out the inside of the cap.

If you hire it out, expect over $100 for somebody reputable. Last time I did I was charged 150 a flue.

Where do i get a soot eater? and what size for a 6 inch flue? 6 inch?

 

[jharkin]

Lot of online sites carry it. I think I got mine from North line express. Its about $60 and comes with a universal head that you trim to fit your pipe plus 18 ft of flex rods.

ETA
(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/sooteater-rotary-chimney-cleaning-system-rch205.html?cmp=cel&trigger=ac)

 

[ddahlgren]

Lot of online sites carry it. I think I got mine from North line express. Its about $60 and comes with a universal head that you trim to fit your pipe plus 18 ft of flex rods.

ETA
(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/sooteater-rotary-chimney-cleaning-system-rch205.html?cmp=cel&trigger=ac)

thanks looks easy enough. Just remove the top bricks from firebox tape on the cover and up it goes...kind of a weed eater looking thing clever idea. I like that everything you need is in one box as well.

 

[jharkin]

You will love it. I do my pipe in about 30 minutes including cleanup time. I even bought a second head and a couple extension rods and use it for the boiler and fireplace flues. I can clean out the fireplace smoke chamber by working it left to right.

 

[ddahlgren]

Looking at the website it mentions cutting to length I assume they give you a cut to length for various pipe sizes. I now see why the pipe adapter on the inside is slightly angled to the door. It makes sense and designed to be cleaned from the bottom. My only question is how do you know if it is clean without looking at it or if there are still deposits in it? With 2 bends a mirror is not going to be much good.

 

[jharkin]

My only question is how do you know if it is clean without looking at it or if there are still deposits in it? With 2 bends a mirror is not going to be much good.

That's a good question. I don't have a definitive answer but a couple thoughts.

The way the cleaning is recommended is to start at the bottom and as you add each pole section, run it up with the drill spinning in one direction and then run it back down with the drill reversed, so in effect each section gets scrubbed twice - clockwise and counterclockwise. If you know roughly how tall the pipe is, start feeding it very slowly as you get close to the top and you should feel resistance when the head hits the underside of the cap, then you work it up and down gently to scrub out the cap.

What I do is run the up and down for each section as I'm working my way up the pipe, and then when I get to the top and start feeding it down give one more spin on each section as I remove them. If most of the junk was cleaned out on the way up I expect to see a lot less soot falling as I work back down. So, and this is just a guess, you could go by how much crap is raining down after one full cleaning pass to get a rough idea of how well the cleaning went?

Of course, this wont tell you if you have any glazed buildup at the top, so in your case you might still need some type of visual inspection from the roof. But maybe doing a one or two mid season clean outs like this will give you enough piece of mind to hold you over till you can do a top down visual in the summer. And then based on what you find you will know how often to do it next season.

 

[ddahlgren]

That's a good question. I don't have a definitive answer but a couple thoughts.

The way the cleaning is recommended is to start at the bottom and as you add each pole section, run it up with the drill spinning in one direction and then run it back down with the drill reversed, so in effect each section gets scrubbed twice - clockwise and counterclockwise. If you know roughly how tall the pipe is, start feeding it very slowly as you get close to the top and you should feel resistance when the head hits the underside of the cap, then you work it up and down gently to scrub out the cap.

What I do is run the up and down for each section as I'm working my way up the pipe, and then when I get to the top and start feeding it down give one more spin on each section as I remove them. If most of the junk was cleaned out on the way up I expect to see a lot less soot falling as I work back down. So, and this is just a guess, you could go by how much crap is raining down after one full cleaning pass to get a rough idea of how well the cleaning went?

Of course, this wont tell you if you have any glazed buildup at the top, so in your case you might still need some type of visual inspection from the roof. But maybe doing a one or two mid season clean outs like this will give you enough piece of mind to hold you over till you can do a top down visual in the summer. And then based on what you find you will know how often to do it next season.

Sounds like a plan. I am not good at all with heights the roof is almost flat where the chimney is but close to the edge and makes me uncomfortable. I have to be the only person that spent 8 days in Paris stood under the Eiffel tower and said no way I am going up it. LOL

 

[ddahlgren]

Ended up having chimney cleaned today and they asked for 225 to clean 15 ft of flue pipe and metal chimney. I told them flay out no way and they asked what I thought was fair. I told the m 100 max all in after any taxes fees or hidden costs. They agreed to it and wanted their opinion as much as anything else. Did a nice job done in 30 minutes and left the room cleaner than when they got here. Said after 2 1/2 cords and 3 months heating pretty much 24/7 on clod days and way too many cold starts all there was is a little bit of soot. So in general in very good shape and showing good burning habits. Knowing that if I continue to use only dry wood and burn the way I am I will do the next ones with a soot eater on my own.

 

[Ashful]

Wow... they wanted $225 and took $100? You're a good negotiator.

 

[ddahlgren]

Wow... they wanted $225 and took $100? You're a good negotiator.

I have bought a 'horse' or ten..LOL.. I offered the 100 and in the same sentence asked how cash flow was going mid winter... It is always about timing. Never buy a car at the beginning of the month always 2 or 3 days before the end. they are all financed so on the 1'st they have to pay next months payment and increase carrying costs. Anything retail at the end of October as the towns around here use that date for property tax and inventory taxing. You have to pick times that they can justify your low ball offer as valid and offers benefit to them. There is a lot to being an informed consumer that might be intuitive. You have to figure out the sellers cash flow issues and offer when in your favor and not theirs. I coached my daughter on buying her new car and told her when to buy and how much percentage to ask for off she saved 4000 by getting a written quote to buy the car at the end of the month that was good for 10 days then a day later talking about her trade in value in a separate conversation made the dealer crazy...LOL..