Chimney liner cleaning

[Stelcom66]

For 20 years I had someone clean my chimney for very good price. I no longer have that option, and hired a company that's been calling me for several years offering the service. They cleaned the oil burner side in February, did not do the fireplace side where the wood stove is due to it not being to code. The company is licensed and insured, so I understand. Not surprisingly, they recommended a liner for both chimney flues. Today I had them install a liner for the oil burner, with a cap on top. I know I needed one, not sure what it's called - but the access door to clean the flue in the basement had pieces of mortar and signs of brick dust. The house is almost 70 years old and I'm not going anywhere, so worth the investment IMO.

I can't have the fireplace side liner done yet, maybe the end of this year or next year. It was a record high 92º here today. I offered the crew my refrigerated well water. Also gave them a tip. The weather will return to seasonal at some point, but it's getting toward the end of the wood burning season here in New England. The wood stove always had a good draft, the material that's in place of the damper seemed to seal it pretty well. Going forward, after I get the fireplace side liner installed for the wood stove, I'm thinking I'll clean it myself, at least for a while. My question is - I know it's not ideal but could it be done adequately from the fireplace? I assume there will be an access point on the bottom of a T. The former chimney sweep cleaned from the fireplace up, and seemed to break free a significant amount of soot. Not every year though, I'm still working full time so the stove isn't burning on weekdays.

 

[bholler]

The fact that they are licensed and insured is the reason they won't work on it. To much liability. It really depends on the setup but most of the time it can be cleaned from.the ground and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

[johneh]

The last few years I have cleaned mine from the ground.
Legs won't let me climb a latter or on the roof
So from the ground, it is.
No problems.

 

[Stelcom66]

The company owner came out a few Saturdays ago so I didn't have to take time off work, and there was no charge to evaluate the situation. I had a quote from the crew that cleaned the chimney (that work for him) - he reduced it by a decent amount. That, and his integrity won the job. I respect going by the rules, and the plan is to do things right and to code with a liner for the stove at some point.

Good to know a liner can be cleaned from the bottom up. I'm too old to be on a ladder/roof doing that. Then again I would have used a different excuse 20 years ago when I was in my mid 40s. I was going to maybe invest in a brush for the fireplace side before the liner is installed - but I've heard you want to get the right size. That said, it would be a significantly smaller size (I think) for cleaning a liner.

 

[bholler]

The company owner came out a few Saturdays ago so I didn't have to take time off work, and there was no charge to evaluate the situation. I had a quote from the crew that cleaned the chimney (that work for him) - he reduced it by a decent amount. That, and his integrity won the job. I respect going by the rules, and the plan is to do things right and to code with a liner for the stove at some point.

Good to know a liner can be cleaned from the bottom up. I'm too old to be on a ladder/roof doing that. Then again I would have used a different excuse 20 years ago when I was in my mid 40s. I was going to maybe invest in a brush for the fireplace side before the liner is installed - but I've heard you want to get the right size. That said, it would be a significantly smaller size (I think) for cleaning a liner.

Just get a rotary cleaner not a brush

 

[Stelcom66]

Just get a rotary cleaner not a brush

So noted. Before the cement was placed around the boiler exhaust pipe, the chimney tech showed me how the T would slide back, out of the liner. Even without the cement, the liner was over a foot back, so I don't know how I'd get a brush up there. Then, after the cement was dry I asked about removing it - he said I'd have to work at it. I'm thinking I'll hire them to do the cleaning from the top down. I assume they'd then vacuum the T, or remove the T and vacuum the liner?

A photo below before the cement was applied.

 

[bholler]

So noted. Before the cement was placed around the boiler exhaust pipe, the chimney tech showed me how the T would slide back, out of the liner. Even without the cement, the liner was over a foot back, so I don't know how I'd get a brush up there. Then, after the cement was dry I asked about removing it - he said I'd have to work at it. I'm thinking I'll hire them to do the cleaning from the top down. I assume they'd then vacuum the T, or remove the T and vacuum the liner?

A photo below before the cement was applied.

View attachment 312048

You don't ever remove the tee after it's installed like that. I can clean right through a tee like that

 

[Stelcom66]

That's what I was thinking! I don't know why it was even suggested it can or should be removed.

I now have a cap above the new liner for the furnace. Would you recommend one for when I have the wood stove side liner done? Probably it comes standard with the liner.

 

[bholler]

That's what I was thinking! I don't know why it was even suggested it can or should be removed.

I now have a cap above the new liner for the furnace. Would you recommend one for when I have the wood stove side liner done? Probably it comes standard with the liner.

Yes any liner should have a cap