chimney sweeping

[dulcierae]

OK guys I got a lot of good feedback on my message yesterday about the crackling sound I was hearing in the stove pipe. My husband is home today and we're going to sweep the chimney. but I've got some questions! surprise suprise... the brushes that the previous house owner had left behind are smaller than the circumfrence of the chimney and the poles used to lower them are like fiberglass tent poles! this makes scrubbing the sides almost impossible... We can see the creosote down towards the bottom of the chimney but just the really loose stuff comes off with the brush that we have.... so if the sticky gooey stuff is the bad gunk that lights on fire, how exactly do you get rid of the sticky stuff? do we need a bigger brush? are there other kinds or tools that we are missing? help please
thank you

 

[ColonialCity]

You need a brush that matches the diameter of the chimney. They are available at home centers, hardware stores, and of course, stove shops. I've seen them in 6" and 8" diameter. Probably available in other sizes as well? I've seen steel and plastic bristles, I prefer the steel ones myself. I can see that it would be difficult to clean if your brush is too small.

 

[dulcierae]

I'll have to see what I can find. Circumference was probably not the right word for the chimney because ours isn't a metal tube. Our chimney is a rectangle shaped thing made out of concrete or something the like. maybe we've got the wrong tools all together?

 

[Adios Pantalones]

they sell rectangular/square brushes to fit clay lined flues like that as well. Fiberglass poles are fine (pretty standard now, actually) as long as they screw together right. Get the right brush to stick on there.

 

[webby3650]

You need to get a flat wire steel brush if you have clay flue with sticky creosote in it, measure the opening of your flue and buy a brush that fits it and the poles that you have. A round wire brush will hardly put a dent in heavy build up. when you start to clean the flue, put the brush down about two feet and then make sure it will reverse in the flue before you go too far down. You can also burn the creosote sweeping logs to help break down the sticky creosote, but this is no way replaces the need to sweep the flue. Good luck to you. Feel free to ask any more questions.