Cleaning tall chimneys

[Muddy42]

Dear Forum,
I have been cleaning a tall chimney in my Victorian property in the UK for an open fire. The flues are original clay/brick/mortar lined but in good condition. I've checked for smoke leaks and there are carbon monoxide testers - the wood burned is very dry and I clean the chimney twice a year.

See photo, I'm using 3ft rods and brushes. Access is good to the chimney pot from the roof. On most chimneys, I like to confirm that the larger 15 inch brush has travelled the full length of the flue. However this flue must have a few angles and bends in it and its extremely hard work to clean. When I push the 15 inch brush up as far as I can, it gets stuck and I can't see it from above. The smaller 8 inch brush gets stuck slightly further up and I can see it from above (about 10 foot below the chimney pot). Both brushes get stuck at the same 10 foot down position when used from above.

After cleaning the fire, the draft is improved and the fire burns well, but I worry that over the years I am missing some soot by not being able to get the 15 inch brush round the final corner.

Can anyone recommend me a slightly more flexible setup that I could use from above, potentially attached to a drill. Just to be clear I do not have a 5 inch metal liner. Ideally I am looking for people's experience with traditional chimneys. I have seen products online but suspect they wouldn't be strong enough for a traditional flue.

Thanks in advance

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I’m not a professional, but maybe using the Sooteater ( available on Amazon) and leaving the “brush”( looks like heavy weedwacker cord) on long would help. Keeping the brush long may help get that out of reach soot, while still being able to get through the more narrow parts of flue. You can cut the sooteater brush to the size you want for the size flue you have, but leaving bigger than needed may be helpful.

Just curious how much soot do you end up with during your twice a year sweeps? If you notice improvement in draft after sweeping, it sounds like you’re getting a good amount at least somewhere in the chimney.

 

[Muddy42]

I’m not a professional, but maybe using the Sooteater ( available on Amazon) and leaving the “brush”( looks like heavy weedwacker cord) on long would help. Keeping the brush long may help get that out of reach soot, while still being able to get through the more narrow parts of flue. You can cut the sooteater brush to the size you want for the size flue you have, but leaving bigger than needed may be helpful.

Just curious how much soot do you end up with during your twice a year sweeps? If you notice improvement in draft after sweeping, it sounds like you’re getting a good amount at least somewhere in the chimney.

Thanks I'll have a look at that product. I get 1 or 2 gallons of soot out on each of the two occasions I clean per year. This fire is used every night we are home from September to April. Again this is an open fire, so Id expect more soot than a stove. The soot is nice and powdery.

 

[bholler]

Thanks I'll have a look at that product. I get 1 or 2 gallons of soot out on each of the two occasions I clean per year. This fire is used every night we are home from September to April. Again this is an open fire, so Id expect more soot than a stove. The soot is nice and powdery.

Yes well all the brushes you are using will remove is the dry powdery stuff. That doesn't mean there isn't glaze there. A rotary cleaner is definitely the best option. It was invented in England anyway. But I would strongly recommend having a pro look at it as well.

 

[Muddy42]

Yes well all the brushes you are using will remove is the dry powdery stuff. That doesn't mean there isn't glaze there. A rotary cleaner is definitely the best option. It was invented in England anyway. But I would strongly recommend having a pro look at it as well.

thanks, will do. I have a 'pro' who looks at and cleans the chimneys once a year (to keep the insurance people happy). I still get more build up out than him ;-) Also I use a powder that is meant to break down the glaze, but there probably will be some glaze still there given the age of the house.

 

[kborndale]

That seems like an awful lot of creosote from an open fireplace. They normally get less creosote than a stove. I barely get any creosote from my fireplace and only sweep it every 5 years or so.

 

[Muddy42]

That seems like an awful lot of creosote from an open fireplace. They normally get less creosote than a stove. I barely get any creosote from my fireplace and only sweep it every 5 years or so.

Thanks.
- It is a very tall flue
- It gets a lot of use
- maybe I am playing catch up with solid bits breaking down to dust?

I think the important thing is getting the soot out and keeping it clean. As described I think I can do better, so will try one of these rotary cleaners.

 

[stoveliker]

I don't think it's exceptionally tall. My flue is 2 ft taller, and I get a 2-3 cups of stuff once a year. And I burn more hours than you per year (though with a stove).
2-4 gallons a year is without a doubt a lot.

I do not think the important thing is getting the soot out, I think the important thing is to figure out why you get that much.
It's not only the insurance company that needs to stay happy, it's important for your safety to not have that 2 gallons ignite in the chimney the week before you sweep.

 

[Muddy42]

I don't think it's exceptionally tall. My flue is 2 ft taller, and I get a 2-3 cups of stuff once a year. And I burn more hours than you per year (though with a stove).
2-4 gallons a year is without a doubt a lot.

I do not think the important thing is getting the soot out, I think the important thing is to figure out why you get that much.
It's not only the insurance company that needs to stay happy, it's important for your safety to not have that 2 gallons ignite in the chimney the week before you sweep.

I never said how many hours nor how tall this flue is, but this one is over 60ft long. My wood is bone dry and when burning the smoke is invisible so I'm happy with that. I am also quite happy that the fire is safe to use and I've never had a chimney fire, but as described I always aim to make cleaning easier. I think this topic has strayed off into safety so I'm going to leave it here. Thank to those who recommended the sooteater, I'll give it a go!!

 

[stoveliker]

I never said how many hours nor how tall this flue is, but this one is over 60ft long. My wood is bone dry and when burning the smoke is invisible so I'm happy with that. I am also quite happy that the fire is safe to use and I've never had a chimney fire, but as described I always aim to make cleaning easier. I think this topic has strayed off into safety so I'm going to leave it here. Thank to those who recommended the sooteater, I'll give it a go!!

My bad, I misrememberd you had said 25 ft. Indeed you did not.

Hours, every evening is less than 24/7 full time heating.

I do use a sooteater too, but I would be concerned about 60 ft; the torque on the rods will possibly be too large, and this could lead to snapping one - then you have sections stuck in the 60 ft chimney.
I would ask the vendor what the maximum length is that the sooteater works at.

Finally, if you don't have smoke out the chimney then how do you get gallons of deposits and constrictions ("draft improves upon sweeping")?

 

[Muddy42]

I only need the sooteater to reach the top 20 ft or so, the rest can be reached from below. Regarding the soot, don't worry I'm on the same page, the whole point of starting this thread is that I would like to clean the upper section better. Maybe I'm playing catchup and solid deposits are softening due to the Vitcas powder, who knows? Sometimes there is less than a gallon of soot. The key is to sweep regularly, if I can get a 15 inch brush through twice a year that should be enough. Yes what I mean by "draft improves on sweeping" is that the draft is OK before, but gets good afterwards. Most people wouldn't notice, only me because I am obsessive.

 

[stoveliker]

ok, 20 ft should be fine for the sooteater

 

[bholler]

That seems like an awful lot of creosote from an open fireplace. They normally get less creosote than a stove. I barely get any creosote from my fireplace and only sweep it every 5 years or so.

They use it every day. It will get much more buildup than a stove

 

[Muddy42]

They use it every day. It will get much more buildup than a stove

Agreed. I once cleaned an open fire chimneys (not mine) where we used a wheelbarrow to remove the soot.