do i need to clean my chimney?

[moondoggy]

Hi All,
on my install,
if i run the insulated flue pipe all the way up and out my chimney, do I have to get the chimney cleaned prior?
its clear, i burn fires all the time, but hasnt been cleaned in years.
i see no lumps when i look down or up, but it is black
its costly, and if I can avoid it I will.

 

[Todd]

I would run a brush up and down it just to be safe. Your liner could touch a chunk of creosote and lite her off.

 

[Metal]

Do you need to? Probably
Should you? Yes

 

[wahoowad]

Sounds like you will be doing the liner install, right? If so, buy a chimney brush set for 15 or 20 bucks and knock it out! Then sell the rods and brush on ebay or craigslist.

 

[swestall]

If you have ever had or seen a blazing chimney fire, the answer becomes obvious: YES. AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, PERIOD.

 

[woodconvert]

"Sounds like you will be doing the liner install, right? If so, buy a chimney brush set for 15 or 20 bucks and knock it out! Then sell the rods and brush on ebay or craigslist."

Or , especially if you have a tall chimney, buy a brush and a lenght of rope and pull the brush through from the bottom clean out, a couple of times and it will be clean enough for your install (the rods get all wobbley the longer you stack them and I had a hell of a time cleaning until I started pulling it).

 

[moondoggy]

you all are great.
i didnt think i could do it, but its just a matter of running the brush and vacccuuummmnnnn i guess.
for a 10" chimney, I need a 10" brush right? not 12"?

 

[BrotherBart]

you all are great.
i didnt think i could do it, but its just a matter of running the brush and vacccuuummmnnnn i guess.
for a 10" chimney, I need a 10" brush right? not 12"?

Or a ball of chicken wire and a rope.

 

[Harley]

Or a ball of chicken wire and a rope.

Or a medium sized porcupine, and a rope.

 

[moondoggy]

Or a ball of chicken wire and a rope.[/quote]



your a smart man, when the big bomb finally drops, those around you will be blessed to share in your ingenuity.

nothing listed on craigslist/ebay in a 10"swuare
woodland wants 29.+ship
(broken link removed to http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Square-Wire-Chimney-Brush)
or a
10"square chicken wire block cant be too hard to make...esp. considering i only need it once.

 

[BrotherBart]

Actually I can't take the credit even though I have used some pretty weird things to clean a chimney. The chicken wire idea is from seeing what hearth.com's favorite building inspector has been using for 28 years to clean his chimney.

 

[moondoggy]

right, 2 ropes..... um..
wife on the bottom right?

 

[Michael6268]

Absolutely! If you dont believe me, take a trouble light with a 100 watt bulb in it. Then take a handfull of the junk you just swept out of your chimney. Put some on the bare light bulb. Within minutes you will have a cherry red, smoldering, lava like mess. I know! I cleaned my chimney recently and was cleaning the smoke shelf/box. I usually have a flourescent stick light to shine up there, but it was somewhere I didnt feel like going to, and I used a trouble light with bulb. Couldnt believe how quickly it started to smolder. And I just had the "powdery" stuff.

 

[BrotherBart]

Absolutely! If you dont believe me, take a trouble light with a 100 watt bulb in it. Then take a handfull of the junk you just swept out of your chimney. Put some on the bare light bulb. Within minutes you will have a cherry red, smoldering, lava like mess. I know! I cleaned my chimney recently and was cleaning the smoke shelf/box. I usually have a flourescent stick light to shine up there, but it was somewhere I didnt feel like going to, and I used a trouble light with bulb. Couldnt believe how quickly it started to smolder. And I just had the "powdery" stuff.

Next time make a little pile outside and hit it with a propane torch for a second. Quite a show.

 

[Michael6268]

Next time make a little pile outside and hit it with a propane torch for a second. Quite a show.

LOL. BB, you have kept my quite amused with all your "creosote" experiences throughout the years. I think a book may be in order. Maybe - "Fun with Creosote" or "1000 things you wanted to know about creosote but were afraid to ask" LOL.