Poll: How to Clean the Flue?

[isipwater]

I am a newbie and am thinking about cleaning the flue for the first time. I will use a SootEater

My stove (Lopi Endeavor with bypass damper) has a flue (telescoping ICC Excel) going straight up through the ceiling with no bends.

 

[lopiliberty]

I would clean from the top down since its easy to access. That way you can get a good look at the cap and see if any thing is forming on it being your first year with the stove

 

[isipwater]

Wow, only one vote in a week

Come on, I know at least somebody else out there must have an opinion about the best way to clean the pipe

 

[Big Dan]

just don't fall off your roof.

 

[oconnor]

Top down - inspect the flashing and exposed chimney while you are there. And like Big Dan says, don't fall off

 

[bag of hammers]

Top down - inspect the flashing and exposed chimney while you are there. And like Big Dan says, don't fall off

+1. My roofer did a p*** poor job on the flashing, so I like to give it a look at least a couple times a year. Also opportunity to have a peek at the chimney bracing, valley flashings, any shingles that might be started to lift a bit in the strong winds, etc. And any other assorted non-woodstove-related stuff that sometimes needs a bit of attention.

Also with Big Dan - don't fall off. Roofer's harness is a nice thing to have in the tool shed (I should talk, after about 50 trips up to the roof before getting one )

 

[eclecticcottage]

I voted top down. The third option will be messy and I don't have a bypass damper so I don't know how that works.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Wow, only one vote in a week

Come on, I know at least somebody else out there must have an opinion about the best way to clean the pipe

Sorry about that. Somehow I missed this thread and saw it for the first time tonight.

 

[1750]

I just had a telescoping section added to my installation so I could do this. I have a 10/12 pitch and while I might try and get up there to eyeball the cap once/year, there's no way I can stand up there and clean it.

 

[Sprinter]

Top down for me, but only because my roof and cap are easy access. It's just a lot less messy to let the stuff fall into the stove. You still have to remove any baffles or whatever. The sooteater rods bend well to allow a high reach.

But there are ways to make a bottom approach less messy. There are past threads on that you can search for.

 

[rwhite]

SInce I got the sooteater I hope to never crawl up on the roof again. I use binoculars to make sure the screen is clean. But then I had to drag an extension ladder 2 stories up and then climb that to do a top down. It was scary!

 

[isipwater]

+1. My roofer did a p*** poor job on the flashing, so I like to give it a look at least a couple times a year. Also opportunity to have a peek at the chimney bracing, valley flashings, any shingles that might be started to lift a bit in the strong winds, etc. And any other assorted non-woodstove-related stuff that sometimes needs a bit of attention.

Also with Big Dan - don't fall off. Roofer's harness is a nice thing to have in the tool shed (I should talk, after about 50 trips up to the roof before getting one )

Where did you buy your roofer's harness and what is a reasonable price to expect?

 

[bag of hammers]

I just grabbed the roofers safety kit in a bucket from HD. Harness, 50' of 7/8 rope, tie down bracket, tether / fall arrestor, clamps, etc for @ $150 or so if I recall. Harness alone sells in the $50 or $60 range. Probably a bit lighter than a pro roofer might use, but decent fit and good peace of mind for a DIY going up there a few times a year.

 

[bag of hammers]

I should have mentioned as a couple others did that my roof is pretty tame where the chimney is so the top down isn't terrifying. But my original cabin is a steep pitch that's impossible to navigate without some gear. I used the harness first time up there last year to pull the old stove chimney and do some minor roof repairs. Worked fine for what I needed to do.