Progress Hybrid Flue Cleaning

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tpd2021

Member
Jan 11, 2016
4
Oklahoma
I installed a Progress Hybrid a year and a half ago and am wanting to clean the flue pipe. I was trying to avoid the climb onto the roof for two reasons. One, I don't want to fall off my roof (45° pitch), but the second is that my run has two 15° offsets through the attic and I was unsure how the rods and brush will maneuver those.

I started thinking I would go bottom up, I have read a lot of people doing that. But with the progress it appears I would have to disassemble my flue to get into it. Is there something I am missing? the opening underneath the cast iron cook top looks pretty small. I really don't want to take my pipe apart each year to sweep. It was a bit of a pain with the tiny screws and the double wall pipe and my fear is stripping something out or scraping something up.

That leaves me with having to get on my roof, right? So my next thought was the rope attached to the brush and feed it down the flue to the bottom. I think my younger son can squeeze his hands into the back of the PH and pull the rope down and then I can pull it back up. Messy yes, but will it work?

Th PH is top vented and runs double wall pipe straight up to the ceiling in my stairwell, approximately 12 feet. In the attic there is a 15° offset, 4 feet, and then another 15° offset to come straight through the roof. After the second offset I have 6 or 8 more feet of SS double wall chimney pipe.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I thought I would post a pic but don't have any on my current phone.
 
I like your brush on a rope idea, but, it still may get stuck in your offset. My chimney has a 45° offset, makes cleaning a huge challenge. The chimney sweep that I use brings an old, worn out brush and very flexible rods to clean from my tee up. I find it's worth his fee for the peace of mind and I keep a receipt in case my insurance company ever wants proof of proper maintenance. Hope this helps, awesome stove you have!
 
Here is my interior set up.
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Very nice looking installation. Most chimney rods are flexible enough to get through a 15° offset. I've used them through 45° offsets, both from the bottom and the top.
 
I like your install! Can you remove the first pipe at the top of your stove? I am able to remove mine and I clean from the bottom up using a Sooteater. I don't like going up on the roof either....
 
I like your install! Can you remove the first pipe at the top of your stove? I am able to remove mine and I clean from the bottom up using a Sooteater. I don't like going up on the roof either....


How do you catch the falling debris?
 
How do you catch the falling debris?
I have a bucket that fits over the chimney pipe that I ducktape to the chimney pipe to hold it securely. On the bottom of the bucket I have drilled a small hole that the Sooteater rod fits through. The bucket catches almost all of the soot I've used this system now for 4 years and it works great!
 
I think my younger son can squeeze his hands into the back of the PH and pull the rope down and then I can pull it back up..

Even without the offsets, sometimes the brush offers resistance... pulling it down could be hard without the ability to get leverage to pull straight down. I'd think pushing and pulling with rods might be a better way to go?
 
Well it worked out better than I thought it would. There is no way to squeeze your hands in the back of that stove. My wife was able to pull the string through the bottom while I pulled it back up to the top. Couple of cups of debris that I vacuumed out of the stove.

toddnic-I could slide my adjustable pipe up and remove the bottom section, but putting the double wall together with the tiny screws was a little bit harder than I realized it would have been. I’d rather leave it all tight and assembled if possible.


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