Quick question

[fishinAK]

Will a normal fiberglass cleaning rod push a 6" wire brush thru 2 6" 45 elbows w/o getting stuck?

 

[Harley]

My guess is that it might, but looking at how close they are.... I'd probably say it wouldn't. It would probably make the first turn, though.

I think you might be better off removing the 45's and let the soot drop into a tightly sealed bag at the end.

 

[budman]

If done from the top down i wouldent wory about trying to go through the els as they are
so close to the stove.

 

[BrotherBart]

They make a very flexible one that you could use as the rod with the brush on it and then the stiffer ones for the rest, but I agree. Those elbows are close enough to the flue outlet that they are going to be the cleanest part of the pipe.

BTW: Thank you. I have been concerned about the two or three pounds of liner weight being exerted on the 45 degree elbow into the top of my stove. Not any more after seeing yours.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

back to back 45's , it aint happening , you will get it stuck , dont attempt it. better to clean the 45's from below if you can with your unit , they wont be that bad anyway as they are right at the stove top. but you will not push a brush through them with a flex rod if back to back unless the brush is too soft to do the job.

 

[Harley]

Yup - I'd agree... those 45's are going to be the cleanest part.. It really depends on how you were planning on capturing the soot at the other end (I was assuming running the brush from the top). If all of the stuff is able to dump into the stove and you have access to the flue outlet to run a hose or something to vacuum out those 45's - you shouldn't have any problems cleaning it, and I wouldn't worry about getting the brush that far down.

If there's some baffle at the top of the stove that you cant get above in order to clean out the soot, then I think you have to take the 45's out to clean it and be sure you get everything. I don't think any flex rod would be able to go up from the bottom - that's a little bit of bending to do.

 

[BrotherBart]

I keep eying these Roto-Rooter looking things are Harbor Freight.

 

[budman]

BB always comes up with the answer.

 

[laynes69]

I've operated the small floor drain machines like that and the the large machines. The small machines normally have a 1/4 inch cable, and theres flex cable and the stiff cable. Never crossed my mind to use something like that, but I will say that would more than likely work for a round flue and chimney. You would never have to buy rods again. You would be suprised what bends those things go around.

 

[hardwood715]

You would be suprised what bends those things go around.

Yup was using one of em where you just kneel on the floor switch kept feeding her in- hooked up second reel, still feeding her, commercial building, thinking I must be in main by now, damn near must be in street to sewer line, some guy comes down stairs says, theres this thing coming off the roof, i went in the floor drain did a 360 and climbed 3 floors up a vent pipe out off the roof, down the side of the building, and was chomping into the side of a plastic garbage can!

 

[BrotherBart]

Yup was using one of em where you just kneel on the floor switch kept feeding her in- hooked up second reel, still feeding her, commercial building, thinking I must be in main by now, damn near must be in street to sewer line, some guy comes down stairs says, theres this thing coming off the roof, i went in the floor drain did a 360 and climbed 3 floors up a vent pipe out off the roof, down the side of the building, and was chomping into the side of a plastic garbage can!

That is hilarious.

 

[Gooserider]

I keep eying these Roto-Rooter looking things are Harbor Freight.

Yeah, I've been looking at those too Our setup pretty much requires that it be cleaned from the bottom as the chimney top is almost not accessible (7'+ from the middle of a 12/12 pitch roof). It looks like what our sweep uses is one of those Viper flex rod kits that are close to $500, which I just can't justify for cleaning once or twice a season. The HF units are still awful expensive though, and I was starting to wonder about just one of the manual drain snakes - the local hardware store has a 50 foot unit that is fairly heavy duty for about $30, and I'd just have to figure out how to attach the brush onto it. (I have a SS liner, I assume that means I need a 6" round poly brush, right?) The other big question is whether the flex cable would push the brush up well enough....

Gooserider

 

[Hogwildz]

I keep eying these Roto-Rooter looking things are Harbor Freight.

Yeah, I've been looking at those too Our setup pretty much requires that it be cleaned from the bottom as the chimney top is almost not accessible (7'+ from the middle of a 12/12 pitch roof). It looks like what our sweep uses is one of those Viper flex rod kits that are close to $500, which I just can't justify for cleaning once or twice a season. The HF units are still awful expensive though, and I was starting to wonder about just one of the manual drain snakes - the local hardware store has a 50 foot unit that is fairly heavy duty for about $30, and I'd just have to figure out how to attach the brush onto it. (I have a SS liner, I assume that means I need a 6" round poly brush, right?) The other big question is whether the flex cable would push the brush up well enough....

Gooserider

Ah just make yerself a nice chicken ladder for that roof. Easy and inexpensive to make. If you make it out of PT'd wood or use a section of aluminum ladder with a peak catch on it, and don't want to put it up & take it down. Just leave it latched over the peak and waiting for the next use.
Seriously, if your ok with heights, a chicken ladder really does work well. Just make sure you construct it well, and get a good amount of hook over the peak.
I have worked on ones made from 1x3's (wouldn't recommend) to 1/2 a 40' alum. ladder with hooking just the slide guides over the peak (again would not recommend) to some old fashioned 2x3 & 2x4 ones, best I ever stepped on. Although the aluminum works great if you fab a good hooking system for the top. Lighter weight & all.

Or if its easier from below, forget the ladder and just keep cleaning from below.

 

[Gooserider]

I keep eying these Roto-Rooter looking things are Harbor Freight.

Yeah, I've been looking at those too Our setup pretty much requires that it be cleaned from the bottom as the chimney top is almost not accessible (7'+ from the middle of a 12/12 pitch roof). It looks like what our sweep uses is one of those Viper flex rod kits that are close to $500, which I just can't justify for cleaning once or twice a season. The HF units are still awful expensive though, and I was starting to wonder about just one of the manual drain snakes - the local hardware store has a 50 foot unit that is fairly heavy duty for about $30, and I'd just have to figure out how to attach the brush onto it. (I have a SS liner, I assume that means I need a 6" round poly brush, right?) The other big question is whether the flex cable would push the brush up well enough....

Gooserider

Ah just make yerself a nice chicken ladder for that roof. Easy and inexpensive to make. If you make it out of PT'd wood or use a section of aluminum ladder with a peak catch on it, and don't want to put it up & take it down. Just leave it latched over the peak and waiting for the next use.
Seriously, if your ok with heights, a chicken ladder really does work well. Just make sure you construct it well, and get a good amount of hook over the peak.
I have worked on ones made from 1x3's (wouldn't recommend) to 1/2 a 40' alum. ladder with hooking just the slide guides over the peak (again would not recommend) to some old fashioned 2x3 & 2x4 ones, best I ever stepped on. Although the aluminum works great if you fab a good hooking system for the top. Lighter weight & all.

Or if its easier from below, forget the ladder and just keep cleaning from below.

Well, when our sweep went up to put a new cap on (which may have been a mistake...) he needed three ladders. One to get from the ground to the roof of the laundry room, another to get up the main roof to where the chimney is, and then a third between the upper side of the roof and the chimney to get up the chimney itself. He then put the cap on with a bunch of tapcons into the chimney masonry, so I'm not sure just how easy it would even be to get the cap off. When he first came out he took one look said something under his breath (It was in Czech, so I don't know just what it was, but it sounded rude :bug: ) and said it was getting cleaned from below...

I'm generally OK with heights (not great) but this setup scares me just looking at it from the ground.

Trouble is the main stove isn't much better to clean from the bottom. The insert comes down into a "T" that plugs into the back of the stove, there is only about 16" clearance between the bottom of the "T" where the cleanout cap is, and the hearth floor, and access is partly blocked by the stove. I'm not sure that a standard rod would be able to fit around the bend. This is why I've been thinking in terms of a drain snake or some other high flex approach.

Gooserider

 

[Hogwildz]

I keep eying these Roto-Rooter looking things are Harbor Freight.

Yeah, I've been looking at those too Our setup pretty much requires that it be cleaned from the bottom as the chimney top is almost not accessible (7'+ from the middle of a 12/12 pitch roof). It looks like what our sweep uses is one of those Viper flex rod kits that are close to $500, which I just can't justify for cleaning once or twice a season. The HF units are still awful expensive though, and I was starting to wonder about just one of the manual drain snakes - the local hardware store has a 50 foot unit that is fairly heavy duty for about $30, and I'd just have to figure out how to attach the brush onto it. (I have a SS liner, I assume that means I need a 6" round poly brush, right?) The other big question is whether the flex cable would push the brush up well enough....

Gooserider

Ah just make yerself a nice chicken ladder for that roof. Easy and inexpensive to make. If you make it out of PT'd wood or use a section of aluminum ladder with a peak catch on it, and don't want to put it up & take it down. Just leave it latched over the peak and waiting for the next use.
Seriously, if your ok with heights, a chicken ladder really does work well. Just make sure you construct it well, and get a good amount of hook over the peak.
I have worked on ones made from 1x3's (wouldn't recommend) to 1/2 a 40' alum. ladder with hooking just the slide guides over the peak (again would not recommend) to some old fashioned 2x3 & 2x4 ones, best I ever stepped on. Although the aluminum works great if you fab a good hooking system for the top. Lighter weight & all.

Or if its easier from below, forget the ladder and just keep cleaning from below.

Well, when our sweep went up to put a new cap on (which may have been a mistake...) he needed three ladders. One to get from the ground to the roof of the laundry room, another to get up the main roof to where the chimney is, and then a third between the upper side of the roof and the chimney to get up the chimney itself. He then put the cap on with a bunch of tapcons into the chimney masonry, so I'm not sure just how easy it would even be to get the cap off. When he first came out he took one look said something under his breath (It was in Czech, so I don't know just what it was, but it sounded rude :bug: ) and said it was getting cleaned from below...

I'm generally OK with heights (not great) but this setup scares me just looking at it from the ground.

Trouble is the main stove isn't much better to clean from the bottom. The insert comes down into a "T" that plugs into the back of the stove, there is only about 16" clearance between the bottom of the "T" where the cleanout cap is, and the hearth floor, and access is partly blocked by the stove. I'm not sure that a standard rod would be able to fit around the bend. This is why I've been thinking in terms of a drain snake or some other high flex approach.

Gooserider

Don't ya just hate when you don't know a language someone else is speaking? Especially when you just know its something rude LOL.
Sounds like a chore either way Goose. I did see some flexible rods online just for that purpose. I'll go see if I can find them again and post.
Can you pull the baffle out and go up through the stoves outlet?

 

[Hogwildz]

Found them, not sure if these would work for you or not. A couple say 90* bends or more.

(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/chimney-sweeping-rods.asp)

 

[Gooserider]

Found them, not sure if these would work for you or not. A couple say 90* bends or more.

(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/chimney-sweeping-rods.asp)

Thanks for the link, they appear to have some good stuff, although it looks like by the time I get enough rods to reach the top of the chimney I'd be looking at big bucks again (it's about 30')

I'm not in a panic at this point, we aren't burning as much wood this season so presumably we have less buildup to worry about. I may just go ahead and get one of those hand held drain snakes to experiment with, the brush would be the same, and if it works the drain snake would be less than a third the cost of the rods. I was just hoping someone else had tried the experiment first to let me know if it worked or not.

Gooserider

 

[Hogwildz]

Found them, not sure if these would work for you or not. A couple say 90* bends or more.

(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/chimney-sweeping-rods.asp)

Thanks for the link, they appear to have some good stuff, although it looks like by the time I get enough rods to reach the top of the chimney I'd be looking at big bucks again (it's about 30')

I'm not in a panic at this point, we aren't burning as much wood this season so presumably we have less buildup to worry about. I may just go ahead and get one of those hand held drain snakes to experiment with, the brush would be the same, and if it works the drain snake would be less than a third the cost of the rods. I was just hoping someone else had tried the experiment first to let me know if it worked or not.

Gooserider

No problemo! Let me know how that drain snake works, I am thinking of a system like that with a power drill on the end. Does the drain snake come with 3 hooks on the end or a brush? The ones I seen have like hooks or jaws on the end.

 

[Gooserider]

Found them, not sure if these would work for you or not. A couple say 90* bends or more.

(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/chimney-sweeping-rods.asp)

Thanks for the link, they appear to have some good stuff, although it looks like by the time I get enough rods to reach the top of the chimney I'd be looking at big bucks again (it's about 30')

I'm not in a panic at this point, we aren't burning as much wood this season so presumably we have less buildup to worry about. I may just go ahead and get one of those hand held drain snakes to experiment with, the brush would be the same, and if it works the drain snake would be less than a third the cost of the rods. I was just hoping someone else had tried the experiment first to let me know if it worked or not.

Gooserider

No problemo! Let me know how that drain snake works, I am thinking of a system like that with a power drill on the end. Does the drain snake come with 3 hooks on the end or a brush? The ones I seen have like hooks or jaws on the end.

The ones our hardware store carries (a True Value franchise) are like a long coil spring, and the end looks like they just took the same spring wire and opened up the coil diameter and spread the windings for a few inches, then tapered it back down so it's sort of a diamond shape. I think the theory is that it drills its way through the clog and either breaks it up or catches it in the coil windings. To use it I would probably need to cut that bit off and make some sort of adapter to go from the wire spring to the brush. Thats the biggest challenge IMHO, as I'd want something I KNEW wasn't going to come apart on me - my nightmare is loosing the brush half way up the chimney....

I may look to see what Home Despot or some of the other hardware places carry to see if they have something with a screw on or other interchangeable tip design.

Gooserider

 

[Hogwildz]

Found them, not sure if these would work for you or not. A couple say 90* bends or more.

(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/chimney-sweeping-rods.asp)

Thanks for the link, they appear to have some good stuff, although it looks like by the time I get enough rods to reach the top of the chimney I'd be looking at big bucks again (it's about 30')

I'm not in a panic at this point, we aren't burning as much wood this season so presumably we have less buildup to worry about. I may just go ahead and get one of those hand held drain snakes to experiment with, the brush would be the same, and if it works the drain snake would be less than a third the cost of the rods. I was just hoping someone else had tried the experiment first to let me know if it worked or not.

Gooserider

No problemo! Let me know how that drain snake works, I am thinking of a system like that with a power drill on the end. Does the drain snake come with 3 hooks on the end or a brush? The ones I seen have like hooks or jaws on the end.

The ones our hardware store carries (a True Value franchise) are like a long coil spring, and the end looks like they just took the same spring wire and opened up the coil diameter and spread the windings for a few inches, then tapered it back down so it's sort of a diamond shape. I think the theory is that it drills its way through the clog and either breaks it up or catches it in the coil windings. To use it I would probably need to cut that bit off and make some sort of adapter to go from the wire spring to the brush. Thats the biggest challenge IMHO, as I'd want something I KNEW wasn't going to come apart on me - my nightmare is loosing the brush half way up the chimney....

I may look to see what Home Despot or some of the other hardware places carry to see if they have something with a screw on or other interchangeable tip design.

Gooserider

Now that you mention Home Peehole, its either them or the local Lowes here has several drain snakes for sale on the shelf. Different lengths, different pricing. Maybe you could at least get an up close view of it, to see what is needed to convert brush to end. I may take a better look myself. Thanks for reminding me