Hello, I was just on the sooteater website thinking about getting one. On there site is says it will easily make a 90 degree bend. I want to clean my chimney by going threw the clean out door outside of the house. The cleanout door is about 1 foot off the ground.. Does anybody do this this and do you think it would work? Thanks
Sooteater
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mrd1995
Burning Hunk
You are from down around my old stomping grounds, down in Greene Co. my dad uses a soot eater with the cleanout entrance at a immediate 90 and he has had no problem. Theirs is a rectangular masonry chimney.
mrd1995
Burning Hunk
I will note the one thing that he did was instead of using a cordless drill he went for a corded 1/2" chuck drill. I think there chimney is around 30' the cordless at-least the last gen. of the big yellow brand didn't last long with amount of torque needed to begin turning brush. Maybe with the new 20V lithium batteries maybe different...
My cleanup is about 18" up, and I can get the black Sooteater to make the bend. The only pain to it is getting it straight enough to connect and disconnect the sections without the black rod pushing on the inside corner of the chimney pipe. The metal connector pieces can feel sticky when there's pressure on them.
I use a Makita 18v cordless drill, and it works great.
Just wanted to give an update. I used the sooteeater and it worked fine.. I was worried because the cleanout is only about 12 inches up so I had a bit of trouble getting the first section started. ALso was on a 90 degree bend the entire time I cleaned it.
I recently purchased a sooteater for my tile chimney and it worked good. I want to purchase one for my dad for christmas. He has a insert with a chimney liner. Can I order the same one I bought or the other model. Also what is the difference and are the poles interchangeable?
Ok thankyou 
I just wanted to make sure it would work for a chimney liner the same as my teracotta tile.
I just wanted to make sure it would work for a chimney liner the same as my teracotta tile.
Supersurvey
Feeling the Heat
Is there a specific model I need for a 6 inch stainless double wall chimney? Or is ever soot eater the same?
jmb6420
Burning Hunk
Gardus SLK-24 SootEater is specifically made for liners. Comes with 24' of the white rod which is more flexible than the black. Cheapest I found it was Walmart online for $68 shipped. They also sell extension rods if you need more than 24'.
The only difference I see is diameter of the rods?? Head is a tad smaller but what could make a difference?
jmb6420
Burning Hunk
I emailed Gardus a couple of weeks ago asking the difference. This was their response.
"The black rods are manufactured using a stiffer poly material. The rod is larger in diameter, and hollow cored. They are stiffer, and easily bend to a 30 degree bend. You can bend them 180 degrees without damaging them, but that resiliency is not part of its intended use. These were designed as the best rod for classic chimney sweeping of an open hearth appliance like a fireplace.
The white rods are a solid extrusion of a specific nylon. This rod is thinner diameter than the black rod. It bends easier, and that is part of the design of the product. It will navigate 90 degree elbows with ease. These rods were designed as the best rod for sweeping sealed/controlled combustion wood burning appliances like a wood stove that often has elbows stronger than 30 degrees.
Both rods have the same button lock, and share integrated connectivity; Meaning, you can connect white rods to black rods, and black rods to white rods.
You are welcome to reach out to me personally if you have any further questions."
"The black rods are manufactured using a stiffer poly material. The rod is larger in diameter, and hollow cored. They are stiffer, and easily bend to a 30 degree bend. You can bend them 180 degrees without damaging them, but that resiliency is not part of its intended use. These were designed as the best rod for classic chimney sweeping of an open hearth appliance like a fireplace.
The white rods are a solid extrusion of a specific nylon. This rod is thinner diameter than the black rod. It bends easier, and that is part of the design of the product. It will navigate 90 degree elbows with ease. These rods were designed as the best rod for sweeping sealed/controlled combustion wood burning appliances like a wood stove that often has elbows stronger than 30 degrees.
Both rods have the same button lock, and share integrated connectivity; Meaning, you can connect white rods to black rods, and black rods to white rods.
You are welcome to reach out to me personally if you have any further questions."
Thanks. I've posted that the Rockford Chimney web sites states that the white rods are more flexible. I have white rods, and others with white rods have stated that that they haven't had a problem.
I bought it from Rockford because they specifically state that they carry the white rods.
I have used it twice for before season cleaning in my 28-foot liner. No problems. Works great.
I've asked folks on here that have had an issue what color rods they have.
I bought it from Rockford because they specifically state that they carry the white rods.
I have used it twice for before season cleaning in my 28-foot liner. No problems. Works great.
I've asked folks on here that have had an issue what color rods they have.
Wood1Dennis
Feeling the Heat
I didn't even know about the white rods.... I have a 6" stainless chimney with two 30 degree bends. The black ones work great in my application.
ColdNorCal
Feeling the Heat
Also using Black rods. Stove has a 75* bend directly on top of stove then a sweeping bend with the liner to make it vertical. I move the stove to the side and go directly into the liner. I use a 1" pvc pipe going through a hole in a plastic bag with rubber bands keeping the plastic bag attached to the liner. Works great. Last year I tried a shop vacuum with a hose attached to exhaust port exiting outside the house, holding it at the liner. Plastic bag is easier and much faster.
All, I see on the Rockford website that they have one (with the white rods) "ideal for flexible liners".
I have a rigid heavy gauge liner. Do you know whether the "for flexible liner" one has softer brushes? (I surmise my rigid liner can handle quite a bit, so the tougher the bristles, the better it is? Or does this not make a difference?)
Also, I can't find the SootEater website. Is Gardus the same? Googling gives me many "similar" kits, and I thought Gardus was such a similar (knock-off).
I rather spend a few tens of dollars more and get the good (and durable) stuff than something that looks the same but really isn't.
So, where did you buy?
I have a rigid heavy gauge liner. Do you know whether the "for flexible liner" one has softer brushes? (I surmise my rigid liner can handle quite a bit, so the tougher the bristles, the better it is? Or does this not make a difference?)
Also, I can't find the SootEater website. Is Gardus the same? Googling gives me many "similar" kits, and I thought Gardus was such a similar (knock-off).
I rather spend a few tens of dollars more and get the good (and durable) stuff than something that looks the same but really isn't.
So, where did you buy?
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