Chimney Cleaning Tools

[Rusty99]

I want clean the stainless steel 6" liner in my chimney thats connected to the wood insert.

Only put it in last winter but figure I should give it a scrub before this burning season.

I went down to the local Canadian Tire Hardware store to buy a chimney brush and rods. The brush 6" polypropylene brush is cheap $15. But the 5ft flexible rods are $9 each and I need about 5 rods for a total 25ft. Is that too much to pay?

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...erial+Flexible+Chimney+Brush+Rod%2C+1.5+M.jsp

Any other tips for chimney cleaning tips/tricks would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Wood Scrounge]

not sure what the exchange rate is anymore but that seems to be what they go for. I paid ~$40 for my 25'

 

[ray benson]

I am able to clean my stove pipe from the top down. Instead of the rods used 2 lengths of 1/2" thinwall conduit.

 

[StihlyinEly]

Chain on the cheap

Another very effective cleaning method is to put some chain in a cloth sack and lower it down and back, down and back until the soot quits dropping to the bottom of the chimney. Most folks have some old chain laying around. Just gotta experiment to get the right amount of chain/bag. Plenty of penny-pinchers up here have been doing that their whole lives.

I don't know how you are set up, but you can also just buy the brush and run a rope off either end, pulling it repeatedly down and up the chimney. Two people makes the job go faster but one person can make it work with a lot of running back and forth. We chose the rope trick so we didn't have to spend $ on the rods.

 

[Marc]

Another very effective cleaning method is to put some chain in a cloth sack and lower it down and back, down and back until the soot quits dropping to the bottom of the chimney. Most folks have some old chain laying around. Just gotta experiment to get the right amount of chain/bag. Plenty of penny-pinchers up here have been doing that their whole lives.

I don't know how you are set up, but you can also just buy the brush and run a rope off either end, pulling it repeatedly down and up the chimney. Two people makes the job go faster but one person can make it work with a lot of running back and forth. We chose the rope trick so we didn't have to spend $ on the rods.

That's how my old man does his chimney. And somehow I'm always the one the winds up standing on the top of his chimney. Oh well, I can't complain with all that he does for me.

 

[Coldfront]

I am able to clean my stove pipe from the top down. Instead of the rods used 2 lengths of 1/2" thinwall conduit.

Same here and I got the conduit free from an electrician friend, all it cost me was the brush.

 

[MotorSeven]

Same here and I got the conduit free from an electrician friend, all it cost me was the brush.

Another vote for conduit/EMT, 2 sticks of 1/2"(10' long ea), one 1/2" connector, slip one end over the brush threads, drill a hole in it and the brush & run a bolt thru. Climb on roof and do the 'ole inoutinout.

It's cheap & works great!

RD

 

[05mxdiesel]

I use rope and refuse to buy rods, plus I have a large concrete cap attached to my chimney which would be hard with rods. I usually have my neighbor come over and help me for 10 minutes or so. The insert I have, which I rarely use, I do the same way but a little more difficult since it has to be pulled.

 

[flotek]

get a sooteater kit ,or otherwise called the chimney whip ,its 60 bucks for the kit and uses a power drill

 

[cableguy256]

well, might as well throw my redneck idea in here.... for mine, I have a 6" flu pipe on inside which leads into a 9" square terra-cotta liner (I know, weird size)... so for the flu pipe I have a 6" wire wheel attached to the end of a broom handle which I push through the pipe repeatedly till all clean... and for the terra-cotta I get on the roof with my creation which is about 25' of 4ga. ground wire with a weight tied on one end, an 8" wire wheel about 4" above said weight... which I just lower down the chimney repeatadly then go down to my cleanout after all done. all-in-all cost me about $7 to make..

 

[Coldfront]

get a sooteater kit ,or otherwise called the chimney whip ,its 60 bucks for the kit and uses a power drill

Us cheap bastards pay $60 no way. lol
That is almost a down payment on a new chainsaw.

 

[cableguy256]

Us cheap bastards pay $60 no way. lol
That is almost a down payment on a new chainsaw.

:agree2:

 

[Mike PA]

I out-cheap everyone here. I use an old towel and some rope. I bundle the towel to just fit in the chimney, tie it on, and pull it down with the rope. Does just fine on my SS chimney, but there really isn't much to clean.

 

[Rusty99]

Wow, great replies guys. So does a stainless steel chimney liner require less regular cleaning compared to a masonary? Just wondering as I only got the Stainless steel last winter.

 

[cableguy256]

Wow, great replies guys. So does a stainless steel chimney liner require less regular cleaning compared to a masonary? Just wondering as I only got the Stainless steel last winter.

If the stainless is triple-wall insulated, then in theory if the fire is burned right, it should require less cleaning as it retains heat better than masonary does once it's outside the house. Not sure about regular stainless if it's not triple wall.

 

[Mike PA]

I've got double wall insulated chimney. I don't really need to clean it every year, but I do just because I want to make sure. If I open the T and let the creosote fall out, that is all I really would need. My inside pipe get as much creosote as the outside, I think because I have a few feet of horizontal run.

Whatever the reason, my chimney really doesn't need a cleaning. The top cap might, though.

 

[rfalk]

sooteater

get a sooteater kit ,or otherwise called the chimney whip ,its 60 bucks for the kit and uses a power drill

+1 on the sooteater...works good in my 35' of pipe.

 

[curdy]

I bought some rods and really don't like using them.

For the guys that use the rope or chain and pull down from the inside...how much stuff gets airborne inside the house?