Cleaning stainless steel chimney liner.

[85 Bears]

Last year we had a fireplace insert installed in our basement.
It has a 6 inch stainless steel liner in the chimney that is about 25 feet long.
I would like to clean it before fireing it up.
I've seen kits that use a pull rope and others using rods.
Is one better than the other?

 

[logbutcher]

Fiberglass rods with thick FG brush is how we do it yearly for both 6" SS flues. Each rod is 6', threads onto the next for the length of flue (3 for us). This top down method means that you've got roof access, can be secure on heights. I installed a 3/4" climbing line onto a roofer's ring secured into the ridge for easy access to the flues.Roof is a 10/12 pitch.

The bottom up method can be more involved, usually for fireplaces. The flue pipe has to be accessible at the base, with the stove slid out of the way.

Your choice.

 

[scotvl]

I've been using the yellow fiberglass rods for years and they work great.

 

[Valkyrie Rider]

I use the fibreglass rods with a poly brush on my 21' stainless chimney. Works great.

 

[kyrob]

Anyone ever try a brush on the end of a drain snake chucked up in a drill?

Rob

 

[Wife'nHubby]

Anyone ever try a brush on the end of a drain snake chucked up in a drill?

Rob

No, but there is the SootEater: http://www.sooteater.com/chimney/

Shari

 

[sawkiller]

Anyone ever try a brush on the end of a drain snake chucked up in a drill?

Rob

As long as you are burning normal class A combustibles the "soot" will brush right out and there is no need to get fancy with a stainless chimney. 1 pass with the brush and mine is clean. If you have a masonry chimney it may be a different story and I have no experience with those other than when we put them out while they are on fire.

 

[GoRving]

PVC pipes with threaded connectors work very well on the brush. I have been using a wire brush in my SS liner, but I think that's a no-no. I need to get a poly one.

 

[discman400]

I tried the rope method 2 years ago and the my rope got caught several times on the screws that connect the liner sections,it isn't easy getting the rope off of the screws either, especially when your looking into a black-hole. I went with the fiberglass rods after that and have never looked back.

 

[85 Bears]

Thanks for the input.
I'll go with the rods and fiberglass brush.