njtuna
ArboristSite Operative
new to the fireplace thing, and want to be safe. was curious as to how much it should cost to have our chimney swept. we are in northern nj.
Now I use owf and just load with dry hickory every
other load and burn it off but do not have to worry
about chimney fire.
There are some local "inventors" around here who came up with a way to clean the chimney(masonry) that kept the person who cleans the chimney on the ground!
It was called the "Ryden Rocket". There was a weight and rope attached to the wire cleaning brush that you released into the chimney from the top. You then pulled the brush down via the rope using the cleanout. Once down, you cranked the brush back up the chimney. Repeat as necessary.
The brush was stored in an apparatus that looked like a rocket that attached to the top of the chimney. It saw about 3 feet above the top of the chimney. Not quite sure where the rope that had the weight on it got stored, but my uncle had one and he swore by it. I think he said it only cost about $100(20 years ago).
Slightly off topic, I admit. But, it sure would be nice to clean a chimney without climbing the roof. It is especially useful for those chimneys that are hard to reach. I think the Ryden's stopped making them. Too bad!
How did you get the apparatus into the chimney in the first place if you don't have to climb up there?
Installation does require a one time trip up there. Like I said, he bought it years ago. I live too far away to take a picture, but it does look like a rocket above the chimney. I wish I had seen how the drop rope is stored. Maybe it is a steel cable and it just stays in the chimney? Seems to me that you could sweep the chimney anytime you wanted to with this system, so buildup on the cable wouldn't be an issue.
The next time I go to my Uncles place, I will try to take a picture of it and ask him the details. According to my uncle, they were quite popular in the 70's and 80's.
Oh, I see. Would this system work if you have a chimney cap?
Do you mean a cap that keeps rain/downdrafts out? My uncles keeps the rain out. It sits about 3 feet above the chimney opening.
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