Anyone clean Chimneys?

[demarpaint]

I'm looking to start cleaning my own Chimney, it seems easy enough. I've seen it done enough times to know how to do it. My question is, I have a rectangular chimney, and the brushes come in a couple if different sizes. The guy that cleaned it always used a round brush from the top down, however last time he cleaned it from the bottom up because he didn't feel like getting on the roof. Should I just go up and measure the opening and get a rectangular brush to fit it, or will a round brush do, and that's one less trip on the roof for me to measure?

 

[Shannow]

My house had (before I bought it) a rectangular chimney with an open coal fire at the base if it (roof space is pretty interesting with soot etc.)

House came with a chimney "brush" that was a length of timber, with some chicken wire wrapped around it to a diameter of about 6-7", the loose end of which would have been perfect for corners.

 

[04SE]

We clean our own for the wood stove. We bought the brush and rods at Menards years ago. One guy cleans from the roof while one guys sucks everything up at the bottom with a shop vac.

 

[demarpaint]

Do you guys think a round brush will work in a rectangular chimney? Judging from how it was done in the past it didn't seem to matter.

 

[fdcg27]

How much build-up is there in the chimney?
We have an open fireplace and having hot, free burning fires keeps the chimney pretty clean.
Of course, a fireplace liberates lots of BTUs quickly and most of them are lost up the chimney.
If you're using something like a wood stove or an insert, opening the doors and allowing a free burning fire now and then should keep the chimney clean enough that yearly cleanings are not needed.
It'll depend upon how much creosote build-up you see.

 

[demarpaint]

I burn about 5-6 full cords each year in a wood burning insert. The chimney is always good with little build up and in great shape according to the guy that cleaned it for me. He's been doing it every other year for 14 years now. He always says whatever I'm doing in terms of a fire I'm doing it right. I burn it hot! He's getting old, and I'd rather not deal with the typical chimney cleaners who try to sell liners etc.

I just need to know if the round brush is the way to go, or if I have to make a trip on the roof and measure for a rectangular brush?

 

[rfeir]

You have to measure!

 

[andyd]

If it is a regular chimney, it should have a rectangular flue. I can pull off the gazinta to my chimney and use a mirror to check out the chimney. If you run the stove, wide open for 20 minutes a week, you will never need to clean the flue. This is a good time to clean chimneys. The summer heat has dried out the creosote and it has peeled away from the flue.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: rfeir
You have to measure!


So much for the guy who cleaned it for me using a round brush. I'll get on the roof next week and measure it.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: andyd
If it is a regular chimney, it should have a rectangular flue. I can pull off the gazinta to my chimney and use a mirror to check out the chimney. If you run the stove, wide open for 20 minutes a week, you will never need to clean the flue. This is a good time to clean chimneys. The summer heat has dried out the creosote and it has peeled away from the flue.


It is rectangular. I run it wide open a lot more than 20 minutes a week, in fact the only time we really choke it down is when we're at work or sleeping. We burn it 24/7, and if we're home its burning wide open probably 90% of the time. The stove is steel, and doesn't hold heat like cast iron does, so we have to burn it hot to really heat the house. I still like the idea of cleaning it every other year though.

 

[Bandito440]

Get a rectangular brush for sure. It'll make things a lot easier and you'll clean the inside corners better. Do it annually. That's not something to mess around with.

 

[Blaze]

I burn wood 24/7 during fall/winter. Clean the chimney 2 times per yr. Its a round 6 in stainless steel insulated pipe. I clean the chimney from inside the house (steep metal roof pitch). I have the quick release double wall sleeve form the stove to ceiling. It simple and fast to remove from the stove to where it enters the ceiling. Remove that and start pushing brush and adding rods until you are at the top cap. I use a plastic garbage bag to catch the creosote. Takes me probably 30 mins to clean it from start to finish and I don't have to climb the roof. I do go up there once per yr and do a quick chimney inspection and clean the top cap.

 

[HM12460]

I use a rectangular brush on my rectangular chimney. Couldn't find the right size locally so I bought one on e-bay.