Hit 500 chimneys cleaned in a single sweep season and it took me back to my first job

Skyler Baker · 2026-10-31T16:25:05.07982+00:00

So I counted up the logbook last night and came out to 502 chimneys from last season, which is the first time I've ever cracked 500. Back when I started in 1989 with a wire brush and a shop vac in the back of my truck, I figured a busy year was 150 houses and a lot of handshakes. The number caught me off guard because I still feel like I'm moving slower than I did at 30, but I guess the work adds up when you keep going. What got me was thinking about how the job itself has shifted, since I now spend more time explaining creosote to folks than actually scraping it out, and half my calls are about liners and caps instead of just a good brushing. My dad swept in the same town and he never kept a count at all, just knew his neighborhoods by name and which flues ran hot. I sat on the porch after I added up the last page and felt a little proud and a little tired all at once. Curious whether you folks keep a tally or just go by how the truck feels at the end of the day?

Librear

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Hit 500 chimneys cleaned in a single sweep season and it took me back to my first job | Chimney Sweeps - Librear