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Just figured out a better way to handle those tight Victorian fireplace angles

I was working on a 1920s house in Cincinnati last week and the firebox had this impossible 45-degree bend. My standard brush was just jamming. On a whim, I took a section of old 3/8 inch poly rod, heated it with a torch to soften it, and bent it to match the angle before it cooled. It slid right through and cleaned perfectly. Has anyone else had to make a custom rod for a weird old chimney?
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3 Comments
hugo645
hugo6451mo ago
We had a 1915 colonial in St. Louis with a fireplace that had a 60-degree offset right above the damper. I ended up cutting a fiberglass rod in half and using a heat gun to put a permanent bend in one piece, then duct-taped it back together for the straight run. It was the only thing that would make the turn without getting stuck. Your poly rod idea is probably even more flexible for that.
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harris.drew
@hugo645 Duct tape fixes are the real old house magic.
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karen_martin
Ever try a plumber's snake for that?
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