Used to hand-sweep every flue with just a wire brush

Back in 2008 when I started, I'd spend 45 minutes per job scraping creosote off the walls with a manual brush. Last year I finally switched to a rotary whip system from a supplier in Cleveland, cuts that same flue down to 15 minutes. The whip does a cleaner job on the walls too, but you gotta watch the vacuum setup or you'll bury the whole room in dust. Has anyone else found the rotary tools beat up your extension rods faster than hand brushing?

3 comments

3 Comments

knight.oscar22d ago

Do you really think the whip is doing a cleaner job, or is it just throwing the fine stuff into the air for your vacuum to catch? I've tested both side by side and the manual brush always left a better bite on the really stubborn glaze layers. Sure, the rotary is faster but I'm still having to hit the same spots twice, especially in older chimneys with heavy use. Plus you're right about the rods, those whips put a lot of torque on the connections and I've snapped two different sets already.

eva24322d ago

Wait, you snapped TWO sets of rods? That's insane. I've broken one but never two.

rivera.keith22d ago

Buddy of mine tried a whip on his mom's old flue and the damn thing snapped a rod clean in half.