Used to tape off every single flue tile like a surgeon, now I just eyeball it

Back when I first started sweeping about 8 years ago, I would spend 20 minutes masking every inch of the firebox before I even touched the brush. I was terrified of getting soot on the hearth or the carpet, so I'd use like half a roll of blue tape and plastic sheeting. Then last winter I did a job for a guy in a old Victorian house near Cleveland, and his wife was watching me set up and goes "you know, my dad was a sweep in the 70s and he just threw down a drop cloth and went to work." That got me thinking, so I tried it on the next job with just a heavy tarp and some painter's plastic around the opening. Now I only tape if the fireplace has a light colored stone or marble surround, otherwise I just lay down a tarp and a shop vac nearby. Has anyone else stopped doing the full surgical prep and just gotten faster with cleanup instead?

2 comments

2 Comments

robinwalker24d agoTop Commenter

Got a buddy who used to be a mechanic and he told me once that the best tool in his box was a roll of paper towels and a can of brake cleaner. Kinda the same idea, spend less time prepping and more time just dealing with the mess head on. I remember one job where I forgot my tape at the shop, had to use a bedsheet from my truck and some random rocks to hold it down. Worked fine, customer didn't even notice. Now I only break out the tape for those fancy river rock fireplaces where the soot gets stuck in every crevice and the homeowner will stare at it for weeks.

luna_sanchez24d ago

Honestly I did the exact same thing when I started out, spent forever taping every tiny crack. Now I just throw down a thick tarp and use a shop vac with a good filter, way less stress and faster jobs.