c/chimney-sweeps

Remember when we used to just eyeball a flue liner for fit?

Back in the early 2000s working around Boise, I'd just hold a liner up and guess if it was right for the old clay tile. Now I use a specific flue sizing gauge from Chimney Liner Depot every single time. The change came after I had to redo a whole install in 2012 because my guess was off by an inch. Anyone else have a specific tool that totally replaced an old 'by feel' method?

A customer's fireplace in Denver showed me I was checking for blockages wrong

I was doing a standard inspection last week, shining my light up from the bottom like always. The homeowner asked if I could check from the roof too, just to be sure. When I went up top and dropped my camera down, I saw a huge bird's nest about three feet down from the crown that my bottom-up light had completely missed. It was tucked right behind a bend in the flue. Honestly, I've been doing this for eight years and never thought to double-check from both ends on every job. How many of you make a two-way check your normal routine?

Serious question, had a flue tile crack on a job in Boise yesterday and had to improvise a temporary seal with high-temp mortar and a steel band.

The homeowner's old furnace back-puffed during a test fire, and the sudden pressure shift split a tile three feet up, so I mixed a fast-set mortar, wrapped the section with a band clamp from my truck, and told them to keep it under 300 degrees until I can replace the liner next Tuesday.

Just spent 45 minutes trying to get a raccoon out of a flue in Burlington

The little guy had a whole nest up there and kept popping back down every time I thought he was gone. Anyone else ever had a job turn into a full-on wildlife rescue?

Spent $450 on a new rotary cleaning head and it saved my back on a tough job in Portland

Found a scary number in a fire report from my town

I was looking at our local fire department's yearly report online. They said 30% of the house fires they put out last year started in the chimney. That's way more than I thought. It was in the section about preventable causes. Makes me double check every flue liner I see now. Do you guys bring up stats like this when you talk to customers?

Cleared my 500th flue liner last week and the number hit me harder than I expected.

It was a standard brick ranch in Springfield, and when I logged the job later that night, the counter on my app just rolled over. I guess it made me think about all the soot and creosote I've seen over the years... What's a job count or milestone that made you pause and look back?

I finally switched to a different creosote remover after a customer complaint

A homeowner in Tacoma told me last month that the chemical spray I was using left a strong, bad smell in their living room for days. They said it was worse than the old fireplace smell. I looked into it and swapped to a low-odor formula from a different brand, and it's been a lot better. Has anyone else had a customer complain about the smell of their cleaning chemicals?

Finally got a clean sweep on the old Johnson place fireplace after three visits

I kept getting called back to that house because the living room would fill with smoke. The owner was sure it was a blockage, but I checked the flue and it was clear. On the third trip, I took a closer look at the damper. The old iron plate was warped just enough from years of heat that it wasn't sealing fully when closed. It was letting a steady draft down the chimney even when they had a fire going. I showed them how to adjust the handle to really crank it shut, and that fixed it. They were just pulling it to what felt like closed. A simple thing, but it makes a huge difference in draft control and safety. How many of you check the damper seal as part of a standard inspection?

The day I realized my brush was too stiff for a historic flue in Charleston

I was cleaning a 150-year-old chimney downtown last fall, and my standard poly brush got stuck halfway up. The old clay liner was rough and uneven, and I had to pull hard for ten minutes to get it free. I switched to a softer horsehair brush I keep in the truck for delicate jobs, and it slid right through without a scratch. Anyone else run into this with really old brickwork, and what brush do you grab first?

Pro tip: check the damper before you start sweeping

I was in an old farmhouse near Lancaster last week, up on the roof with my rods. Started pushing the brush down and hit solid resistance about three feet in. Thought it was a big nest. Spent twenty minutes trying to work it loose before I went inside to look up the flue with a mirror. The homeowner had closed the cast iron damper all the way and forgot to tell me. Felt like a total rookie. Anyone else have a simple thing waste a bunch of your time?

My old way of checking for blockages was a total comedy of errors

Back when I started, my method for checking a flue was basically just shining a flashlight up there and squinting. I'd get soot in my eye half the time and miss things. The real turning point was a job in Bellingham about three years ago. I was sure a chimney was clear, but the homeowner called back two days later saying their living room was filling with smoke. I rushed over, and after a real check with a proper camera, found a huge bird's nest about eight feet up that I'd completely missed. I felt like a total fool. Now I won't even think about calling a job done without running my inspection camera the whole length. It cost a bit, but it saves so much trouble and embarrassment. Has anyone else had a 'how did I miss that' moment that made you change your routine for good?

Remember when we used to fight with those old clay flue liners?

Had a job on a 1920s house in Springfield where the liner was crumbling and the brush kept getting stuck. Out of frustration, I tried a trick an old timer told me about: wrapping the brush head with a strip of old carpet, nap side out. It grabbed the loose bits without catching and got us through the clean. Anyone still use a version of that trick today?

PSA: That 'universal' chimney cap adapter cost me $45 and a whole afternoon

It didn't fit any of the three flue tiles I tried it on, so I had to go back to the supply house anyway. Anyone have a good brand for odd-sized clay flue liners?

Had a close call with a hidden raccoon nest in a chimney in Portland last month

I was doing a routine inspection on an old house and started pulling down the brush. About halfway down, I heard this frantic scratching and a whole mess of twigs and leaves came tumbling into the firebox. A full family of raccoons had built a nest right in the smoke shelf area, which I couldn't see from the top. The homeowner had no idea they were even up there. Now I always do a camera inspection before I even start the brush on any job that's been idle for a season. What's your go-to method for checking for animals before a sweep?

My neighbor's new prefab fireplace insert has me questioning our whole creosote removal method

I was helping him check the install last week and the manual said to only use a specific type of brush for the liner, not our standard wire ones. It got me thinking about whether we're too set in our ways with old tools for new systems. What's your go-to method for cleaning those modern, coated flues?

Finally got that old farmhouse flue liner in after a full day of fighting it

Got a call for a 1920s brick chimney in Millbrook that hadn't been touched in decades. The clay liner was shot, so I went to put in a new stainless steel one. The old mortar had crumbled and fallen into the space, creating a solid block about eight feet down. Had to chip it out piece by piece with a hammer and chisel from the roof. What I thought was a three hour job turned into a solid eight. Anyone else run into a liner just completely packed with old debris?

Found a 1930s newspaper stuffed in a flue near Albany

It was a slow Tuesday cleaning a farmhouse chimney, and the pages were perfectly preserved behind some old mortar droppings. Reading about a local baseball game from ninety years ago while covered in soot just hit different, you know? Ever pull something truly weird out of a chimney?

I swore by my old rotary brush for a decade until a job in Boise this spring...

Got called to a 1920s brick chimney with a serious creosote plug about 15 feet up, and my usual gear just spun and jammed. Ended up having to switch to rods and a flat scraper, which took almost four hours instead of my usual one. What's your go-to method for a thick, stubborn plug like that?

My neighbor in Boise argued that a 12x12 clay flue liner is always better than a metal one, even for gas.

He said the clay handles condensation better long-term, but my supplier pushes stainless steel for everything. Which material do you guys trust more for a gas fireplace liner?

Appreciation post: My $400 inspection camera was the best money I ever spent

I used to spend hours guessing at blockages or damage, but this little camera on a flexible rod shows me exactly what's going on up there. It paid for itself in one job by finding a cracked flue tile the homeowner's previous sweep missed. What's the one tool you bought that you can't imagine working without now?

Hit 500 chimney caps installed and it made me rethink my whole pricing model

I was going through my old work orders from the last three years and added them up. The total came to 500 caps installed, which is way more than I thought. I used to charge a flat $150 for a basic stainless cap, no matter the job. Seeing that number made me realize I was losing money on tough two-story jobs with tricky flashing. Now I have a base price plus a ladder fee over 20 feet. Anyone else adjust their rates after looking at the real numbers?

PSA: A blocked flue in a Buffalo row house changed how I check for birds

I was cleaning a chimney on Elmwood Avenue last Tuesday and found a full nest blocking the top, which the homeowner said they heard no noise from. I had to call a wildlife removal service before I could even start the sweep, adding two hours to the job. What's your go-to method for checking for animal activity before you set up?

Switched from a standard brush to a poly whip for a tight flue and it saved my afternoon

I had a job on a narrow Victorian in Portland with a really tight, square flue. My choice was between forcing my regular steel brush or trying a new poly whip I bought on a whim. I went with the whip, and it bent around the corners without getting stuck. It cleaned the whole thing in about 45 minutes, where the brush would have taken me twice as long with a lot more cursing. Anyone else use these for old, awkward chimneys?

My old fiberglass extension pole snapped clean in two on a job in Tacoma last Tuesday.