That time I tried the 'vacuum from the top' trick and got a face full of soot

So last Tuesday I'm cleaning this old fireplace in a house built in 1920s here in Portland. I thought I'd be clever and use my shop vac with a flexible hose to suck all the creosote from the top down while I brushed. Seemed like a solid plan, right? Well I got about three feet in and the hose popped off the vac and whipped around like a snake. I ended up with a cloud of black dust all over my face, my hair, my jacket, my truck seats. The homeowner came in and asked if I was okay and I just stood there blinking with soot in my eyelashes. I learned that cheap couplers on those vac hoses are junk and you need to tape them down if you're gonna angle them up. Has anyone else tried this top down method and had it go sideways on em?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_rose14d ago

Oh man, that's brutal but also kind of a classic example of how shortcuts tend to backfire in the most spectacular way. In my experience, when you try to outsmart a job that's been done a certain way for decades, the universe usually finds a way to humble you real quick. Take it from someone who learned the hard way that tape is cheap but a face full of soot is priceless for your pride.

maxm6314d ago

The universe humbling you quick is spot on, @the_rose. I've seen plenty of guys learn that lesson with a face full of dust and a dented ego.