"Chimney Sweeping Log" any good?

[Mitch]

Are these things useful?

[Don Phillipson]

Canadian sweeps and fire chiefs seem to agree:

1. Better than nothing
2. Not so good as professional brushing. The theory is that chemical action causes creosote to flake off the flu walls and fall down to the bottom.

-- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

[HeatMan]

Nope. It's like using a leaf blower to de-thatch your lawn.

[DaveG]

I've heard that you can use them for door stops in a pinch.

[Mitch]

Glad I asked!

Is there any way I can tell visually if the chimney needs to be cleaned? We burn wood casually (maybe 3 nights per week) during the winter, and we've lived here 4 years.

[Carolyn Marenger]

As a rule, clean your chimney's once a year. Chimney cleaning kits don't cost alot, and once you've figured it out, it only takes an afternoon to clean a couple chimneys, and youself after the fact.

If you are burning softwood (evergreens) then think about cleaning more often - they produce more sap, which makes more creosote.

As a side issue... Cleaning your chimney when it isn't needed is a lot less expensive than repairing a house fire.

Carolyn

[Caroline or Greg :P]

[Wade Lippman]

What it is the reasoning behind that? I use my fireplace about twice a year, and my wood stove about 6 times. (seasoned hardwood only) That is maybe 5% of a heavy user. Shouldn't I be able to let several years go between cleanings?

[Caroline or Greg :P]

besides the creosote that can still get into the chimney with burning seasoned hardwood, there is also the possibility of leaves etc getting into the chimney from up top. And if you use anything as kindling instead of hardwood there is more creosote than you think. All this infomation came from my father who had a NASTY flue fire when he was younger... did a lot of damage to the house. The fire department told him that no matter how muc he used his stove/fireplace it should be swept once a year at the least... Didn't have to be "professionally" done... was told he could buy a kit and do it on his own, but it should be done...

Sorry for the long post

[Bob]

swept at least

the fall....

If you did it in the spring, why would you want to do it in the fall? You probably haven't had a fire in the meantine.

Bob

[Kelly E Jones]

This is really a simple job, too... I think the steel brush needed can be had at Home Despot for ~$10. Besides that, you need a couple lengths of rope and a weight (I use an old sash weight, but anything heavy enough to pull a rope down the chimney would work). Get up on the roof, drop the weighted rope down the chimney, and tie on the brush, and another length of rope. Go back inside and pull the brush through, using the rope. Get back on the roof, and pull the brush back out through the top. That's it, you're done for another year!

Kelly

[Dane Brickman]

[Jimmy]

Then just clean it in the fall :-)

[Jimmy]

If you have a cleanout door, you can buy fiberglass rods and do it from the ground. It's a whole lot easier and safer than going up on the roof and you are likely to do it more often. Those rods will take some amazing turns into a cleanout door, around a corner, and up the chimney.

How often you need to clean depends on the height and composition of the chimney, how much you burn, and how hot the fire gets. Get a brush and go with "better safe than sorry".