Seeing as we're getting to that time of year...
Is it worth considering buying a brush set to sweep my one 5" lined chimney or just leave it to a sweep? I assume sweeping an SS solid fuel liner is just a matter of pushing a suitably sized brush up (without knocking the cap cowl off!) and having the bottom sheeted with an old hoover attached to catch the crap?
presume it's on a stove?
Can you get to the cap and remove it and pull a brush *down* it with rope??
then all you need is a 5 or 6 inch "bottle brush" no rods, and less risk of knacking the liner on bends with rods etc...
Cheers JimK
JimK wibbled on Saturday 27 March 2010 20:28
Yes.
It's an interesting idea, but I'd prefer to avoid roof side work ;->
There are no significant bends apart from "danglage" and a very slight slight curve at the base. Access is good as it's a top flued stove - so only need to remove the baffle plate.
The economics are 7m worth of brush vs chimney sweep every year (or twice a year if you believe the stove instructions). It doesn't sound a very difficult job - but I wonder if there are any gotcha's with liners...
I do mine myself. It's a straightforward job, and with care isn't too messy. You can buy chemical logs which soften the deposits in the chimney prior to sweeping to make it a little easier, but it still shouldn't be too difficult. I probably do mine more frequently than I would if I paid a sweep, so the deposits don't build up so much anyway, and are easier to remove.
dan.
ct wibbled on Saturday 27 March 2010 20:53
Thanks for that. I have seen those logs you speak of - wondered what they were for. I think the local farmers place has them.
How much soot is the chimney sweep supposed to clean off?
When I bought my house the previous owner had a coal fire. I had the chimney swept and a gas fire installed when I moved in. I never used the gas fire and I removed it and the fireplace a few years later. The first thing that the cat did after removal was climb the chimney and fetch down loads of soot as soon as it saw the open chimney. This was enough soot to ruin the settee and the new carpet.
Adam
ct wibbled on Saturday 27 March 2010 20:53
Dumbass question, having looked at brushes... Is a 5" liner swept with a 5" brush or a 6" brush?
Dave Liquorice wibbled on Sunday 28 March 2010 11:59
All good questions... I think the fundamental question should be, do I want the brush a loose fit or slightly oversized for the tube? The rest I can work out then. I suspect I don't want it too tight or I'll pull the liner too much... But not an inch undersized as it'll miss bits. Prolly should go for the smallest brush which is 5", which should be a comfortable fit in a
5" liner (the inner being slightly smaller)... It's only a 10 quid risk as the poles will fit a 6" brush if I have to but another one...
What are the actual diameters of each brush? What is the actual internal diameter of the liner? How stiff are the bristles?
I think slightly oversize and I suspect that will be arranged for with a nominal 5" brush for a nominal 5" liner. Soot in an open chimney is very soft and comes away easyly, I don't know about the soot/deposits in a flue from a stove as the gases are much hotter.
If it's a bit over, it'd be best to go clear out of the top before reversing it. As the bristles straighten, especially stiffish ones, they'll tend to 'lock' in to the liner (even worse on a rough surface).
Are the theads the same as the ones on drain rods?
Adam
Yes the screw threads are the same as drain rods.
AJH
The brushes I've got are the same nominal size as the liner (i.e., 6" liner, 6" brush). Don't get a brush which is too big because the bristles are very stiff, and pushing it up the chimney becomes extremely hard work. The brush should fit snugly, but not so snug that you can't easily spin it and pull it in and out. Alternatively, get a brush from somewhere like Toolstation, which comes in a single size, and then trim it down (tin-snips are good for this) until you get a size which works nicely in your chimney.
dan.
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