Cleaning tall metal chimney from downstairs?

[Bill]

I am going to be installing a tall metal wood stove chimney which will be

11 ft. high from the roof. Note that my roof is also at about a 45 degree slope, so I can't stand on the roof.

Needless to say, there will be no way to clean this chimney from the top down without a high-lift.

I spoke to a lady who has a similar chimney and she said they had theirs cleaned from inside the house - bottom up. Unfortunately, she was not home when it was cleaned, so did not know how they did it.

The wood stove I will be purchasing will not allow cleaning from inside the wood stove.

So how do you clean a chimney from inside the house?

[SQLit]

Some chimney sweeps have a sectioned pole for the cleaning head. The one I saw was in about 3 foot long sections. Have not a clue where you would buy one. I guess you could make your own.

[Offbreed]

Our local Ace Hardware has them. As should any place that sells wood stoves.

[Cj Johansson]

See:

I had one for years in my last house, heated only with wood - worked great. Don't have a wood stove now (all solar/hydronic) though if I did, I'd install one of these again.

-cj

[Don Bruder]

You start out by desiging it inside-cleanable...

Put a "T" piece in, same size as your main flue.

For an "out the side/back" chimney:

| | | | | | | | ----- | | |stove|---| | | |---| | | | | | | | ^----- Clean from here ----- / \\

For an "out the top" style:

| | | | | | | | -----| | / ----| | / / | | | | | | ----- ^----- Clean from here |stove| | | | | | | ----- / \\

In both cases, the lower arm of the "T" has a suitable cover that's kept in place when the stove is fired.

[Stu]

It is a long process but can be done. Take off the flue pipe from the stove to the ceiling. Drill a 1 inch hole centered in the bottom of a five-gallon bucket. Insert the first three-foot section of your cleaning brush through the hole from the top-side of the bucket. Place the brush in the flue and have a helper hold the bucket (the bucket holds all the crap that falls down) against the ceiling. Add more sections as you go until you reach the top and then reverse the process. A good cleaning will take several cycles.

[Marilyn & Bob]

Get rod kit + appropriate size brush: