craig.mila•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Had an old-timer call out my brush technique last month

I was sweeping a flue for a client in an 1890s house and this retired sweep who lives on the same street comes over and says I was pushing too fast and missing the top third of the pipe. He showed me how to slow down and let the bristles actually grab the buildup near the crown. Changed my pace on the last three jobs and the soot load in my catch bucket doubled. Anyone else get feedback from a random passerby that actually helped?

2 comments

2 Comments

miles_young591mo ago

Had a guy walk up on me at a job site two years ago and tell me I was too rough with the flex rods. He was an old sweep too, maybe 70 years old. I almost brushed him off but he showed me how a few small adjustments could stop me from damaging the liners and actually clear the flue better. Changed my whole approach after that day. Made me realize just because you've been doing something a certain way for years doesn't mean you can't learn something from someone who's been at it longer. I used to think old timers were just stuck in their ways. Now I listen more.

the_jessica1mo ago

I almost brushed him off" - see, that's what I don't get. Like, was it really that deep? Dude just showed you a different way to wiggle a rod, not exactly life changing stuff. But I guess if it made you feel better about your work, cool.