Honestly, met a sweep who refuses to work on metal chimneys, calls them too risky. I've done dozens with no issues. Is this a common split in the trade?

3 comments

3 Comments

Read a trade magazine piece last year that broke down injury stats by chimney type. Metal ones weren't even in the top five for accidents, which was surprising. The big fear seems to be about them coming apart or burning through, but that's usually from neglect. If you check the seams and supports first, it's no more dangerous than a brick stack. Guess some folks just hear horror stories and decide it's not worth the hassle. Their loss, more metal chimneys for the rest of us.

nancycooper1mo ago

Yeah, the 'too risky' thing for metal chimneys cracks me up! I've had my share of close calls, but mostly because I was being clumsy, not because of the chimney material. There's a clear split in the trade, some sweeps are super cautious and others just go for it. I've found that with the right tools and a bit of care, metal chimneys are just fine to work on. It really comes down to personal comfort and what you've done before, I guess.

amy9741mo agoTop Commenter

Three close calls you mentioned and none were the chimney's fault? That's some next-level bad luck right there.