My last job with a chemical cleaner has me doubting their value

I tried a chemical cleaner on a stubborn chimney last week. Some sweeps swear by them for tough creosote, saying it saves time and effort. But others argue it's unsafe and can damage the flue over time. Now I'm stuck wondering if the quick fix is worth the potential risks. What do you all think, is it ever okay to go chemical?

3 comments

3 Comments

noahmartin5d ago

My sweep in Atlanta uses chemicals on every job with no problems.

martinez.kim5d ago

Ever feel like chemical cleaners are a shortcut that bites you back? In my experience, using them on my own fireplace was like trusting a magic potion, and I'm no wizard. They can break down creosote fast, but you gotta worry about residue and what it does to the liner over time. Your mileage may vary, but I'd say save it for real tough jobs and always follow up with a good manual sweep.

milaw144d ago

Why does it always feel like a red flag when someone says they use chemicals for every single job? Like, that's not a badge of honor, it's admitting you skip the actual work. Using those cleaners all the time seems like the fireplace version of a kid using a calculator for 2+2. Sure, it gets an answer, but you learn nothing and probably break the thing faster.