Showerthought: Is hand sweeping actually better than using the vac attachment or are we just stubborn?

I keep seeing guys on jobs in Columbus who swear by the vac attachment for everything, but I swear I get more creosote out with a good hand brush and pan setup. Last week I did a test on a 1940s flue in Westerville and the vac left a fine layer of dust that I got with the hand sweep on the second pass. What do you all think, is the vac just for speed or am I missing something in my technique?

3 comments

3 Comments

susan_wright341mo ago

You tried the vac first and still had dust left behind? That's pretty much what I've always seen too. The vac is faster for sure, but if you're dealing with old creosote buildup in a flue that's been used for decades, hand sweeping gets the gunk that's really stuck. I'd say the vac is for routine maintenance and hand brushing is for when you actually need the flue clean. Plus you can feel the rough spots with the brush in a way you just can't with a vac.

alicehernandez1mo ago

Must be something about older chimneys, right? My grandma's place had this flue from like the 1920s and you could practically scrape out a small forest of creosote with a hand brush. @susan_wright34 is spot on about feeling the rough spots. I tried a vac on it once and it just whiffed around the edges, then I went in with a wire brush and literally pulled out chunks that the hose couldn't even touch. Sorta makes you wonder if some of these new tools are just overcomplicating a job that's been done the same way for a hundred years.

taylorc401mo ago

@susan_wright34 is exactly right, I had chunks that a vac couldn't TOUCH until I went in with a brush.