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That old timer's tip about using vinegar to clean flues cost me a call back
An old sweep named Frank at the supplier told me to skip the chemical cleaners and just mix white vinegar with water to break up creosote. I tried it on a heavy buildup in a house over in Oakwood last month. Three weeks later the homeowner called saying smoke was backing up, and I had to go scrape out crust that hardened worse than before. Has anyone else had a home remedy totally backfire on a dirty flue?
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vera5141mo ago
Man, that vinegar trick bit me too. Tried it on a rental property's wood stove flue, thought I was being smart skipping the expensive stuff. That creosote turned into this rock hard crust that took me twice as long to chip out with a steel scraper. Called my old mentor about it and he just laughed, said vinegar reacts with the sticky stuff and bakes it on when the flue heats back up. Never again, I stick to the actual chimney cleaner powders now even if they cost more.
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amy9741mo ago
And the scary part nobody talks about is what that chemical reaction does to the chimney structure itself over time. I talked to a mason once who said vinegar can weaken the mortar joints in older brick flues, especially if the flue gets damp after application. Ended up with a guy in my old neighborhood who had to reline his whole chimney because the acid ate away at the clay tiles. Saved twenty bucks on cleaner, paid two grand for a stainless steel liner.
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