Vent: The before and after on this 1890s flue liner was unreal

I cleaned a house last Tuesday where the owner hadn't touched their chimney in 15 years, just burning random scrap wood the whole time. The before was basically a solid wall of creosote about 3 inches thick, looked like a cave of tar. After 4 hours with the rotary kit and some chemical treatment, that flue was smooth as glass - how do people let it get that bad and still think it's fine?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray_campbell461mo ago

Are you talking about those rotary kits that use the chains? I saw a video on YouTube where a guy did a similar thing on a 1920s house and it was insane, like the creosote was literally dripping out. I mean, 15 years of burning scrap wood sounds like a fire waiting to happen, especially if it's random pallet wood or treated lumber. Those chemicals they use with the rotary tools must do a lot of the heavy lifting, but 4 hours sounds like a solid workout. It's wild to me that people think just because smoke goes up, everything's fine, but creosote builds up fast if you're not careful. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather spend the money on a professional clean than risk a chimney fire.

harper_foster1mo agoMost Upvoted

Yeah same here. I got a quote for a pro clean on my place and it was $400 but honestly that's cheap insurance compared to rebuilding a house. My buddy tried the DIY route with a shop vac and some brushes and ended up making a huge mess in his living room.

kim_johnson511mo ago

Did your buddy end up with creosote in places creosote shouldn't be though? My neighbor tried cleaning his own chimney and now I think we all have a thin layer of black soot on our porch furniture.