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Eight years of brushing the wrong way...
I was at a job in Portland last Tuesday and the homeowner asked why I was pushing soot deeper into the flue. Turns out I'd been angling my brush downward instead of keeping it flat against the walls. Anyone else have a basic technique they just never got taught?
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christopher7131mo ago
Buddy of mine in Eugene spent years scrubbing his fireplace the same way until his wife watched him one day and asked why he was painting soot on the walls instead of cleaning it. Have you checked your technique with a flashlight yet?
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noah8801mo ago
Grab a flue brush with some real stiffness to it, not those flimsy nylon ones. I had the same problem when I started cleaning my own chimney, kept missing spots because the brush would bend along the curve. Switch to a stiff wire brush and keep the handle close to the flue opening, that helps you feel where the bristles are hitting. Also, watch how much soot comes out on the first pass, if it's not much you're probably not scraping hard enough. Pull the brush straight back after each stroke, don't let it drag along the sides. A little practice and you'll get the angle right without thinking about it.
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