Hey Adam, great video. I've always sweep my own chimney+ my parents chimney for the past 30 years. One big thing to consider 🤔 creosote is still wet (Gummy)after a burning season. If you wait until late fall before cleaning your chimney, you'll notice that the creosote will be much drier and flaky. Now knowing, it's much easier to sweep.
Adam, two tips for you. Place a card box in the stove to catch the ash like a pizza box. You will have less ash to vacuum up. Second seal the front of the stove with plastic and make a hole bid enough for the stick to poke through. That will keep all of the ash dust in the firebox. Regards
Cleaning a stove is a joy! Had an Ashley for 35 years and loved it every fire, especially when the power went out for 48 hours and the temps were down to zero! Stayed toasty!
Hahaha, yup. This year was the first year I actually said forget it back in spring and just left it alone until I cleaned it in October. Why not. Same difference. 1 less thing to do in spring, 1 more thing to do in fall
I'm soooooo jealous - a fire already?? We were 90° yesterday. I'm thinking more & more that we need to move!! 😕 Of course, we can't do that - not leaving my kiddos & Grands! 🤷🏻♀️ That tool is incredible!! It's so much safer than getting up on your roof, AND you're saving a ton of money!! 👨🎓👨🎓 Thanks for another great video!! God bless y'all - y'all, too, Mom & Pop Pop!! 🙏💞🙏
Just a thought, there is something to be said about having a professional not only clean but properly inspect the chimney. In the case you have in the shop the chimney is easy to see, not the same in a enclosed chimney. Way to may fires are caused by lack of keeping your chimney cleaned and inspected. Just a thought from an old retired firefighter
Thanks for the info. When we moved our wood stove, it resulted in having an 'elbow' in the chimney pie. This outfit says it'll bend through a 90 degree bend. GOOD NEWS for me! My bend is only 22 1/2 degrees. So now, I won't have to climb on a slippery metal roof and disconnect pipe...THANK YOU MUCH!
Nice. I recommend a chimney sweep, of some sort, to everyone who buys green wood from me. I’ll have people who get a half/half cord because they start with dry then add green…”it burns longer”. Laziness will burn down your house. Now I can suggest this option. Thanks
Since 1976 I clean our flue before the first fire. I think it gets cleaner after setting since the last fire. It is drier and cleans better. Then again January 1st or before if it needs cleaning. Good vid Adam.
Great instructional video, Adam. Not only is it expensive to have a chimney swept out, but it's also difficult to find someone to do it who really knows what they are doing.
Back in the 80s I started working in the body shop. At that time the old timers used a dollar bill to check the door gap. They checked with that dollar bill around doors and windows to find and fix wind noise and water leaks. Those guys use the dollar bill because it was handy. And you are absolutely right you could use paper a 3 x 5 card, a coupon or any other piece of paper. The problem is none of those are as cool as using a dollar bill.
I use to have a Vermont Castings wood stove some time ago and miss it dearly. Not sure why but your video interested me so I played it. It was down very well and I was impressed with the guality of the product. Perhaps it's time to buy another wood stove. Cheers.
Recently I watched one RUclips channel where they taped a leaf bag to the chimney pipe,punched a small hole in it with the sweeper already in the pipe and ran the rod through the hole, screwing it together and cleaned it that way. No mess no fuss and they vacuumed the stove
I can clean my wood stove and thimble and all associated pipes in twenty minutes. I do this every month, without fail. Cleaning this way for me assures a safe and reliable system throughout the winter.
I’ve been using that same tool for five years. I always clean from the top down. My stove is closed up and I don’t have all that dust in the house. Does a fantastic job.
Thank you for the video! A healthy wood burning stove fire requires making sure the pipe is clean and adding fresh air inlet makes the best fires and most heat, not room air.
Used a similar tool to do my dryer vent. Pulled a 4-5' dead cat (made of lint) out of the pipe!! Only problem was that the contractor didn't install the dryer pipe correctly, so the brush busted the ductwork at the first elbow.... grrrrrr..... 4 hours later after crawling thru a nasty crawl space, it's all put back together. Something to watch out for (but your's seems to be a straight run, so you shouldn't have the same problem, ever... i hope!) Nice video, as always!
Whole point about DIY is saving money. That’s what having a wood stove is all about. Not paying for heat so why pay for a chimney sweep? Great video. I’ll be doing the same.
I always clean mine in September before the burning season. It's warm enough to get outside and do the stove with the windows open and to do any repairs if needed like replace any broken bricks
Have been climbing up on the roof and doing ours for years and wasn't the most fun. Do mine in the summer. Bought one of these last year, like you have, and it made the job a piece of cake!
Back when I used to clean my stove pipe(have a outdoor boiler now) I wod always just clean mine in August as I would get excited for the start of burning season. But when I used this tool, I would hook up all the 8 foot sections at once, then just spin it while waking towards the stove and then back out a few times.
Been using the sooteater system for several years to clean the flue for my basement wood stove. Have about 28 feet of chimney to clean which includes a dog leg. here are a few lessons learned 1. For taller chimneys where you have to go thru a thimble and turn 90 degrees, 18v battery drill won’t work, I have to use .5 HP drill 2. If you run the drill too long the rods will shear off. Have to run for maybe 30secs and take and stop for a few seconds. 3. Hillbilly hack- attach a piece of stranded wire on end gives it a little more cleaning power for the creosote. 4. At least every few years call a pro especially if your chimney flue is a little funky in its design.
Morning Adam. The chimney clean is always planned for spring but doesn't happen till fall. Mine is still waiting. I use a very similar kit also bought on Amazon but I just wanted to mention that the kit should be chosen based on the spinning head size. If you have a 8 inch diameter chimney pipe, purchase a kit with the 8 inch head. Huge savings doing this yourself annually. I take pictures of the chimney cleaning every year just in case my insurer ever needs proof of a chimney cleaning. Great video!!
Not too much soot in there. I usually have triple that amount....gulp. Been using the Sooteater for the last 5 years also and has been a great tool. Have a good one, friend.
Adam if you had a shop vac with a HEPA filter you could put the vac hose in the stove to catch the fine creasote dust before it leaves the stove to pollute the room. Patrick from Pittsburgh.
As a 35 year wood burner, I always wait until the fall to clean my chimney. Most anything that's stuck to the masonry will have fallen to the bottom clean out. Saves time.
For a moment I thought you were going to commit a federal offense and burn that dollar bill on camera haha. Fun fact, I once used a similar 'dryer vent cleaner' and snapped it off at a 90 degree turn in the wall. Had to remove drywall to get it out! It was a great day!
I did a cleaning on mine a few weeks ago. Been on the local chimney sweep's waiting list for over 2 years (they claim the pandemic supply chain issues put them behind on new stove installs) and decided to do it myself. I removed some of my bricks (will replace them next year) and took a small wire brush to the cast iron liner, removed the blanket and baffle (replace them next year as well) and cleaned from the inside up the pipe. I got a lot of dried creosote. I'm think of getting the Rutland version of the drill pipe cleaner. Seems more heavy duty.
I've had the professional chimney sweep come out to our place. The first few times, the guy went to the roof and cleaned from the top down through. The last guy that came used that exact tool that you just used!
I got tired of getting wood that's to wet and have to sweep 2 or 3 times during winter and the mess the wood makes in the house the spides stink bugs wood chips and you handle your fire wood 6 to 10 times before you burn it this year i bought a pellet stove and love it i handle the pellets twice no more mess or going to the woodshed avery other day in the snow i can count on slipping and falling on the ice at least twice no more avery time i look over at the new stove i get a smile...
Every spring I clean my chimneys with a sweep. Even if I think they don’t need it. If you ever experience a chimney fire you will too ! My wood is split by family using an electric splitter and stacked in drying sheds for at least a year. All family members enjoy using the splitter. Hope mentioning this helps somebody.
Gosh, that's a blast from the past for me. I grew up (too many) years ago in the north of England with coal fires which I think are way more sooty than log fires. Dad had a set of brushes that he used to clean the chimney with - no fancy drill attachment !! My job as a little kid was to stand at the end of the garden and shout when I saw the brush come through the top of the chimney. Yes we did have a chimney fire once, that was frightening.
Im in Lancashire and we used to do that for my Grandad, he also used to have a piece of coal on the mantelpiece that was brought in at Midnight on News Years Eve through the back door and the old one was taken out through the front door and thrown back into the ‘coil hoil’
I clean my chimney 3 times a year give or take, because of the mild winters now in pa., better safe than sorry, but I did use this product I'd say meh, depends on your application, have a good day.
I take the bottom pipe section off inside the house. I fasten a trash bag around the bottom of the remaining pipe with duct tape and with the brush head already installed. Then I poke a hole large enough to keep inserting more rod sections. The bag catches all of the soot, and no dust escapes the process. Then all that's left is to clean that last section of pipe I removed. I do that one outside. Put it all back together, and it's ready to go.
I clean my indoor wood furnace from inside. I have a tee on the back of the stove. I don’t have what you used but I use a brush. I put a garbage bag over the end and punch a hole the size of the rod so you catch most of what comes down. I may look into the device you used because it may do a better job but I’ll still try to use the garbage bag. Thanks for sharing
Use a leaf blower to push the dust out while doing the flue. Use a vacuum first in the stove otherwise you will blow ash everywhere. Use it on dryer vents too.
Adam. thanks for the tip on cleaning to fireplace glass using wood ash and a damp paper towel. Also, a huge thanks for doing a demo on the stove pipe cleaning brush and flex rod system. You are a great teacher and have much enthusiasm that makes for a fun channel. Blessings to you.
I can’t believe there was that much in just a year. I have never done my chimney but will definitely be doing it this summer. Thank heaps for the info. I dint know what I didn’t know. Now no excuses for me.
GOOOOOOOD SUNDAY MORNING EVERYONE!!!….little crisp here in Virginia Beach this morning…great video. Nice job! I do the same thing for my dryer vent duct. Softer brush obviously though. Thanks for the info & Amazon link. Keep up the great work Have a Day
That is exactly what I did last Spring. Had one more fire after the thorough cleaning. It doesn't hurt anything though. My stove is a Vermont Castings and the owners manual says to leave a fine layer of ash to build the next fire on. I like that chimney sweep. I bought the brush that gets shoved in from the top.
I paid to have my chimney done this year thinking I could only do it from the roof, which is tough to access. You just inspired me to try this method myself. Thank you from an HR guy who likes to burn wood!
The great thing about computer calendars is that you can schedule reoccurring maintenance tasks - wood stove and chimney in August - furnace filter every 3 months - truck cabin air filter every 8 months - I make them all come due on Fridays so I have a list for the next 7 days or no list. The great thing about using the computer calendar is that it also comes up on your phone. Your just making an appointment with yourself
We used ashes to clean the glass, and after a few years it did scratch the glass. We use water on a paper towel and only use the chemical cleaner if it gets really dark from a bad burn.
I do that with my pellet stove too. My house had a wood stove though so it's adapted to go out the roof still through the old stove pipe. So I have to have two brushes for the different size pipes. But this year where I adapted it was starting to rust out so I pulled the whole thing out and changed the adapter from flat to tapered. While I had it open I ran my brushes up from inside with a bag over the end, still made a mess. Unfortunately there's not enough room to get up the pipe on mine so I'll still have to either climb on the roof next year or take the whole pipe apart again. I wanted to put in a cleanout but didn't find the pieces I needed.
The dollar bill trick is also used in autobody work, to check that a door is airtight. I think they use a bill and not paper because it's softer than paper, and therefore slides and conforms around edges better, and also because most people have one in their pocket 😄
Adam as always I am impressed with all the video content you put out. Very helpful information. Still curious about the shop sink and water and drain setup. Any chance you could send info on your setup? I would like to do this in my shop if possible. Looks like a great solution without having to install complete and costly plumbing.
I guess I should have started off with the marketing reason....Sales people used to show this and say something like, "If it isn't tight, you're just sucking dollars like a vacuum into the fire box!" So, that's what started it, The use of the dollar bill is because they are made with fibrous "rag" papers, with longer fibers, rather than ordinary paper pulp, so it has more tensile strength. So, when you pull the dollar bill, you can put more pulling force on it and it doesn't rip. With common pulp paper, with any adequate seal, the paper will tear. So, although it still shows that you have a good seal, it's a pain to always need to replace the paper, or use a smaller and smaller piece as you do more test areas.
Hey Adam thanks for the tip I am certainly going to try this. I cant help but notice the on demand water and sink setup in your shop. This seems like a great idea. Could you do a video and take us through the entire system? Water supply , drain solution, hot water, etc...?
I have a shop vac that I use only for chimney cleaning; you can use the one you use for other purposes also, but you need to rinse it out after sucking out the ash. I use a pool sock over the paper filter and a hose extension so the shop vac sits outside. Way easier to clean and helps me to procrastinate less. There will be a handful of larger unburned pieces; you can toss those back in the stove or fireplace or throw them away. You cannot use the shop vac unless the ashes are room temperature. If you have glass in the door, you can buy special cleaning materials for the glass to remove the soot, but using the ashes themselves on a wet paper towel works just as well! Good suggestion on the rotary sweeper. I'd leave the shop vac hose sucking at the front of the stove during this process, it will cut down on the dust and debris inside the house. Leave a window or door (or both) open when doing any of this stuff. The larger shop vac types work best for this to get the best airflow. Although the horsepower ratings on shop vacs are misleading nonsense, in general if you have higher amperage the volume of the vac is higher.
Adam, great video and demonstration with the soot eater. So many want to do it in the spring, but so much comes up and it ends up right before the first fire. One thing i know. I usually clean top down to save on the dust escaping out. I guess it all depends on the pitch of the roof and such. The ash is great advise as well. Thanks again fo another great video!
I clean the inside of the stove after the last fire and leave the sweeping until the fall because I want to inspect the pipe before my first burn of the season
I tried lighting my post-cleaning cache of creosote last year using a torch and it would only smolder very slowly with continuous torch flame applied. I think the shiny glazed over creosote must be really flammable, but the dry soot stuff like we both got out of ours doesn't seem to be and it doesn't even seem to build up in layers from what I can tell and I have a flexible liner with ridges that catch particles, not smooth wall rigid pipe. Anyway, still need to clean these things and I enjoyed the video. Nice job as always.
I've just brought one of those for next winter (getting effort to do) I've swept my own chimneys & friends in the UK for over 30 years. one set of chimney brushes that cost £12 must have done it over 50 times. A single sweep costs £60 - £80 here
I clean our stove out every year with a tool just like that one. The first time i was on the roof brushing it down, i asked my wife if she could see the brush. She opened the stove door, and the air went up the chimney and filled my face with suit dust 😂
The fibers in a dollar bill are stronger than paper. They have something similar for dryer vents that are Fantastic. I have a shop vacuum going to catch it as I am cleaning
I use the same system for my sweeping, but mine goes through the wall, so I have a T outside to go up from. I was able to clean mine in the spring, but this was my first year burning wood to heat my house, we'll see if that trend holds up. Soot eater is a great product in my experience.
Hello friends, Pastor Fred here in Rockwood TN. I may never need to do this, hopefully I will, but that is another story. However, once again, you have shown me something that I should be able to do myself. Thank you sir, I really enjoy watching your videos. Have a great day, and enjoy that fire...
I have one of those chimney sweeps they do an okay job I clean my chimney out probably every 6 to 8 weeks because I have four bends before I hit my chimney. I'm looking to invest in a different style which is like a hard plastic brush you can get them at 6 or 8 in my chimney is 8 inch. But I also have a wood and coal furnace. I also just started my first fire tonight
You have to go up on the roof and remove and clean the chimney cap anyway so I do it from the roof. Also, I clean the stove after sweeping so I don’t have to do it twice. Just my two bits.
That ash window cleaning Trick I use often. You can find it in multiple of my fireplace videos. I compare it always not with Sandpapiers but with scouring milk. It is really powerfully, easy and cheap. Best version to clean the glass. In Germany the chimney sweeper comes automatically and does the job. it is mandatory to take advantage of this. And it’s a good regulation.
i just use a damp rag (cotton t-shirt) with no abrasive to clean my inside glass (when cold). i'm gonna say the dollar bill is thicker than a piece of paper. i usually service the stove in the Fall for the same reason: you don't know when that last fire is. cleaning the chimney in the Fall is also a good idea so you're sure there are no bird nests or anything there just before you burn, however, i bet it's better to know if you have a problem in the Spring so you can get a mason/chimney sweep over BEFORE it's too cold out to work on
i get about 2 gallons of soot when i clean my clay-lined masonry chimney annually. what i don't like here is the dust coming in the house, but those metal rooves are also no fun to stand on.
I was amazed at how dry the ashes are in your stove. Either it is a very good stove (probably due to its masonry walls with heat-resistant bricks), or very well dried firewood. Because burning wood usually creates much more creosote, moreover, not dry creosote, but such that sticks to the walls of the boiler and is not very easily scraped off. And in general, it is often impossible to clean it so easily in the chimney. In order to avoid having to take such a chimney apart for cleaning, my relatives do a "controlled" deliberate chimney fire to burn off the tar and creosote deposits before they fill the chimney completely, causing no smoke to pass through.
***Affiliate Link to Soot Eater Rotary Chimney Sweeper
www.amazon.com/shop/hometownacres
Do affiliate links cost us more or do you just get a percentage without increasing the price for us?
@@GOAT_GOATERSON Does not cost you more, cost the same he just gets a couple pennies is all.
@@Hunterworks ohh, nice. Does this work with everything you order from Amazon? Or only these products?
@@GOAT_GOATERSON anyone with an affiliate account can do this. Google it
Hey Adam, great video. I've always sweep my own chimney+ my parents chimney for the past 30 years. One big thing to consider 🤔 creosote is still wet (Gummy)after a burning season. If you wait until late fall before cleaning your chimney, you'll notice that the creosote will be much drier and flaky. Now knowing, it's much easier to sweep.
Plus you’re cleaning out any Cobb webs that build up in summer. These will block the air flow
Adam, two tips for you. Place a card box in the stove to catch the ash like a pizza box. You will have less ash to vacuum up. Second seal the front of the stove with plastic and make a hole bid enough for the stick to poke through. That will keep all of the ash dust in the firebox. Regards
Excellent suggestions!
I don't even 'seal' mine - 2 rags held by magnets like curtains does a magic job...👍
I use the same thing and rarely get any dust in the air. But your thought is well taken
Cleaning a stove is a joy! Had an Ashley for 35 years and loved it every fire, especially when the power went out for 48 hours and the temps were down to zero! Stayed toasty!
Hahaha, yup. This year was the first year I actually said forget it back in spring and just left it alone until I cleaned it in October. Why not. Same difference. 1 less thing to do in spring, 1 more thing to do in fall
Got 2 words for you that may change your life. Ready? "Shop Vac". Great video. Well done and really helpful.
Been using your method of cleaning wood stove glass for twenty years. Works without fail.
I'm soooooo jealous - a fire already?? We were 90° yesterday. I'm thinking more & more that we need to move!! 😕 Of course, we can't do that - not leaving my kiddos & Grands! 🤷🏻♀️ That tool is incredible!! It's so much safer than getting up on your roof, AND you're saving a ton of money!! 👨🎓👨🎓 Thanks for another great video!! God bless y'all - y'all, too, Mom & Pop Pop!! 🙏💞🙏
Nothing impresses me more than a tool that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and actually works. If I had a chimney I'd be buying one tomorrow.
Just a thought, there is something to be said about having a professional not only clean but properly inspect the chimney. In the case you have in the shop the chimney is easy to see, not the same in a enclosed chimney. Way to may fires are caused by lack of keeping your chimney cleaned and inspected. Just a thought from an old retired firefighter
Just paid $220 to get mine cleaned. They used the same thing you used. Great video.
You gave me a very good video. Thank you for the visual on sooteater nice and easy to use and no chimney fire here! 😊
Thanks for the info. When we moved our wood stove, it resulted in having an 'elbow' in the chimney pie. This outfit says it'll bend through a 90 degree bend. GOOD NEWS for me! My bend is only 22 1/2 degrees. So now, I won't have to climb on a slippery metal roof and disconnect pipe...THANK YOU MUCH!
Nice. I recommend a chimney sweep, of some sort, to everyone who buys green wood from me. I’ll have people who get a half/half cord because they start with dry then add green…”it burns longer”. Laziness will burn down your house. Now I can suggest this option. Thanks
Great information. Love that sweatshirt too. Go Dukes!
Since 1976 I clean our flue before the first fire. I think it gets cleaner after setting since the last fire. It is drier and cleans better. Then again January 1st or before if it needs cleaning.
Good vid Adam.
Great instructional video, Adam. Not only is it expensive to have a chimney swept out, but it's also difficult to find someone to do it who really knows what they are doing.
Back in the 80s I started working in the body shop. At that time the old timers used a dollar bill to check the door gap. They checked with that dollar bill around doors and windows to find and fix wind noise and water leaks. Those guys use the dollar bill because it was handy. And you are absolutely right you could use paper a 3 x 5 card, a coupon or any other piece of paper. The problem is none of those are as cool as using a dollar bill.
Thanks for the reminder, I'll be cleaning my fireplace out today. 😂
I use to have a Vermont Castings wood stove some time ago and miss it dearly. Not sure why but your video interested me so I played it. It was down very well and I was impressed with the guality of the product. Perhaps it's time to buy another wood stove. Cheers.
Recently I watched one RUclips channel where they taped a leaf bag to the chimney pipe,punched a small hole in it with the sweeper already in the pipe and ran the rod through the hole, screwing it together and cleaned it that way. No mess no fuss and they vacuumed the stove
Good tip on cleaning the glass I will try that next time, Thanks
I can clean my wood stove and thimble and all associated pipes in twenty minutes. I do this every month, without fail. Cleaning this way for me assures a safe and reliable system throughout the winter.
I’ve been using that same tool for five years. I always clean from the top down. My stove is closed up and I don’t have all that dust in the house. Does a fantastic job.
Thank you for the video! A healthy wood burning stove fire requires making sure the pipe is clean and adding fresh air inlet makes the best fires and most heat, not room air.
Have a great Sunday Adam! Take care and God Bless!!!❤😊
Yep, I've done it with the magnets as well. Regards
Used a similar tool to do my dryer vent. Pulled a 4-5' dead cat (made of lint) out of the pipe!! Only problem was that the contractor didn't install the dryer pipe correctly, so the brush busted the ductwork at the first elbow.... grrrrrr..... 4 hours later after crawling thru a nasty crawl space, it's all put back together. Something to watch out for (but your's seems to be a straight run, so you shouldn't have the same problem, ever... i hope!) Nice video, as always!
Whole point about DIY is saving money. That’s what having a wood stove is all about. Not paying for heat so why pay for a chimney sweep? Great video. I’ll be doing the same.
I always clean mine in September before the burning season. It's warm enough to get outside and do the stove with the windows open and to do any repairs if needed like replace any broken bricks
Have been climbing up on the roof and doing ours for years and wasn't the most fun. Do mine in the summer. Bought one of these last year, like you have, and it made the job a piece of cake!
I about 3 cord a year clean the stove pipe 3 times each season the build up of creasote is at the cap i need to clean from the top down
Back when I used to clean my stove pipe(have a outdoor boiler now) I wod always just clean mine in August as I would get excited for the start of burning season.
But when I used this tool, I would hook up all the 8 foot sections at once, then just spin it while waking towards the stove and then back out a few times.
Nice. I use the lint eater to clean dryer vents and a dollar bill to check refrigerator door gaskets.
Been using the sooteater system for several years to clean the flue for my basement wood stove. Have about 28 feet of chimney to clean which includes a dog leg.
here are a few lessons learned
1. For taller chimneys where you have to go thru a thimble and turn 90 degrees, 18v battery drill won’t work, I have to use .5 HP drill
2. If you run the drill too long the rods will shear off. Have to run for maybe 30secs and take and stop for a few seconds.
3. Hillbilly hack- attach a piece of stranded wire on end gives it a little more cleaning power for the creosote.
4. At least every few years call a pro especially if your chimney flue is a little funky in its design.
Best tool for it. Have one. I do 2-3 rods are a time Nice work
I'll have to look into the sweeper. Stay safe.
Morning Adam. The chimney clean is always planned for spring but doesn't happen till fall. Mine is still waiting. I use a very similar kit also bought on Amazon but I just wanted to mention that the kit should be chosen based on the spinning head size. If you have a 8 inch diameter chimney pipe, purchase a kit with the 8 inch head. Huge savings doing this yourself annually. I take pictures of the chimney cleaning every year just in case my insurer ever needs proof of a chimney cleaning. Great video!!
Great idea to take pictures!🙏🙏🙏
Good point on the picture of the cleaning. And the cell phone dates and times everything
Not too much soot in there. I usually have triple that amount....gulp. Been using the Sooteater for the last 5 years also and has been a great tool. Have a good one, friend.
Adam if you had a shop vac with a HEPA filter you could put the vac hose in the stove to catch the fine creasote dust before it leaves the stove to pollute the room. Patrick from Pittsburgh.
As a 35 year wood burner, I always wait until the fall to clean my chimney. Most anything that's stuck to the masonry will have fallen to the bottom clean out. Saves time.
Always do mine in July now , I used to keep putting it off or forget and leave it until the
last minute
Paper would tear to easily. The dollar is always (hopefully) in your pocket. Love the channel
For a moment I thought you were going to commit a federal offense and burn that dollar bill on camera haha. Fun fact, I once used a similar 'dryer vent cleaner' and snapped it off at a 90 degree turn in the wall. Had to remove drywall to get it out! It was a great day!
I did a cleaning on mine a few weeks ago. Been on the local chimney sweep's waiting list for over 2 years (they claim the pandemic supply chain issues put them behind on new stove installs) and decided to do it myself. I removed some of my bricks (will replace them next year) and took a small wire brush to the cast iron liner, removed the blanket and baffle (replace them next year as well) and cleaned from the inside up the pipe. I got a lot of dried creosote.
I'm think of getting the Rutland version of the drill pipe cleaner. Seems more heavy duty.
I've had the professional chimney sweep come out to our place. The first few times, the guy went to the roof and cleaned from the top down through. The last guy that came used that exact tool that you just used!
***Affiliate Link to Soot Eater Rotary Chimney Sweeper
www.amazon.com/shop/hometownacres
I got tired of getting wood that's to wet and have to sweep 2 or 3 times during winter and the mess the wood makes in the house the spides stink bugs wood chips and you handle your fire wood 6 to 10 times before you burn it this year i bought a pellet stove and love it i handle the pellets twice no more mess or going to the woodshed avery other day in the snow i can count on slipping and falling on the ice at least twice no more avery time i look over at the new stove i get a smile...
Every spring I clean my chimneys with a sweep. Even if I think they don’t need it. If you ever experience a chimney fire you will too ! My wood is split by family using an electric splitter and stacked in drying sheds for at least a year. All family members enjoy using the splitter. Hope mentioning this helps somebody.
Gosh, that's a blast from the past for me. I grew up (too many) years ago in the north of England with coal fires which I think are way more sooty than log fires. Dad had a set of brushes that he used to clean the chimney with - no fancy drill attachment !! My job as a little kid was to stand at the end of the garden and shout when I saw the brush come through the top of the chimney. Yes we did have a chimney fire once, that was frightening.
Hahaha I had Lana do the same thing for me. Let me know when you see it pop out
Im in Lancashire and we used to do that for my Grandad, he also used to have a piece of coal on the mantelpiece that was brought in at Midnight on News Years Eve through the back door and the old one was taken out through the front door and thrown back into the ‘coil hoil’
Thanks Adam.
I have a set of those for just for Wire pulling/pushing. Never will see Soot.
I have the long, Large Fiberglass rods for My OWB.
Thanks for sharing awesome:).
Great timing! I just bought a kit like that today. Thanks for showing some tips on this.
This is extremely valuable information! Thank you!!!
I cleaned my chimney every other wk. Heating my 600 sq ft. Cottage. I alway choked it down for a long burn. But it makes creasote.
Great product and a informative video. Thanks!
Hey ! Yes...I am going to buy one of those ! :-) Very good and informative clip ! Well maid and all you need to know for healthy stove use ! 🙂¨
I clean my chimney 3 times a year give or take, because of the mild winters now in pa., better safe than sorry, but I did use this product I'd say meh, depends on your application, have a good day.
I take the bottom pipe section off inside the house. I fasten a trash bag around the bottom of the remaining pipe with duct tape and with the brush head already installed. Then I poke a hole large enough to keep inserting more rod sections. The bag catches all of the soot, and no dust escapes the process. Then all that's left is to clean that last section of pipe I removed. I do that one outside. Put it all back together, and it's ready to go.
I clean my indoor wood furnace from inside. I have a tee on the back of the stove. I don’t have what you used but I use a brush. I put a garbage bag over the end and punch a hole the size of the rod so you catch most of what comes down. I may look into the device you used because it may do a better job but I’ll still try to use the garbage bag. Thanks for sharing
Use a leaf blower to push the dust out while doing the flue. Use a vacuum first in the stove otherwise you will blow ash everywhere. Use it on dryer vents too.
Adam. thanks for the tip on cleaning to fireplace glass using wood ash and a damp paper towel. Also, a huge thanks for doing a demo on the stove pipe cleaning brush and flex rod system. You are a great teacher and have much enthusiasm that makes for a fun channel. Blessings to you.
Happy to help!
I have used this product for 15+ years . I clean mine in January and at the end of the burning season .
I had exact the same, cleaned up last week with dirt from last season 😆
I can’t believe there was that much in just a year. I have never done my chimney but will definitely be doing it this summer. Thank heaps for the info. I dint know what I didn’t know. Now no excuses for me.
You can do it!
GOOOOOOOD
SUNDAY MORNING EVERYONE!!!….little crisp here in Virginia Beach this morning…great video. Nice job! I do the same thing for my dryer vent duct. Softer brush obviously though. Thanks for the info & Amazon link.
Keep up the great work
Have a Day
That is exactly what I did last Spring. Had one more fire after the thorough cleaning. It doesn't hurt anything though. My stove is a Vermont Castings and the owners manual says to leave a fine layer of ash to build the next fire on.
I like that chimney sweep. I bought the brush that gets shoved in from the top.
I paid to have my chimney done this year thinking I could only do it from the roof, which is tough to access. You just inspired me to try this method myself. Thank you from an HR guy who likes to burn wood!
The great thing about computer calendars is that you can schedule reoccurring maintenance tasks - wood stove and chimney in August - furnace filter every 3 months - truck cabin air filter every 8 months - I make them all come due on Fridays so I have a list for the next 7 days or no list. The great thing about using the computer calendar is that it also comes up on your phone. Your just making an appointment with yourself
I would wrap a rag around the initial sharp edges of my stove pipe or brackets to keep the cleaner rods from getting marred up.
We used ashes to clean the glass, and after a few years it did scratch the glass. We use water on a paper towel and only use the chemical cleaner if it gets really dark from a bad burn.
I do that with my pellet stove too. My house had a wood stove though so it's adapted to go out the roof still through the old stove pipe. So I have to have two brushes for the different size pipes. But this year where I adapted it was starting to rust out so I pulled the whole thing out and changed the adapter from flat to tapered. While I had it open I ran my brushes up from inside with a bag over the end, still made a mess.
Unfortunately there's not enough room to get up the pipe on mine so I'll still have to either climb on the roof next year or take the whole pipe apart again. I wanted to put in a cleanout but didn't find the pieces I needed.
The dollar bill trick is also used in autobody work, to check that a door is airtight. I think they use a bill and not paper because it's softer than paper, and therefore slides and conforms around edges better, and also because most people have one in their pocket 😄
That would make sense. Plus bill paper is tougher and won’t tear
Adam as always I am impressed with all the video content you put out. Very helpful information. Still curious about the shop sink and water and drain setup. Any chance you could send info on your setup? I would like to do this in my shop if possible. Looks like a great solution without having to install complete and costly plumbing.
Yes 👍 indeed Adam better to clean out the soot from the chimney pipe then to have to replace your house 🏡 😮😊❤
I guess I should have started off with the marketing reason....Sales people used to show this and say something like, "If it isn't tight, you're just sucking dollars like a vacuum into the fire box!" So, that's what started it,
The use of the dollar bill is because they are made with fibrous "rag" papers, with longer fibers, rather than ordinary paper pulp, so it has more tensile strength. So, when you pull the dollar bill, you can put more pulling force on it and it doesn't rip. With common pulp paper, with any adequate seal, the paper will tear. So, although it still shows that you have a good seal, it's a pain to always need to replace the paper, or use a smaller and smaller piece as you do more test areas.
Hey Adam thanks for the tip I am certainly going to try this. I cant help but notice the on demand water and sink setup in your shop. This seems like a great idea. Could you do a video and take us through the entire system? Water supply , drain solution, hot water, etc...?
I have a similar drill-driven, segmented chimney cleaner. Works like a charm. 👍
I have a shop vac that I use only for chimney cleaning; you can use the one you use for other purposes also, but you need to rinse it out after sucking out the ash. I use a pool sock over the paper filter and a hose extension so the shop vac sits outside. Way easier to clean and helps me to procrastinate less. There will be a handful of larger unburned pieces; you can toss those back in the stove or fireplace or throw them away. You cannot use the shop vac unless the ashes are room temperature.
If you have glass in the door, you can buy special cleaning materials for the glass to remove the soot, but using the ashes themselves on a wet paper towel works just as well!
Good suggestion on the rotary sweeper. I'd leave the shop vac hose sucking at the front of the stove during this process, it will cut down on the dust and debris inside the house. Leave a window or door (or both) open when doing any of this stuff.
The larger shop vac types work best for this to get the best airflow. Although the horsepower ratings on shop vacs are misleading nonsense, in general if you have higher amperage the volume of the vac is higher.
Adam, great video and demonstration with the soot eater. So many want to do it in the spring, but so much comes up and it ends up right before the first fire.
One thing i know. I usually clean top down to save on the dust escaping out. I guess it all depends on the pitch of the roof and such. The ash is great advise as well. Thanks again fo another great video!
I clean the inside of the stove after the last fire and leave the sweeping until the fall because I want to inspect the pipe before my first burn of the season
I tried lighting my post-cleaning cache of creosote last year using a torch and it would only smolder very slowly with continuous torch flame applied. I think the shiny glazed over creosote must be really flammable, but the dry soot stuff like we both got out of ours doesn't seem to be and it doesn't even seem to build up in layers from what I can tell and I have a flexible liner with ridges that catch particles, not smooth wall rigid pipe. Anyway, still need to clean these things and I enjoyed the video. Nice job as always.
I do ours in May. Our camp wood stove is an oldie and sometimes needs a little extra tlc so the earlier the better!
I've just brought one of those for next winter (getting effort to do) I've swept my own chimneys & friends in the UK for over 30 years. one set of chimney brushes that cost £12 must have done it over 50 times. A single sweep costs £60 - £80 here
I never clean my stove in the spring! Fall first week it drops below 50 it take a hour not a problem
Plus you can get a different brush and use the same rods to clean long dryer vent lines.
I clean our stove out every year with a tool just like that one. The first time i was on the roof brushing it down, i asked my wife if she could see the brush. She opened the stove door, and the air went up the chimney and filled my face with suit dust 😂
Thank you
The fibers in a dollar bill are stronger than paper.
They have something similar for dryer vents that are Fantastic.
I have a shop vacuum going to catch it as I am cleaning
I use the same system for my sweeping, but mine goes through the wall, so I have a T outside to go up from. I was able to clean mine in the spring, but this was my first year burning wood to heat my house, we'll see if that trend holds up. Soot eater is a great product in my experience.
The last fire of the year for us is typically Easter, depending on the weather
Hello friends, Pastor Fred here in Rockwood TN. I may never need to do this, hopefully I will, but that is another story. However, once again, you have shown me something that I should be able to do myself. Thank you sir, I really enjoy watching your videos. Have a great day, and enjoy that fire...
Hello from Oneida. Tim
Glad you found this video informative Fred!
I have one of those chimney sweeps they do an okay job I clean my chimney out probably every 6 to 8 weeks because I have four bends before I hit my chimney. I'm looking to invest in a different style which is like a hard plastic brush you can get them at 6 or 8 in my chimney is 8 inch. But I also have a wood and coal furnace. I also just started my first fire tonight
You have to go up on the roof and remove and clean the chimney cap anyway so I do it from the roof. Also, I clean the stove after sweeping so I don’t have to do it twice. Just my two bits.
Every year my man, every year
Here in the Netherlands we must clean it every year fot assurance .
I would get the shop vacuum going as I was cleaning as I was cleaning it
That ash window cleaning Trick I use often. You can find it in multiple of my fireplace videos. I compare it always not with Sandpapiers but with scouring milk. It is really powerfully, easy and cheap. Best version to clean the glass.
In Germany the chimney sweeper comes automatically and does the job. it is mandatory to take advantage of this. And it’s a good regulation.
If you can clean a stove without running up to the roof that's better. Thank you for the heads up on the new type of rotating brush.
i just use a damp rag (cotton t-shirt) with no abrasive to clean my inside glass (when cold). i'm gonna say the dollar bill is thicker than a piece of paper. i usually service the stove in the Fall for the same reason: you don't know when that last fire is. cleaning the chimney in the Fall is also a good idea so you're sure there are no bird nests or anything there just before you burn, however, i bet it's better to know if you have a problem in the Spring so you can get a mason/chimney sweep over BEFORE it's too cold out to work on
i get about 2 gallons of soot when i clean my clay-lined masonry chimney annually. what i don't like here is the dust coming in the house, but those metal rooves are also no fun to stand on.
I was amazed at how dry the ashes are in your stove. Either it is a very good stove (probably due to its masonry walls with heat-resistant bricks), or very well dried firewood. Because burning wood usually creates much more creosote, moreover, not dry creosote, but such that sticks to the walls of the boiler and is not very easily scraped off. And in general, it is often impossible to clean it so easily in the chimney. In order to avoid having to take such a chimney apart for cleaning, my relatives do a "controlled" deliberate chimney fire to burn off the tar and creosote deposits before they fill the chimney completely, causing no smoke to pass through.