So here's the debate I keep having with myself about brush size on 8-inch flues

Last week I used a 9-inch brush on a tight 8-inch clay flue and it got stuck twice, but my old mentor swears by going one size up for stubborn creosote - what's your take on sizing up vs. sticking to exact measurements when you're dealing with offset flues?

3 comments

3 Comments

mark_price19d ago

The whole brush size thing reminds me of how people approach tight parking spots. You can either take the cautious route and get in clean, or you can muscle it and risk scraping the bumper. Going up a size on an offset flue is like trying to fit a minivan into a compact space. Sure, sometimes you get away with it when the creosote is thick and needs the extra scrub, but you're gambling on that narrow bend. The pros who swear by going up usually have years of muscle memory to feel when it's about to bind up. For the rest of us, sticking to the exact size means fewer headaches and less time fishing a stuck brush out of a cold chimney.

karen_roberts419d ago

Going up a size on an offset flue is like trying to fit a minivan into a compact space" - that's pretty much exactly how my old boss put it when I was learning. He had this old timer friend who swore by going one size up on every flue, said it gave a better scrub on the creosote. But I watched him get a brush stuck twice in one winter on a tricky 8 inch offset. One was so bad they had to cut the pipe to get it out. I read somewhere that the extra friction from an oversized brush can actually torque the rods too much and snap them at the joint. For me, I'll take the extra passes with the right size over that kind of headache any day.

grace_gonzalez4619d ago

My buddy Jim tried going up a size on his own chimney a couple years back. He figured he'd save time on a heavy buildup job, but that brush got wedged in the offset and he spent a whole afternoon fighting it. Had to call me over and we ended up pulling the stove pipe apart to free it. He still jokes about how that "time saver" cost him three hours and a damaged pipe section. Stick with the exact size, like you said, and you won't be making that kind of mess.