TIL you shouldn't brush a flue liner with a poly brush, and I learned it the hard way in a 1920s house on Elm Street

Paul Wells · 2026-10-26T21:50:03.637688+00:00

Pulled up to a job last week and the homeowner had already bought a stiff poly brush and wanted me to use it on their old clay liner because a video said it was "gentler." I said sure, ran it down, and within a few passes I could hear the corners chipping off the clay tile. Clay liners crack and spall when a brush slaps the seams, so now I only run poly on stainless flex, and clay gets a soft whip or a proper sweep, no exceptions. I showed the homeowner the little pile of clay grit in the firebox and they got it right away. What do you all keep on the truck for old clay tile, or am I the only one who got burned before learning this?

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TIL you shouldn't brush a flue liner with a poly brush, and I learned it the hard way in a 1920s house on Elm Street | Chimney Sweeps - Chatter Central