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That job in Boulder last Tuesday was a total nightmare
Got a call for a standard sweep at a big old Victorian, but the homeowner had been burning wet pine for years. The creosote buildup was over an inch thick in the flue, and it took me and my apprentice, Mike, almost 6 hours to get it all. My back is still killing me from being up there all day. Anyone else ever run into a mess that bad from just one type of wood?
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brian_black47mo ago
Wet pine is the absolute worst for that (it's like making tar in your chimney). We had a similar call where the buildup was so bad we had to switch from brushes to a heavy-duty scraper halfway through. The key is to soak it with a professional-grade creosote remover first, let it sit for 20 minutes, then attack it. Even then, it's a full day of brutal work.
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joseph_murray87mo ago
Yeah, that's why my chimney looks like a crime scene after I tried to clean it myself lol.
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nancy8206mo ago
Man, I used to think those chemical cleaners were just a gimmick. Then I helped my buddy with his chimney last fall. That gunk was like concrete. We sprayed it down with the heavy duty stuff, waited a bit, and wow. Came off in sheets. Totally changed my mind on using the right prep.
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