The day a chimney fire in Boise made me rethink my whole setup

I was cleaning a standard brick chimney in an old house there about five years ago. The homeowner had been using those fake logs, and I found a huge creosote buildup that was way harder than normal. It took me three hours with rods and brushes, and I still wasn't happy with it. Ever since then, I bring a rotary head system to every job, no matter what the owner says they've burned. Anyone else switch up their main tools after one bad job?

3 comments

3 Comments

rosed322mo ago

Had a nearly identical call in Spokane last winter. The homeowner swore they only used seasoned hardwood, but the flue was lined with glazed creosote an inch thick. My standard brush just polished it. That was the last straw for me. I bought a professional grade rotary kit the next week and it goes on the truck first thing now. You can't trust what people tell you they've burned.

kai6572mo ago

Spot the same thing in every job that deals with people. They always tell you the story that makes them look good, not the one that matches the facts. You learn to trust your tools and your own eyes over their words.

the_ben1mo ago

Ever think it's less about them lying and more about them just not knowing? Like the Spokane call, maybe they honestly thought "seasoned hardwood" meant the old pallets out back. Their story feels true to them, even if the facts are off. You still gotta trust your tools, but sometimes the gap isn't malice, it's just a lack of know-how. Makes you wonder how to bridge that gap without sounding like you're calling them a liar, right?