Picking the Right Chimney Brush
A professional chimney sweep should be hired to inspect and clean your chimney annually. But it would be advisable to have available a household chimney brush to do any small scale cleaning that may be required in between visits from the chimney sweep.
When picking a chimney brush, you should match the size and shape of the brush to the size and dimensions of the chimney as much as possible. This will not be difficult since chimney and fireplace maintenance retailers sell a variety of rectangular, round, and square chimney brushes in many sizes. The threads on the brushes come in different sizes as also with 1/4 inch, 3/4 inch, 3/8 inch, etc. The chimney brushes and rods can be bought as a kit or separately.
To help determine the brush you select, the interior dimensions of your chimney must first be measured. If the chimney is round, measure the interior diameter and match it to a round brush’s diameter. When taking a measurement from your home’s roof, exercise the necessary care and safety.
If your chimney’s flue is oval or irregularly configured, you can obtain a chimney brush that is slightly larger than the inner width and length of your flue and trim it down to an appropriate size. A chimney brush that is overly large will make cleaning harder, but it will still clean up creosote deposits sufficiently. A chimney brush that is too small will not contact all the sides of a chimney flue adequately, though.
You must then choose the kind of material and style brush you will need. Chimney brushes are classed as either “homeowner” or “professional” types. Homeowner brushes are built for light work while professional tools are made for heavy duty use.
Chimney cleaning brushes feature sturdy and spiky bristles. The most common models are the poly chimney and wire bristle chimney sweep brushes. The latter is the most widely used brush. It is excellent for gently removing soot and creosote. It suits wood, masonry, and most other chimneys as well.
For prefabricated chimney with a metal liner, stiff polypropylene chimney brushes are needed. They feature plastic bristles which are safe for use on metal liners and will not scratch them. Flexible chimney brushes and rods are excellent for chimneys with turns or offsets.
Cleaning your chimney with a chimney cleaning brush is the best way of clearing your chimney free of dirt and avoiding a fire hazard. Picking the right brush is essential.