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I was cleaning a chimney in a 1920s house and the homeowner asked me a simple question that made me rethink my whole process.
I was up on the roof, about to start my usual method of dropping the brush from the top down. The owner came out and just asked, 'Do you always start from the top? My last sweep started from the fireplace and worked up.' I'd been taught the top-down method was the only right way for years. But after that job, I tried the bottom-up approach on a simple flue and it actually worked better for controlling the soot cloud inside. Now I'm not so sure my old way is the best for every situation. Has anyone else switched up their core method after a long time?
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baker.christopher1d ago
You said the bottom-up method worked better for controlling the soot cloud, but I have to disagree. Starting from the top is the only way to make sure all the debris falls down and out. If you start at the bottom, you're just pushing the worst of the mess up into the flue where it can get stuck. That old way your homeowner mentioned sounds like a great way to cause a blockage later. I've seen it happen. Sticking with the proven top-down method every time is just smarter and safer work.
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the_robin1d ago
Notice how many things we do just because that's how we were taught. Makes you wonder what else we're doing the hard way for no real reason.
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