Stop brushing your customers' creosote problems off as 'just a dirty burn'

I had a guy in St. Louis last month whose flue was so caked it looked like a tar pit, and the last sweep told him it was 'normal for fireplaces.' That kind of lazy diagnosis is why houses catch fire - are you actually checking for glaze or just eyeballing it?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_taylor12d ago

Didn't use to think about glaze much myself, to be honest. But then I cleaned out a flue for a neighbor a few years back, it was like trying to chip concrete off the walls. That stuff is no joke. Changed my whole view on what to look for during a sweep. I figure it's better to be safe than sorry, especially with something that can burn your house down.

abby_cooper12d agoMost Upvoted

Whoa, a shop vac on reverse (seriously) blew out that hard glaze for me once!

mileslane12d ago

Told my buddy about your trick @abby_cooper... he swore it worked like magic.