Had to pick between a brush and a chain for my clay flue last week

I went with the brush because I figured it'd be gentler on the old liner, but it took me twice as long to get all the soot out. Has anyone had better luck with chains on clay flues?

2 comments

2 Comments

jordanl821h ago

Read this one article from a chimney sweep in Ohio. He said clay flues are actually harder than people think. Not as fragile as everyone assumes. Chains can definitely work if you use a good poly head. Brush is safer though for sure. Just gotta accept it's gonna take longer with the brush. I'd rather spend the extra time than risk cracking my flue with a chain.

umam9540m ago

@jordanl82 I gotta push back a bit here. In my experience, clay flues can be pretty fragile, especially if they're older or have hairline cracks you can't see. I used a chain on mine once because I was in a hurry and it ended up chipping a small piece off the edge near the top. Took me forever to patch it up. A brush might take longer but it's way easier on the liner, and I'd rather spend an extra hour than deal with a cracked flue. Your mileage may vary but I'd stick with the brush myself.