My old boss in Cincinnati would always say 'just sweep it clean' but I found a huge crack

I was cleaning a chimney for a regular client last Tuesday and everything felt normal. I was using my standard SootMaster brush and rods, going through the motions like always. When I pulled my camera down to check the work, I saw a hairline crack in the flue liner I had missed for two whole years. The owner said they'd heard a weird rattle during heavy winds, which I never asked about before. I realized I was just cleaning, not actually inspecting. How do you guys make sure you're checking for damage and not just soot?

2 comments

2 Comments

sarahpatel5d ago

Two years and you never asked about the rattle?

carr.james5d ago

Wait, is it actually a big deal though? I mean, a weird noise in a car is annoying but it's not like the engine's about to fall out. Maybe they just got used to it. Stuff rattles sometimes, idk.