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PSA: I think the push for all-electric brushes on every job is a mistake
Last week in Portland, I had to clean a massive, 80-foot flue on a historic property. My new electric rotary brush just couldn't handle the heavy creosote buildup like my old steel rods and wire brush did. Three years ago, I would have finished that job in under two hours, but last week it took me four. Has anyone else found electric tools just don't cut it on the really tough, older chimneys?
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reed.terry1mo ago
Electric gear can't handle the old-school grime.
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ward.emery1mo ago
Man, I totally get it now, and @reed.terry is right, the old stuff just works better for the tough jobs.
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blair_lewis8518d ago
Wait, have you talked to my buddy Mike who does chimney work over in Spokane? He had almost the exact same problem last fall on a big old Victorian house... swore by his electric brush for years until he hit this thick, rock-hard creosote that just gummed up the motor and left half the flue still dirty. He ended up having to drive back to his shop, grab his old hand rods and a wire brush, and basically redo the whole thing from scratch... said it took him over an hour just to get the electric brush unstuck and cleaned out. He told me the new tools are fine for newer homes with lighter buildup, but you can't beat the old steel for the really stubborn stuff... it’s like the old tools just have more muscle and less things to break.
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