Vent: I always used a standard brush for old brick flues, but a friend lent me his poly brush for a job in Savannah

I mean, the old brick in that house was so crumbly, I was worried about damaging it. The poly brush just glided through and got way more of the fine soot out without any scraping sounds. It was a 8x13 flue, and I finished the whole thing in maybe half the time. Anyone else switch to poly for older masonry and notice a big difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_patricia19d ago

Saw a video from a chimney sweep in New England who swears by poly for old mortar. He said the key is using a lighter touch and letting the brush do the work, not forcing it. He still keeps a steel brush on the truck for tougher modern liners, but for pre-1900 brick, he won't use anything else.

taylor1420d ago

Poly brushes can still wear down soft brick.

jessica_ross389d ago

So we're just ignoring the Patricia video then? That guy had a whole process, like gently brushing a sleeping cat, not scrubbing a burnt pan. But sure, let's pretend a soft bristle is the same as grinding stone on a 200 year old brick. Makes total sense.