Customer in Boulder asked me why I still use a hand brush and shovel

I was doing a cleanout last Wednesday and the homeowner kept watching me work. He asked why I wasn't using one of those rotary vacuums with the camera. Told him I just prefer the feel of a hand brush for checking flue condition. He said I must be losing money by taking twice as long. Got me thinking whether I should finally upgrade or if the old way still has its place. Any other sweeps here stick with hand tools for certain jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_patricia8d ago

You've gotta be careful with those rotary vacuums, they can miss a lot of subtle damage that you can feel with a hand brush. I've been doing this 30 years and I'd rather take my time and know the flue is clean than rush and miss a crack.

robert2487d ago

Mostly side-sweeps in older neighborhoods near me, and @the_patricia is right about feeling damage a camera misses, but nobody mentioned how hand tools keep you from kicking up ash into the whole house on those old zero-clearance fireboxes.