Guy in Des Moines told me to skip brushing the smoke shelf, and I keep thinking about it

Logan Bailey · 2026-10-16T06:35:03.430038+00:00

Was doing a sweep in an old house near Des Moines last month and the homeowner watched me the whole time, then said his last guy never even touched the smoke shelf because it was a waste of time. I told him that shelf is exactly where creosote builds up and flakes off, and skipping it is how you end up with a chimney fire when nobody's home. He just shrugged and said he'd never had a problem in 12 years, which honestly stuck with me more than any argument I could've made. I still brush every shelf on every job, because 12 good years don't mean the 13th won't be the one that burns. How do you all handle homeowners who push back when you're doing the parts they can't see?

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Guy in Des Moines told me to skip brushing the smoke shelf, and I keep thinking about it | Chimney Sweeps - The Community Guide