A job in a 1920s house in Pasadena made me rethink my camera setup

I was cleaning a chimney in this old place last month, and the flue had a serious offset I couldn't see from the top. My usual inspection camera, a basic 10mm one, just kept getting stuck on the bend. The homeowner was getting worried because they hadn't used the fireplace in years. I ended up having to go buy a more flexible 6mm camera head from a supply house across town, which set me back about $350. It got the job done and showed a huge nest blockage, but it ate up half my day. Now I keep both camera sizes on the truck, even though it takes up more space. Has anyone else found a good middle-ground camera that handles tight offsets without needing two separate units?

3 comments

3 Comments

avery2191mo ago

My old boss swore by the 8mm flexible heads from RIDGID for exactly this kind of offset flue. In my experience, that extra 2mm of bend over a 10mm makes a huge difference on those sharp, old masonry turns without being as flimsy as some 6mm models. It became my only camera for about three years of residential work. You still have to go slow and use plenty of lube on the cable, but it saved me a ton of trips back to the truck.

mia7001mo ago

Pasadena chimneys are a special kind of old-house nightmare.

sethm461mo ago

Grab a good masonry bit and pre-drill any anchor points in that old brick. Honestly, the mortar can be totally shot and the brick itself crumbles if you just try to screw into it. Saves a ton of headache when you're mounting the new cap or liner brackets.