Found out my brush was 2 inches too small and I've been wasting time for years

Was at a trade show last month in Columbus and stopped by this booth from a tool company I'd never heard of. The guy asked what size flue I usually clean and I said standard 8x8. He asked what brush I use and I told him a 7 inch. He laughed and said I was probably leaving a full inch of creosote on each side. Pulled out a gauge and showed me that most 8x8 liners actually need a 9 or 10 inch brush to really scrub the corners. Never once thought about it in 12 years of doing this. I always just grabbed whatever looked right at the supply house. Checked my last few jobs and the buildup was way worse at the edges than I thought. Anyone else ever find out they were using the wrong size tool for something basic like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

sage30821h agoRising Star

Hold up, is that inch really making that big of a difference though? I feel like the scrubbing action and the pressure you put on it matters a whole lot more than a tiny size difference. I guess if you notice the buildup after the fact, maybe it does matter, but seems like a bit of a stretch to call it years of wasted time.

linda_dixon4919h ago

Oh come on, you really gotta ask that? It's totally about the inch! I've cleaned the same pan with a 10 inch brush and a 12 inch one and the difference is night and day. That extra inch lets you actually reach every corner without having to twist your wrist weird or miss spots. If you're scrubbing hard but still leaving residue, the brush size is probably your problem, not your pressure. Plus, a bigger brush covers more area per stroke so you finish faster without wearing yourself out. I wouldn't call it wasted time for nothing, that buildup adds up over months and years.