Although many chimney practices have changed over the years, chimney sweeping is still done the traditional way with brushes and rods. With guidelines from the Chimney Safety Institute of America and the National Fire Protection Association, the flue is visually inspected to determine if a sweeping is needed and type of brush required. The surrounding area is then prepped with a drop cloth, vacuum and additional dust control, as needed. The brush is attached to a semi-flexible rod, inserted past the damper area, with additional rods added until the peak is reached. There are various stages of creosote so a visual inspection prior to running brushes is imperative to determine if a basic sweep is needed or if more aggressive tactics are necessary.
