Old-school sweep told me to stop using nylon brushes, said they scratch the flue liner - was he right?

So I've been using nylon brushes for like 3 years now on this one house I clean every season (it's a big Victorian in Philly with like 4 flues). This old-timer at a trade show last fall told me nylon scratches the terra cotta liner and causes premature wear, I thought he was just being dramatic. But last month I noticed some fine white dust in the cleanout, now I'm second-guessing myself. I switched back to poly wire for that house and the dust seems less, but maybe it's coincidence? Has anyone actually seen damage from nylon brushes or is this just sweeps passing down old wives' tales?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana1194d ago

You noticed fine white dust and that got you second-guessing yourself, huh? Sounds like that old-timer got in your head worse than a sooted-up chimney. Maybe he's right, maybe he's just bored, but at least now you've got an excuse to tell customers you're being 'gentle' with their flues.

-1

lewis.troy4d ago

Man I read something about this the other day. Some old sweep wrote a blog post about how fine white dust usually means there's a cheap liner coating breaking down, not creosote at all. @jana119 might actually be onto something here if that's what's going on with your brushes. That guy probably just saw the same thing a hundred times and figured it was normal. Still, you gotta admit it changes how you look at the job when you slow down and watch what's actually coming off the walls.