Has anyone tried to clean their own chimney?

[cartman]

I tried getting an appointment with a chimney sweep, but this is their busy time of year, and the earliest I could get someone to come out would be the end of January. Not in time for a NYE yule log.

So, I did some searching, and it doesn't look too difficult to do. Since I just had knee surgery, getting up on the roof isn't an option, but I have found some cleaning kits that work from the ground up. It looks like all that is involved is scrubbing the chimney walls with a brush. I'm sure I'm over-simplifying it in my mind, but it doesn't appear too difficult. Anyone out there handled this chore by themselves, and have any tips to share?

[RainMaker]

Probably not thorough but don't they make logs that you can burn that will help clean out the chimney too?

[cartman]

Those might work as regular maintenance, but it has been several years since I've had the chimney cleaned.

[corbes]

How many fires have you had in the last several years?

[CU Tiger]

Ive done it a few times on my old house and on flips.
They make some neat tools for the DIY-er...but you wont have them before NYE.

Realistically the sweep without the inspection is pretty useless anyhow. Unless there are bird nests or other blockages in there whatever else is there will burn off harmlessly. The biggest scare is the years of build up of "creosote"...not sitting idle a few years.

[corbes]

Yeah that's what I was leading up to. If then issue is you haven't been having any fires recently, then, burn away on NYE and just pay for a chimney sweep some other time.

[flere-imsaho]

You should do it and post video here.

[bhlloy]

Is this a common masturbation euphemism? Because if not, I think it should be

[stevew]

I'd post an ad on craigslist. Maybe you can get one of the sweeper guys to do it on his own time for some extra cash.

[NobodyHere]

Have you tried calling Dick Van Dyke?

[cartman]

I ordered the SootEater Rotary Chimney Cleaning System. It looks like it has a weed whacker head on it that you hook up to a drill. It showed up today.

I have had a bunch of fires since the last cleaning, so that is why I'd like to do a cleaning before using the fireplace again. Creosote is what I'm worried about.

[Logan]

Is this a common masturbation euphemism? Because if not, I think it should be

I came in to post "well, I've been married since June 2013, so..."

[tarcone]

My FIL gets on the roof with a long brush and cleans it himself. It is pretty easy. The Chimney is 2 stories. He doesnt have any issues.

[QuikSand]

Is this a common masturbation euphemism? Because if not, I think it should be

Also showed up intending to post this.

[RomaGoth]

Have you tried calling Dick Van Dyke?

I think he just had knee surgery as well...

[cartman]

Forgot to post the update. The SootEater system worked really, really well. Put some plastic up to cover the fireplace opening, hooked the thing up to my drill, and let it go to town. It was nice because based on the direction of the drill, it climbed up and down the chimney on its own, I didn't have to force it. I ran it up and down the flue until no more black crud fell. At the end, I had about 2 inches of crap covering the floor of the fireplace. I felt that was good enough to go ahead and build a fire, and I'll still get a sweep to come out in the spring to check things out.