Warning: Folks who try to sweep their own chimney without a cap

They always end up with a bigger mess to clean.

4 comments

4 Comments

Disagree about it always making a bigger mess. If you're careful and go slow, you can definitely clean up most of the soot as it falls. It just takes a bit more prep work with drop cloths.

seans731mo ago

Right? @jana881 has the right idea, I’ve had decent luck with that slow method on my own fireplace so it doesn’t spread.

rodriguez.emery1mo ago

Check your chimney draft first or soot just billows back inside.

kim.nina27d ago

Honestly I was on the "just do it slow" side for years. Then one windy day sent a pile of old soot and a dead bird right into my living room. Now I'm a total believer in checking the draft first, no exceptions.