Can A Chimney Be Cleaned From The Bottom?
Great question here, and the short answer is yes you can clean your chimney from the bottom. There are some things to understand and consider before attempting this for the first time. So let's walk through them and make sure you're prepared. Remember, we are not responsible for anything that may happen as a result of following our advice. We are a chimney company, but every chimney situation is different and unique. We always recommend hiring a professional chimney contractor, one licensed by the CSIA for a chimney sweep or even tougher chimney repair.
So yes you can clean your chimney from the bottom. Local hardware stores make cleaning rods that you can attach to a drill and shove up the chimney in stages. One common brand of these cleaning rods is called the "Sooteater" and it looks like a rod with long wire whips joined at one end.
Using a tool like this basically brushes and sweeps the build-up off the chimney walls. The biggest problem is that because you are on the bottom, all this debris and nasty junk falls on you. So we highly recommend using proper PPE and even a breathing apparatus when doing chimney cleaning from the bottom. If nothing else, please at least use a facemask and eye protection to give yourself some safety while doing this.
We highly encourage a regular chimney inspection also. As you can imagine, chimney fires are a common issue and we want our local customers to be safe from these types of preventable disasters.
The last thing to remember when it comes to cleaning your chimney from the bottom is to never forget the top cap. Here in Milwaukee, many top chimney caps are surrounded by wire fences to keep rodents out. These flue caps can get clogged over time and sometimes need you to physically go on the roof to fix it.
If you live in the Milwaukee area, and need a highly reputable chimney repair contractor, call the Milwaukee Chimney Repair Pros today. We'll come out and provide a free quote on any chimney services we can provide.
