Serious question, why do folks still insist on using plastic brushes?

I've been sweeping chimneys for about 15 years now, and it still bothers me when I see new guys in town using those cheap plastic brushes on brick flues. Plastic just doesn't grip the same way, and on a cold morning, the bristles get stiff and brittle. I remember back in 2012, I had a helper named Mike who tried using one on a heavy creosote buildup, and the brush snapped halfway down. We spent an extra hour fishing the pieces out with a shop vac. Metal wire brushes might cost a bit more, around $30 to $40 compared to $12 for plastic, but they last way longer and actually scrape the walls clean. Has anyone else run into this problem with newer folks on the job?

2 comments

2 Comments

drew79116d ago

My buddy Tony tried using one of those plastic brushes on an old clay flue last winter. The bristles folded right over on the first pass and left a stripe of creosote that looked like a bad paint job. He spent the next half hour scraping it by hand with a putty knife while I finished my job and went home. Plastic is fine for light maintenance maybe, but not for real work on brick or clay.

dakota78716d ago

Man, did Tony try any kind of lube or just go in dry? I've seen that happen with plastic when there's zero lubrication, but curious if he was running it through a real thick layer.