Switched from wire brush to poly brush for my final pass on flues and the difference is wild

I used to always finish with a stiff wire brush, figured it was the only way to get the last bits of creosote. About two weeks ago, a customer in Medford told me his last sweep used a poly brush and his chimney looked spotless. I was skeptical (poly brushes feel too soft, right?). Picked one up at the supply house on Route 9. First job with it, I actually saw less dust flying and the flue walls felt smoother after. My arms were less tired too. Has anyone else made this switch or am I just getting soft in my old age?

3 comments

3 Comments

patricia5581mo ago

Route 9 supply house huh, that place by the old car wash? I grabbed my first poly brush from there too last spring after my wire brush got stuck halfway down a flue that must have been lined with leftover 80s hair gel. Your arms thing is no joke, I did three jobs back to back and my shoulders didn't even need the ice pack that night. My wife said I looked like I actually had energy to mow the lawn after work for once, which was her way of saying the poly brush was probably a good investment.

craig.mila1mo ago

Tbh I was skeptical about poly brushes but the gel lined flue comment got me rethinking everything.

mila_murphy211mo ago

Poly brush is lowkey a game changer for real. Did my first job with one last week on a flue that had that weird sticky creosote buildup, the kind that usually takes forever to scrub off. The poly just slid through it, barely any dust cloud and I wasn't coughing half the night. My arms barely felt it, which is wild cause I normally feel like I wrestled a bear after a heavy sweep day. Feels like cheating but I'm not complaining.