Brush direction debate: up-down or down-up?

I've been sweeping chimneys for about 8 years now and always brushed from the bottom up. Figured you gotta push the soot ahead of you, right? Last month I was working a job over in Oakwood and the homeowner, who used to sweep in the 80s, watched me for a minute. He asked why I was pushing dirt back into the flue instead of pulling it down. Kinda stung because I never really thought about it that way. Now I'm wondering if I've been making extra work for myself all this time. Anyone else have a method they used forever until someone pointed out it was backwards?

2 comments

2 Comments

wren30713d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, do you brush up or down when painting a fence?

bencampbell13d ago

Two strokes down, four sloppy ones up, call it a day.