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My uncle told me to always check the damper from the top down first
He was a sweep for forty years in Boise and said it saves a ton of time. Last month I had a job in a 1920s house with a stubborn smoke issue. I started from the top like he said, and the damper was completely jammed shut with old mortar droppings. Fixed it in twenty minutes instead of fighting it from the fireplace for an hour. Do you guys have any other old school tips that actually hold up?
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roseb4711d ago
My dad always said to tap the flue tiles with a screwdriver handle before you clean. A hollow sound means trouble, you ever try that?
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wades7611d ago
Oh man, that's a solid tip. I read about always checking the chimney crown first for cracks before even setting up a ladder. A lot of water problems start up there, and you can spot it from the ground with binoculars. Saves you from chasing leaks inside for no reason.
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