Question about rotary brushes vs standard wire brushes for heavy creosote

I spent 4 hours on a chimney in Denver last week with my standard wire brush and barely made a dent in the buildup. Switched over to a rotary brush attachment for my drill on the next job and finished in half the time. Has anyone else found rotary brushes way more effective for stubborn creosote, or am I just using the wrong technique with the regular brush?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_joseph26d ago

Rotary brushes are definitely the move for heavy creosote. I had a job last winter with buildup so thick I could barely get the standard wire brush through. Switched to a rotary attachment on my drill and the difference was night and day. The key is going slow and letting the brush do the work instead of forcing it.

spencerw7226d agoMost Upvoted

Same deal with my dad's old wood stove. That gummy crud builds up into almost a tar after a season. I grabbed one of those cheap rotary brushes from the hardware store, chucked it in a cordless drill, and it chewed right through it. Just had to be patient and work the brush in small circles, any pressure and it'd just skip.