Unpopular opinion: I'm done with the 'always use a rotary brush' rule

I was talking with a retired sweep, Bill, who worked in Charleston for 40 years. He told me that for certain old, soft clay tile flues, his crew always used a good old fashioned wire whip, because a rotary could wear the tile down too much over time. I had a job on a 1905 house last month and tried it, and he was right. Has anyone else found cases where the standard tool isn't the best choice?

3 comments

3 Comments

linda_mason821mo ago

That point about old, soft clay tile flues is spot on. I read a forum post from a guy in Savannah who said the same thing, that aggressive brushes can do more harm than good on those antique systems. It really makes you question the one-size-fits-all approach.

carter.jennifer1mo ago

Yeah, it's like using a chainsaw for fine woodwork. Some of these old systems need a gentle touch, not the same heavy duty tools they use on modern pipes. Guess we're all just supposed to trust the "expert" with the biggest brush.

leor3715d ago

Savannah guy was right @carter.jennifer, brushed my 1920s flue once and watched chunks fall right down the pipe.