So our first sweep was today. We burned from January till June. Generally the chimney liner and cap weren't as bad as I've seen in sweeping videos... After all, our neighbor didn't even know we burned this winter! Either way, our chimney is at the very peak of the building. The roof is rather steep, and footing not awesome. If I had something better to stand on, I'd have done a better job of it. And unless there is an easier way, I'm not sure how long Ill do this for...and certainly not in colder weather. Is there a better way of climbing up and down the roof, a better platform to work from once up there? Thinking along the lines of a permanently attached ladder, or cleats and wood for standing on, permanently attached. Sca
I agree that climbing on a steep pitched roof then trying to work is no fun. A soot eater like brenndatomu mentioned would make things easier, depending on your setup. Otherwise a lift sometimes is in order. Hopefully you keep burning clean and only have to clean occasionally. This is where a good burning stove is great (if run right) and naturally, the best dry wood to burn.
When I have to work on steep shingle roofs I use foam rubber cushions salvaged from furniture. They don't slide and protect the roof.
Unfortunately no. The liner is capped just below the thimble, and that is 12 feet above the cleanout in the basement. Soot eater doesn't recommend going in from the thimble as the angle would be pretty sharp. Sca
Getting up there was not an issue, but standing right on the peak was more doing than I like, also don't want to squash the ridge cap standing there cleaning out over the years. Getting down was easy enough with a rope...so need to expedite that process with something I can hook up and unhook more easily. So mounting a ladder to the roof, would be an option, as would fixing some sort of platform to stand on....perhaps not to leave there, but that I could bring up and use w/out damaging the roof. The stuff coming out of there was dry fluffy stuff, pretty straight forward cleaning. Sca
I use the ladder hooks too for inspecting or roof work. Extension ladder to above the gutter and single ladder section with hooks to peak Cordless screwgun too beats cord. I'll be bottom up for cleaning now.
I made this rig last fall for bath vent termination install. Dicey, but it was secure and ratchet straps help.
Im kinda wishing they left the bottom open so I could reach it from the basement. Until the liner is replaced, I'm top cleaning. I might just make a rope ladder to use to walk up the roof. Maybe loop the end around the chimney, and set it there. That would get me up and back 1x or 2x a year. The wind won't blow it around too much. (I can always throw a loop of 550 around a handy vent stack to keep it from blowing up over). Still mulling on some sorta platform to build, and lug up there and set up. Shouldn't leave it up there, and not interested in trying to anchor it by drilling holes... Sca
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200708539_200708539?utm_source=CSE&utm_medium=Shopzilla&utm_campaign=Construction > Ladder Accessories&utm_content=66661&cnxclid=16247556331519064866110070302008005&szredirectid=16247556331519064866110070302008005 Yep used these(similar) a lot back in my roofing days on steep and/or metal roofs.
