So how many of you eat soot?

Time for that second kit huh? They're pretty flexible but me personally I'd hate to try to use one much beyond 90*

 

I bought a Sooteater several years ago. It worked really well. Someone on here, or elsewhere, mentioned that the older, white, rods were a lot more flexible. I thought it was just someone looking to complain until I found a set of old rods at an out-dated Ace Hardware. Bought them and the difference is huge. The older rods are a TON more flexible.

Not sure if they are still available, or if I just lucked out.

But, I would use the Sooteater on two of the three chimneys and would save about $175-$350 a year if I had someone do it for me.

 

I broke two over the years. They actually got cut by the bypass edges in the stove because it's hard to do the 90° bend. Now I take off the flue from the top of the stove and do a straight run up with a shop vac running in the flue. Works good that way.

 

Yeah, I broke one, also. It's why I was keeping an eye out for the white rods. The stove in the living room accessed the chimney with a 90 degree bend which snapped one of the rods at the connecting point.

 

The black rods are terrible. I'll bet the white rods are thinner and may be fiberglass reinforced.

 

I've got one. Not a fan because I have the bypass in my stove in the way.

Anyone want to make me an offer?

 

I have been looking at one but the price is keeping me from buying at this time. Send me a PM if you are serious about selling.

 

I have a 90 deg bend to deal with too. How many times have you used your soot ester before you broke a section?

I'm contemplating one but the website said it won't work with 90's.

 

I have swept about 6 chimneys. Both stoves require me to go in the loading door horizontal and then up into the vertical flue. When sooteater says it won't work with 90s they mean 90 degree bends in a flue, not 90 degree bends in a firebox. The bending radius is much bigger in the firebox.

I probably caused the break by putting too many rod sections together and trying to push the whole length up the chimney from 10 feet away. That would cause a reduction in the bend radius.

I don't blame Sooteater for the break but want to warn folks, it can happen pretty easily.

 

I just checked out amazon.ca and the price was $89 CA for the Sooteater and $302 CA for the Gardus (they look identical). Now on amazon.com, the Gardus was $50 US with $25 shipping and duty. Up here, we really have to shop around and compare pricing.

I have to replace my old cleaning kit as the threads at the end of a couple rods are stripped and I need more flexibility to get around two 30 degree bends.

 

Did you order one? If you did what listing did you buy with that shipping and duty? I am going to buy 2 as my chimney is long than 18' so might as well have the extra head and rods. Thanks

 

No I haven't ordered one yet, but I think the $89 one from .ca would be the best bet as it has no shipping fees.

 

Yeah withe exchange it might even be cheaper. My Mum is going to Maine next month and I found them for $50 at Home Depot so might see if she can pick me up one. Thanks

 

Hey Y'all (regarding 90' bend on rods).
Like all you rebels - I'm a self declared genious...And I believe I have the solution here (although I've yet to try it; haven't even bought my Sooteater yet!

Anyway...I saw a video, where the Chimney Guru () used a 2" long-radius ABS sanitary elbow as a "chase" for the rod. The rod can go into the radial portion of the sanitary elbow for a more severe turn (he had it through the straight part) and attach the shop vac to the straight flange. The rod rotates within the ABS. The rod will turn 90' over the longer radius with the edges of the ABX protecting the rod from the sharp edges of the bottom of the chimney tee. And you can "guide" the rod without having the rotating rod grab your gloves or rag.
I noticed when he pulls the ABS from the chimney that he added an additional 45' adapter to the set-up.
....gonna set myself up this way for an inside, bottom-up chimney-tee situation.

Enjoy the video, Cheers!

 

Funny, I posted a thread on my first flue cleaning, then ran across this thread today. Yes, the sooteater worked great! Cleaned from the bottom up, and now I'm good to go. I noticed Menards has it right now for around $42.

 

BrucePA-CWood awesome idea, I actually thought of doing just a wide 90deg sweep if things weren't going right with the initial
attempt. My towel idea worked ok for me, the towel protected the rods at the bend and clogged the hole at the thimble, as well as hold the vac
hose in place.

 

So do you guys think the current black Sooteater rods are flexible enough to stick in the hole for the rear vent on an Ideal Steel and allow me to clean up the chimney attached to the top vent from the stove?

 

Bought one of these bad boys last winter at a local stove shop and 6:30 this morning was on the roof and used it for the first time! Awesome! Aside from it paying for itself in one use by offsetting the cost of the sweep coming to do the exact same thing it was almost fun to use! Battery drill and a flashlight to inspect the before and after and boy is it easy!

 

I was thinking about this the other day; I need to get something to clean my chimney.