chimney cleaning

I was wondering if any of you could make a suggestion on what vac to buy to be dedicated to stove and chimney cleaning. I am looking at a Craftsman 6 gallon unit that will accept a bag to filter fine particles. I already have a 16 gallon Craftsman for everything else in the garage.
Thanks

 

They do make vacs specifically for soot. I’d look in that direction.

 

I can say that without special bags that you will make a mess. No bueno.

 

I found out the hard way, just once

 

Didn't you try it once too?

 

White dust, black dust. All no fun when it flies all over the room.

 

But white dust neutralizes the black, no?!

 

You can't exclude grey dust.

 

I don't discriminate against any color dust. If it is caught in a bag, I'm happy

 

I used a shop vac for years with the bags and it always worked pretty good. It didn't work so good when I sucked up some red chunks with the gray dust. I now have a special vac with the metal hoses for cleaning out the "I'm pretty sure it's cooled off by now" woodstove.

No real fire or anything, but the bag was SMOKIN' when I took it out to dump it... With the new vac made for fireplace cleaning, there is no bag, just a special filter so I can take it out and dump it right after using it without wasting a bag that has hardly anything in it. Power Smith Ash Vac. Metal can and metal hoses with large flame retardant filter.

I don't worry about picking up red chunks with it so much but I always clean it out right away too. It saves waiting on it to cool down after shoveling it out if I need to change a brick or something. I've changed brick a few times with my welding gloves on and had the stove cranking again shortly after that. Very little down time in the middle of winter that way.

 

I just had a sweep out this morning. They used a big metal vac like MAF143 described. Only thing is something came apart while in use and it put out a cloud of dust that you wouldn't believe. They're sending out a cleaning crew tomorrow.

 

I have a feeling your better half was not happy when that happened.

 

Correct. But she'll get the house cleaned without having to do the work.

 

That is a good win for the two of you, except for the inconvenience. Great for the company to pay to have the mess they created cleaned up.

 

Hmnn I may have to call a chimney sweep this year. Exactly what part came loose?

 

No idea. I was out on the porch "working" and they came out to break the news. I looked in the house and there was a cloud of dust that would have made any volcano jealous. I would imagine either the filter came apart and it was venting everything it pulled in.

 

Ok thanks. I’m just interested in the free house cleaning