UTMC

Living in a 150-y.o. farmhouse and heating solely with wood, I second that. Nothing goes up faster than a rickety old house; visions of standing in my front yard watching my house and everything in it burn up freaks me out.

How often do you get guys putting gasoline in kerosene heaters?
We get a few of them every year.

Sounds like Rench had a chimney fire.
Ain't nothing like flaming creosote to brighten your day...
Everything alright?

I finally broke down and ordered the right size brush to do this job, but at 270 pounds, I don't think I ought to be up on the roof.

Dad's holding steady at 155 pounds, but he damn sure doesn't need to be up on the roof!

That leaves my 19 year old niece. At 105 pounds, she's ideal for the job... though I do worry about her falling off!

Rest assured, though: Our chimney will be clean before we build a fire this season!

guitargeek wrote:I finally broke down and ordered the right size brush to do this job, but at 270 pounds, I don't think I ought to be up on the roof.

Dad's holding steady at 155 pounds, but he damn sure doesn't need to be up on the roof!

That leaves my 19 year old niece. At 105 pounds, she's ideal for the job... though I do worry about her falling off!

Rest assured, though: Our chimney will be clean before we build a fire this season!

Don't you use small children from the local orphanage?
That way they cannot fall off as they climb up the inside.

Much safer.

urbanscum wrote:Don't you use small children from the local orphanage?
That way they cannot fall off as they climb up the inside.

Much safer.

Lol!

We heat with a woodstove as well. Sweep mine in May every year. If you burn wood with less than 20% moisture content and don't let the fire smolder, you'll have a lot less build up.

urbanscum wrote:
...

Don't you use small children from the local orphanage?
That way they cannot fall off as they climb up the inside.

Much safer.

Only the children of illegal immigrants.

...That's why they call them anchor children, right?

I suppose I should grab a brush, go up to the rooftop, and shtep in time.

We just had our chimney re-lined in the Baltimore house, ouch if that isn't a painful bill to get Still, I think the renters are using the fireplace from time to time so better safe than oh shit the house burned down!

Thanks for the reminder Rench, there's been enough Ootmiks with fire damage this year.

How about I blow your minds with a freaky Germanism?


Over here, chimney sweeps are private craftsmen commisioned by the state to take care of chimneys, furnaces, fireplaces and heating systems in any particular district. They have the legal power to enter any property for the purposes of chimney sweepage, furnace inspection and emissions control, etc. so and so many times a year.
They don't really make appointments. They just put a sticker on your door to announce when they'll be coming.

Also, touching them brings good luck and some make extra money by renting themselves out to appear in full traditional gear at weddings, for the benefit of the couple.

DerGolgo wrote: Also, touching them brings good luck and some make extra money by renting themselves out to appear in full traditional gear at weddings, for the benefit of the couple.

I think I need to change my career.

--Jaeger

Here at my place, chimney maintenance started out as a chimney re-line, only to find out the heatilator is toes-up.... will get masonried in next year, but casa de Gostaz is fire-ready. Happily, we have everyone in the neighborhood addicted to s'mores.

Good reminder from the Renchster. As a kid, it seemed like every winter, someone in our neighborhood botched a chimney. Epic carnage. Volunteer firefighters once doused a chimney and we all watched it basically separate from the house. Almost impossible to put out. Creosote burns messy, long and HOT! Bonus? It stinks.

Thanks! That reminds me what I've been forgetting to do.
First find, then call a chimney guy.
We've been in this place for over two years and still have not used the fireplace. This is the year for it, at least then we will have a backup for when the power goes out.
Oddly there is only one guy listed here for that service for about a 100mi radius.

Gotta light a big fire first to get the raccoons out first.

The Shifty Jesus wrote:Gotta light a big fire first to get the raccoons out first.

Sadly, more true than you know...

That was like the first thing we did when we bought our new home in May. We had no idea if the previous owners ever used it - so - might as well have it cleaned!

... followed immediately by having the carpets cleaned!