Just tried sweeping the chimney in our recently reopened fireplace.
Very small amount of soot came down, no mortar, half-bricks or birds'
nests. Brush goes up easily enough but, with 9 rods inserted and one
still to go, it seems to be hitting something near the top. Tried it
twice with brush and once more with brush removed and just rods but
doesn't seem to want to go further.

Background: 1930s two storey semi, fire (unused) in bedroom above.
(Neighbours reopened theirs last year, sweep inspected and said it was
in good nick and didn't need lining.)

Photo of pots he

http://tinypic.com/r/xfrald/7

Not sure which of the two is the downstairs fire, although could
presumably confirm with smoke pellet.

The chimney veers to the right above the opening, and the narrower
upstairs fire is on the right of the wider downstairs one (is that the
opposite of what you'd expect?)

Is Pot 2 likely open at the top or is the idea that smoke comes out of
the slots at the side?

Anything else I could/should try before calling in the sweep?

On Jul 4, 7:01 pm, mike wrote:
Just tried sweeping the chimney in our recently reopened fireplace.
Very small amount of soot came down, no mortar, half-bricks or birds'
nests. Brush goes up easily enough but, with 9 rods inserted and one
still to go, it seems to be hitting something near the top. Tried it
twice with brush and once more with brush removed and just rods but
doesn't seem to want to go further.

Background: 1930s two storey semi, fire (unused) in bedroom above.
(Neighbours reopened theirs last year, sweep inspected and said it was
in good nick and didn't need lining.)

Photo of pots he

http://tinypic.com/r/xfrald/7

Not sure which of the two is the downstairs fire, although could
presumably confirm with smoke pellet.

The chimney veers to the right above the opening, and the narrower
upstairs fire is on the right of the wider downstairs one (is that the
opposite of what you'd expect?)

Is Pot 2 likely open at the top or is the idea that smoke comes out of
the slots at the side?

Pot 2 appears to have a gas cowl slapped on top.... I would say it
needs to come off if that's your flue
Did it have a gas fire (or signs of a gas fire) before you reopened
it?

Jim K

mike wrote:
Just tried sweeping the chimney in our recently reopened fireplace.
Very small amount of soot came down, no mortar, half-bricks or birds'
nests. Brush goes up easily enough but, with 9 rods inserted and one
still to go, it seems to be hitting something near the top. Tried it
twice with brush and once more with brush removed and just rods but
doesn't seem to want to go further.

Background: 1930s two storey semi, fire (unused) in bedroom above.
(Neighbours reopened theirs last year, sweep inspected and said it was
in good nick and didn't need lining.)

Photo of pots he

http://tinypic.com/r/xfrald/7

Not sure which of the two is the downstairs fire, although could
presumably confirm with smoke pellet.

The chimney veers to the right above the opening, and the narrower
upstairs fire is on the right of the wider downstairs one (is that the
opposite of what you'd expect?)

Is Pot 2 likely open at the top or is the idea that smoke comes out of
the slots at the side?

Anything else I could/should try before calling in the sweep?

For what it cost me last time, I'd call in the sweep and see what he says.

If the smoke from a pellet all goes up the flue, and you can feel a
slight updraught without a fire, I'd try a few bits of offcut wood
first and see what happened.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On Jul 4, 7:20*pm, Jim K wrote:

Pot 2 appears to have a gas cowl slapped on top.... I would say it
needs to come off if that's your flue
Did it have a gas fire (or signs of a gas fire) before you reopened
it?

Jim K

Yes, there was a gas fire there before. Would that cowl be too
restrictive for a woodburning stove?

Jim K wrote:


Is Pot 2 likely open at the top or is the idea that smoke comes out of
the slots at the side?

Pot 2 appears to have a gas cowl slapped on top.... I would say it
needs to come off if that's your flue
Did it have a gas fire (or signs of a gas fire) before you reopened
it?

I'm no expert, least of all on domestic stuff, but that was my immediate
thought, has a gas fire been using that flue.

No I don't think there will be a hole in the top and I have had a bad
experience with a gas cowl becoming blocked with tar and soot when a wood
burner replaced the gas furnace. Luckily the room filled with acrid smoke
rather than a anything less noticeable and more deadly.

On a 9" industrial chimney 4 floors high I have been unable to sweep up the
flue but the brushes did pass down it ok.

AJH

On Jul 4, 10:20 pm, mike wrote:
On Jul 4, 7:20 pm, Jim K wrote:

Pot 2 appears to have a gas cowl slapped on top.... I would say it
needs to come off if that's your flue
Did it have a gas fire (or signs of a gas fire) before you reopened
it?

Jim K

Yes, there was a gas fire there before. Would that cowl be too
restrictive for a woodburning stove?

Yes I reckon so as well as andrew.

For a replacemnt pot assuming occasional use of the flue (i.e. to keep
rain out) - look at a "decorative fuel effect" pot - like a T shape,
or a top fitting onto the current pot (minus gas cowl) a solid fuel
chimney cowl.

For a woodburner I would be seriously thinking about getting it lined
if you intend to use it regualrly - search on here for the (oft
discussed) thinking....

Jim K