- Expect to spend between $100 and $120 to create your own chimney sweep tools. Considering that the average cost of a chimney sweep is $125, the initial investment can be a great money saver over time.
Some of the basics that are required to clean your chimney are tarps, a wire brush, a shop vac, a telescopic extender and a mirror.
There are two ways to sweep a chimney: the indoor or the outdoor method. The indoor cleaning method calls for reaching the entire chimney from the inside, with no use of ladders or having to climb heights to sweep your chimney. Most people prefer the indoor method due to its ease of completing the job. If you wish to clean your chimney from the outside, you will need a ladder to reach your roof.
One of the most important chimney sweep tools is the wire brush that is used to scrape the soot off the walls of your chimney. Purchase a wire brush head that has a screw top bottom from an automotive or a home improvement store. Purchase a telescopic extender that is used for painting and screw the brush on to the end.
If you don't already own a shop vac, buy a used one from Craigslist or another classified source to save money.
A mirror that is about 4 by 4 inches works well for chimney sweep jobs. Attach the mirror to a long flexible stick so that you will be able to see all the way up the chimney. Use duct tape to wrap the mirror to the stick so that it becomes one unit.
next post