Shoutout to the firefighter who showed me my inspection mirror trick was backwards

Barbara Rivera · 2026-04-01T08:30:06.178215+00:00

He pointed out that holding the mirror at a 45-degree angle, not flat, gives a much clearer view of the flue liner. Has anyone else had a simple tool tip change their whole routine?

linda_bennett446mo ago

Oh man, that's a good one. I mean, I used to just jam my phone camera up there for a quick look, but a buddy told me to tape a little LED light to the handle. Total game changer for seeing those back corners.

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claire646mo ago

Nice, @linda_bennett44! You could even get one of those tiny keychain flashlights and zip-tie it right to the mirror handle for a permanent fix.

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ericfox6mo ago

What about the actual surface of the mirror itself? I started polishing mine with a tiny bit of car wax every few months. It cuts down on soot sticking and makes the reflection way sharper, especially in dim light.

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