That church job in Cleveland taught me a hard lesson about creosote layers

I was cleaning a 150-year-old chimney near the altar and realized the last sweep had just scraped the top inch while leaving a solid 3/4-inch crust underneath. Has anyone else found old work like that hidden behind decorative grates?

2 comments

2 Comments

tylerr394d ago

I read a chimney inspector say creosote can build up in layers like tree rings, and the worst stuff is always the hard, shiny glaze hiding underneath the flaky top coat.

roberts.jordan3d ago

Wait, does that mean my chimney has a "dark history" hidden inside it like some kind of fireproof tree? @tylerr39 I'm picturing my poor little chimney with all these layers of bad decisions, like me and my closet full of clothes I never wear. I'm just hoping the shiny glaze stuff isn't as stubborn as I am when I try to avoid cleaning my gutters. You ever get that hard glaze off without a pro, or is it basically a lost cause once it shows up?