Vent: creosote buildup from a newbie's job in Austin cost me a whole Saturday

I got called out to a house in Austin last month where some kid had been "sweeping" for 6 months and left a inch thick glaze of creosote in the flue. Took me three passes with the rotary tool and a shop vac cleanup that had me sneezing black dust for hours. Has anyone else dealt with that kind of mess from someone who clearly didn't know what they were doing?

1 comments

1 Comment

terry_bailey351mo ago

Idk, maybe it's just me but a full inch of glaze sounds like more than 6 months of rookie mistakes. That kind of buildup takes neglect, not just inexperience. Could be the homeowner was burning wet wood or running the stove wrong too. I get that the kid probably missed some spots but blaming it all on him feels a little harsh when there's usually a bigger picture to consider.

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