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PSA: That old church job on Maple Street changed how I approach soot buildup
I was doing a clean at St. Anne's on Maple back in March... the pastor said they hadn't had it done in maybe 8 years. Got up there and found this thick, greasy soot that just would not budge with my regular brushes. Had to switch to a wire brush and spend almost 3 hours on one flue. Now I always ask homeowners how long it's been, especially for older buildings. Anyone else run into that sticky creosote situation at a church or old house?
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reese_nelson2mo ago
I cleaned a church in the fall that had a similar buildup, but I found out the pastor had a wood-burning furnace in the basement connected to the same flue. That mix of creosote from the furnace smoke and the candle soot made it way worse than just old soot alone. Might be worth asking if they've got any extra heat sources tied in next time, just a heads up.
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sean_torres712mo ago
Yeah I feel you on that. I had a similar situation at a old community center I helped clean up, they had a gas boiler and a wood stove both dumping into the same chimney. Idk it just made this weird sticky grime that was a nightmare to scrub off. The candle soot alone is bad enough but when you mix in that other stuff it turns into a whole different beast. Solid advice for anyone dealing with that kind of buildup.
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