While chimney sweeping as a profession may not be considered a modern way to earn a living, chimneys that are above fireplaces that are actually in use still need to be cleaned out regularly in order to keep them from catching fire and destroying the chimney and possibly the house. If you decide to do it yourself, or make it your new small business, you will need to know something about chimney sweep brushes. The two basic types of brushes are those for homeowners and the heavier duty brushes specifically made for professionals.

If you are only planning to use your brick fireplace occasionally and clean it out annually for safety, a masonry chimney sweep brush may be all that you need. These brushes come in round or square shapes with ¼-inch threads. They have hundreds of durable and tough wire bristles and they come in several sizes. The round brushes should be close to the diameter of the chimney. Their sizes range from five to twelve inches in diameter. The square brushes should be between one half and one inch larger than the inside of the chimney. These brushes come in sizes from six to twelve inch square and in rectangular from six by ten inches through twelve by sixteen inches.

If you have a metal chimney, polypropylene bristles are used on the chimney sweep brushes. Like the wire brushes, these polypropylene brushes have ¼-inch threads. The brush size should match the diameter of the inside of the chimney flu. These brushes come in sizes from five to twelve inches in diameter. Whether you have a masonry or metal chimney, the size of the chimney sweep brush you choose is extremely important. If your brush is too small, it will not do a good job of cleaning your chimney, while if it is too large, it may be stuck.

While you may decide to stay inside to clean out your chimney, that is a sure way to get a face full of soot. A more sensible way to clean out your chimney is to get an aluminum ladder that is specially formed to have hooks so you can safely attach it to the house, climb up on the roof, and clean from the top down. Aluminum ladders are popular because they are lightweight while being quite strong, able to hold 225 or more pounds.

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