Dropped $60 on a cheap creosote log and it did nothing

I had a heavy buildup in a customer's flue last Tuesday in Portland and thought I'd try one of those chemical creosote logs (you know, the ones that claim to eat away the glaze). Well, I ran a brush after burning it and the stuff was still caked on thick as before. Total waste of money, honestly felt like I lit a regular log with some powder on it. Anyone else had better luck with a specific brand or am I better off just sticking to the rotary tool every time?

2 comments

2 Comments

riverp379d ago

...and that's why I call those things "expensive smoke machines." Tried one myself off a recommendation from some guy at the hardware store who probably never even touched a chimney brush in his life. The log burned for like an hour, left a weird chemical smell in the house, and the brush still came out looking like it was dipped in tar. Stick with the rotary tool or a good old chain knock, the only thing those logs are good at is making you feel better about lighting a fire for twenty bucks.

torres.drew9d ago

big time lol. that chemical smell is no joke either, i swear it made my whole living room smell like burnt plastic and incense for two days. and the brush was still black as night after i ran it through. total scam, they just want you to feel like you did something without actually fixing the problem. rotary tool with a nylon brush attachment is where its at for real results, or just get up there and bang the pipes like we did in the old days. save your twenty bucks for a pack of wood and a beer.