Debate: Should we use shop vacs on creosote or stick to manual brushes?

I've been seeing more guys running shop vacs with HEPA filters on heavy creosote buildups, especially in the newer houses around Atlanta where the fireplace inserts are tight. My old mentor told me never to suck out the big chunks because you can't see if you're leaving a glaze behind, and that glaze turns into a fire hazard later. He had a point back in 2018 when a guy I know got called back to a house where the vac left a thin layer that hardened. But the vac method is fast and clean, and some folks swear by it. What do you all do when the flue has a month's worth of buildup from wet wood?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler_baker1mo ago

My neighbor swore by the vac method until his chimney caught fire last winter, now I'm team brush only.

graymiller1mo ago

Team brush only" is the right call honestly. That story about your neighbor's fire is exactly why I stick to the old school method. You just can't see what you're leaving behind with a vac, and that thin layer of glaze is no joke. I've seen guys get called back months later when that glaze hardens and starts blocking the flue. Plus a brush lets you feel the buildup as you work, so you know when it's actually clean. Vacs are fast but they're not worth the risk when a family's safety is on the line.