Spent an hour cleaning a flue only to find a bird's nest wedged behind a damper I couldn't see from below

Was on a job in Billings last Thursday and pulled out over 20 pounds of twigs and debris that had been hiding for years. The homeowner said the draft was always weak, and now it pulls like a freight train. Anybody else run into hidden blockages that basic sweeping missed?

2 comments

2 Comments

perez.cole1mo ago

Came across a dryer vent once that looked clean from outside but had a massive lint clog right at the bend behind the wall. The homeowner said it took forever to dry clothes and it turned out the airflow was barely a whisper until I cleared that hidden spot. Makes you wonder how many other "normal" problems are actually just blockages you can't see from the start.

felix4781mo ago

Hate when the obvious problems hide behind the stuff you can't see until it's too late.