Hot take: I thought those new flexible camera rods were just a gimmick until a job in Portland last month.

We had a super narrow flue in an old Victorian that my standard gear couldn't get around a bend. A guy on the crew pulled out a 12-foot Flexi-Scope rod and we got a clear view of a huge creosote blockage we would have missed. I bought my own set the next day. Has anyone else switched to flexible gear for tight spaces?

3 comments

3 Comments

james5332mo ago

Portland has old Victorians with flues?

patel.daniel1mo ago

...and after getting one jammed in a customer's chimney in Tacoma last spring I started carrying two sizes. The 12 foot one works for most flues but the 6 foot is better for tight bends in smaller pipes. I actually had to retire my old rigid rods completely because the flexible ones let me see buildup that would have gone unnoticed otherwise. It's one of those tools where you don't realize how much you need it until something goes sideways and you're stuck with limited options.

bettykim2mo ago

Actually, those flexible rods are called "inspection cameras" or "borescopes." The Flexi-Scope is just one brand name.