I used to think a clean brush was all that mattered for a good sweep

For about five years, I just focused on getting the brush through and getting the soot out. Then I did a job on a 1920s house in Portland where the owner showed me the old clay liner. He said his grandpa always told him to listen for the sound of the brush on the clay, not just look at the soot pile. I realized I was just cleaning the flue, not really checking the liner's condition. Now I always run my hand along the inside after the brush and tap the tiles to listen for cracks. Anyone else have a moment that made them change their whole inspection routine?

3 comments

3 Comments

tessacarter4d ago

That "listen for the sound" thing reminds me of a buddy who missed a cracked sewer pipe because he was just focused on the clog.

haydenp954d ago

That part about listening for the sound of the brush on the clay really hit home. I had a similar wake-up call with a tile floor job. I was so proud of getting it spotless, but the homeowner pointed out a hollow sound underfoot I'd completely missed. It taught me that cleaning something isn't the same as checking if it's actually sound. Now I'm always looking past the surface dirt.

johnh822d ago

That hollow sound underfoot is a good catch. I had a client who kept complaining about drafts until we found a whole section of insulation that had settled and left a gap you couldn't see.