jade3•1mo ago

I'm the odd one out on using fiberglass rods for flexi brush heads

I've been sweeping chimneys for about 8 years now, and I keep seeing everyone on here pushing those fiberglass rods for flexi brush setups. But I tried them back in 2021 on a tricky offset flue in an old Victorian house over in the Heights district, and after three jobs they started splintering on me. The difference before and after was rough... before I could get a nice smooth rotation on the brush, but after the rods got those little cracks, they'd snag on the liner and I'd waste time pulling them back out. I think the splintering happens because of repeated bending around tight corners, not just normal wear. Most folks claim they last forever, but my steel cable setup has held up over 5 years with zero issues. Anyone else here swapped back from fiberglass to steel for the heavy jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

valthomas1mo agoMost Upvoted

Oh come on, you gotta give those fiberglass rods more of a chance than three jobs. I've been running the same set for pushing four years now on some really nasty offset flues in these old row homes downtown, and they're holding up fine. The trick is you can't crank on them like you're trying to break a horse. People forget fiberglass is meant to flex not fight. Steel cable has its place sure, but it chews up stainless liners way faster if you're not careful. I bet those rods splintered because you were forcing them around corners they couldn't handle, not because the material itself is junk.

jake_walker1mo ago

Maybe I'm just too strong for my own good and the rods can't keep up.