Ruff and brush for mechanical cleaning of the chimney. Cleaning chimneys: a few ways that really work

Periodic cleaning of the chimney is important point maintenance of heating equipment. It is needed even when using high-quality expensive firewood and modern stove installations. Fine particles of combustion products gradually accumulate on the walls of the smokers and impair the operation of the system. Even a person who does not have special skills and experience in such a matter can clean the chimney.

The main tool to help will be a cleaning brush, which you can do yourself. This tool helps to keep the smoke exhaust system clean, and therefore maintain the draft for the rapid removal of gases, and ensure the efficient operation of the furnace device.

Application solid fuel for furnace heating has a lot of advantages, such as efficiency, autonomy, heat transfer.

However, if used incorrectly, the efficiency of the heating system can deteriorate significantly. It is recommended to clean the chimneys at least once every six months. But first you need to identify the main causes of clogging and try to minimize them.

Interesting! When wood is burned, gas and smoke are produced. The smoke emitted may be white or black. The first is a consequence of water vapor, evaporating from wood or coal, and black comes from coal and soot. It is the second type of smoke that leads to the deposition of the smallest soot particles and pollution of the chimney.

Besides natural process, pipe clogging can lead to:

• Burning in the furnace of various garbage containing a large number of hydrocarbons (plastic, polyethylene, polystyrene, rigid paper, cardboard).
• Application of damp and tar-containing firewood or briquettes.
• Wrong laying of firewood in the firebox.
• Rare cleaning of pipes from ash.
• Malfunction of the heating boiler.

The accumulation of soot and ash inside the outlet pipe leads to the following consequences:

• The passage for smoke narrows, which can cause reverse thrust when carbon monoxide goes into the apartment.
• Large soot particles fly out of the chimney, creating a fire hazard.

When raw firewood and household waste are burned in the oven, a large amount of soot is released, which. Because of this, traction decreases and the intensity of fuel combustion decreases. The result of this phenomenon can be poisoning of people carbon monoxide, which ceases to be removed from the premises. A chimney brush can solve the draft problem. This device is considered the most effective tool to fix such problems. Consider what it is, device, varieties, advantages and disadvantages.

Boilers and stoves are installed in almost all private houses and cottages, baths and garages. As a rule, firewood or coal is used for their firebox. But, quite often, the foci are used to dispose of old tires, household items and construction debris. These objects emit thick smoke, which settles in the form of solid particles on the inner walls of the exhaust pipe. Gradually thickening, soot completely blocks the exhaust channel.

In addition, chimneys become clogged for the following reasons:

• falling branches, leaves, small animals and bird nests;
• partial or complete destruction of the channel due to wear or improper assembly;
• , which, upon contact with combustion products, forms a viscous and sticky substance.

Signs of clogging of the chimney are the fallout of soot fragments into the furnace during boiler cleaning, poor combustion of fuel with an open blower, poor draft and strong soot when burning fuel.

How to clean a chimney

In order to clean the pipe coming from the boiler, stove and fireplace, there are many ways and means.

They fall into the following categories:

1. Thermal. The essence of this method is the destruction of clogging by high temperature. An object is placed in the furnace or directly into the chimney that emits intense heat during combustion. Good results are given by termite checkers, anthracite and aspen firewood. Manually carbon deposits are burned out with a gas burner.
2. Chemical. They are available in the form of tablets, granules and powders. Means are stacked on smoldering coals. Under the influence of heat, ingredients are released that turn the soot into dust, which completely crumbles into the firebox within a few days.
3. Mechanical. Scrapers, brooms and brushes are used to remove blockages. Foreign objects are removed with a hook or crowbar. As an auxiliary means, flexible garden hoses, choppers, logs and weights on a rope, poles and telescopic fishing rods, other improvised means.

There are also folk remedies chimney cleaning. Soot is removed by burning potato peelings in a furnace, pouring water over it, immersing compacted snow in a heated pipe.

Advantages and disadvantages of a brush

The most difficult thing is to remove soot, which filled almost the entire volume of the channel. In addition, the length of the chimney also plays a role. In some buildings, it can be ten meters or more. It is simply impossible to work with poles of this length.

The wire brush has the following advantages:

• light and compact, easy to carry and transport;
• no restrictions on the height of the pipe, the shape and size of the section;
• the ability to adjust the weight of the load and, accordingly, the applied force.

The disadvantages of this device include its inability to break through solid blockages, remove condensate and remove foreign objects.

How the ruff works

The brush for cleaning chimney pipes consists of the following parts:

1. Head. It is a rigid pile fixed at the base, made of metal or plastic.
2. Weighting agent. It is made in the form of a ball or cylinder, from iron or lead.
3. Cable. It is the basis for fastening all parts. Made from iron or synthetic fiber.
4. Hook. Located on a cable between the head and the load.
5. Tubes. They are mounted on a cable, designed to create a dynamic force when pushing the ruff down.
6. Replaceable nozzles. Performed in the form of peaks or gaffs. Designed for breaking through obstacles and extracting dense objects.

To clean pipes of certain shapes, ruffs with different parameters are used.

Types of ruffs

The choice of these devices is made according to the following criteria:

1. Diameter. It can be small (up to 100 mm), medium (100-250 mm) and large (more than 250 mm).
2. Manufacturing material. They make heads from copper, iron and polymer plastic.
3. Form. Round, polygonal, oval, square.
4. Rope type. Working part fastened to a rope, plug tubes or a cable located inside the tubes.

You should also pay attention to the weight of the sinker. It varies between 5-20 kg.

Make your own or buy

This question invariably arises before the owners of real estate heated by coal or wood. If you have skills in handling household tools, making a brush will not be difficult.

But, for this you will need to spend time, which everyone is sorely lacking. It is much easier to purchase a finished product of factory production. Fortunately, today retail a wide range of similar products is presented, and their price is quite loyal.

When buying chimney cleaners, you should not focus on their cost. A cheap purchase may not be effective and will lie in the pantry for years.

The following factors need to be taken into account:

• can be processed with any material;
• for cleaning ceramic pipes, only a plastic ruff is allowed;
• steel chimneys can be cleaned with copper or brass bristle heads;

It is better to purchase a load with two eyes so that you can tie a rope to it and pull it down in case of a jam.

The most popular are ruffs from such manufacturers:

1. PCC (Poland) - plastic and metal, 120-400 mm in diameter;
2. Hansa (Lithuania) - universal 150-400 mm;
3. Chimney sweep (Russia) - set with replaceable nozzles.

Making a ruff with your own hands

This is a creative and interesting event that you can do in your free time on personal plot time or during the off-season. Before you start work, you need to prepare everything that is needed for this.

Necessary materials and tools

To make a chimney brush with your own hands, you will need:

• hacksaw or grinder;
• pliers;
• wrench;
• steel washers;
• hard wire;
• hairpins;
• bolts and nuts;

If there is a cleaning ceramic pipe, you will need scissors to cut plastic bottles.

Drawing and diagrams

To make the brush comfortable, durable and functional, its design must be well thought out. The plan should be based on a scale drawing of the chimney. Based on the available data, diagrams of individual ruff nodes and the entire product as a whole are drawn up.

On paper, the following details are displayed in detail:

• the shape and size of the cargo;
• carabiner for its fastening;
• head device;
• loop for carabiner;
• rope configuration.

After checking the schemes, final calculations are carried out.

Size calculation

A table will serve as an aid for the manufacture of a ruff project for cleaning the stove chimney:

How to make a ruff

Let us dwell on how a ruff is made from plastic bottles.

1. We take 5-6 containers of the same size, remove the lids from them and cut off the bottom at the same distance.
2. We cut with scissors strips 4-5 mm wide from the lower parts to the necks.
3. We join together the resulting blanks. We fix them with wide washers, a nut and a bolt with a hat made in the form of a loop.
4. We make a weighting agent from an iron can, lead and a thick steel pond. Attach a strong carabiner to the ring.
5. On the plumbing cable we string thin steel or aluminum tubes 80-100 cm long. The cable using an adapter with internal thread screw on the head.

The chimney brush is ready.

Making video

Common mistakes and problems when making a brush

The main difficulty in the manufacture of a ruff is the search for a suitable material. The most difficult thing is to make the head of the fixture. At this stage, precision and considerable effort are required.

Most masters make the following mistakes:

1. Short cable length. As a result, the ruff does not reach the end of the pipe. As a result, the most inaccessible area near the firebox remains clogged.
2. Weak wire tightening between washers. This leads to the destruction of the homemade ruff in the process of cleaning the chimney.
3. Pole or plugs of insufficient strength. When loaded, these parts bend, not providing brush advancement. In the worst case, the handle breaks, and its fragments get stuck in the pipe.
4. Choosing a cleaning material that does not match inner surface chimney. So, a metal-worker can hopelessly ruin ceramics.
5. The head width does not match the channel parameters. The head either does not pass into it, or does not reach the walls.

Rules for cleaning the chimney with a ruff

Since access to the pipe is possible only from the roof, special attention must be paid to safety measures. The worker must use a safety line, it is advisable to set up a temporary barrier.

1. Close the firebox and blower tightly before cleaning.
2. Check tool for correct operation. Test all details for durability.
3. After passing each meter of the pipe, remove the crumbling soot from the furnace.
4. At the end of the passage of the pipe with a hard brush, change it to a soft one for the final polishing of its walls.

Professional chimney sweepers know the secrets of fast and high-quality removal of blockages of any complexity.

Furnace heating systems need regular maintenance. One of the mandatory procedures is the periodic cleaning of the chimney, which eventually becomes clogged, overgrown with soot.

For this task, a special brush can be used, with the help of which the inner walls of the chimney are cleaned.

What is a cleaning brush, what does it look like and what does it consist of?

Structurally, the ruff consists of the following parts:

1. Brush. O main element,almost always has a round shape. It is he withcleans plaque from the inner walls of chimneys.Can be made of metal, plastic or nylon.
2. Sinker. It is used only if the brush is attached to the cable. If it is attached to a telescopic pole, then a weight is not needed.The approximate weight of the weight is 2-3 kg.Purpose - to weight a light brush. Without additional load, a ruff on a cable simply will not normally clean off even a light layer of plaque.
3. T rose or pen. A brush is attached to this element, and on it it is lowered into the chimney.

The main qualitative characteristics are:

1. D cable length (handle).Cables are usually used for 10-15 meters, handles - for 1-1.5 meters.
2. Brush diameter (rectangular products are found, but less often than round ones).Can be from 20 to 250 mm.The most common range is 150-200.

Types and products by material and design

O The main differences between all products are in 2 nuances:

1. The material from which the brush is made.
2. The way the brush will go down the chimney.

By material- the following options are currently used:

1. Metal. Such brushes last longer, are stronger and more reliable. Of the minuses, less convenient use can be distinguished: if the metal bristles catch on something, it will be more difficult to “release” it. In addition, metal products are more expensive than plastic ones (but since the cost of any brushes rarely exceeds 2000 rubles, this is not critical).
2. Plastic. It is easier to make such products on your own - this is done quickly and easily (how exactly - we will describe below). Plastic brushes wear out and break easily and quickly. In addition, they cope much worse with complex and chronic blockages.
3. Nylon. A relatively new option, in fact - an intermediate solution between plastic and metal.

By way, by which the brush is lowered into chimney:

1. On a cable/rope. It can only be used from above - the ruff is lowered into the pipe under the weight of the sinker. The option is relatively simple, but Badly suitable for cleaning horizontal areas.The cable can be metal, nylon or rope.
2. On a flexible cable (as well as for cleaning sewer pipes). Of the pros: it can be used both from above and from below, and on horizontal sections.
3. On a rigid handle (rod).Universal and more effective option- allows you to quickly clean the accumulated soot, can be used both in vertical and horizontal areas.The length of the handle is usually adjustable - for this they are made telescopic, and if necessaryfold or unfold.

How to choose the right chimney brush?

Let's summarize the basic rules of choice:

1. Rigid handle or rope? Ideally, to have both options on the farm: they are inexpensive, and it will be much more convenient to work.If you need to choose one thing, and there are no hatches in the chimney, then it is better to take a cable. If there are hatches in the chimney, and it is low, then it is more convenient to use a rigid handle.
2. What brush material to choose? For stainless chimneys, you need to choose only plastic - it will not scratch the stainless steel. For brick and asbestos chimneys- it is better to take a metal or nylon brush.
3. What brush diameter should befor round chimney? Selected according to the diameter of the pipe.
4. What brush diameter should be for a square/rectangular chimney? For right choice you need to measure the length and width of the chimney, and choose a brush with a diameter equal to the larger side.
5. What should be the length of the cable/handle? Selectedunder the length (height) of the chimney. It is not necessary to take the cable / handle to its full height: cleaning is carried out not only from above or below (from a fireplace or stove), but also through hatches that are located in different parts of the chimney.

Where is it sold and how much does it cost?

E rshiki various kinds and sizes are sold in stores that sell equipment for fireplaces, stoves, baths.

Such a tool is relatively inexpensive:

• polypropylene ruff, with a diameter of 100-120-200 mm: cost - about 700-1000 rubles;
• plastic ruff, 200-250 mm in diameter: cost - about 1700-2000 rubles;
• metal ruff, 150-200 mm in diameter: cost - about 1500-1800 rubles;
• metal ruff, 250 mm in diameter: cost - about 2200-2500 rubles.

Please note: the amounts shown are only for the ruff itself and the load. A cable or telescopic extension is usually sold separately. The approximate cost of an extension cord for 1-1.5 meters is about 400-600 rubles, a cable (for 10-15 meters) is up to 100-200 rubles.

A ready-made kit (the brush itself, a cable or extension cord and a weight) will cost around 1500-2500 rubles.

From the manufacturers in the market of the CIS countries you can meet:

1. Hansa.
2. Sitecn.
3. Biltema.
4. Ragar.

How to make a homemade ruff?

To clean the stove pipe, it is not necessary to go to the nearest store. A homemade brush is made quite simply and quickly. True, the effectiveness of such a product is likely to be lower than a special purchase. Therefore, it is suitable for cleaning a not very dirty chimney.

There are many ways to create a ruff with your own hands. Here are 5 step by step instructions:

1. From a plastic bottle for a round chimney.
2. From a plastic bottle and plywood / board for a rectangular / square chimney.
3. From a broom.
4. From a metal brush from a grinder.
5. From a metal cable.

In all cases, we need:

1. Metal cable (about 2-3 mm thick, longer or at least as long as the height of the chimney) with a carbine.
2. A weight of about 3 kg is large enough to easily pass into the chimney. For example, it can be a small metal rectangle, or an old dumbbell pancake, or a plastic bottle with sand.
3. A coil of wire, about 2-4 mm in diameter, or a metal hairpin (length about 10-12 cm, diameter about 5 mm), with unscrewing lugs on both sides.
4. A product from which we will make a brush with our own hands.

The problematic moment: there is a bottle, and wire, and something for the load, and the cable can be purchased at the nearest store if you are not at home. But finding a suitable hairpin will be more difficult. Therefore, instead of it, it is easier to take the wire. It will need to be twisted several times to get a tourniquet 5-7 mm thick and 10-12 cm long (that is, use it instead of a hairpin).

From a plastic bottle for a round chimney

In this case, we will make a brush from an empty plastic bottle with a volume of 1.5-2 liters (suitable for cleaning a chimney with a diameter of up to 200 mm).

Step-by-step instruction:

1. A hole is burned, drilled or punched in the lid and in the bottom of both bottles. Its diameter should be equal to the diameter of the stud.
2. The sides of both bottles are cut through. It is necessary to make cuts not reaching the neck and literally 1-2 cm to the bottom. Between each cut, make a distance of about 1.5-2 cm.
3. A pin is inserted into the holes made, “pulling together” 2 parts of the bottle. The cut sides are bent at the same time, forming a circle of bent ribbons. It is their edges that will clean off the soot from the walls.
4. Eyelets are screwed onto both sides of the stud. A rope is attached to the upper eye. On the bottom - the load.

From a plastic bottle for a round chimney (video)

From a plastic bottle for a rectangular / square chimney

The instruction is suitable for those who have a square or rectangular chimney.

To create a brush for such a ruff, we need:

1. Plywood sheet. Plywood is not very thick, a small sheet 6-12 mm thick will suffice.
2. Plastic bottle, volume from 5 liters.
3. Screws (such that they can fasten both pieces of plywood together) - 5-10 pieces.

The cut plastic protrudes between the plywood sheets, the photo does not show it very well

Step-by-step instruction:

1. From plywood, you need to cut 2 identical sheets, 1-2 cm smaller in size than the size of the chimney. Example: a rectangular hole, with a size of 260x130 mm - we cut out 2 pieces of plywood with a size of 240x120 mm.
2. The neck and bottom of the bottle are cut off, after which an incision is made on the side.
3. The plastic unbends (a rectangular sheet is obtained).
4. A piece is cut out of a bent plastic sheet, 3-6 mm larger than the chimney opening. Example: the chimney hole has a size of 260x130 mm, we cut a sheet of 26 from plastic 5x135 mm.
5. Along the perimeter of the plastic sheet with scissors (or a knife) with a distance of 1-1.5 cm are madecuts, 5-10 mm long. It is these narrow parts that will clean off plaque from the walls.
6. P an eraser sheet is placed between 2 cut pieces of plywood - so that the "bristle" sticks outthe same distance on each side.
7. Pieces of plywood and a plastic sheet between them are bolted together.
8. A hole is drilled in the center into which a pin or coil of wire is inserted.(or any another detail on which it will be possible to fasten the cable and load - it is easier to do this with plywood).

This option can be improved. To do this, you need to cut not 2 pieces of plywood, but 3, and 2 sheets of plastic with small cuts. In this case, we get 2 layers of "bristle" (and 3 layers of plywood).

From a broom

WITH you can make a brush from an old broom. Important nuance: a round broom with synthetic (polypropylene) dense fibers is suitable for us.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. The tip of the broom is removed (or cut off).
2. The bristles are straightened in such a way that all the villi stick out in different directions (like a toilet brush).
3. In the part on which the bristles are collected, a hole with a diameter of about 5-7 mm is melted or drilled (for a hairpin or wire).
4. A pin with unscrewed eyes (or twisted wire) is inserted into the hole.
5. A cable was attached to the eyes (or by the wire) on one side, and a weight on the other.

From a metal brush for a grinder

V The option is suitable if you have a disc brush for a grinder lying around, and in diameter it fits under the chimney.

In this case, a load is attached to one end of the axle, and a cable is attached to the other.

From a metal cable (difficult option)

The instruction is suitable for those who have a welding machine. According to this scheme, you can make a fairly effective brush with your own hands, which will not yield

To create a brush you will need:

1. Metal cable, with a diameter of about 10-15 mm.
2. Welding machine.
3. Saw for metal.
4. Pliers.
5. Wire cutters (optional).
6. Threaded stud, about 8-12 cm long (or better, a fully threaded bolt, 8-12 cm long).
7. Nuts per stud (or bolt), 5-7 pieces or more (depending on how dense the bristles need to be).

Step-by-step instruction:

1. 2-5 pieces are cut off from the metal cable. The length of each piece is approximately 5-10 mm longer than the diameter of the chimney. You can take more, and then, if necessary, cut off the excess with wire cutters.
2. Scraps are untwisted with pliers.
3. A nut is screwed onto one end of the stud (so that the thread protrudes slightly from it). This will be the bottom "support" for the first row of bristles. If you use a bolt, you don’t need to tighten the nut: the head will play the role of “support”.
4. A piece of wire (from a untwisted cable) is laid on top of the nut, and twisted crosswise (so that it wraps around the stud). Pieces of wire should protrude
5. More pieces of wire are taken, and wound in the same way, so that the result is a round layer of bristles. An important nuance: the bristles should stick out evenly, forming an even circle.
6. A nut is screwed on top, and tightly presses the wound wire (brush bristle) to the first nut (or bolt head).
7. In the same way, several more layers of bristles are made. Each subsequent layer is fixed with a nut. It will be enough to make 3-4 rows.
8. Eyelets are welded from below and from above - for fastening the load and the cable, for which the brush will be lowered into the pipe. As an option - they can be attached to the thread.

From a metal cable (video)

What you need to know and do before cleaning: fundamental rules

Before starting work, you need to know (and follow) the basic rules:

1. Cleaning is done before heating season(ideally - in front of everyone, at least for the purpose of prevention). So you can prepare the stove pipe for effective work, and you will be sure that it will not have blockages, leaves, debris, soot build-up or bird nests.
2. Work is best done on a calm and dry (and ideally also warm) day. Therefore, at the beginning of autumn, it is already worth paying attention to the forecast, choosing suitable date for cleaning.
3. Work on the roof must be carried out with insurance (safety belt), in comfortable non-slip shoes.
4. Prepare a more powerful flashlight - with its help you can see the condition of the chimney and the results of your work.
5. For work, it is better to change into closed clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Even with the most careful cleaning, soot will still get somewhere.
6. Use eye and respiratory protection: wear goggles and a respirator. Naturally, there will be no great harm from the soot that has fallen, but sneezing or washing your eyes from it is not very pleasant.
7. Since all debris and soot will fly down, all holes in the chimney (hatches), as well as the firebox, must be closed. If the fireplace is cleaned with an open firebox, then it should be tightened with plastic wrap.
8. The cleaning process is done from top to bottom. If you clean the lower part of the chimney first (through the firebox) - then when cleaning the upper part, falling debris can again pollute the already clean bottom.

How to clean the chimney with a brush: step by step instructions

Cleaning the chimney with a ruff is done as follows:

1. Overalls, work shoes, gloves, goggles, a respirator are put on.
2. Before starting work, you can look into the chimney by lighting it with a flashlight. So you can assess its condition in advance and see where it is heavily polluted.
3. All hatches of the chimney and the firebox are closed, except for the opening through which cleaning will be carried out.
4. The deflector (or spark arrester), if any, is dismantled.
5. The brush (it does not matter, on a cable or on a handle) is lowered from above, through the outlet of the chimney. Cleaning is done with up and down movements. If there are blockages in the process, it is better to use a weight on a cable (without a brush).
6. Periodically evaluate the result of the work, looking into the pipe.
7. When the top of the pipe is clear, go down to the manhole and work through it.
8. Upon completion of cleaning, the firebox opens, and the debris that has fallen into it is removed.

Ideally, it is worth combining two cleaning methods: mechanical and chemical. First, clean the chimney with a brush, and then use any of the products that are ignited in the firebox.

The cleaning process (video)

Advantages and disadvantages of application compared to other cleaning methods

If we consider the existing methods for cleaning the chimney and compare them with the use of a ruff, then this option has a number of disadvantages:

• you have to work with a brush yourself, while chemical cleaners only need to be set on fire in the firebox;
• even the most careful work does not guarantee that all deposits will be removed;
• work takes a lot of time, even if chimney straight and low;
• the work is uncomfortable, unpleasant, physically difficult, and if you have to work on the roof, it is also dangerous;
• it is safe to clean only in dry (and ideally calm and warm) weather to reduce the risk of falling from the roof.

02.03.2017
5253
Pechnik (Moscow)

In order to clean the chimney, there is no need to buy an entire essential tool in specialized stores. In this article, we will talk about how to make a chimney brush with your own hands.

Main materials of manufacture and characteristics

If you have a stove or a fireplace in your house that functions through a chimney, then this unit, of course, periodically needs high-quality cleaning. A do-it-yourself chimney brush will allow you to make this process simple, and the result is guaranteed to be positive.

The main design of this device is represented by a large flexible cable on one side of which there is a load, and on the other a special brush.

Important: cleaning can be done from either side. Depending on the shape, type and size of the pipe (from the roof, from the side of the house or through special holes).

For the manufacture of this design, the following materials are most often used:

• The base is made of wire, or a metal cable. It is important that this part is as flexible, durable and not brittle as possible;
• It is possible to use special plastic bundles or fishing line with a large diameter;
• For better grip, secure the frame with springs;
• As a basis, you can use plastic bottles;
• One of the most durable and inexpensive materials, the price of which is affordable, is rubber.

Brush with a large diameter and bristles of medium hardness

The choice of tool depending on the type of chimney

1. To clean brick chimneys, brushes are used that have the correct rectangular or square brush shape with the most rigid and dense pile;
2. Pipes made of stone are well and quickly cleaned with products that have a rectangular or rounded shape;
3. For metal pipes ruffs of any size, shape and section are suitable, since the surface of the product is as smooth as possible and is easy to clean, even in the presence of heavy dirt and a dense layer of soot.

Tip: If you are looking for a soot removal product that is perfect for your overall dimensions and shape, we recommend using a homemade chimney brush.

Manufacturing instructions

At the first stage of making a product with your own hands, you need to pay attention to the following points:

• Determine the length of the chimney and, based on accurate calculations, make a flexible base of this size;
• In order to determine the size of the tool, it is necessary to measure the diameter of the pipe. The product must move freely and enter into inner part, do not get stuck;
• Choose a pile with the optimal degree of stiffness of the bristles and their thickness. If there is a lot of pollution and the layer is large enough, it is necessary to choose the most rigid and thick pile, the same rule applies to stone and brick pipes.

Important: the total length of the cable base must be calculated according to the following scheme: the total length of the chimney + 2 meters for the reserve.

At the end of the base, it is necessary to tie a large and strong loop that can support the total weight of the entire fixture and cannot be untied by the load during the cleaning process.

Cargo manufacturing

A metal brush for cleaning the chimney must necessarily have not only a base and bristles, but also a load that allows you to correctly position the center of gravity and greatly facilitates the work, allowing you to effectively remove dirt, plaque and soot from the walls of the structure.

1. The main material for the manufacture of a weight - a plumb line, is any metal object of a rounded shape. You can also use weights;
2. It is recommended that the plumb line be represented by a single element. In the absence of a weight or a large bolt, special metal plates can also be used. Such elements must have a thickness of at least 6-10 centimeters;
3. Another way to manufacture cargo is a special pipe with a diameter of 50 to 60 millimeters. In such a pipe, it is necessary to drill about 8 holes and fix the cable in this way.

Making a ruff from bottles

Instructions for making a ruff from plastic bottles:

• It is necessary to take 4-5 bottles and cut off the bottom of each of them;
• Cut the sidewalls into small segments - vertical stripes;
• The cut should end at the edge of the container bend;
• The cuts should be of varying thickness;
• The blanks must be connected in such a way that the largest strips are on the outside of the product;
• Bottles with smaller stripes must be inserted inside and cut off the neck;
• In order to fix the structure, it is necessary to screw the base with a simple lid;
• It is necessary to make a small hole in the lid and insert a flexible cable into it;
• The end of the cable must end with a loop for the subsequent installation of the weight;
• A flexible cable is inserted into the loop at the end and rotated clockwise;
• For the manufacture of pile, you can use both sheet rubber and plastic;
• Ruff is mounted on a metal hairpin, the length of which is from 20 to 25 centimeters;
• Fixing is done with a washer. The teeth can vary in length. The space between them is filled with the same rubberized or plastic material, only of shorter length;
• The washer must be additionally secured with a nut.

Important: if you want to make products for cleaning a brick chimney, it is recommended to use large 4 liter bottles with a square bottom.

Tip: To make the plastic bristles much stiffer, pre-treat them with a soldering iron or heat to harden them.

You can view photos of cleaning ruffs in this article.

The second option for making a ruff for 10 minutes

1. The base of a plastic bottle, the widest part, is used as the base of the ruff;
2. We cut the base into horizontal segments, in total there should be from 5 to 8 pieces;
3. On the sides we make large cuts and in the center of each part we make a hole that is suitable in diameter to the cable;
4. We thread the connector into the hole and fix it on one side with a washer;
5. We use hardware as a hook for cargo;
6. We fix on the hook a metal load of a round or oblong shape.

A chimney brush is the main tool for oven “hygiene”. Its design is similar to a bottle cleaner - between two twisted thick wires that form a central rod, thin wire bristles are located perpendicular to the rod. The bristles create several round layers (2-3). The length of the bristles determines the diameter of the pipe that this tool will effectively clean. The central rod has an eyelet at one end and a thread at the other. The eye and thread allow you to attach extensions to the ruff, which allow you to pull this tool into the pipe to peel off soot from the walls.

Ruff made of plastic

Some offer making ruffs with their own hands from plastic bottles. Unfortunately, such a device containing plastic will in most cases be ineffective, since soot deposits on the walls of the chimneys can be harder than the plastic tool itself. Soot deposits are especially strong after repeated firing. firewood from pine and other conifers.

Not only the hardness of the cleaning element of the ruff is required, but also the strength of the fastening of this element. Significant efforts arising from dragging the brush inside the chimney will quickly destroy the plastic elements of its design.

The same applies to devices with plastic bristles. Such ruffs are cheaper than all-metal ones, but in terms of cleaning quality and service life they are noticeably inferior to all-metal ones. Ruffs with plastic bristles are suitable only for cleaning chimneys after applying products chemical cleaning from soot. Since, under the influence of such agents, soot becomes brittle and is much easier to remove from the walls, a ruff with plastic bristles may be quite enough.

If chemical agents have been repeatedly used, and there is confidence that the strength of soot deposits is low, you can make a brush with your own hands and clean the chimney with it.

Plastic manufacturing

To make a ruff with your own hands you will need:

• thin steel cable, longer than the chimney, 2-3 mm thick;
• two plastic bottles of 1-2 liters, depending on the diameter of the chimney to be cleaned;
• wire with a diameter of 1-2 mm;
• used or damaged welding electrode with a diameter of 3-5 mm or a piece of straightened wire of the same diameter and length;
• two caps from a plastic bottle;
• a load weighing 2-5 kg, such that it can easily pass suspended in a pipe that needs to be cleaned;
• cut the wall of each bottle from the bottom to the neck in 1.5-2 cm increments, like a Chinese lantern;
• make a hole in the center of each bottle cap so that an electrode or the same piece of wire can be inserted into it;
• screw caps tightly on bottles;
• insert one bottle into another with caps in one direction;
• attach the electrode or a piece of wire with one end to the load so that, holding the electrode, you can lift the load;
• make a hole in the center of the bottoms of both bottles with a piece of wire or a heated electrode;
• pass the electrode attached to the load or a similar piece of wire through the holes in the bottoms and caps of the bottles;
• bring the caps and bottoms of the bottles as close as possible and fix their position by bending the free end of a piece of wire or electrode into a ring;
• straighten the cut walls of the bottles, pulling them out;
• attach the cable to the ring on the electrode or the same piece of wire with a clamp;
• we attach any handle to the free end of the cable, for which it is convenient to hold the cable.