The day I found out I was using the wrong brush size for 2 years

Been sweeping chimneys for about 5 years now, and last week a homeowner pointed out that my brush was leaving streaks on his flue liner. Turns out I'd been using a 6 inch brush on 8 inch flues this whole time because my old mentor told me to 'go smaller to fit easier.' Switched to the right size and the soot came off way cleaner in one pass. Anyone else get stuck in a bad habit because of bad advice early on?

2 comments

2 Comments

linda62614d ago

Did you ever stop to think your mentor might have just been trying to keep you from getting stuck in tight spaces? I had a similar thing happen with using too much dish soap in the dishwasher - a friend told me it cleaned better that way, so I did it for years until a repairman said it was gumming up the works. Sometimes people pass along shortcuts that work in a jam but aren't meant for everyday use. It took me way too long to realize that what works for one job might not work for another, especially when you're dealing with different materials and conditions.

angela_kelly15d ago

That's an interesting take, but I see it a little differently. Sometimes a seasoned pro tells you something that works in a pinch or for certain situations, and you trust them because they have years of experience. It's not always bad advice, it might just be advice that you outgrow as you learn the craft yourself. The key is catching when that advice doesn't apply anymore, which it sounds like you did. Learning the hard way is still learning, and now you have a better method for the future.

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