Originally published in December 2023. Last updated on July 23, 2025.
Chimney cleaning can be messy, tiring work—but it goes a lot smoother when you can bust creosote fast, brush more efficiently, and do it all without damaging flues and smoke chambers.
You’ll make every customer visit easier by starting your chimney cleaning business with the right equipment.
In this article, we’ll cover 21 essential chimney sweep tools to buy for professional jobs and where to find them.
Browse these categories for essential chimney sweeping tools:
⚠️ The tool prices listed are approximate ranges. Pricing will vary by brand, store, quality, and whether they’re new or used.
Brushes and rods
Different shapes and linings of chimneys need different cleaning tools. That’s why your chimney sweep equipment should include a range of brushes and rods to handle whatever gets thrown your way.
Before you buy these essential chimney brushes, we’ll take you through what each of them is best for.
1. Wire brushes ($15-35)
Wire brushes are stiff, durable brushes that chimney sweeps use to scrape off soot, creosote, and ash from hard inner chimney walls.
Made of steel, the bristles on a wire chimney brush are great for masonry chimneys, which are the toughest to scrape and clean.
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2. Poly brushes ($150-30)
Softer than wire brushes, poly brushes have polypropylene plastic bristles. A poly chimney brush can effectively remove lighter soot without damaging more delicate chimney lining (like clay tile).
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3. Smoke chamber brushes ($25-50)
Smoke chamber brushes can come with a U-shaped head or long, flexible bristles that help you scrub along the creases of a smoke chamber’s interior walls.
Smoke chambers collect hard, glazed creosote and a different type of soot than a flue collects, so they can be harder to clean than the rest of a chimney. That’s why a specialized chamber brush is a must.
Shop online:
- Lindemann Chimney Supply Smoke Chamber Brush
- For a power spin brush: Lindemann Chimney Supply Smoke Chamber Spin Brush
4. Rotary cleaning kit ($45-90)
A rotary cleaning system uses a power drill and a special brush to clean more efficiently than a typical brush would.
To use this kit, attach a brush with nylon bristles to a powered rod that rotates the brush at a high speed.
Because the nylon bristles are softer on chimney lining than poly and wire, rotary brushes work well for flexible chimney liners. They’ve become a staple in the lineup of professional chimney sweep tools thanks to how fast and thorough they are.
The SootEater made this type of chimney sweep kit popular, and that’s your best bet for a reliable rotary cleaning system.
5. Chimney rods ($30-60 per set)
Chimney rods attach to your brushes to help you reach deep into a customer’s chimney. Use a flexible chimney brush rod for curved chimneys, and a rigid rod to clean straight chimneys with more force.
Rods usually come in packs, and you can even buy them in a complete chimney brush kit that comes with a brush and other cleaning accessories.
If you’re buying chimney rod packs alone, here are the main types to look for:
- Rigid rods help you clean straight sections of chimney flues where you need precise control and stronger force.
- Flexible rods, usually made of fiberglass, let you navigate your brush around bends and curves in a chimney.
- Extension rods, or telescopic poles, help you reach deeper into chimneys and clean taller ones.
- Rotary cleaning rods are connected to a drill, which powers a rotating motion. High-speed rotation helps your brushes scrub chimney walls faster and more thoroughly.
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Inspection tools
Before you can clean, seal, or repair anything, you need to be able to see every inch of the chimney, inside and out. Whether you’re checking for blockages or confirming hazardous buildup, here are the chimney sweeper tools you’ll need for proper inspection.
6. Flashlight or headlamp ($30-100)
A flashlight or headlamp is a must to be able to see inside the dark chimney.
You’ll need light to spot hairline cracks, flue tile shifts, or chunks of creosote dangling. A headlamp is more convenient as it frees up your hands so you can snap photos, check joints, or hold a mirror steady.
Most sweeps carry both a headlamp and flashlight, and switch between them depending on the job. Here’s what the pros look for:
- High lumens (at least 300) to cut through soot and shadow
- Adjustable beams to go wide in a firebox or focused down a flue
- Impact-resistant and waterproof housing
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7. Chimney camera kit ($150-500)
A chimney camera helps you see the inside of the flue and smoke chamber from above or below the chimney.
Most chimney cameras are endoscopic—this means the camera is at the end of a long cable. You’ll feed this cable from the top of the flue to get live footage of the interior chimney.
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8. Inspection mirrors ($10-30)
Inspection mirrors help you inspect hard-to-view areas inside the chimney with more control, as you’re holding onto the mirror with a long, attached rod. These rods are often extendable and adjustable.
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Cleaners
You can have all the brushes and rods in the truck, but if you’re not packing the right equipment to deal with the dirty stuff like ash and creosote, you’re only doing half the job.
A solid cleaning setup protects the customer’s home and leaves everything looking sharp when you’re done.
9. Ash vacuum ($100-300)
If you’ve ever tried using a regular shop vac to clean out a firebox or smoke shelf, you probably learned the hard way. It’s not built for the fine, powdery mess that comes out of a chimney.
Regular vacuums can clog and overheat. Or worse, they’ll blow ash and creosote dust back into the room.
That’s where a proper ash vacuum comes in. It’s one of those critical chimney sweep tools that keeps soot and debris contained. Not to mention, it protects the customer’s space and your lungs.
Most pro-grade ash vacs come with heat-resistant filters, sealed motors, and HEPA filtration systems that trap ultrafine particles.
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10. Creosote remover ($15-25)
Breaking down and cleaning off creosote is an essential part of chimney cleaning. There are two main types of creosote removers to choose from:
- Liquid creosote removal spray is best for light, flaky creosote and is easy to apply on hard-to-reach surfaces. A spray like Anti-Creo-Soot is great for fireplaces, pellet stoves, as well as wood and coal-burning stoves.
- Creosote removal powder works well on heavier creosote buildup in a wood stove or fireplace. You can throw some powders, like the Rutland Creosote Remover, onto hot coals. Or, find a sprayable powder like the Cre-Away Creosote Modifier that can be applied directly onto chimney walls.
11. Glass cleaner ($8-15)
Use glass cleaner on the glass doors of fireplaces and wood stoves. These liquid cleaners remove soot, tar, and residue buildup, preventing permanent stains and damage to the glass.
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Sealers and waterproofers
Nothing ruins a spotless sweep like discovering the bricks are soaking up rainwater. Moisture sneaks into joints, and then the brick starts to crumble. Don’t let sealer become an afterthought—treat it as one more chimney sweeper tool that keeps everything dry.
12. Silane/siloxane sealers ($40-65 per gallon)
Ever watched beads of water roll off the waxed hood of a car? Silane/siloxane sealers (penetrating water repellents) do the same thing for brick and block. They penetrate deep into brick, stone, or concrete, cutting water absorption by up to 95%. That means fewer follow-up calls about wet spots.
These sealers also fight mold, mildew, and that musty odor that rookie sweeps think is just “normal fireplace smell.”
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13. Silicone sealants ($15-35 per tube)
Silicone sealant is used for sealing cracks, gaps, and the chimney crown. It squeezes in, stretches with temperature swings, and shrugs off UV rays that turn lesser caulk brittle.
This sealant stays rubbery (which is what you want) and maintains a waterproof seal even in harsh conditions. And it bonds well to metal flashing and crown wash in one bead.
Pro Tip: Stick to non‑porous or pre‑sealed surfaces. On extra‑porous brick, pick a siloxane primer first, otherwise, prepare for the customer to call you back when the bead pulls away.
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14. Urethane sealants ($7-20 per tube)
Urethane (polyurethane) is like that bungee cord you get out for weird‑shaped loads in the truck. Urethane sealants are commonly used for expansion joints or any spot that moves as the chimney heats and cools.
The elasticity of this sealant can handle big expansion and contraction cycles without tearing. It sticks to concrete, metal, and it’s paintable once cured.
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Safety gear and other equipment
Even the best brush won’t save you if you’re sliding off a roof or battling soot in the air. This part of your chimney sweeper equipment list isn’t flashy, but it keeps you safe and ready to handle whatever the job throws at you.
15. Ladder ($100-250)
When the job calls for cleaning a chimney cap or checking for leaks up on a roof, a ladder is your way up. Most pros keep a couple of options in the truck, like:
- An extension ladder to scale two- or three-story homes
- A roof ladder for dealing with slippery shingles
Look for ladders with:
- Non-slip feet for traction on wet or icy driveways
- Leveling legs if you’re working on sloped yards or old stone patios
- Stabilizer bars to avoid scuffing siding or setting up too close to gutters
16. Face respirators ($30-60)
You’ll need a face respirator to protect yourself from breathing chemical fumes, dust, soot, and other debris. Choose a full-face respirator that completely covers your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Better yet, look for a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR). This type of respirator uses a HEPA filter to remove over 99% of contaminants before air enters the mask.
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17. Safety goggles ($10-25)
Getting soot in your eyes is a fast way to ruin your day. Chimney sweeping kicks up all kinds of debris, like creosote flakes, fine ash, and brick dust.
Safety goggles, which are just as essential as your brush set or vacuum, provide a sealed fit around your eyes. No gaps for debris to enter, unlike safety glasses.
18. Harness and fall protection kit ($100-250)
When you’re on a client’s roof, prevent accidents with a harness and fall protection kit.
A harness securely wraps around you as you work, while the fall protection system—typically made of ropes and anchors—keeps you safe and stable.
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19. Drop cloths ($10-40 each)
On the customer’s property, throw a drop cloth over the hearth, the floor, and the couch nearby—anything within range of falling ash.
Some sweeps use canvas drop cloths for durability, while others prefer heavy-duty plastic for easy cleanup. Either way, it’s all about containing the mess.
Pro Tip: Bring an extra cloth to lay out your tools. It keeps things organized, clean, and shows the customer you treat their home like your own.
Business software
As a business owner or solo sweep, running your operations is about:
- Having the right tools for the job
- Staying organized
- Keeping customers happy
- And getting paid on time
But when the calendar fills up and the phone won’t stop ringing, managing everything by hand is no easy feat. That’s where software comes in.
20. Chimney sweep business software
Paper logs and sticky notes can only take a growing sweep company so far. Some days, you might find yourself juggling three cleanings, a crown repair, and trying to remember which customer’s dog is terrified of ladders. Why not hand the busy work to software that’s built for this trade?
Here’s how you can use Jobber as your chimney sweep software to run your operations:
- Send rock‑solid professional quotes. Take photos during the site visit, list out flue cleanings, and fire off a polished estimate before you leave the driveway.
- Schedule jobs with a couple taps. Flue sweep during morning rush hour? Afternoon job on the other side of town? Jobber maps out the quickest, fuel-efficient route.
- Pull up all the job details you’ll need on site. No more scrolling through texts to find the homeowner’s note you knew you’d forget about.
- Keep clients in the loop with automatic appointment reminder emails, “on‑my‑way” texts, and a quick follow‑up once the sweep is done.
- Tap a button, send the invoice, and get paid in days instead of weeks.
Plus, Jobber’s business dashboard shows you today’s routes, quotes waiting for approval, jobs in progress, and outstanding invoices. All at your fingertips.
21. Marketing suite
As a growing business, naturally, you’ll want to attract more customers. The right mix of marketing strategies will promote your chimney sweeping service to the right people.
Jobber’s Marketing Suite helps you build a strong reputation that secures more work with less effort. Here’s what’s included:
- Reviews: Improve your online reputation by collecting more Google reviews through automated review requests.
- Referrals: Simplify the referral process with a fully automated referral program. This makes it easier for customers to send new business your way.
- Campaigns: Boost sales with a user-friendly email marketing tool that turns old customers into new revenue.