PSA: I used to skip brushing the smoke shelf, then a job in Salem last week proved me wrong
I always figured brushing the firebox and flue was enough and the smoke shelf could just get a quick pass with the vac, but a two-story colonial in Salem last week had 3 inches of caked creosote sitting right on that shelf and my brush never touched it. The homeowner had a chimney fire two winters back and the fire marshal said that shelf buildup was a big part of why it spread so fast, which honestly made me rethink my whole routine. How are you all getting a brush up in there without pulling the damper assembly apart?