# chimney sweep



## braceyourself

Are there any chimney sweeps on the forum? If not, any recommendations? thanks.


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## FrankwT

me too in destin


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## BananaTom

http://www.fireplacedoctor.net/

I used this company a couple of years ago. They inspected my chimney during the summer, all was ok, no cleaning needed, and then they informed me about the the Chimney Swifts that were living in my chimney.


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## BananaTom

*For you Pilotpop:*

A Chimney Swifty is an endangered Migratory Bird. 

They are here during the spring, summer and leave in the fall to return South. They use my chimney, when I do not need it. I have a brick chimney, it is registered with the second link below. When the swifts return to breed in the spring, I notifiy this university. 

The two links beloew will explain so much more, enjoy.

http://www.ncsg.org/FortheTrade/Chim...9/Default.aspx

http://chimneyswifts.org/


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## Rammer Jammer

I used Doodlebuggers and was more than pleased by their service and knowledge. I have an old masonry fireplace that was in need of some serious attention. I opted to do the repiars myself; however, I called upon them a couple of times hoping to get a few tips (I figured they would hang up on me after I not choosing them to do the repairs, but figured it couldn't hurt) and was shocked to find out how helpful they were and provide much needed guidance. They even went as far as pulling up my estimate/pictures in their database and sat and looked them over with me on the phone and gave me step by step directions on how to proceed on a few things. I call that service! 

A side note on the fireplace doctor mentioned above. The guy that started fireplace doctor around here (who I had heard good things about) sold the name/company to another "chain type" company that operates under several different company names locally. I had them (one of the other company names - "All Star" something) come out and give an estimate as well and was not impressed at all. Seemed like a couple guys that recently received a crash course on chimney repairs and really didn't know their way around at all. Anyway, I called the fireplace doctor a few days later and the same guy from All Stars answered the phone and believe it or not was willing to come out and give me an estimate on the repairs for an additional fee of course........uhhh, no. So, I don't know if fireplace doctor had already been sold or not when BananaTom used them, but I just thougth I'd pass that along.


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## xtopdawg386x

You can go to a local hard ware store and pick on up for about $20 bucks its not hard to do at all .The one i have takes to people it looks like a soccer ball with a rope attacked from at the top and at the bottom with wire bristles .Takes about 15 min to clean out the chimney . then a couple minutes to clean all the suet from the actual fire place area .


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## BananaTom

Rammer Jammer said:


> I used Doodlebuggers So, I don't know if fireplace doctor had already been sold or not when BananaTom used them, but I just thougth I'd pass that along.


*Thanks for the info Rammer Jammer. *

*When I used the FP Doc it was a one man operation. So he must have sold after I used them. *

*I have heard good things about Doodlebuggers.*

*The owner is ex/retired military and does run a tight ship. *

*I have ran across them many times in my profession, however, never regarding a fireplace.*

*The name Doodlebuggers, hmm, I asked when I was doing business with them and they said it was some sort of military operation that the owner was involved in. I think this was in 1999 or 2000.*


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## braceyourself

I had a bad experience with the fireplacedoctor. 2 young men came out and got into an argument in my living room about who was in charge. They gave me a large estimate for repairs so I ushered them out as quickly as possible. I'm still looking for a reputable chimney sweep to make minor repairs to masonry.


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## Rammer Jammer

Tom - that's is correct. The original FP Dr. was a one man operation and was very good from what I had heard. 

Braceyourself - what you described is definitely the individuals who bought the FP Dr. They came to my place as well and I had a very similar experience. Unfortunately, them and Doodlebuggers are about the only two around that repair old masonry fireplaces. There are indeed several companies who will sweep it, but as far as masonry repairs, I could only located the two. Now, All Stars/FP Dr. operate under numerous business names, which are all listed in the yellow pages. I quickly realized this after calling A LOT of the different numbers. Like I said above, I ended up making all the repairs myself after consulting with Doodelbuggers. Feel free to PM me if you end up making the repairs yourself and I'd be glad to tell you what I found out. There is not much to it really, but it is labor intensive.


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## FrankwT

Can't find one in the Destin area at all.


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## local_hooker

xtopdawg386x said:


> You can go to a local hard ware store and pick on up for about $20 bucks its not hard to do at all .The one i have takes to people it looks like a soccer ball with a rope attacked from at the top and at the bottom with wire bristles .Takes about 15 min to clean out the chimney . then a couple minutes to clean all the suet from the actual fire place area .



My father lives up in Michigan and to this day he still climbs up on the roof with an old burlap potato sack filled with bricks and a rope attached to it and he does his own chimney sweeping..


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## xtopdawg386x

Dang ya'll act like you cant do any work your self might get dirty or something . Go pick up a chimney sweeper for 20-25 bucks and get your kids or a friend to help you out . Why pay 100-400 bucks for some one to come out and do something that takes 15 -20 mins max and cost you 20 -25 bucks one time . Some people make me laugh at how lazy they are .


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## FrankwT

A real Sweep does a lot more than clean, it is thoughly inspected by someone trained to do it...and that training can keep your house from burning down. I will pay a professional... A lot of difference than "just cleaning". By the way I went to a funeral of a friend 2 weeks ago, he died from complications of falling off his roof...


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## braceyourself

xtopdawg386x said:


> Dang ya'll act like you cant do any work your self might get dirty or something . Go pick up a chimney sweeper for 20-25 bucks and get your kids or a friend to help you out . Why pay 100-400 bucks for some one to come out and do something that takes 15 -20 mins max and cost you 20 -25 bucks one time . Some people make me laugh at how lazy they are .



When I first posted, trying to throw some business to a PFF member, I did not anticipate a character assassination about my work ethic. I have never used my fireplace and thought it a good idea to have it professionally inspected and repaired, if necessary. I would have to get my kids up on my 2 story roof, because i'm not going up there, i'm too clumsy.:hurt:


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## reel-crazzzy

*What Is A Doodlebugger? How To Work For A Seismic Survey *[COLOR=#660066 !important]Company[/COLOR]
*







*
*What The Heck Is A Doodlebugger?*
Doodlebuggers or seismic surveyors use equipment like the truck to shake the earth and send down waves that bounce off layers of rock, oil and [COLOR=#660066 !important]gas[/COLOR].
These waves, created by a vibration pad located under the truck as seen

above, are picked up by sensors that are scattered across a grid on the surface. Such grids may be several miles across and placing all these cables and sensors is hard work. 
Seismic surveyors or doodlebuggers spend hours in the field in all kinds of conditions placing sensors. They use [COLOR=#660066 !important]technology[/COLOR] such as GPS to precisely locate the sensors. Doodlebuggers may use ATV's, tractors, swamp buggies or other [COLOR=#660066 !important]four wheel drive[/COLOR] vehicles to set up the seismic sensors.
Once the seismic survey has been completed geophysicists can use the data to create a 3D map of the underground environment and precisely locate pockets of oil and natural gas. Most [COLOR=#660066 !important]new discoveries[/COLOR] of oil today are found using data from 3D seismic surveys.
Even if no oil or gas is ever found the information from seismic surveys can be valuable to researchers studying groundwater, fault lines, etc.
It's a hard, physical job but one that keeps you in the outdoors and at sea.


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## reel-crazzzy

Doodlebuggers is a great company. ive used them at home and in commercail setting and they always left with me happy. :thumbsup: The owner worked offshore as a doodlebugger 4 several years.


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