Warning: I thought those new flexible rods were just a gimmick

My boss in Springfield got a set of the FlexiSweep rods last fall and I rolled my eyes, thinking my old solid ones were fine. We had a crazy offset flue on a 1920s house yesterday and the flex rods got around two 45 degree bends my gear couldn't touch. Has anyone else been forced to admit these actually work?

3 comments

3 Comments

spencer_coleman1d ago

That bit about the offset flue on the old house is exactly it. I had a similar stubborn moment with a new inspection camera my partner bought. I called it a toy for weeks until we found a crack in a drain line that was hidden behind a joist. My old straight snake camera would have missed it completely. Sometimes the new tool really is made for the one weird job that makes your whole week.

charlescraig1d ago

Ever try the ones with the side mirror attachment? Lets you look around corners without bending the cable. That flue job sounds like a perfect case for it. You can spot problems before they get worse, saves a ton of time on the fix. I keep one in my main kit now, never know when you'll need to see behind something.

sethm461d ago

Yeah, and don't forget the WEIRD angles you get with those mirrors. It's not just about seeing around a bend, it's about the light. You shine your main light down the pipe, but that mirror can catch a glare off a wet spot or a weird shadow from a hairline crack that a straight-on look would just miss. It's like getting a second opinion without moving the camera.