Pull-Cord Brush Will Scrub Creosote Away

QUESTION: When I was installing a wood stove in my fireplace, I discovered the smoke chamber above the damper was covered with creosote.

The damper opening is too small to reach up into this space from below. A chimney cleaning brush pushed down from above will not reach the area. Do you have any suggestions?

ANSWER: If you can’t remove the damper plate (almost all damper plates can be removed or pushed aside once the handle is removed), then do the job with a “pull-cord chimney brush,” which has a cord attached at its top and bottom.

One person stands on the roof and, while holding one end of the cord, drops the brush down to a person by the fireplace hearth.

Make sure to drop enough cord down so the brush is positioned in the smoke chamber. Then, alternately pull from the top and bottom to brush away the creosote.

Large Wall Crack Keeps Reappearing

Q: I’ve repainted the plaster walls of my living room several times, filling a large crack that starts at the corner of a finished opening with joint compound. Shortly after each paint job, the crack reappears. How can I repair it permanently?

A: The position of that crack is a sign that the framing is inadequate. The best solution would be to beef up the header or top plate of the bearing wall--the sooner the better.

If you’re not prepared for such an extensive repair presently, chip out all loose plaster and clean the crack out thoroughly. Lay an ample bed of compound about 3 inches wide over the crack.

Place wallboard tape down with a 4-inch taping knife, squeezing out the excess compound and making sure there are no air bubbles underneath the tape. When the compound dries (in a day or so), apply a second coat over the tape, feathering the edges flush with the wall surface.

Fix Plasterboard Hole With 1-by-2s, Drywall

Q: We have a rather large plaster hole, about 4-by-4 inches in the plasterboard wall of our home. I want to repair it before repainting. Can I do it without replacing the entire panel?

A: Cut a couple of 1-by-2x, about 6 inches long. Insert them through the hole and position them to create a fastening cleat against the back of the existing plasterboard. Use 1 1/4-inch drywall screws applied to the face of the plasterboard to mount the 1-by-2s parallel on opposite sides of the hole, leaving a three-quarter-inch-wide flat showing for each. then, cut a piece of drywall to fill the hole. Fasten it to the 1-by-2s with drywall screws. Tape and compound the seams to conceal the patch.