I have an old Fisher insert in my living room that was installed before I bought my house. The stove is on an exterior wall and the NON-insulated pipe is through the original chimney square clay tile lining. I have never inspected to see how the flue is connected to the chimney but I am certain the flue is not directly below the chimney enabling the smoke to go straight up out of the stove without any turns. I have cleaned the chimney a few times over the past couple years myself from the top. My question is, since cleaning from the bottom would, I think, be very difficult and if I am only cleaning from the top, what about the section of pipe in the turn from where my brush bottoms out and stops to the stove? Is it a problem that this section isn't being brushed? Does creosote only build up further up in the chimney? Should I be taking something apart to clean? I hope not because that would not be fun. Learn me something!