Why have your chimney swept?

A blocked chimney can be responsible for fierce house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Both can result in loss of life for you and your family.

Sweeping is essential to aid the prevention of chimney fires by removing flammable creosote and build up if soot. Sweeping creates a clear passage way to ensure toxic exhaust gasses like deadly carbon monoxide can escape.

Regularly having your chimney swept by an inexpensive, registered and professional sweep will ensure the safety of your home and your family.

How often should I have my chimney swept?

Regular chimney sweeping is important for whatever fuel you may use; coal, wood, oil and gas.  Not having your chimney swept can sometimes invalidate your home insurance in case of a fire.

The recommendations are as follows:

• Once a year- Chimneys with solid fuel appliances, smokeless fuels, gas or oil appliances
• Twice a year- domestic, bituminous coal
• Quarterly- Chimneys with wood burning appliances when in use.

What is the best time of year to get my chimney swept?

Spring to autumn is an ideal time to have your chimney swept once the burning season has ended.  This will mean that you have a clean chimney and fireplace through the summer and it will be ready for use as soon as you start burning again.

If you are having building or redecoration work carried out, give some consideration to the timing of your chimney sweep. Ideally it is best to sweep your chimney before other work commences.

Can my house insurance be compromised if my chimney is not swept regularly?

Many insurance companies will no longer pay out for claims for damage caused by chimney fires if there is not a valid up to date recognised National Industry Standard Certificate.  At Fire Safe Chimney Sweep Services, we provide you with a National Association of Chimney Sweeps certificate of chimney sweeping for your peace of mind.

Why should i use a nacs chimney sweep?

As a NACS Chimney Sweep I’ve undertaken a rigorous training course and successfully completed a full assessment prior to becoming a NACS Member. The equipment I use was checked for suitability when I completed my final assessment.

Will having my chimney swept make a mess?

I am trained in the prevention of dust escaping during sweeping. I take the upmost care when completing a sweep that no mess is made and have invested in high quality sheeting to achieve this. However, there are exceptionally rare circumstances, for example if a chimney may be blocked with a birds nest, where it may be difficult to guarantee that no mess will be made.

What should I do to prepare for sweep visits?

I will need a clear passage to the chimney and adequate space to work in. Any ornaments from the hearth and mantelpiece should be removed to prevent possible damage to them.

Why do I need to see the brush out the top of the chimney?

This is to show clearly that the flue has been swept throughout its length.

How much does it cost to have my chimney swept?

Please go to our Prices tab.

What is a Rotary sweeping?

Rotary Sweeping produces a powerful and efficient sweep, cleaning both sides and corners of your chimney.

How does a rotary sweep work?

During a Rotary Sweep the brush head through centrifugal force expands to suit the flue you are sweeping it also centres itself. The force of the sweeping action is increased by increasing the speed of the drill this has the effect of stiffening the brushing action. This allows for more flexibility i.e. if you are doing an older style chimney then you would use a low speed however if you are doing a heavily built up clay / steel flue then you can up the speed giving you an unbelievable cleaning action.

In short you can clean chimneys much more effectively with Power Sweeping causing less strain on the structure of the flue and causing less damage.

See a demonstration in the video below: