Clean Sweep Vac Services 01462 671555
Chimney Sweeping Preparation
What to do before your chimney sweep arrives
1. COOL YOUR FIRE
We can't sweep a hot fire!
Make sure that your wood stove and flue or fireplace and chimney has been allowed to cool for at least 10 hours before we sweep it.
So let it burn out teh night before no later than;
9pm for a breakfast time sweep
10pm for a weekday morning sweep
2am for an afternoon sweep
6am for an evening sweep
If it has not cooled enough, we may not be able to get all the soot out. If it is too hot to safely sweep you will still be charged a call out fee.
2. CHECK YOUR APPOINTMENT TIME
Make sure someone is in
We need access to your property to sweep your chimney. Check that someone will be during the 4 hours time slot that you have booked.
You will not be able to light the fire until we have finished, so if your appliance runs your central heating system, you should book a breakfast appointment which guarantees us to arrive before 9am. This will enable you to get the fire back on as quickly as possible.
If no one is present when we arrive, you will be charged for the visit and we will need to rearrange.
Book an early morning breakfast-time chimney sweep here
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
A sweep takes around 30 - 45 mins for an open fire chimney or log burner flue liner, depending on how much soot is up there and whether you have an installation that meets building regs. Illegally fitted wood burners tend to take a while as the soot collects in many different areas. Wood stoves that are fitted properly and used properly ( no overnight slumbering ) burn very efficiently and can be very easy to clean. In these cases a sweep can take around 20 minutes.
We will check that you have a carbon monoxide detector fitted and that it is working whilst we are there. It's a good time to check your smoke alarm too. Click here to buy one online.
3. CHECK YOUR cowlings
Take a look at your chimney
It may be dark or raining when we visit so take a look at your chimney before we arrive and check to see if you have a cap or cowling on your chimney pot. If you suspect yours is loose / of a push-fit design please speak with our engineer upon arrival, as this may cause problems cleaning all the way to the top.
Check after we have finished that it is still there, in case it has been dislodged when the brush reached the top of the stack/ pot.
If you would like a cowling fitted or a chimney capped off, contact us for a quote through our sister company GTD Installations Ltd.
4. CLEAR THE AREA
Remove any valuables
Although we are very careful during our visit, accidents can happen so before we arrive remove any valuables or precious knick-knacks from the fireplace and from the mantel shelf on top.
We clear the soot away with a hoover so check that we can easily access both the fireplace and an electrical socket to plug in our vacuum cleaner.
Some people like to keep the soot for the garden, please let us know if you would like to keep it.
What if my fire isn't safe to use?
If the chimney sweep declares your fire unsafe to use, the reasons why will be shown on your certificate. Our certificates are electronic and sent to you by email. They can be found on the second page of your invoice. HETAS sweeps and certificates are also available.
All open fires, gas fires, oil fires and boilers and logburners need a working carbon monoxide alarm permanently fitted in the same room as the fire and without one, your fire will be declared unsafe to use. This is the main reason a fire may be 'condemned' but there are many others.
5. COVER THE SOFA
We bring dust sheets
We will cover the fireplace and working area on the floor in front of the fire with dust sheets.
We should not leave any dust/soot on your furniture after your sweep, but we do advise covering new, expensive, white, or cream coloured furniture and carpet, just to be safe.
We don't always have time for a cup of tea, so don't feel that you have to offer. Biscuits however are always welcome!
What if we can't sweep the chimney?
If your chimney is taller or wider than average or is blocked, we charge a little more if it takes longer to service than a regular sized fireplace and flue. Removal of a bird’s nest may increase the cost of the service depending on how long it takes to remove. However at certain times of the year we are unable to remove a birds nest due to the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.
If you think you may have birds nesting or are seeing a lot of twigs dropping into your fireplace please let us know before our visit, as we may need to postpone until the birds have left the nest. We recommend fitting a bird guard to prevent birds nesting in your chimney or flue.
If we find that there are birds in your chimney that have not yet fledged, you will be charged for an inspection and certifcate sent advising you not to use the fire until the birds have left the chimney. This is usually around August time. Read more about birds in chimney
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