FAQ's
How much does a sweep cost? - our standard sweep for lined and unlined chimneys is £70.00 this includes a complete health check, service and a certificate to state your chimney is safe to use.
How often should I get my fire swept? - As a minimum you should be getting your chimney swept by a professional every 12 months, this is a standard most home insurances require it to be in line with their policies. However, with heavy coal users and fires that are on constantly I would recommend 2 sweeps a year.
What are the issues with a fire that has not been swept for a long time? - Initially soot could block the flue liner and gather above the baffle plate, this can create creosote before turning in to tar, this is combustible. The possible result of this is a chimney fire which can cause your flue liner to get damaged, and, in more serious cases the fire can spread through your home.
What are the benefits of having your chimney swept? - At its core it is vital for fire safety but additional benefits are better up draft of air, increasing the longevity of your flue liner and stove as well as having someone spotting issues early on. Most home insurance also require annually sweeps within their policies.
My fire bricks are cracked should I replace them? - Firebricks are made out of vermiculite this is very brittle and can easily crack. Usually this happens when you throw logs in to your fire. Most common places cracks can happen are the back bricks as these take the brunt of your logs. Cracked bricks usually won't need replacing straight away as they usually still cover the shell of your stove. We do recommend to replace them if they are crumbling away and the shell of the stove is visible.
How do I know when my fire rope needs replacing? - The fire rope of a stove acts as a sort of gasket sealing areas like doors and glass to stop any uncontrolled airflow in to the appliance, they are a key component ensuring your stove works effectively. in some cases they might look deteriorated but they are still fulfilling their function. to test if they need replacing you can try to wiggle your door when its locked and do the same to the glass. if there is movement chances are they are no longer working the way they should. another test is to hold a lighter flame to the seals of the door while the stove is lit if you can see the flame drawing towards the gap the seal has been compromised.
I had a chimney fire, what do I do now? - firstly we need to perform a CCTV inspection and smoke test of the flue liner and cowl, furthermore if the fire services have been called out chances are your appliance is longer in one piece and will need fully recommissioning and testing. this process can take up to 4 hours and should only be done by a qualified person before the appliance is again.