Get your chimney swept ready for the winter
As the chilly nights draw in wood burning stoves and fires are being lit to enjoy a cheerful and warming glow during the winter months.
Before lighting the first fire of the season it is important to have your chimney swept so you can be sure it is all clear to give you safe and efficient service.
1. Removing soot deposits
Sweeping away and removing soot deposits accumulated during normal use will help to reduce the risk of “blow back” and dangerous fumes coming into the room.
Heavy soot build-up can restrict your flue and reduce the draw smoke and fumes up to disperse out of the chimney top. As well as affecting health smoke “blow back” into the room can also cause discoloration and smoke damage.
2. Preventing fire risk from a blocked chimney
Sweeping your chimney will also make sure it is not blocked by birds’ nests or heavy soot deposits that need to be removed. These can cause “blow back” and chimney fires when the twigs or soot are set alight, creating a potentially serious fire risk.
3. Good burning efficiency and fuel saving
Making sure the flue in the chimney is clear and clean will help to maintain good fuel burning efficiently and in the case of wood burning stoves should mean burning less fuel. Always make sure good dry wood is burnt as damp wood creates tars in the chimney.
Get your chimney swept by a registered sweep.
It is important to use a qualified and registered sweep that follows a recognised code of practice and provides a sweeping certificate.
The warranties on most stoves and chimneys require chimneys to be swept at least annually and the certicvates to be kept. Insurances companies may also ask for the certificates in the event of a claim.
The NACS (National Association of Chimney Sweeps) and the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps are the better known organisations who provides training and registering of sweeps, who are required to follow a code of practice and issue a certificate to confirm that the sweeping has been carried out to the required standard. The Rodstation range of chimney sweeping rods and chimney brushes are used by members of both the NACS and Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps.