How to Tell If Your Chimney Needs Sweeping
If you don't know when your chimney was last swept, we'd recommend having it swept before you use it. The same applies if you've moved into a property with a…
Chimney sweep cleaning a traditional fireplace with face covering and protective clothes.
What Happens During A Chimney Sweep?
A professional chimney sweep protects the area around your fireplace or stove, accesses and contains the flue opening, removes soot and deposits with suitable brushes or rotary equipment, clears the…
When Is the Best Time to Have Your Chimney Swept?
The best time to have your chimney swept is at the end of the burning season, typically around April or May. There is a practical reason for this that goes…
Fireplace and Stove Safety Around Children
Practical advice for making open fires and stoves safer around babies and young children, including fireguards, hot surfaces, supervision and fireplace safety.
Buying a House With a Chimney, Fireplace or Stove: What to Check
Buying a house with a chimney, fireplace or stove? Find out what to check, what paperwork to ask for and when further chimney investigation may be useful.
How to Leave Your Stove or Fireplace for Summer
When you stop using your fire for the warmer months, you do not need a complicated summer shutdown routine. The important things are to leave the appliance or fireplace clean,…
Why Does My Chimney Smell?
If an unpleasant smell is coming from your chimney or fireplace, the most likely explanation is also the simplest: the chimney is overdue a sweep. Soot and other deposits build…
How to Temporarily Block a Chimney: Chimney Balloons vs Chimney Sheep
For most unused open fireplaces, a purpose-made removable draught excluder such as a chimney balloon or Chimney Sheep is the simplest way to temporarily block the chimney and reduce draughts.…
Signs Your Chimney May Have a Problem
Common signs of a chimney problem include smoke entering the room, unusual smells, damp or staining, debris falling into the fireplace, bird nesting material, poor draught and visible damage to…
CCTV Chimney Survey: When You Need One and What It Shows
Find out when a CCTV chimney survey is useful, why a separate sweep is usually needed, what the camera can show and what footage you receive.