Why should you always use a certified chimney sweep?  

Well, it’s all down to getting what you pay for and ensuring that the advice you get is the best.  There are good, informed certified chimney sweeps out there who are very experienced and knowledgeable about their craft, and then there are the ‘others’.  Ones like ‘Two rod Charlie’ as one (genuine) chimney sweep was called.  Or the gentleman who swept every single flue, from a 6 inch diameter flue to a massive inglenook chimney with the same balding brush.

The trouble is, that over the phone you simply can’t tell the difference between a certified chimney sweep and someone who is not a certified chimney sweep.

This is why the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps was formed.  Serious sweeps were desperate to find a way to put clear blue water between themselves and the less than competent chimney sweeps out there.  I was one of the sweeps that founded the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps and we realised early on that if you belong to an organisation, you are only as good as the worst member.  So, we set the Guild up so that only qualified chimney sweeps were able to join.  We created the City & Guilds in chimney cleaning to act as the entrance qualification, and all sweeps entering the Guild to this day are required to be a trained and certified chimney sweep.  This ensures that when you use a member of the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps, you are getting a sweep who believes in qualifications, who believes in doing a proper job, has the training and knowledge to back that all up along with the safety aspect of chimney cleaning at heart.

A certified chimney sweep is obliged to carry in his van a range of equipment that will enable him to do the job in hand correctly and safely, picking the right tools for the job, and using them in a safe manner.  The correct brush for the job, the best rods, and enough safety and protective equipment to get the job done cleanly with no risk to themselves or the householder.  He will have the correct level of insurance for the job, and above all, the chimney will be issued with a certificate to say when the sweep was carried out and by whom.  Several insurance companies make this a condition of insurance, so by using a certified chimney sweep you are also protecting your insurance cover as well as the safety of your home and family.  So, remember this when you go to book a sweep and make sure that he is certified chimney sweep.  Don’t take the risk and put the safety of you and your family in jeopardy.