If your home has a working open fireplace or stove, you’ll
already have come to realise its benefits. Adding a certain rustic charm to
your living space whilst keeping you and your family warm and cosy during those
colder months, a fireplace can truly transform the way your home operates.
However, as the owner of a fireplace or stove, it is important to remember that
routine chimney repair and maintenance needs to be carried out in order for
your fireplace to work effectively and, more importantly, safely.
Your chimney is always at the mercy of the elements, so
whether it’s damage from bad weather, creeping plants, or simply from old age,
it’s important to have it checked out by the professionals on a regular basis.
As it’s difficult to simply inspect a chimney from the
outside, your chosen contractor will need to take a look at your stove or
fireplace to get a more complete inspection of your chimney’s integrity. With
this in mind, it is essential that you make a few preparations before the
contractor arrives to ensure that the inspection can be carried out efficiently
and without damaging any of your possessions.
If you’re unsure what steps to take before your chimney
inspector arrives, read on to learn more.
Why carry out regular chimney repair and inspection?
As we’ve already mentioned, a chimney can quite easily run
into problems over time, however, you may be wondering why you need to stay on
top of regular maintenance. A well-kept chimney can offer a variety of benefits
and can also minimise the substantial risks that can present themselves.
The risks
When considering fire hazards around our homes, many of our
minds will turn to issues with gas. Although a problem with gas is a serious issue, it’s important to remember
that your fireplace poses a significant risk to your home.
According to HETAS, the national body in charge
of promoting the safe use of solid fuels, there were 4,000 fires caused by
fireplaces and chimneys in the UK back in 2016 and, although this number is
dropping year on year, it is important to understand the risks.
For example, one of the main issues from an unchecked
chimney is the build-up of creosote. Created from the burning of solid fuels
such as wood, this dark brown substance sticks to the sides of your flue and
slowly builds up.
If left to collect for too long, it can spark and cause a
significant fire hazard throughout your property. This, coupled with a cracked
flue can spell disaster to your home and put you and those you live with at
risk.
The benefits
Although it is important to primarily understand the risks,
a quality chimney inspection or repair can actually hold some benefits as well.
The increase of creosote can decrease your chimney’s efficiency as do partial
blockages.
With the help of a quality chimney repair contractor, you
can ensure that your flue is clear and your fireplace is working at optimum
efficiency, meaning less fuel burnt and a reduced likelihood for large scale
repair costs.
How regularly should I have my chimney checked?
When it comes to chimney and fireplace inspections,
consistency is key. However, the time between each inspection will vary
depending on the type of fireplace you have installed. If you own a gas or oil
fireplace, an annual check-up should be more than enough to ensure it’s up to
snuff.
However, with a wood or bituminous coal burner, the cleaning
frequency will be four times higher on average. This, of course, depends on how
much you decide to use your fireplace, yet, if it is in relatively consistent
operation, you should look to have it cleaned and inspected every three months.
If you’re still unsure, it’s important to seek advice from
your contractor, who will have the knowledge and expertise on the subject.
Preparing your fireplace and chimney for inspection
Now that we have an understanding of why it’s important to
have your chimney inspected and the frequency at which it should be checked and
swept, we can look at the various preparations you’ll need to make to ensure
the inspection goes smoothly.
Clear the mantel and hearth
Although a chimney repair contractor will always look to
minimise any mess or damage caused by carrying out a comprehensive chimney
repair, help to make their job easier by moving any items from your mantel that
could be broken during the job.
The same thing goes for the hearth, as debris or fuel that
you might be keeping next to the fireplace could obstruct the contractor.
Cover your furnishings
Thankfully, modern chimney inspection methods are infinitely
cleaner than their soot-covered predecessors would have been, covering all
areas in and around the fireplace with sponge blocks or linen and ‘sweeping’
with an industrial vacuum cleaner to minimise the spread of dust throughout
your property.
However, this doesn’t mean that there is no chance of any
debris slipping past the contractor and into your living space, covering your
furnishings in unsightly grime. With this in mind, covering your furniture and
fixtures with a sheet can add the extra layer of protection for the items in
your home you would like to keep clean.
Is the roof clear?
If the contractor needs to access the roof, it is essential
that it is safe for them to do so. Therefore, if you have anything up there
that could be an obstruction, such as footballs or tree branches, look to have
them cleared beforehand.
Clean out the fireplace
It can be helpful to spend a little bit of time beforehand
cleaning the fireplace of any grime and emptying the grate if fuel and ash has
built up. This can help give the contractor a better view of any issues and
makes it a bit nicer for them to work.
What does the process entail?
With your fireplace and chimney prepared, you may be
wondering what the actual process of chimney sweeping entails. To start with,
your contractor will carry out a comprehensive inspection of your stove and
flue to ascertain if any repairs are needed and how much creosote has built up
inside the flue.
Once the inspection is finished, the cleaning process will
begin, with your chosen technician laying out protective sheeting in and around
the fireplace. They will then make their way to the roof and clean the chimney
from top to bottom, ensuring the damper, chamber and flue are all thoroughly
cleared of soot.
A HEPA soot vacuum may also be used to suck up the rest of the
dirt, with the HEPA filter ensuring that a minimal level of dust and grime
enters your property. This process takes around two hours, meaning your chimney
can be running perfectly by the evening.
The importance of hiring a professional
contractor
Chimney sweeping and repair is a potentially hazardous job
requiring an individual to both work at height and with noxious chemicals,
which is why it is important to hire an experienced and qualified contractor
rather than try to do the job yourself.
When looking for a quality chimney maintenance technician,
it’s important to check that they are properly accredited. Luckily there are
multiple associations and guilds that represent quality chimney sweepers across
the UK and some are even royally appointed.
Whether you’re looking for a quality chimney
clean or stove installation, Milborrow Chimney Sweeps is here to help
A comprehensive chimney cleaning or fireplace repair really
is essential to keeping you and those you live with safe, so make sure the job
gets done right with Milborrow Chimney Sweeps.
With over 100 years of experience in the industry, our team
of knowledgable and passionate sweeps have helped countless happy customers
throughout London and have even been awarded two Royal Warrants from HM the
Queen and HRH the Prince of Wales for our work at the royal palaces.
If you’re in the South East and are looking for the best
chimney maintenance contractors in your area then look no further than
Milborrow Chimney Sweeps. For more information visit
our website
or get in touch with our team on 01342 717
900.
