Chimney Sweep in Aldenham, Hertfordshire

Chimney sweeping in Aldenham

About Aldenham in Hertfordshire

Aldenham is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire. It is just three and a half miles from Watford and 2 miles from Radlett. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book and is one of Hertsmeres 14 conservation areas. Aldenham has eight pre 19th century buildings that are now listed buildings and the parish itself is largely unchanged, though buildings have been rebuilt, since Saxon times when the majority of the land was owned by the abbots of Westminster Abbey.

In the Index of Multiple Deprivation, which is a government qualitative study of deprived areas in the United Kingdom, the ward of Aldenham East was ranked as the least deprived ward out of 8414 in England, while Aldenham West also featured among the least deprived three per cent in the country. Radlett forms the eastern part of the civil parish.

The history of Aldenham

The Church of St John the Baptist in Aldenham is seven hundred years old and there was probably an even earlier Saxon church on the site at some time. At the time of the English Reformation, which was a series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church, the lands were sold off to the highest bidders and Aldenham is probably much smaller today than it would have been over five hundred years ago.

In 1940, a German air attack damaged stained glass and removed what was known as the Hertfordshire Spike, which was the spire on the top of the tower. Restoration work on the church was completed in 1951.

Both the church and the village have been used in lots of films, advertisements and television programmes, being within easy travelling distance of Elstree Studios. These have included the film Confessions of a Window Cleaner, the BBC television series Pathfinders, and the Coldplay music video for "Life in Technicolor II", to name but a few.

Although it gave its name to the Aldenham Bus Works owned by London Transport, Aldenham Works was actually located at nearby Elstree.

What Ansell Chimneys do when they visit your Aldenham home?

• We usually require about half an hour per chimney to do a proper sweep.
• It is important that the area in front of the fire is cleared so we have no furniture in the way to hinder access to the fireplace and it protects your valuables too. An area of about 6 square feet should be adequate.
• On certain properties, the chimney may be swept through an external hatch in the chimney breast. Although these are great from our point of view for access, we will still need to come into your home to ensure that no debris from the sweeping process has fallen into the fireplace or any soot has fallen into the room, causing a mess.
• With the use of dust sheets over the fireplace, we effectively seal off the area as an extra barrier against chimney debris getting into the room. However, if soft furnishings or delicate objects are close to the fireplace, we ask that you cover these or remove them just to make sure they are safe.
• You will not be required to cover all the furniture and surfaces in the room where the fireplace is, unless you really want to.
• All we really need is somewhere close by to plug in our powerful vacuum cleaner. We can then commence the sweeping process with our brushes, rods and the vacuum to remove the soot and any other debris that is dislodged.
• Ansell Chimneys will leave your room, fireplace and chimney clean and safe to use once again.

Call Ansell Chimneys out to Aldenham when it's convenient for you

To be certain of a safely operating chimney, you should have them swept about once a year. The most sensible time to have your chimney swept is during the warmer months, as you are unlikely to be using the fire. Like so many things that happen annually, it's all too easy to forget to book them in time, so to get around this problem Ansell Chimneys offer a useful reminder service and will give you a call annually or bi-annually, the choice is yours.

Ansell Chimneys keep your Aldenham home clean and dust free

Most people think that chimney sweeping is one of the dirtiest procedures around, but the method Ansell Chimneys use means that very little soot, dust or debris will find its way into your living space. We offer a very clean service so you can keep your Aldenham home clean.

Why not ask Ansell Chimneys for advice on sweeping your chimney in Aldenham

Ansell Chimneys really are the experts, If you are experiencing a lack of draw on a chimney, or smoke finding its way back into your room, give us a call; we are always very happy to provide advice on what could potentially be a life threatening situation.

Ansell Chimneys advice is free of charge. If you can't use your fire because it's dangerous, you will be missing out on the homely glow a real fire brings during the winter months. So why not give us a call and get that open fire up and running again.

Cost of chimney sweeping services

Our prices are based on the property location and number of chimneys that need sweeping. Please contact us for a no obligation quote. As Aldenham is not far from our head office, jobs here will not attract a higher quote.

Birds nests and blockage removal in Aldenham

One of the first signs that an animal is making a home, or has previously made one in your chimney is that there will be twigs, leaves or other debris in the fireplace that has fallen from above. The most frequent culprits that like to set up residence in your chimneys tend to be some of the carrion birds, such as crows and magpies and occasionaly squirrels. There are plenty of these creatures around Aldenham and as the town expands, their natural habitat is decreased. This simply means they will look for an alternative place to roost or nest, as the number of trees diminishes.

Any obstruction in a chimney can be potentially lethal! It's not just the solid fuel fires that are a problem either, even a gas fire will release carbon monoxide back into the living space if it can't escape safely up the chimney. When it comes to a fire that burns solid fuels, the chimney can become blocked resulting in smoke coming back into the room or a chimney fire could start, causing a huge amount of expensive damage to the rest of your home.

If you think there is a blockage in your chimney, don't wait for something bad to happen, give us a call immediately. We will remove the blockage and in doing so, be in a better position to tell you why it happened in the first place. For example, there may be a loose or dislodged brick or piece of mortar. It may even be a nest from a bird or squirrel and a bird cap or cowl may well be the answer to prevent it happening again in the future.

Because birds eggs and nests are protected by law in England and Wales and that there may be hatched baby birds in a nest, we will not remove nests during the breeding season, which is May & June, this ensures that the young have had a good chance to leave the nest. After all, there are fewer birds around Aldenham already because of loss of habitat, light pollution and the increase in the number of cats that are kept as pets. Ansell Chimneys like to ensure that we don't contribute to the decline of our little feathered friends.

Bird cages, caps and cowls fitted in Aldenham

Should your chimney require a cap or cowl, Ansell Chimneys will have the one to suit your property to protect against the following:

• Birds or squirrels getting into and possibly nesting in the chimney
• Our caps and cowls prevent rain from getting into the chimney
• A good quality cowl or cap stops down drafts
• To prevent bird and rain entry to a disused chimney, leaving the homeowner with an option to start using a fire in the future without having to clear many years build up of debris.

It is vital to fit the correct type of bird cage, cowl or cap, or problems may occur. With Ansell Chimneys valuable experience, we can identify your particular needs and advise you on the correct type for your situation. We will also look at the other houses nearby to ensure we fit one that is in keeping with the Aldenham area.

Ansell Chimneys fit all the major types of cages, caps and cowls, so let us know what you want to keep out of your chimney and we can tell you what would be the best option for you.

Ansell Chimneys have a selection of cowls in our vans to demonstrate what they look like and what they are most effective at keeping out of the chimney. We will then arrange to come back to Aldenham to install the correct cap or cowl to your chimney.

Fitting the caps and cowls is a relatively straightforward job and we do everything we can to avoid the need for scaffolding or other specialised access equipment, a ladder will usually be sufficient.

Fortunately, Aldenham is well within our 'areas covered' range so this will not push the price up at all for either chimney sweeping or bird caps and cowl fitting.

Smoke tests

After Ansell Chimneys have swept your chimney, we carry out a quick, simple but effective test to ensure there is the correct draw and no smoke or other pollutants can flow back into your living space. This is quite simply a match-like device that smokes profusely when burnt and is placed just above the site of the fire. If the smoke is neatly drawn up the chimney, the fire will be safe to use.

So if you live in Aldenham and need your chimney swept, why not call or email Ansell Chimneys and we will get back to you as soon as we can.