Chimney Sweep services in Bushey, Hertfordshire

Whether we have a gas, open fire, multi fuel or wood burning stove in our homes, we will all need to engage the services of a chimney sweep from time to time. Now clearly there will always be some people who take the do it yourself approach to everything in their lives, but for most, the lack of time, the requisite knowledge and the lack of correct tools mean that a professional chimney sweep will be engaged for the job.

From a simple health and safety perspective, getting a professional chimney sweep to clean out your chimney makes good sense. They are after all, the experts in their field, and to attempt a job that could result in a chimney fire or carbon monoxide poisoning, if the job is not completed properly, just isn't worth the hassle.

Our Bushey chimney sweep delivers peace of mind

The majority of us will clean our own ovens, descale our own kettles and maybe even have a crack at unblocking a slow to empty drain, so why shouldn't you sweep your own chimney?

The simple answer is that a professional chimney sweep brings you peace of mind. The dangers of not getting the job done properly are that you could end up with a very frightening chimney fire, or at worst, the build-up of carbon monoxide in your living space, due to a blocked flue, could result in death.

The thing is, whenever we burn anything, a residue is left behind. The residue from wood burning, particularly with a higher-than-normal moisture content is creosote. This is flammable and should it be allowed to accumulate in your chimney flue, there is a fair chance that it could combust and a chimney fire is not just frightening, it could literally destroy your home.

Bushey properties with open fires and stoves

In keeping with many other properties in the Hertfordshire area, Bushey boasts many period properties and others that have gone back to making use of their chimneys after many years of relying on gas centrally heated radiators.

The main driving force behind the change to open fires and solid fuel stoves in Bushey is no different to anywhere else in the country. The cost of gas is going up at a frightening rate and is set to rise further, prompting residents of Bushey and the surrounding area to seek out cheaper alternatives to heating their homes.

Another reason cited for the switch to a more traditional form of heating, is the desire to enjoy the warmth and look of a bygone age, often referred to as having that 'cottage chic' look. Whatever the reason, you will be glad to know that we have a professional chimney sweep who regularly services properties in the Bushey area of Hertfordshire.

A little Bushey history

The first written record of modern-day Bushey is an account in the Domesday Book, which describes a rather small agricultural village named Bissei, which later became Bisshe and then Bisheye during the 12th century. However, chance archaeological findings of Stone Age tools provide evidence that the area was inhabited as far back as the Palaeolithic period.

Bushey also has links to the Roman occupation of Britain, with the main road running through it being manufactured by the Romans. There are also sites of possible Roman villas being unearthed in the Bushey area; and a Roman built pavement was discovered near Chiltern Avenue in the town.

The origin of the town's name is not fully understood. In terms of the original name, Bissei, an early theory is that it may have meant Byssa's Isle, and it started life as a village that was surrounded by marshes, streams and lakes. A more modern theory is that it is simply derived from the Old English word bysce, meaning a bush or a thicket and Old French boisseie, meaning a place covered with wood. Considering that Bushey is located in the valleys which extend southwards from the Chiltern Hills, which were once covered in dense forests, the latter theory may be more accurate.

Napoleonic wars and Bushey

Bushey Heath's story begins in the Napoleonic Wars during a large food shortage. To help solve the problem, the government awarded the waste land to the east of Bushey to landowners to be used for farming; the land was more generally known as Bushey Common.

Although the original purpose of the town was to produce food, because it is now very close to a railway line and about five hundred feet above sea level with lovely views made the town of Bushey very attractive for housing development. Because the area has such a high elevation, the risk of flooding is minimised, therefore, making it an attractive proposition to house buyers too.

A time for change in Bushey

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries marked the time of most change for the town of Bushey, especially between 1860 and 1960. The population rose twenty-eight-fold within just two hundred years, from 856 in 1801, to just under 24,000 today. The expansion was for many reasons, one of the main ones being due to the increase in industry caused by the railway in the early twentieth century. A result was that many new jobs were created in and around the Watford area, and in the early 1920s, Bushey had its first council houses built. More housing was later built for the service families working in defence organisations in Stanmore and Northwood. The expansion eventually died down because much of the land in and around Bushey was protected under the Metropolitan Green Belt following the Second World War.

Bushey and the railway

The very same Green Belt legislation was also partly responsible for the shelving of plans for the pre-war Edgware to Bushey Heath extension as part of the Northern Heights programme of the Northern line underground railway. The Metropolitan Green Belt put massive restrictions on new development, and the plan was to use the new railway to stimulate new housing around the new route; without the new housing the route was seen as no longer viable. However, as work was advanced at the onset of war, the depot was completed for use as bomber manufacture, and following the Second World War and Green Belt coming into force, it was converted into the Aldenham bus depot which it remained until the middle of the nineteen eighties, when it became derelict. It was redeveloped just over a decade later and is now the Centennial Park Industrial Estate. Bushey Heath station would have been located at the intersection of Elstree Road and North-western Avenue. Conceptual plans existed in the 1903 Act of Parliament for an Edgware to Watford railway that would have seen the railway extended at a later date though Bushey village and on to Watford market, but this never came to fruition either.

Highwaymen in the Bushey area

The lack of farming in Bushey Heath meant that it was a very heavily wooded area up to the eighteenth century. To compound this, a serious lack of street lighting and very few police officers, meant that Bushey Heath became a favoured haunt of thieves, highwaymen and even the scene of a murder. Apparently, the road from Bushey Heath to Stanmore was where highwaymen would lay in wait for unsuspecting victims to pass by. They would pounce on the many carriages that passed through Bushey Heath on a daily basis, carrying money from their occupant's business in London. Before attempting to navigate this high-risk area, many of the travellers and merchants would gather at the Boot Inn at Edgware and the Three Crowns public house at Bushey Heath so they did not have to travel through the area alone. Although one of the highwaymen responsible for the attacks is rumoured to have been the world-famous Dick Turpin, it is more likely that he was more active in Essex at the time. Bushey legend is not alone in claiming that Dick Turpin rode and stalked the highways and byways. Virtually anywhere in the country wanted to have a slice of the Dick Turpin pie when a highwayman struck, such was his infamy.

A professional chimney sweep for your Bushey home

So, if you happen to live in the Bushey area and require a chimney sweep, why not get in touch?

We can even set up a regular schedule to ensure you are never left in the cold because you forgot to call a sweep in time for the colder days. We deliver on our promise to sweep clean, keeping your home clean and safe, and all at a very competitive price.

Why not call Ansell Chimneys now for a free quote

If you would like to know more or are interested in a quote we would be happy to help. Phone us on 01923 661 614, email us at info@ansellchimneys.co.uk or fill in our enquiry form and we will be in touch as soon as possible.