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Chimney Sweep in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire

Chimney sweeping in Kings Langley

The history of Kings Langley

A Roman villa has been excavated just south of the village of Kings Langley.

The village was probably part of the lands that belonged to the Abbey of St Albans, although no actual records are known to exist to confirm or deny this. At the time of the Norman conquest, the manor was given to William the Conqueror's half brother Robert, Count of Mortain. It is around this old manor that the present village of Kings Langley developed as a linear village lying on the old road from London to Berkhamsted and the English Midlands.

In about 1276 the manor was purchased by Queen Eleanor and a palace was built on the hill above the village that included a deer park to its south. This is what gave the village of Kings Langley its link to royalty, first being renamed Langley Regina after the queen, and then changed to Langley Regis and later still by the added epithet of "Kings". The village remained the location of Kings Langley Palace, a royal palace of the Plantagenet kings of England, the Plantagenets transformed England from little more than a colonised realm, ruled from abroad, into one of the most mature kingdoms in Europe. A Dominican priory was founded next to the palace and remains of this can still be seen today. The palace and the grand church that accompanied the priory fell into disrepair at the Dissolution of the Monasteries and very little remains above ground level.

The church of All Saints was built during the 14th century on the site of an earlier church. The body of King Richard II was buried here for a time after what was considered by many to be his murder at Pontefract Castle in 1400. His body was later removed to Westminster Abbey. The body of Edmund of Langley, the fifth son of Edward III and the first Duke of York who died in1402, still rests in the memorial chapel.

All Saints Church, Kings Langley

The 18th century Sparrows Herne turnpike road, which later became the A41 trunk road, traversed the Chilterns via the valley of the River Gade and ran down the village high street. The 16th century Saracens Head public house is a coaching inn which was very pipular during this period.

The Grand Union Canal dating from 1797 and the 1838 London and Birmingham Railway which later became the West Coast Main Line, pass just east of the village at Kings Langley railway station. There are many businesses located near the station in Home Park Industrial Estate which is also home to the Construction and Engineering Centre of West Herts College.

Twentieth century housing developments have led to the village spreading out on either side of the main road. The A41 has now been diverted west of the village leaving the high street to local traffic for the first time in centuries.

During World War Two the village was home to the secret headquarters in Britain of the Polish Underground army based at Barnes Lodge just off the Hempstead Road near Rucklers Lane.

Kings Langley was the home of the makers of Ovaltine and the listed factory facade is now all that is left and still stands alongside the railway line among a new housing development. The Ovaltine factory itself has recently been converted into a series of flats and duplexes.

The former Ovaltine Egg Farm was converted into energy efficient offices which house renewable energy systems. The complex incorporates a highly visible wind turbine alongside the M25 Motorway.

Kings Langley is home to a Waldorf School, the Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley. This is built on the grounds of the old palace, of which only a small basement part of a pillar remains to be seen. There is also a small display cabinet of finds from the palace period in the school entrance foyer.

The village became twinned with Achiet-le-Grand in France in November 2009, in honour of Christopher Cox from the village who won a Victoria Cross in fighting near Achiet-le-Grand in World War I.

What Ansell Chimneys do when they visit your Kings Langley 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 Kings Langley 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 Kings Langley 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 Kings Langley home clean.

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

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 Kings Langley is not far from our head office, jobs here will not attract a higher quote.

Birds nests and blockage removal in Kings Langley

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 Kings Langley 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 Kings Langley 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 Kings Langley

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 Kings Langley 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 Kings Langley 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, Kings Langley 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 Kings Langley and need your chimney swept, why not call or email Ansell Chimneys and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Services provided and areas covered:

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.

Ansell Chimneys

t. 01923 661 614 | m. 07941 282 325 | m. 07976 318 160 | Email us

t. 01923 661 614
m. 07941 282 325
m. 07976 318 160
Email us

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