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Ansell Chimneys

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Chimney cowls and bird guards in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire

A little about Kings Langley in Hertfordshire

Kings Langley is a lovely historic little village and civil parish in Hertfordshire. Kings Langley is just 21 miles northwest of central London on the southern edge of the Chiltern Hills and now part of the London commuter belt. The village is divided between two local government districts by the River Gade with the larger western portion in the Borough of Dacorum and smaller part, to the east of the river, in the Three Rivers District.

It was once the location of Kings Langley Palace, a royal palace of the Plantagenet kings of England. The 12th century parish church of All Saints houses the tomb of Edmund of Langley, who lived from 1341 to 1402 and was the first Duke of York.

The place-name Langley is first attested here in a Saxon charter of circa 1050, where it appears as Langalega. It is spelt Langelai in the Domesday Book of 1086, and is recorded as Langel Regis in 1254. The name means long wood or clearing.

A Roman villa has been excavated just south of the Kings Langley. The village was probably part of the lands of the Abbey of St Albans, although the actual records have been lost. At the Norman conquest the manor was given to Williams half brother Robert, Count of Mortain who let it to one Ralf. It is around the manor that the present village developed as a linear village lying on the old road from London to Berkhamsted and the Midlands of England.

Around 1276 the manor was purchased by Queen Eleanor and a palace was built on the hill above the village to its west with a deer park extending to its south. This gave the village its link to royalty, first being renamed Langley Regina after its sponsoring queen, and then later changed to Langley Regis or later still by the added epithet "Kings". The village remained the location of Kings Langley Palace, a royal palace of the Plantagenet kings of England, 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 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 his probable murder at Pontefract Castle in 1400. It was later removed to Westminster Abbey. The body of Edmund of Langley, who died in 1402, the fifth son of Edward III and the first Duke of York, still rests in the memorial chapel.

Bird cages, caps and cowls fitted in Kings Langley

Your chimney may require a cap or cowl for protection against the following:

  • To help prevent birds and other animals like squirrels from getting into your chimney and nesting
  • To stop rain from getting into the chimney
  • Helps to prevent down drafts in the chimney
  • If a gas fire is installed they guard against blockages that can cause carbon monoxide emissions from coming back into the room
  • Some older buildings have disused chimneys, but a dead or decaying bird can smell very unpleasant through the vents. To prevent bird, squirrels and rain entry into a disused chimney, why not have a cowl or cap fitted.

Fitting the right kind of bird cage, cowl or cap is vital to avoid problems occurring. With Ansell Chimneys years of experience, we will assess the requirements and recommend the correct type for your particular situation. We will also look at the other houses nearby to make sure we fit one that is in keeping with the Kings Langley area, after all, you wouldn't want your property to stick out like a sore thumb!

Ansell Chimneys fit several different types of cages, caps and cowls designed to prevent rain, birds, bees and other vermin from getting into the chimney. It is best to let us know what you are trying to achieve and our chimney sweeps can recommend the most suitable option for you.

Ansell Chimneys usually have sample cowls in our vans to make your choice easier. In most cases we will also be able to advise you on the price. We will then arrange to come back to Kings Langley to install the correct cap or cowl to your chimney.

We tend to fit the caps and cowls to your chimney from a ladder wherever possible. This avoids us having to use scaffolding or other specialised access equipment, as this could increase the cost of our service.

As with chimney sweeping, the price is affected by the property location, the type and number of cowls or cages required, but it will also be affected by any potential access problems, we need to see the chimney location before we can confirm prices to you. Fortunately, Kings Langley is well within the areas we cover, so this will not push the price up at all.

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.

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.

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.

Smoke tests in Kings Langley

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.

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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.