Chimney Sweeping Frequently Asked Questions

Which areas do you cover?

Ansell Chimneys are based in Watford and we cover all areas of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

How often does my chimney need sweeping?

• Smokeless fuel: A sweep at least once a year
• Wood: Once quarterly when in use
• Bituminous coal: Once quarterly when in use
• Oil: A sweep once a year
• Gas: A sweep once a year

Now, clearly this all depends on how frequently the fire is used and the quality of fuel. For example, wood that is too wet will cause the chimney to become caked in creosote far quicker than correctly dried wood. Ask us for advice regarding the correct moisture content for wood.

Will Ansell chimneys issue me with an approved chimney sweeping certificate?

Yes, we will issue a Sweep Safe certificate at the completion of each job.

How should I prepare for the chimney sweeps arrival?

The chimney sweep will need a thirteen amp wall socket for their vacuum and as much space around the fireplace area as possible. Ornaments, plants etc should be removed from the fire surround and fireplace. A clear walkway must be provided to access the fireplace area. If you have some old dust sheets, it's a good idea to cover nearby furniture. The chimney sweep will bring their own sheets but the more the merrier! Please remember to ensure the fire has been extinguished for at least twenty four hours prior to the chimney sweeps arrival.

What is the usual chimney sweeping process?

After you have booked the appointment with our chimney sweep, ensure items of value have been removed from the fireplace area and furniture covered on the day of arrival. When we arrive at your property we will make a visual inspection of the chimney stack and ask you to sign our standard terms and conditions on the certificate. If everything appears to be in order then our chimney sweep will begin to lay out the sheets, bring in the necessary equipment, and seal the fireplace opening in preparation to sweeping the flue. We use the correct size brushes to ensure all the debris is removed from the chimney flue. The vacuum will be running during the entire process to collect all the soot and prevent any unnecessary mess. Once the sweeping process is completed, our chimney sweep will check several things necessary to complete the certificate. These include ventilation, any carbon monoxide alarms, the condition of the chimney stack and any pots along with various other things. A smoke draw test will be performed to check the flue draught where possible. This ensures that the smoke will be drawn safely into the chimney and not allowed back into the room.

What if the chimney sweep makes a mess?

There is no getting away from it, chimney sweeping is a dirty job and although we make every effort to keep your home clean. Should any mess occur, our chimney sweeps will clean any mess they caused immediately. Our chimney sweeps never leave a mess behind. Ansell Chimneys also have public liability insurance. There are some occasions where chimneys have not been swept regularly or there may be a known problem such as a bird or squirrel nest, some damage or a physical blockage. Should this be the case, we recommend that you remove valuables, and place down plastic sheeting before our chimney sweeps arrival. You must make the sweep aware of any known issues or problems prior to them starting work.

I can get a cheaper chimney sweep elsewhere?

You should remember that some chimney sweeps are part time business people, who may be providing this service alongside their full time job. These will often charge less than a professional, full time chimney sweep. Remember that professionalism often comes at a price. Ansell chimney sweeps are full time chimney sweeps with overheads such as training, equipment, insurances, personal protective equipment and running costs. In short, you get what you pay for.

A problem with the chimney, what can be done?

Call Ansell Chimneys and discuss the problem that you face prior to their arrival. Some problems are mechanical and cannot be fixed simply by sweeping. Sometimes our chimney sweeps ask you to take some pictures of the fireplace, stove and the chimneys and stack on the roof. The more information we have prior to arrival, the more chance we have of fixing the issue you are experiencing.

What should I burn in my fire?

Clearly, this all depends on the type of fire you have. An open gas fire with fake coals should never be used to burn other fuels. Yes, we have experienced a few gas fires that have been used to burn wood or real coal. This is a very dangerous practice and should be avoided at all costs. If you are not sure what to burn, the correct moisture content of wood, how to burn it and how to store your solid fuel. These are just some of the many questions that our chimney sweeps are asked, and we are always happy to help advise you.

I have a fuel effect gas fire, so surely this doesn't need sweeping?

Even a gas fire will require sweeping from time to time. Remember that blockages such as birds or squirrels nest and leaf debris can still accumulate in a chimney, preventing safe operation of the gas fire. It is recommended gas open fires are swept just before their annual service. This is typically once a year.

My fire is smoking; does it need to be cleaned?

If it has been used but not swept within the past year, for safety reasons, it should be swept as soon as possible. If it has not been used since it was last swept, and the problem of birds or squirrels nesting can be ruled out because there is a cage or cowl on the chimney, it could simply be due to the cold or weather conditions.

If you think there may be a blockage in your chimney, please tell us, or call to discuss the problem. We can remove most blockages and can establish what has happened and offer advise on how to prevent it from happening again in the future.

In the event of bird nests causing a blockage, there may be eggs or even hatchlings in the nest. As all nesting birds are protected in the United Kingdom, we will not remove nests during the breeding season, which is May and June to ensure that the young have left the nest first. As the weather is warmer at this time, the chances of you missing out on your fire are minimised. Should you not want to risk this, please ensure your chimney is swept before the breeding season.

Q. How much will it cost to have my chimney swept?

Charges for our services vary according to seasonal and volume discounts can be offered. Please check with us for charges and availability when you make your booking.

How long does it take to sweep my chimney?

It usually takes approximately half an hour to sweep a single chimney. Occasionally this may take a little longer, depending on the type and condition of the chimney.

Blockages, such as a bird's or squirrels nest take more time to clear because of the amount of debris that has to be removed. If we are aware in advance of such a blockage, we try to schedule the sweep at the end of our working day to ensure there is time to do the work in full and any potential delay does not inconvenience our other customers.

What happens if I can't keep the agreed appointment?

We understand that circumstances can change. So, if you need to change or cancel your appointment, we respectfully ask that you give us as much notice as possible so we have a chance to reallocate your appointment to someone else.

If you are unable to give us less than twenty four hours notice, we do reserve the right to charge a cancellation fee of up to 100% of the quoted fee.

What if I need to go out before you arrive?

If this is our first visit to your property, we prefer it if someone is at home when we arrive. This may not be possible for a variety of reasons, but please let us know in advance if you need to leave a key in a secure place or with a neighbour. In the event no-one is home when we visit or we cannot gain access, and no alternative arrangements have been made, the cancellation charge will be up to 100% of the quoted fee.

Do your chimney sweeps need the homeowner to be present?

This is a question we have been asked after we have set up a regular scheduled visit. Because our chimney sweeps build a good relationship with our customers, many customers feel happy to allow us to work without the homeowner being present. You may wish to nip out to the shops, or do the school run while we are working, and that's fine. We may ask you to leave us with a key should we need to go out to the van for supplies though.

What about pets?

Pets in cages, tanks or vivariums are fine, as long as they are moved away from the work area. Cats and dogs in particular are better out of the way. Should you need to go out during the chimney sweeping process, even friendly pets can become rather agitated when their owner has left, and we want to keep your pet and our chimney sweeps safe at all times.

Do I need to cover my furniture?

Our chimney sweeping service is as clean as we can possibly make it. We bring our own sheets that cover the fireplace opening and the area to the front of the fireplace, and we also use a commercial vacuum to keep dust to an absolute minimum.

When we remove a nest, however, we recommend that your furniture, television, curtains close to the fire and carpets are suitably covered. We will do our best to contain the nest debris but, until we start removing the nest, we cannot be sure of how big it is. The method of removing a nest means it is impossible to fully seal the fireplace and therefore further precautions need to be taken by the householder.

What do you do with the soot?

Usually, we will leave the soot in a bag for disposal with your regular household waste. If you prefer we can remove the soot for disposal off site as we are registered low-tier waste carrier licence holders. There may be an additional charge for this service however, as we have to pay to take the waste to a municipal waste site.

How and when do I pay?

Our customers pay the sweep directly at the end of their visit. We can provide details for a bank transfer if preferred, as many people no longer carry cash and prefer to pay this way via their online banking app.

Will you invoice me?

Yes, we can email you an invoice if you ask us.

Some insurance demands annual chimney sweeping. Is there a certificate to prove it's been done?

Yes. We will send you a certificate of chimney sweeping by email. You will normally receive this within twenty four hours of the sweep, or once your payment has been received. This certificate can then be uploaded to your insurance provider.

Can you offer advice if the chimney needs repair or maintenance?

We can carry out a CCTV inspection of your chimney. This can be a very useful tool in assessing any damage, getting quotes for any repair work and providing evidence for insurance purposes.

Does my chimney need lining?

All chimneys built after 1966 will have had a ceramic or concrete liner fitted at the time of construction. It was not a requirement to fit liners into chimneys built before this date, many of which had a cement render instead. Many older chimneys have been lined since, as render may have started to deteriorate. We can advise you and provide a suitable liner if required.

How do I know if my chimney needs a liner?

There could be signs of smoke leaking through the brickwork into parts of the house, such as bedrooms and loft spaces or smoke coming out of an adjacent chimney pot. Ansell Chimneys can check the chimney and test it. This will allow us to assess what action should be taken if any. Remember that it is unsafe to use a fire or solid fuel stove if the chimney is leaking.

Is it a legal requirement to line a chimney?

Building Regulations Approved Document J requires the installer to check the chimney to ensure it is suitable for the intended application. They should carry out visual checks to determine flue size, followed by a pressure smoke test. If the chimney is suitable for the intended purpose it can be used without modification, however any failure will require the fitting of a suitable flue liner.

Fire not burning properly?

A fire that does not burn properly or more or less constantly trickles smoke back into the room is generally the result of inadequate maintenance or a flaw in the design.

Has the chimney been swept recently? If not, why not try this first. it's cheaper than many of the alternative solutions!

If you are satisfied that the flue is clear and not obstructed by either deteriorating internal masonry or by soot, then you need to start looking at the design of the fireplace/chimney itself.

Insufficient air (air starvation)

An open fire requires a free supply of air for two purposes.

• Primary air which allows for combustion
• Secondary air, which carries the smoke away up the chimney

Primary air demand is usually small and is often supplied below the bed of the fire.

Secondary air demand is much greater and it is this that prevents the smoke spilling out of the fireplace. If your floors are solid concrete, and the windows and doors are new (and are fitted with draught strips), then there may be no route for an adequate volume of air to come into the room.

Fireplace too large

If the fireplace opening (height x width) is more than seven times the cross section of the flue, smoke spillage can occur.

Inadequate internal design

To work properly a fireplace needs a proper 'throat' and be 'gathered' into the flue (if you need to know more about the meaning of these and other terms check the glossary on this site).

Large voids inside the chimney where turbulence can occur, sudden changes in internal section rather than gradual transitions, inadequate throating and smoke shelf, poor fireplace and smoke chamber geometry, can all lead to smoke spillage even though the fire opening is correct. This will probably be in the form of continuous wisps of smoke escaping from the fireplace.

Does your chimney smoke?

• Frequently or perhaps even all the time
• Just occasionally

A chimney that smokes frequently or all the time is unlikely to be caused by downdraughts. A genuine downdraught is caused by pressure at the top of the chimney being greater than that in the room where the fire is; it usually occurs only in high winds.

Downdraughts

An occasional burst of smoke apparently blown back down the chimney, particularly in high winds, may be the result of downdraught. A downdraught is caused by pressure at the top of the chimney being greater than that in the room where the fire is.

It generally means that the top of your chimney is being "overshadowed" by some other structure nearby such as the top of the roof; or something is causing the pressure at the bottom of the chimney to fall usually an exposed chimney on the outside of an old house, into which the cold wind has found a way where, for example, the brickwork has become porous.

First, check the top of the chimney. Is it well above any nearby structure such as the ridge of the roof (where 'well above' means 0.6m if the chimney is less than 0.6m from the ridge and 1m or more if it is further away). Are there other tall structures, buildings or trees close by that might be interfering with the airflow? Can you do anything about any such interference? If not, a solution might be to increase the height of the chimney. If you are satisfied that the top of the chimney is not being 'overshadowed', look instead at its situation. How exposed is it (is it, for example, facing the prevailing wind)? What is the state of the brickwork and mortar? Might cold draughts be getting through into the flue somewhere? Are there grilles and vents into the chimney that might be affecting the updraught?

In a new chimney, simply heating up the flue may solve the problem. In an old chimney, you may require a liner.

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.