Chimney fires

The Jeremy Vine show on Radio Two had a feature earlier this week about a spate of chimney fires in Devon. They may sound innocuous but can be really frightening with flames shooting out of the top of the chimney and lots of smoke and noise - and they can cause serious damage to your home.  If your chimney is on fire, the advice is to call the fire brigade right away.

There are some things you can do to help prevent chimney fires and one of the most important is to ensure you have your chimney regularly swept - a build up of soot and deposits in the chimney is a common cause of fires.  You may also be surprised to learn that burning unseasoned (or damp) wood can be an issue.  Wood sold on garage forecourts is often unseasoned and it doesn't burn well.

At Westcombes, we recommend using a qualified chimney sweep and we have local sweeps who are members of the National Association of Chimney Sweeps to keep your chimney clear - and we sell fantastic kiln-dried wood.

The importance of chimney sweeping

It's something people often forget, but you should have your chimneys swept on a regular basis.  Whatever type of fuel you burn, deposits can build up inside the chimney and you should have it cleared by a sweep at least once a year.  When soot and ash collects inside the chimney, it restricts the flow of air and can make the fire less efficient. The deposits can even catch fire, causing a potentially hazardous chimney fire.  Chimney pots are popular places for birds to build their nests and a sweep will also clear these out, along with any other debris that has gathered.

In Victorian times, it was small boys who climbed up chimneys to clear them but today it's a highly professional job which is usually done with no mess at all. Sweeps don't only clean, but may also be able to spot any other problems with the chimney, too.  What's more, chimney sweeps are meant to bring good luck, which is why they were traditionally paid to turn up at weddings, so you can have a clean chimney and some good fortune thrown in!

We can recommend sweeps at Westcombes as well as advising on the right sort of fire and fuel for your home - visit our website at www.westcombes.co.uk for more information.