Sweeps on TV...

We were delighted to see a fascinating item about our recommended sweeps on TV yesterday!  The Pearce family have been sweeping chimneys for hundreds of years and have some amazing stories to tell.  You can catch the item featuring them on the BBC's One Show by clicking the link below - but it's only there for a few days, so don't delay!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03ktcgb/The_One_Show_10_12_2013/

The perfect time to get your chimneys swept

We've had our chimneys swept this week, and if you use your fires it's an ideal time to book an appointment with a sweep. It's easy to forget about the chimney once you stop using your fire or stove in the warmer weather, and then once you start using it again in the autumn there is likely to be a build up of soot and debris which can lead to a chimney fire.  People often assume that chimney fires are quite innocuous and limited to the inside of the chimney, but they can damage your entire home and put lives in danger so it isn't a risk you want to take.  If you're using your fire or stove regularly, it should be swept at least once a year.

There's a myth that chimney sweeping is a terribly dirty, dusty business and in the past people would cover all their furniture in sheets to prevent it getting sooty. Nowadays, it's a remarkably clean process, effectively just like hoovering out the chimney, and the sweep should bring sufficient covers for the area close to the fire which could get a bit dusty. If you use your fire regularly, you'll probably notice a real difference after you've had the chimney swept as it may burn better and with real log fires you'll know that there's less smoke in the room.

At Westcombes, we can recommend reliable and efficient sweeps who are properly qualified and who we trust to do a good job - and we'd suggest thinking about it now rather than waiting until the autumn when good sweeps are busier and you may face a wait.

Chimney lining and sweeps

People often ask if they still need to bother to have their chimney swept if they've had it lined, and the answer is a very definite YES!

Soot can still build up inside a lined chimney and you should have it swept at least once a year.  The chimney sweeps may use slightly different equipment and methods to sweep chimneys, but we always recommend making sure that you use a properly qualified sweep.

At Westcombes, we can recommend local qualified sweeps (who are members of the National Association of Chimney Sweeps) in London, or alternatively you can contact the National Association of Chimney Sweeps who have qualified sweeps across the country.