Chimney Sweep Service - anyone offer it

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Bit of a "lesson learnt" for myself and (hopefully) a warning for others here. A bit embarrassing really since we seem so preoccupied with tickets / insurance in the arb world.

 

Late last summer had chimneys swept. Same guy we always use. One of the chimneys has the old style 2 slates propped against each other to form a sort of ridge tent effect over the top.

 

I noticed after he'd been & gone that they were pushed apart at the top. I meant to phone him and tell him he must have pushed the brush up too far but was busy and after a day it settled back into position.

 

Came home yesterday after the strong gusty conditions to find the slates and cement render cast off and sitting on a lower roof.

 

I know it's my fault for not photographing it and calling him at the time, but he's a decent guy and I explained what had happened when I

phoned him to ask if he was covered under his insurance.

 

You know where this is going! No cover for damage in the course of his work. Can you imagine that in arb?

[woodrascal]

There are quite a few cowboys out and about who advertise themselves as 'Chimney Sweeps'. They don't understand the differences between sweeping an old masonry flue and a stainless liner. I've had friends who have had SS liners wrecked by 'sweeps' who have used large masonry brushes in 5" liners. Metal feruled rods can also damage SS liners.

The best sweeps we ever used were not affiliated to any organisation - I found out by recommendation that they just new how to do the job. I do all of ours now. Bought some correct diameter liner brushes and some decent rods.

[Peasgood]

You can get some extra bendy rods for the bendy liners. I think they are made of silicon and cost a heck of a lot more than a draining rod.

 

I have 3 chimneys in use, two haven't been swept in my lifetime and don't need it either.

The third one is ss lined and does need it. I do it myself using a 6" flue brush fastened to some small diameter fibreglass rods that are sold for cable pulling. Does the job for me and goes round the bends that draining rods (silicon or not) will never get round.

 

As mentioned, cover someones living room in soot, bricks and jackdaws nests all over their white carpet and sofa and see what you get.

[Gillsgardening]

As said need to be done by a pro as they can issue certificates, it's all fine until a chimney fire!

 

Then the first thing the insurance ask is who swept your chimney and do you have the certification, obviously if not no pay out.

 

£1800 to train and join the guild then the kit that goes with it.

 

It's like a Gardner saying I can do a large dangerous tree dismantle for you, you wouldn't entertain it!.