Mr Jolly Chimney Sweep

It is very important to ensure that your chimney is swept regularly. A build up of soot in your chimney will eventually catch fire and cause untold damage to your property. Sweeping your chimney removes the soot and creosote that builds up and enables the poisonous gasses to flow freely up your chimney and prevent carbon monoxide and smoke penetrating into your home. All appliances are power swept. Traditionally a brush is manually pushed up your chimney. This may remove most of the soot in your chimney but is prone to leaving some soot behind in your chimney after sweeping. Power sweeping uses a drill attached to the rods and spins a flail or brush up and down your flue. This system is way more effective at removing soot and hard tar deposits. The drill can spin clockwise and counter clockwise to ensure every nook and crany has been swept in your chimney.

Wood burners or Multi fuel stoves are a great appliance for heating your home. A good quality stove is often installed to replace an open fire. An open fire can be around 20% efficient whereas a woodburner can have a thermal efficiency of 80%. That’s 4 times as much heat so its no wonder they are popular. They come in all shapes styles and sizes and you can choose a wood only burner or a multi fuel which can burn wood, house coal or smokeless coal. To get the best performance from your wood burner it is vitally important that you burn well seasoned wood from a reliable supplier. Avoid burning plastics like sweet wrappers or crisp bags, don’t use your woodburner as a rubbish bin. This kind of bad habit can clog your chimney with tar/creosote and make it vulnerable to a chimney fire. Despite the appliances being very efficient it is still imperative that you get your chimney swept, they still produce soot in your chimney. They can usually be swept through the actual wood burner or sometimes the installer will provide a sweeping hatch on the stove pipe. London is a smoke control area so it is important to choose a stove that is legally permitted. You will need a DEFRA approved woodburner in all areas of London. They have been tested for emission levels and efficiency. A local installer should be able to supply you with the compatible models.

There are many different types of cowls and terminals that fit a chimney pot, epending on the position of your house and the surrounding environment, you may have a chimney that down drafts. (Cold air dropping down your chimney) This can be quite annoying and dangerous if you try and light a fire. There are various anti downdraft cowls that can remedy this problem. Some cowls spin in the wind or in severe cases an electric fan can be installed. A big problem that can occur in certain areas is birds nesting in your chimney. The main culprit is usually a Jackdaw or rook. They tend to use twigs plus various debris and push it down your chimney. This will of course block your chimney and prevent you from using it. If left for long periods of time the chimney can become damp and attract insects. Once the nest is removed a bird guard can be fitted to stop any bird accessing the chimney. Some chimneys are vulnerable to water ingress and rain entering through the chimney pot. Various cowls are available to rectify this. A disused chimney can be capped.

To perform a smoke test a large smoke pellet is placed into a warmed fireplace or woodburner. The smoke should begin to rise up the chimney and not leak into the room. Once the pellet is half way through the burn it is important to go outside and observe the smoke exiting the chimney pot and examine the full length of the chimney.
If the pointing on the chimney stack is damaged, smoke could be observed seeping through the gaps in the mortar. Another vulnerable spot is the flaunching at the base of the chimney pot. Gaps may appear and the smoke should be seen exiting the base of the chimney pot as well as the pot. Smoke can sometimes leak from the fireplace if the opening is too large or the room has inadequate venting. Cold air can drop down a chimney and cause a downdraft or a reverse draw. This can usually be remedied by heating the chimney before a smoke test The smoke test is a good guide to assess the draw on a chimney and pick out flaws in the flue.

Chimney sweeps are a traditional accompaniment to a wedding and are said to bring good luck, fertility and fortune to the bride and groom. The tradition of a chimney sweep bringing the bride and groom luck on their wedding day is one that goes back many years to the reign of King George II. According to the story, whilst on his way to a wedding his majesty King George was saved by a chimney sweep who managed to stop a runaway horse and carriage that he was travelling in. The King was so grateful that he declared by royal decree that all chimney sweeps be considered lucky. Ever since it is deemed good luck to have a chimney attend your wedding. Her majesty Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had a chimney sweep visit Buckingham Palace on their wedding day to bestow good luck and prosperity.