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In need of a chimney sweep in Bristol or Bath? - January 31st, 2014

Chimney sweeping in Bristol and Bath.

Chimney sweeping in Bristol and Bath.

Do you live in Bristol or Bath and in need of a chimney sweep? Then look no further than Cheroo Chimney Sweeps, we cover all areas of Bristol from Brislington to Westbury on Trym and we also cover all areas of Bath, we are based in Bristol with many years of experience however if you are based if in London then be sure to check out https://www.sweepsmart.co.uk/ services instead..

Fire in the home can produce many deadly gases, one of which being carbon monoxide, this is a silent gas with no smell, our regular chimney sweeping and safety inspections can ensure that these gases will be safely expelled through a clean chimney free of debris, masonry, soot, bird nests and other reasons.

If you are looking to hire a chimney sweep you need to make sure the chimney sweep you hire is experienced and knows the correct safety precautions to ensure that you maintain a healthy and safe chimney after they have gone, we know these standards and work strictly in accordance with them at all times.

We hope you will consider Cheroo Sweeps for your chimney sweeping needs, please feel free to contact us by phoning 07852 150 354, emailing enquiries@cheroosweeps.co.uk or by completing the quick contact form on the footer of this website. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Chimney, log burner and open fire safety information - January 31st, 2014

Ensure your chimney is safe.

Ensure your chimney is safe.

Hopefully the information in this post will go some way to helping people understand more about using maintaining and being safe with log burners and open fires. Firstly regular sweeping of your flue or chimney will eliminate the build-up of soot and clear obstructions such as bird or animal nests, cobwebs, leaves and debris.

You will also reduce emissions into the atmosphere by assisting the complete combustion of the fuel you choose to use. Contrary to belief it is not sufficient to use a vacuum cleaner. You should always ensure your chimney is inspected regularly by a trained professional to prevent fires breaking out.

The most common causes of chimney fires are: infrequent sweeping or cleaning, burning unseasoned wood, improper appliance sizing and overnight burning/slumbering of wood for long periods in wood/multifuel stoves.

It is important when burning wood to ensure the wood is either kiln dried or well-seasoned this means less than 20% moisture content, moisture meters are now widely available from most good hardware stores to allow you to check your wood is 20% or less. Burning wet, newly felled or coniferous woos can cause tar or creosote to form in the stove and chimney which can be extremely hazardous,

For open fires have your chimney swept before lighting the first fire of the winter, Always place a fireguard in front of the fire, do not overload the grate or build the fire too high, dispose of ash properly and regularly. Do not dry or air clothes in front of the fire and ensure the fire is out before you go to bed and finally never use paraffin or petrol to light a fire in your house.

For wood burners and multi fuel stoves make sure the appliance is installed and serviced by a competent engineer, it is really important to use the correct sized stove for the room one that is too large will not get hot enough to burn the fuel in the wood and unburnt fuel will go into the chimney or flue and cause creosote which is highly flammable when stuck to the walls of the chimney or flue. Ensure the room is well ventilated do not cover vents. If the stove has been used to slumber this should be followed by a period of faster hotter burning to dry out any creosote and warm the chimney again finally never use your stove as an incinerator for bills or rubbish this will cause hazardous situations within the chimney or flue.

How often should you have your chimney swept? Well in Bristol the Avon and Somerset fire Brigade recommends the following frequencies as guidance however they do depend on a lot of other factors such as appliance duration of use fuel used but your chimney sweep will be able to offer further advice once they have swept your chimney :

  • Smokeless fuel = At least once a year
  • Wood = Quarterly when in use
  • Bituminous coal = Quarterly when in use
  • Oil = Once a year
  • Gas = Once a year
  • Finally Carbon Monoxide – be aware

Carbon Monoxide (CO) gas can kill. Heating and cooking appliances fuelled by wood, oil and gas can cause CO poisoning if they are poorly installed, incorrectly used or if they are not properly maintained. Early symptoms of CO poisoning include tiredness, drowsiness, dizziness, chest pains, nausea and flu like symptoms. You will reduce the risks of CO poisoning by having appliances installed properly and maintained regularly by competent people, getting you chimney or flue swept regularly and not overloading a fire, keeping rooms well ventilated and ensuring you have a carbon monoxide alarm that is tested regularly #testittuesday is a great way to remember to test your CO alarm.

At Cheroo Chimney Sweeps our aim is to give a great all round service to keep you and your family safe, so please take on board the tips and information this blog provides and feel free to contact us for anything chimney sweeping related we have a HETAS registered engineer for installations and fault finding and offer a professional sweeping service for open fires and stoves.

 

Chimney Fires in Bristol and Bath - December 13th, 2013

An avoidable emergency !

An avoidable emergency

I witnessed my first chimney fire this week it took the fire brigade an hour to put it out, who knows what damage it has done to the peoples house.

The family it happened too live across the road from me and did not have their chimney swept this year.

I cannot emphasize how important it is to have your chimney swept annually even if you only use your chimney occasionally, the fire brigade suggested that my neighbours may like to have there chimney swept twice a year to ensure such an event does not re occur.

The best time to have your chimney swept is probably September time as you know then that you are ready to light your fire safely the moment we have our first cold snap, chimney sweeps do become extremely busy in the winter months and it may well be hard to get a professional sweep to come and sweep your chimney, you are then left with the awful prospect of lighting your fire not really knowing if it is safe to use or not.

Don’t risk it get organised and put it in your calendar for September each year and have peace of mind that you are safe when the fire is lit don’t forget a clean chimney is an efficient chimney and you are safe in the knowledge that all the gases and fumes a solid fuel can give off when burnt are being emitted safely from your chimney.

I am going to try and write a blog each week from now on with hopefully useful information and some general observations as the weeks go by so feel free to come back and browse the Cheroo Blogs at your leisure.

 

Welcome to our new website - September 28th, 2013

After a few weeks of development we are pleased to announce that the new Cheroo Chimney Sweeps website is now complete, the entire website has a fresh new look, improved navigation and imagery and better ways to get in touch with us, we hope you find the new website both pleasing to the eye and easy to use, please feel free to let us know your feedback.