Manual Sweeping (Traditional)

Most people are familiar with the ‘traditional’ method of chimney sweeping.

The traditional chimney sweeping method uses a round brush which can be made from Polypropylene or metal wire bristles (the size or diameter of the brush used being dependant upon the diameter of the flue to be swept) which is attached to a rod (usually one meter long).

The brush is then pushed up inside the chimney flue and then pulled down and then pushed up into the flue again several times. This brushing motion causes the bristles on the brush to rubs against the sides of the chimney flue. The end result is that any soot inside the flue is dislodged and falls down under gravity to the fire appliance below, where it will be vacuumed away.

In order for the brush to travel and clean the full length of the flue the chimney sweep will attach additional rods to the previous rod. A typical flue length in a standard residential property is between 8 to 10 meters.

The more times a chimney sweep pushes up and then retracts the brush inside the chimney flue the more soot is dislodged and hence the cleaner the flue.

This method of chimney sweeping is ideal for older properties where the condition of the chimney flue lining, i.e., rendering, is weak, perhaps due to age, and is easily removed. The fact is we want the rendering to remain on the chimney flue wall for as long as possible because the purpose of the rendering is to provide a seal or shield to the inside of the chimney flue so that smoke and gases (carbon monoxide) cannot escape through the chimney flue and into the property. That is why the rendering was put there in the first place by the bricklayers who built the property. So we don’t actually want to remove any of the rendering if at all possible. So a gentle approach is required and desired. The traditional sweeping method is ideal for sweeping older flues.

Beware the lazy chimney sweep who only pushes and retracts his (or her) brush up into the flue only once!

Traditional sweeping is a gentler sweeping method where consideration to the preservation of the liner rendering must be given. However, a chimney brush when pushed up and through a brick chimney flue exerts a fair amount of outward pressure against the bricks of the flue. Too much pressure on an old and fragile brick chimney flue can cause the bricks that make up the flue to dislodge and fall out…Not good!

Power sweeping can be a better sweeping method option to use in these circumstance since power sweeping does not exert any appreciable outward force

Beware the lazy chimney sweep who uses a brush that has a diameter too large or too small for the flue.

A brush that has too large a diameter may exert too much force on the inside of the flue causing damage to the structure of the flue. A brush that is too small for the flue being swept will result in an ineffective sweep since the brush will not make contact with the chimney flue walls. A single power sweep brush head contains nylons strands that can sweep flues from anywhere between 4 inches and 2 feet! One brush fits all sizes. So it’s almost impossible with the power sweeping method to use the wrong brush size.

Rotary Power Sweeping

Until recently chimney sweeps really only had one method to sweep chimneys and that was the ‘Traditional’ method, as described above. As technology has advanced the chimney sweep’s arsenal of equipment options have increased. Advances in plastics have made the chimney sweep’s rods lighter and more flexible, yet stronger than previous materials used, e.g. cane (Malacca) or Polypropylene.

Rods are even made from aluminum, offering strength and rigidity while remaining lightweight. A well equipped sweep will now have, in addition to a set of traditional brushes and rods, a power sweeping kit and a number of different types and sizes of electric drills, both cabled and cordless.

The most obvious difference between traditional sweeping and power sweeping is the brush used. With power sweeping the brush or ‘head’ looks a bit like a large spider. The sweeping head comprising thick nylon strands as opposed to thin bristles, which is usually what traditional brushes are made from.

The second major and obvious difference is that with power sweeping the ‘head’ rotates at speed. With the traditional method the head is pushed up and pulled down manually.

There is simply no argument or doubt in terms of which method of sweeping is better at and more effective in removing soot and creosote. Power sweeping is the clear winner. However, because power sweeping is a robust whipping action method of flue cleaning care must be taken when using this cleaning system. If the head rotates at too high a rate the rendering in an older flue can be damaged, i.e., the rendering can be removed.

An experienced chimney sweep will identify the type of flue, e.g., rendered, clay, stainless steel flexi or concrete sectional, as soon as they arrive and before they commence the sweeping process. At this pre-sweep flue inspection stage the experienced sweep will know at what speed the power sweep brush head should rotate at to avoid damaging the flue walls while ensuring the flue is cleaned appropriately. Power sweep heads can have their rotational speeds varied according to the flue condition and type to be swept.

Brushes containing metal bristles should not be used under any circumstances on steel liners. Metal bristles would scratch the liner and provide a ‘key’ for creosote to attach to to. The liner would then suffer the effects of corrosion as a result. Only soft nylon bristled brushes should be used on metal liners.

Clay liners and to some extent brick flues can have excessive deposits of creosote removed with a ‘chain flay’. Power sweeping comes into it’s own here when heavy creosote deposits need to be removed. Traditional sweeping would struggle to remove anything like the amount of creosote power sweeping with a chain flay can remove. Again, if the flue is of the rendered kind a chain flay should not be allowed anywhere near the flue! The result of doing so would be a flue devoid of all rendering!

HD CCTV Inspection

Exactly what it says on the tin, Northern Sweeps can inspect your flue with our top of the range HD CCTV System, diagnose and provide you with a report of any problems/concerns that should be rectified before further use of your appliance.

Our LED HD Camera system will be sent up your flue using exactly the same method as when it is swept.

HD Drone Survey (weather dependant)

Chimney Sweeps are moving with the times and often customers want their Chimney Stack & Terminal Inspecting.

Some chimney stacks are not easily accessible with ladders & scaffolding can be costly so rapid deployment of the Drone is sometimes the quickest method of providing you with a diagnosis of your chimney stack/terminal.

We will be able to provide you with HD Imagery of your stack/terminal and also give you advice as to any potential problems that need to be rectified to keep you safe.

Smoke Evacuation Check

Any Sweep should always carry out a “Smoke evacuation Check” on your Flue. Firstly before they begin sweeping, in order to identify the correct terminal. And again after they have swept to show the customer the flue is drawing correctly.

This is done by lighting a smoke cartridge in the appliance and ensuring the smoke is drawing up the flue correctly.

Smoke Test

A “smoke test” should be carried out if the customer is unsure about the condition of the flue, or has been experiencing the smell of smoke within other parts of the property.

To complete a smoke test correctly your sweep should seal off the flue from the top (chimney pot), preheat the flue, light a smoke cartridge, (it is often necessary to use more than one cartridge depending on the size of the flue) allow the flue to fill with smoke, and also seal off the bottom.

They should then inspect the property for any smoke leaking out from any part of the flue, in places such as in rooms above (including the attic), in-between floor boards/skirting boards, other fire places/appliances, & also the Chimney stack exterior.

They should also check for smoke coming out of any terminal in which the flue runs adjacent to.

If any smoke appears where it should not be the integrity of the flue has been breached and it has therefore failed the test and should not be used until it has been correctly lined by a professional.

(Note: if the flue is attached to an adjoining neighbour’s property then the inside of their property must also be inspected in order to carry out the test correctly).

Nest Removal

One of the first signs that a bird or squirrel is making a home in your chimney is the presence of twigs in the fireplace. Most commonly, jackdaws, rooks and squirrels like to nest in chimneys.

Bees, wasps and other insects also make use of the warm and sheltered place that is your chimney and can cause as many problems as those associated with other forms of wild life. On certain occasions it may be necessary to use the services of a pest control company to aid with removal, particularly those of the stinging kind!

A bee hive will need to be removed from the chimney flue once the hive has been killed off and for a number of very important reasons. Firstly, the honey stored in the hive and the hive itself are made of combustible materials. Should they ignite then there is the possibility of a chimney fire. The second reason is that the scent left behind in the hive may attract future bees and thus cause a reoccurrence of the problem. The third reason is that the hive may be blocking the flue or might dislodge and fall further into the flue and cause a blockage. Such a blockage would hinder the escape of dangerous smoke and fumes up through the flue. The fourth reason is that the honey in the hive can melt and seep through brickwork staining ceilings and walls. This staining is almost impossible to remove.

While there are occasions when a bee keeper will be happy to remove a bee hive for you free of charge from your property, keepers will not remove hives from chimneys.

A blocked chimney may result in smoke or lethal Carbon Monoxide coming into your home or even cause a chimney fire. So, keeping your chimney clear of blockages is vital!

I can remove most blockages and, if you call to discuss this, I can establish what has happened, how I can remove it and how to prevent it happening again.

All birds, their nests and eggs are protected by law and the penalties for deliberately destroying active nests are now quite severe.

Since there may be eggs or even hatched chicks in a nest, and these may be protected, I do not remove nests during the breeding season (May to August). We should allow our newly arrived young feathered friends ample time to leave the nest before the destruction of their home should be considered.

However, not all nests or newly built nests are active. Perhaps you have just recently brought a disused fireplace back into use only to find it contains an old bird nest? Also, birds will on occasions and for a variety of reasons start to build a nest and then abandoned that nest to build a new nest elsewhere. There are a number of signs to look out for when trying to establish if a nest is active. If you are uncertain if the nest you have in your chimney is active please feel free to contact me and I will offer information / advise to help you in ascertaining if the nest is likely to be an active nest or not.

Squirrels can be a problem but usually once the nest is destroyed these furry creatures will vacate and make a new home somewhere else. To prevent a return visit you should consider having an appropriate cowling fitted.

I recently rescued a blackbird that had fallen down a chimney and ended up being trapped behind the metal baffle plate of a woodburner for three days. I was able to free the feathered creature from it's cast iron tomb and release it back into the wild. The stove owner was particularly happy as he was then able to use his stove again.

I have a similar tale concerning a pigeon that was trapped in the flue of a chimney for 7 days and was still alive when I gently pulled it out!

Other birds are not so lucky. Nonetheless, they still need to be removed even though they have already departed this mortal coil since they continue to block the chimney flue and thus prevent the gases and smoke from exiting up through the chimney.

Warning!!! Never attempt to clear a nest from your chimney by lighting a fire. At best you will simply fill your home with smoke. At worst you could cause a chimney fire with subsequent damage to your home and perhaps your neighbour’s home as well.

There is only one safe way to clear a nest or other blockage from your chimney and that's to have it removed properly and safely by a competent person with appropriate equipment and knowledge. Try explaining to your insurance company that you lit a fire to smoke out a bee hive or bird nest but it all went wrong and see their response!

Flexible Flue liners have a lifespan.

Some of the factors affecting this are:

1. Quality of Installation.

2. Usage & maintenance.

3. Corrosion resistance (we can advise you on which liner would be most suitable).

4. Design & manufacturing quality.

Northern Sweeps can advise you when your liner has reached the end of it's life and can replace it with the correct certification (HETAS).

For Solid fuel:

316 Grade Liner: Suitable for burning dried seasoned wood, gas, oil and low sulphur coal.

904 Grade Liner: Suitable for burning dry seasoned wood, gas, oil low sulphur coal, peat and smokeless fuels.

A bird guard is a device installed on top of a chimney to prevent birds and other small animals from entering the chimney and getting trapped or injured.

When birds or small animals enter your chimney, they can create blockages that can lead to carbon monoxide buildup and even fires. The debris they leave behind can also clog your chimney, making it difficult to clean and maintain.

Capping a disused chimney is crucial for safety, weatherproofing, pest control, mold prevention, preserving structural integrity

Northern Sweeps Chimney Services are a HETAS Registered Installer.

HETAS registration requires installers to adhere to strict standards for workmanship, ensuring that the installation is done correctly and meets industry standards.

We offer a bespoke Stove Installation service of Wood Burning & Multi-Fuel Stoves.

If you have no Chimney, that is no problem, we can install one for you.

Please get in touch for more information.