About the service
Why the flue needs it
Soot and tar build up inside every flue that burns solid fuel. Left alone, they narrow it, slow the draw and can catch fire. A sweep clears the full height of the flue and checks that the smoke goes where it should.
On the visit
- A look up the flue before sweeping
- Dust sheets, a sealed opening and a filtered vacuum
- Rods and brushes sized to your flue
- A smoke draw test after sweeping
- A written certificate left with you
- Soot bagged and taken away
When to book
Signs it is time
- Before the first fire of the autumn
- Smoke drifting into the room when the fire is lit
- A stove glass that blackens quickly
- You have moved into a house with a fireplace
How it works
The four parts of every sweep
Look before we start
A torch and mirror up the flue first, to spot a blockage, loose mortar or a damaged pot before any rod goes up.
Seal off the fireplace
Dust sheets down from the hearth to the door, and the opening closed off with a sheet and a filtered vacuum running throughout.
Brush the full height
Rods and a brush sized to your flue, pushed from the bottom to the pot, then the soot bagged and taken away.
Prove it draws
A smoke pellet lit in the grate or stove to show the smoke rising up the flue and out of the pot, not back into the room.
Questions
Chimney sweeping: your questions
Answers for homes around Hexham. Ask if yours is not here.
How often should my chimney be swept?
Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service recommends once a year for smokeless fuel, twice a year for coal and four times a year for wood while it is in use. We suggest a timetable at the visit from what you burn and how often.
How long does a sweep take?
Around an hour for one flue. A stove with a tricky flue route or a second fireplace adds time, which we tell you when we agree the day.
Will there be any mess?
The fireplace is sheeted and sealed, the vacuum runs throughout and we check the room before we go. Move small ornaments off the mantelpiece if you can.
Do I need to let the fire go out?
Yes. Please leave it unlit from the night before, so the grate and the stove are cold when we arrive.
Get a quote
Ask about sweeping
Four short steps. We reply with a price and a day that suits, and nothing is booked until you agree it.
Step 1 of 4
- Fires
- Where
- You
- Check
Request ready
Thanks. We will reply about a day
Nothing is booked yet. We reply within one working day to say which day suits, or if none of yours do.
- Fires
- Flues
- Also
- Postcode
- Times
Before we come
- Leave the fire or stove unlit from the night before, so it is cold when we arrive.
- Clear the hearth and move small ornaments off the mantelpiece.
- Someone over 18 needs to be in, with access to the room.
This is a demo website, so nothing was sent and nothing was stored.
Request ready
Thanks. We will reply about a day
Nothing is booked yet. We reply within one working day to say which day suits, or if none of yours do.
Before we come
- Leave the fire or stove unlit from the night before, so it is cold when we arrive.
- Clear the hearth and move small ornaments off the mantelpiece.
- Someone over 18 needs to be in, with access to the room.
This is a demo website, so nothing was sent and nothing was stored.