5 Signs Your Chimney Needs Sweeping
When it comes to home maintenance, it’s surprisingly easy for important tasks to slip through the cracks. Homeowners oftentimes prioritise maintenance that is visible. For example, they’re more likely to fix a crack in the ceiling than get their chimney swept. However, neglecting to sweep your chimney frequently can have dire consequences. Not only will it cause your fireplace to work poorly, but it can also be hazardous for your health. Here are a few signs that you should call a profession chimney sweep:
Bad odour
It’s natural for your fireplace to emit a smokey odour when it’s in use. However, if you notice a bad odour coming from the fireplace when there is no fire lit, it could be a sign that creosote and soot have built up in the chimney. Creosote is a byproduct of burning wood. In its early stages, it’s dusty, but after a while it can become tar-like in consistency. If not removed immediately, it can harm both your chimney and your lungs.
Excess smoke
When a fireplace is working properly, no smoke should fill the room. Instead, the smoke made by the fire should be sucked up through the chimney. However, if your room is filled with excess smoke when you light a fire, it’s a surefire sign that your chimney needs a deep cleaning. When a chimney becomes blocked with creosote, it doesn’t work correctly and causes smoke to flood the entire house. Inhaling this smoke can be dangerous for both you and your family.
Slow fire
It should not take hours for your fire to get started. If you have a slow-burning fire, it typically means that there is an obstruction in the chimney. This could be soot, creosote, and even animal activity! Regardless of the cause, it means that you need your chimney to be professionally cleaned.
Rust
If you notice rust on your firebox or damper, it could be a bad sign. Rust only forms when moisture is present and there should not be enough moisture in your fireplace to cause rust. Rust could be indicative of flue lining cracks, which are extremely dangerous because they can cause a fire.
Pieces of chimney in fireplace
The only remnants that should be in your fireplace are wood. If you notice any other bits in your fireplace, observe them closely. They just may be pieces of your chimney! If pieces of flue tiles are falling into your fireplace, it means that your chimney is not structurally safe.
If you have experienced any of the above signs with your fireplace, then it’s time to call a professional chimney sweep immediately. At The Original Chimney Sweep, we take our job very seriously. We are the leading chimney sweep professionals in Cape Town and for good reason. Not only do we service all of Cape Town’s surrounding neighborhoods, but we also use the highest quality tools available. Our technicians are highly trained and have the hands-on experience needed to clean your chimney thoroughly and leave your home spotless. Don’t hesitate to contact us for any of your chimney sweeping needs.
When it comes to home maintenance, it’s surprisingly easy for important tasks to slip through the cracks. Homeowners oftentimes prioritise maintenance that is visible. For example, they’re more likely to fix a crack in the ceiling than get their chimney swept. However, neglecting to sweep your chimney frequently can have dire consequences. Not only will it cause your fireplace to work poorly, but it can also be hazardous for your health. Here are a few signs that you should call a profession chimney sweep:
Bad odour
It’s natural for your fireplace to emit a smokey odour when it’s in use. However, if you notice a bad odour coming from the fireplace when there is no fire lit, it could be a sign that creosote and soot have built up in the chimney. Creosote is a byproduct of burning wood. In its early stages, it’s dusty, but after a while it can become tar-like in consistency. If not removed immediately, it can harm both your chimney and your lungs.
Excess smoke
When a fireplace is working properly, no smoke should fill the room. Instead, the smoke made by the fire should be sucked up through the chimney. However, if your room is filled with excess smoke when you light a fire, it’s a surefire sign that your chimney needs a deep cleaning. When a chimney becomes blocked with creosote, it doesn’t work correctly and causes smoke to flood the entire house. Inhaling this smoke can be dangerous for both you and your family.
Slow fire
It should not take hours for your fire to get started. If you have a slow-burning fire, it typically means that there is an obstruction in the chimney. This could be soot, creosote, and even animal activity! Regardless of the cause, it means that you need your chimney to be professionally cleaned.
Rust
If you notice rust on your firebox or damper, it could be a bad sign. Rust only forms when moisture is present and there should not be enough moisture in your fireplace to cause rust. Rust could be indicative of flue lining cracks, which are extremely dangerous because they can cause a fire.
Pieces of chimney in fireplace
The only remnants that should be in your fireplace are wood. If you notice any other bits in your fireplace, observe them closely. They just may be pieces of your chimney! If pieces of flue tiles are falling into your fireplace, it means that your chimney is not structurally safe.
If you have experienced any of the above signs with your fireplace, then it’s time to call a professional chimney sweep immediately. At The Original Chimney Sweep, we take our job very seriously. We are the leading chimney sweep professionals in Cape Town and for good reason. Not only do we service all of Cape Town’s surrounding neighborhoods, but we also use the highest quality tools available. Our technicians are highly trained and have the hands-on experience needed to clean your chimney thoroughly and leave your home spotless. Don’t hesitate to contact us for any of your chimney sweeping needs.
Victorian Chimney Sweeps
The Victorian era had features very different from any other era. Chimney sweepers were very common during this period. A Chimney sweeper was a poor man who cleans chimneys to make a living. Generally, sweepers were children, mainly boys and not adults as it is today
The Victorian era had features very different from any other era. Chimney sweepers were very common during this period. A Chimney sweeper was a poor man who cleans chimneys to make a living. Generally, sweepers were children, mainly boys and not adults as it is today
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The children normally would climb inside the chimney with a brush, the chimneys were fitted with steps for little feet and the children would then proceed to clean the inside of the chimney without facial masks. Only young children could fit through the narrow spaces on the inside of the chimneys. The ideal age for a chimney sweep to begin working was said to be 6 years old, but sometimes they were used beginning at age 4. The child would shimmy up the flue using his back, elbows, and knees. In the early 1830s, as British Parliament became more preoccupied generally with the exploitation of child labour, the Chimney Sweeps Act was passed in 1834 outlawing the apprenticing of any child below the age of ten. Furthermore, no child was to be actually engaged in cleaning chimneys under the age of 14.
In Many European countries its understood that Good Luck is sure to rub off when the groom shakes hands with a Lucky Chimney Sweep who will have a "Lucky Kiss" for the new bride. With the power vested in him by King George II, following a tradition that started about 200 years ago when a London chimney sweeper saved the life of King George II
In Many European countries its understood that Good Luck is sure to rub off when the groom shakes hands with a Lucky Chimney Sweep who will have a "Lucky Kiss" for the new bride. With the power vested in him by King George II, following a tradition that started about 200 years ago when a London chimney sweeper saved the life of King George II
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Cancellation Policy:
At the Original Chimney Sweep we are committed to providing our customers with exceptional service. When customers cancel appointments without notice they prevent other sweeps from being carried out during that time. We will now require a written notification emailed to ian@chimneysweeps.co.za 48 Hours prior to your appointment or we will charge a 50% cancellation fee. Please do not leave voicemails or whatsapp messages as we do not have one activated only a email will be accepted for cancellation. |
Common greeting cards in the Victorian Era.
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Chimney Fires: Important information
Householders with open fires and wood burning stoves are being warned to take precautions after a spate of chimney fires across the region. As temperatures start to drop many people could be tempted to light fires without having their chimneys properly swept or checked with often disastrous results. Around 30,000 chimneys go up in flames in the UK each year and approximately 9,000 of these cause serious damage, wrecking the homes and lives of the property owners. Caroline Thom and her young family escaped with their lives but lost virtually all their possessions when her thatched cottage went up in flames. Filmed in partnership with ITV Meridian |
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