Chimney Sweeping

In the past:

The professional chimney sweep has been around since the 1700s, and is still a very important and much needed occupation today. Early Romans began using a single fire in the center of a room and upgraded to an isolated fireplace which was used to heat their buildings and was also used to cook indoors. However in the 16th century, the trend of using fireplaces and chimneys caught on in England. Not much time passed before people began building fireplaces in each room of their home to be used as a source of heat.

With the amount of soot that the chimney sweepers were exposed to and the narrowness of the flues, it was a very dangerous and difficult job to clean the inside of chimneys. This job was often left to poor orphan boys because of the dangers and since they were small enough to fit inside the flues without many other issues. They were typically brought in by the chimney master or they were sold by their parents to become a part of the trade. These boys earned the name of a ‘climbing boy’.

Being a ‘climbing boy’ was not a very desirable job due to the danger involved. These children often developed respiratory problems and other similar issues because they worked in such heavily soot and grime filled conditions. Rotting chimneys also caused fatal falls that were not uncommon. “The Chimney Sweeper” by English poet, William Blake, describes the difficult and dangerous life of being a chimney sweep boy.

In the present:

Chimney sweepers are required to remove soot, blockages, and build-up of creosote from the chimney flue liners, the firebox, the smoke chamber, and the damper. This thorough cleansing of your chimney and heating system creates a safer operation within your home or business. Even with the slightest amount of creosote accumulation, it creates potential for a chimney fire. Burning wood within your chimney regularly creates creosote, which is a highly flammable substance that builds up along the inside of the chimney flue liner. Accumulation rates can increase if poor burning practices are used or if the burning appliance or stove is not working properly due to poor maintenance. Different amounts of creosote can build up from burning different kinds of wood. A rapid build-up of creosote can be formed by burning pine, and it should be avoided as a usual source of wood. Reduced efficiency and draw of the fireplace can also be caused by creosote build-up. When it comes to sweeping your chimney, we cover all of the following elements:

• Checking the firebox for damaged brick and crumbling or missing mortar;
• Opening the damper completely to be sure that it moves freely and fits properly against the smoke shelf;
• Using a flashlight to check the damper for cracks, pitting, or rusted sections (However, a broken or corroded damper should be replaced by a professional);
• Looking for debris that can restrict air flow, and removing such debris;
• Checking for broken or damaged flue liners or chimney bricks (Vertical cracks in the flue liner is positively a sign or a previous fire and is a serious problem that needs immediate repair);
• Checking and removing deposits of creosote that are more than 1/8 of an inch thick.