Costs & Process
Most people booking a sweep for the first time have two questions: how much mess will there be, and what am I actually getting? Both deserve a straight answer, so here is the visit from start to finish.
Before we arrive
Let the fire go out at least twenty-four hours before the appointment — a warm flue cannot be swept safely. Clear an area of roughly a metre in front of the fireplace and move ornaments, rugs and anything fragile from the hearth surround. If there are pets, it is easier for everyone if they are in another room.
Setting up
Dust sheets go down before any tool comes out. The fireplace opening is sealed, and a HEPA-filtered vacuum runs throughout so that airborne dust is captured rather than settling on your furnishings. This is the part that determines whether a sweep is a clean job or a memorable one, and it is where the time goes.
The sweep itself
Rods and brushes are worked up the flue in sections. On flues with heavier deposits, power sweeping equipment scours the bore rather than brushing past the deposit. The brush is taken through to the terminal so the whole length is cleared, not just the accessible bottom.
Debris is collected as it falls, bagged and taken away — it does not go in your bin.
Inspection and testing
With the flue clear, we check what the sweep has revealed: the condition of the flue, appliance seals, register plate, grate and firebricks. A smoke draw test confirms the flue is evacuating properly. Where there is any doubt about internal condition, a CCTV survey shows the flue on screen so you can see it for yourself.
Finishing up and paperwork
Everything is vacuumed, wiped down and sheets lifted carefully. You get a sweeping certificate recording the date, the appliance and flue swept and any defects noted — the document insurers and letting agents ask for.
If we have found something that needs attention, you will be told plainly what it is, how urgent it is, and what it would take to fix. No pressure to book on the spot.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a chimney sweep take?
A straightforward single flue is typically under an hour including setting up and clearing away. Heavy deposits, nest removal or a camera survey extend that. We would rather take the time than rush the protective setup.
Will it make a mess?
Done properly, no. Sealed fireplace, dust sheets and HEPA vacuum extraction mean the soot goes into the machine. Any sweep who arrives without sheets and a vacuum is not set up for a clean job.
Do I need to be home?
Someone over eighteen needs to provide access and be present. It also means we can show you anything we find and explain it in person rather than by note.
What is on the sweeping certificate?
The property, the date, the appliance and flue swept, the method used, the result of the draw test and any defects observed. It is what you send to an insurer or letting agent.
Book a sweep at a time that suits you
Certificated, HEPA-vacuumed and tidy — with anything we find explained plainly.