No.The fireplace is sealed off using a cloth adjusted to the size of your fireplace and taped in place. Care is taken to
ensure that the seal is not broken during sweeping and to ensure the soot is removed without creating a mess. You
may experience a smell from the vacuum exhaust for a short time.
I cover a wide area which includes :-
Cardiff Machen Newport Caerphilly Pontypridd Penarth Barry Vale of Glamorgan
Trethomas Bedwas Llantrisant Beddau
Chimneys should be swept regularly to reduce the risk of a fire. It also helps the safe venting of the products of
combustion. Cardbon monoxide can be fatal and frequent cleaning improves the chances of problems being
detected.
It is helpful if you could clear out the grate, move back anything in front of the fireplace and clear the surround/
mantlepiece. Do not worry if you do not have time I can do this.
Yes, but the nest must not be an active one. If you suspect you have a blockage then please let me know when you
book. The time taken to remove a blockage can vary considerably. However long it takes I will not charge you more
than the maximum I quoted when booking the job.
The stack might terminate in a high pressure zone causing a downdraft.
The wind may cause a downdraft.
The flue could be blocked or need sweeping.
The flue may be cold causing lack of updraft.
The size of the fireplace might not be compatible with the cross sectional area and height of the flue.
The grate might be too far forward.
Recently cut wood has a high water content. Dried logs mean a cleaner chimney and less flue fires/ failures. Wet
wood means that the resins in the wood do not combust and escape up into the chimney. The resins form a lining
which is highly combustible. Also this tar lining is corrosive and so attacks the chimney structure. You could
always try using a moisture meter to check the water content, I believe stoves on line sell them. It is always best
to purchase hardwood as the higher density of such wood produces more heat for a given volume. You could try
Cardiff technoscapes for a log supplies.
If you reduce the amount of air going into a stove this will reduce the temperature of the products of combustion
entering the chimney. This in turn will reduce the amount of amount of combustion products escaping from the
chimney stack and tar will form in the flue. A stove thermometer can help you avoid this problem. It is usually
best when purchasing a stove to buy one slightly smaller than you might think as you will tend to run this at a
higher temperature thus raising the temperature in the chimney and so reduce the chance of tar formation.
Sometimes when your chimney is swept a kind of crispy material comes down the chimney.This is the material
that is left if solid tar has burnt off in the flue, in effect you have had a chimney fire and not even known it. Please
do not try and set fire to the chimney to try and clear the flue of tar it can burn at vey high temperatures (1200 deg
C I am told) and so can cause serious amounts of damage.
TELEPHONE: 029 20577739
MOBILE: 07894 904659
EMAIL: familylowe@talktalk.net
Philip Lowe Chimney Sweep trading as Fire and Flue Cardiff