Gas fires need sweeping Too - Bournemouth Chimney Sweep Advice

Gas fires need sweeping too - Jim Chimney, Dorset Chimney Sweep

Did you know that Gas fires also need sweeping?

This is to ensure a good updraught for the fumes to escape the property via the chimneys flue.

As you can see in the picture, its usually a mixture of spiderwebs, fluff & dust that can block the chimney.

Some gas fires can be swept with the appliance in place, with no need for the gas fire to be removed but this Depends on the access to the chimney flue.

On occasions a gas safe engineer may be required to remove and put back the appliance.

Call Jim to book your Bournemouth, Poole & Dorset Chimney Sweep Today

Recommended article: How Jim Chim-in-ey investigates a suspected birds nest in a chimney.

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.

Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!

CCTV inspection - Chimney Sweep Dorset

CCTV - Chimney Sweep

Did you know that all C.S.A members have CCTV inspecting gear on board as part of their chimney sweeping kit.

This can be used to fault find, investigate and remove blockages, determine capped stacks and to ensure the chimney is in good working order.

This is also great tool to check if there is any cables, wires or pipes running through a stack before installing a wood burner or multi-fuel.

Recommended article:  How Jim Chim-in-ey investigates a suspected birds nest in a chimney

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.
Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!

Jim Chimney - Dorset's Chimney Sweep Specialist covering Bournemouth, Poole & Dorset

How often should your open fire be swept by a chimney sweep?

Open fires should be swept at least once a year - Jim Chimney - Dorset's Chimney Sweep Specialist

'Most of my customers chimneys are swept around once or twice a year,'

After every sweep a recommended date for the next sweep will be issued with the sweep certificate.
This date takes into account the quality of the soot, the amount of soot, the condition of the liner and the appliance condition.

As your chimney sweep I will be able to recommend how often you should be sweeping your chimney after inspecting your chimney, fuel and soot.

For a general guide on sweeping frequencies please read on. . .

Open fires - burning Wood

Low users - If you are burning good quality seasoned wood, your chimney is in good working order and are only burning around once a week during the winter, then your chimney should usually be swept around once a year.

For higher users or burners of wet wood, (which is never recommend) a quarterly sweep is recommended.

Open fires - burning Smokeless Fuel / Clean Coal

At least once per year

Open fires - burning Bitumous Coal / House Coal

Low users - If you are burning house coal, your chimney is in good working order and are only burning around once a week during the winter, then your chimney should usually be swept around once a year.

For higher users of house coal a quarterly sweep is recommended.

Check your Insurance policy

It is also worth checking with your insurance policy what the recommended sweep frequency is. This is because some company have different expectations and some insurance company's will not pay out for a chimney fire or soot fall if their recommended sweep frequency has not been met.

Recommended article: Why you should not burn unseasoned firewood?

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.
Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!

Jim Chimney - Chimney Sweep for Bournmeouth, Poole & Dorset

Why slumbering your woodburner can cause a chimney fire?

Chimney sweep poster - jim chimney - chimney sweep Dorset

Did you know that shutting all the air vents to your woodburner increases your chance of a chimney fire?

This method is known as slumbering and the benefits of doing this over night is so the fire does not go out making it easier to start the fire again in the morning,

but the risk out ways the positives here as if your woodburner does not have enough oxygen to effectively burn the wood, the un-burnt particles climb as a dark smoke sticking to your flue in the form of stage three creosote.

Stage three creosote is flammable and is one of the fuels for a chimney fires.

So my advice to all my customers is always . . .
'Do not slumber your woodburner'

Jim Chimney - Dorset's Chimney Sweep Specialist

Recommended article: How Jim Chim-in-ey investigates a suspected birds nest in a chimney.

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.

Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!

10 steps to removing a live bird stuck in your chimney

How to remove a live bird stuck in chimney stack?

Removing a bird stuck in a chimney, stack, flue or liner can be an unpleasant situation, for you as well as for the feathered animal. Birds sometimes not able to fly out of the chimney do get stuck. Freeing the bird may take some time; being calm and patient throughout the experience will help persuade the winged animal where you need it to be so you can get it out of the house, back outside, free to fly like a bird once again.

Tools you may need to remove the live bird from a chimney:

• Large box - That fits inside fireplace
• Stiff cardboard sheet - Larger than the box opening
• Torch - To encourage the bird
• Mirror - To look up the chimney
• Sheets - To keep your carpet/ furniture clean
• Towel - To catch the bird
• Broom - To guide the bird

How to remove a live bird from your chimney?

1. Glimpse inside the chimney to try and find the bird, use your torch & mirror if needed.
2. Open damper if you have one.
3. Close all doors in the room to the rest of the house, this is to contain the bird should it escape into the room.
4. Sheet up around the fireplace to protect the carpet.
5. Turn your torch on and place your torch / spotlight in the box.
6. Place the large box, open side up, inside the chimney opening. Prop the box up with another box if required, so there is a small gap between the box and the highest point of the fire place. 
7. Turn off TV & radio, and keep talking to a minimum to Bring silence to the room, Keep quite until the feathered creature enters the box. 
8. Slide the cardboard sheet delicately over the container opening, catching the Bird inside. 
9. Tenderly remove the container from the chimney, taking the box and bird outside. 
10. Remove the cardboard top from the box to set the winged creature free.

How to remove a live bird if it is in the fireplace or room?

1. Close all doors that allow access to the house.
2. Open all windows / doors to the outside world.
3. Turn off lights and make the room darker then outside, 
4. If required turn on outside light.
5. Use one of the options below to remove the bird from your property.

• Gently guide the winged animal toward the open window or door with the broom.
• Slowly throw a towel over the winged animal to trap it then take the towel tenderly outside to free.

Has a bird nested in your chimney?
On the off chance that feathered creatures have built a nest in the chimney, do not disturb the nest at this time, as some species are protected by law. At the end of the bird season in late August / early September is the time to book in your chimney sweep to remove the un-active nest.

Call Jim to book your Bournemouth, Poole & Dorset Chimney Sweep Today

Recommended article: Five reasons to book Jim as your Dorset chimney sweep?

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.

Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!