FAQs

What do I need to do to prepare for your visit?

To ensure my visit goes smoothly:

don't use your fire the night before a visit as embers may still be present the next day
allow a clear access route from the front door to the appliance
ensure the area in front of the appliance is clear (where possible allow an area of approximately 2 metres/6 feet square)
remove any delicate objects that are close to the appliance
ensure that pets are not in the vicinity of the appliance, and are unable to escape through my point of access to the house.

solid fuel appliances are swept once a year if burning smokeless fuel and twice a year for coal
wood burning appliances are swept quarterly when in use
gas appliances are swept once a year (if designed for sweeping)
oil-fired appliances are swept once a year.

Cleaning your chimney or flue helps ensure that your fire burns efficiently.
Sweeping removes creosote, which can build up in flues and give off odourless carbon monoxide which
may leak back into your house. Creosote can also build up to such an extent that it blocks the flue completely.
Creosote build up is one of the main causes of chimney fires.
A Guild sweep will be able to advise on how to burn fuel most effectively, saving you money and reducing build up of creosote. Check out the Burnright website for more information.
A Guild sweep will assess your appliance and chimney for any defects and offer advice on what may be causing any issues, such as a poor draw or smoke blow-back.
A Guild sweep will hold public liability insurance and issue a certificate at the end of the sweep. In the event of a chimney fire it is likely that your insurance company will want to see an annual certificate of sweeping from one of the recognised chimney sweep associations.