Anyone recommend a decent chimney sweep?

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Permalink Reply by Martha on August 5, 2008 at 13:23

Don't have chimney anymore - but used to use H Firkin & Sons 0208 886 9420 - http://www.hfirkinsandsons.co.uk/

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Permalink Reply by Maddy on August 7, 2008 at 22:41

Yes, I also use Firkins and they are good and not too expensive. But you have to book well ahead for the autumn as they are in great demand.
Maddy

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Permalink Reply by Stuart on August 7, 2008 at 22:57

Thanks. I've called Firkin and they're coming out on Monday.

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Permalink Reply by Stuart on November 17, 2008 at 17:14

I should add that Firkins ended up too busy to come out but they sub-contracted the work to a top bloke who we have since used independently and who was great: Phil Layzell (07889 439851).

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Permalink Reply by Brian on October 17, 2009 at 15:06

Try Firkin and Sons Palmers Green - they do mine in Hornsey. £50 per chimney (£90 or £95 can't remember which for two.) They do a smoke flu test and give you a certificate (to hang on the wall?) Tel 0208 886 9420.

Good old fashioned tradespeople.

Say the man in Redston Rd. recommended them


Brian Bowles

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Permalink Reply by JD on October 20, 2009 at 18:10

Hi myself and a neighbour recently had our chimneys swept by a company recommended by the Victorian fire place shop next to Stamford Hill train station - Mark 07970 107 830 - He seemed V friendly and charged £45 per fire If I remember correctly. He also gives you a certificate.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Bailey on January 16, 2010 at 12:38

We just had our chimney swept by Mark (07970 107 830)... First sweeping or lighting of that fire in over 40 years. Lots of dust and muck came down, including a tesco's plastic bag, which seemed a little odd.

Mark was very efficient and tidy, cleaning the whole lot out of the fireplace, without almost no dust getting into the room. He also did a cold smoke draw test, which fortunately showed that our chimney will pull the smoke up and won't fill our room - however the real test he said, is to have a small fire and check that none of the rooms above get any smell coming in, which he thought unlikely, but worth considering as the fireplace has been out of use for so long.

Looking forward to having a nice fire tonight. Unfortunately, it's not an original hearth, it's a "lovely" mottled brown 1950's tiled affair (why oh why did anyone think that replacing lovely original ones with these was a good idea), but hey, a fire is a fire :-)

Anyway, can't recommend Mark highly enough. He arrived promptly on a Saturday morning as arranged only a few days before in the week, and took about 30-40 minutes over sweeping our chimney, so I think we got a pretty fine job done.

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Permalink Reply by pamish on January 16, 2010 at 14:22

I had my chimney swept when I bought my flat in 2001 - sorry cant remember the contact info. After shelling out the £50 and then doing a test fire, Upstairs came rushing downstairs saying their bedroom (above the fire) was full of an odd smell. The smoke was leaking through the brickwork of their chimney. Fortunately their new baby wasnt sleeping in there at the time.

So I left it - one day I'll do the rest of the job and get a chimney liner installed, probably the only way to make it safe. Bah.

Anyone got experience of having one fitted? Cost? Two floors, accessible walls as this house is semi-detached.

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Permalink Reply by OneWomanAndHerDog on January 16, 2010 at 18:50

Pamish - we had a similar problem recently. When we lit a fire our neighbours two floors above found the smoke pouring through a hole in the stack wall (caused by someone fitting an overly large fireplace into a small hearth). Our sweep David Dupre sorted it out using bricks and mortar - significantly cheaper than a chimney liner (hundreds rather than thousands) - but only if you can reach the hole. David's number is (020) 8475 0711 / (07931) 907 351. He was recommended to us by the fireplace shop in Stamford Hill.

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Permalink Reply by pamish on January 16, 2010 at 19:01

Thanks, I will try him but I believe it's the mortar that goes, rather than physical damage. Smoke = hot wet acid gas. Mortar = soft alkaline semi-solid, gradually dissolves, it's had 100 years to do so. The smoke can them seep between the bricks, and as it contains carbon monoxide, could do silent fatal damage to sleeping occupants - just too risky. And if it is ££thousands there are other priorities, lovely tho a fire would be.

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