[Walter Pole]

Hi

Has anyone got experience with sweeping chimneys?

It occurred to me today that sweeping chimneys would be a great add on to the work I already do.  I have checked chimney sweep supply websites and it seems relatively cheap to buy the brushes and poles and I guess an industrial type vacuum cleaner.  I dont think ladders would be involved as once the fireplace was sealed off and the vacuum cleaning sucking the soot, it would be a simple matter of pushing the brush up and down the chimney.

Maybe a bit simplistic but does anyone have any comments?

Mark

[Dean Aspects]

Its a dirty job i did think of doing it when my chimney sweep retired but decided against it as in the winter the fire we have is always lit and i wouldnt let it go out to have someone clean the chimney as the house would go cold i think its more of  summer job when the fires are not needed

Dean

[supernova77]

Its a dirty job i did think of doing it when my chimney sweep retired but decided against it as in the winter the fire we have is always lit and i wouldnt let it go out to have someone clean the chimney as the house would go cold i think its more of  summer job when the fires are not needed

Dean

A friend of mine is a chimney sweep... I was talking to him the other day and he was saying that this time of year is the busiest ever, and it stays pretty busy until the end of February.

It would be a good add on I suppose... But if you have a full window cleaning round how would you fit it in?

Andy

[Walter Pole]

Thanks fellas

Firstly Aspects, why would it be dirty?  An industrual vacuum cleaner sucks most of the soot, simply leaving a wipe around with 'scrim' or old cloth.  The opening to the fire is seled with a sheet and duck tape.

SCS, my window cleaning round is part time and I wouldn't normally work on a wet day although I know plenty do.

Thanks again for your comments.
Mark

[Dean Aspects]

Why would it be dirty think about it you are sticking a pole and brush up a dirty chimney then you have to bring it back out again unscrewing each section and so on
every sweep i have seen in this area is always dirty maybe they are just not good at the job though 

As for been busy at this time of year with it that seems odd as this is the time of year the fire is usually used unless the rest of the year they just forget about the fire one of those jobs that just keeps getting put off
Not that i dont believe you just seems an odd time to be busy 

[Walter Pole]

OK Aspects, maybe a different set of clothes or boiler suit would be needed for this sort of work.

Maybe temperatures are colder in Scotland and a fire is needed for most of the year, but in Devon we have no fire and the central heating started coming on for an hour in the evening only last week.  There are many propertyies with an open fire that only get lit in the evening, at the moment anyway.

[Jeff Brimble]

I gave myself 4 years to be a flueologist because I wanted to minimise the lung dust, white boiler suit with nothing underneath,trainers cloths etc. Big industrial vac, trailer or seperate van for the kit etc. You need quite a few assorted blanks to fit the fireplace opening with holes for the rods and all sorts of bits and pieces. Yes you may need ladders and a cat ladder for the awkward ones, or give up. It does pay well, allow for no more than 8 a full day. An apprentice would be handy.

Dont do less than a full day unless you can get full day rate. May have probs getting rid of the soot, you wont get invited to many weddings.

Would I do it again - just maybe the feel good factor after a lying in the bath after hard but profitable day is knackeringly fantastic.

But now theres a thing called a waterfed pole.

[windowwashers]

Not meaning to put a downer on anyone , but if chimney sweeping was so easy then everyone would be doing it, little like window cleaning in some ways.
chimney sweeps earn very good money for a reason.

I really do not think this will be as easy as it is being made out.

[Dean Aspects]

I would definately wear a boiler suit or something like
If their is a market for it in the area then go for it
By the way mine used to charge £30 for one chimney and he did the neighbours aswell not a bad earner

Dean

[supernova77]

Not meaning to put a downer on anyone , but if chimney sweeping was so easy then everyone would be doing it, little like window cleaning in some ways.
chimney sweeps earn very good money for a reason.

I really do not think this will be as easy as it is being made out.

Who was making out it was easy?

I think chimney sweeping is similar to window cleaning in that other people in other jobs think of them as a mundane low paid job... Of course us in the know, know otherwise

Andy

[Walter Pole]

Jeff Brimble, what were you charging per chimney...if £30 a go and 8 per day, surely vey good money to give up to become a window cleaner?  Especially as you bought the inserts etc for different applications.

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Hi All,

D.J.SALKELD
Window Cleaner,
Chimney Sweep
and
Small Job Specialist

That's how I started

Used to sweep Chimneys early in the morning (7:30)
do a couple in the morning to about 9:30
A boiler suit pair of gloves
Then clean up, breaky and out on Windows!

David

I'll post how to go about it in a minute

[supernova77]

Dave,

I take it that your window cleaning brought in more £££ than chimney sweeping and the other small jobs, and that's why you're now just window cleaning?

Andy

[LWC]

wfp it lol 

[Walter Pole]

Dave

I am really interested to learn more about your experiences in respect of chimney sweeping.  You are welcome to email me if easier (and if permitted by forum rules).  I have become quite excited by the whole prospect and see it as an easy add on to the work I already do, although still exploratory at the moment I am very keen to learn more.

I have joined a chimney sweep forum already but notice, as others have commented about this forum, it is restricted to only those in the relevant industry, ie not public.

[paul saunders]

You'll have to lose the white t-shirt if you want to sweep chimneys.

[tacky]

not taking the mick being n ex miner .but does any one have coal fire nowdays .all the best in ur new venture .wish i still had my coal fire

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Chartermarque,

Give me a call tomorrow on

07815106363

David

[gary999]

funny enough i saw a chimney sweep the other week when cleaning a posh old
house thought had all died out but apparently not well off people these days
are keen on having real fires he told me its a status thing. he put some covers
down got his vaccum out and off he went i was only halfway round the house
and he had packed up and left in his reasonably new merc

[xxmattyxx]

well off people these days
are keen on having real fires

  

We got an open fire, no we haven't, we got 3.

I must be well off in that case, who'd 'ave believed it a well-heeled window cleaner, gorr blimey 

We had one of the chimneys swept last year, £30.00 for one, £45.00 for two, not bad that for an hours work.

Good idea IMO. Good luck with it.

Matt