Services

When your chimney is swept by Goodfires Chimney Sweeping you can expect the following:

All work carried out to the Guild of Master Sweeps Code of Practice.
Visual inspection of Chimney stack and Chimney pot.
Sealing of Fireplace with specially made soot cloths ready for sweeping.
Full brush and vacuum of flue.
Removal of any debris and soot.
Smoke evacuation test.
Guild of Master Sweeps certificate issued for chimney swept.

In all cases, the immediate vicinity of the fireplace will be covered with cloths to eliminate any soot spillage providing a no mess service.

Goodfires offers a friendly, professional, no mess, no fuss service and is fully insured.

Read our customer testimonials at www.checkatrade.com

Bird Guard and Cowl fitting

Bird Guards

Bird Guards can be fitted to chimney pots to stop birds nesting and falling down chimneys and flues. It is important that the correct type of bird guard is fitted to the type of appliance that is being used. Chicken wire is not suitable to protect chimneys from birds as it can get blocked with soot.

Anti Down Draught Cowls

These type of cowls can assist in reducing air being pushed down the chimney in certain weather conditions. There are various types of this product which can be discussed during the visit.

Chimney Cappers

These are used to seal off the chimney of a disused fireplace and at the same time allow the chimney to breathe. It is advised that cappers are fitted to disused chimneys in order to stop birds and animals nesting and rain penetrating into the chimney.

Bird Nest Removal

Bird nests can be a major problem in a chimney (usually caused by Jackdaws).They can build nests that will block a chimney completely, usually by dropping thousands of sticks down your chimney. Bird nests not only block a chimney, but over a period of time the organic matter that is used can compost and create damp problems in the house.

We have special tools to remove a bird nest and once the nest is removed a special chimney camera is pushed up the chimney to ensure that the nest has been removed in its entirety. This is important because if debris is left in the chimney it can fall and cause another blockage, potentially causing carbon monoxide poisoning, at the very least problems with the fire or appliance beneath.

Please be aware that we are not able to remove active nests during the nesting season as it is an arrest able offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Therefore nests are best removed between August and February when they are not being built or inhabited.

Once the nest is removed a suitable bird guard can be fitted to prevent the birds re nesting in the same place. See bird guard and cowl fitting.

CCTV Inspection

Basic chimney inspections can be carried out using a purpose built CCTV chimney camera using infra red to see in the dark. This can be used to help find breaches in chimneys and post chimney fires to check the integrity of the chimney. It is also used to inspect chimneys to ensure that all the debris is removed from a bird nest removal.

Chimney Sweeping

All work carried out to the Guild of Master Sweeps Code of Practice, ‘The Industry Standard’.

Both traditional brushes & modern power sweeping methods are used to clean chimneys, depending upon the type of chimney/flue to be cleaned.

All areas near to the chimney are covered with special soot proof cloths.

A highly filtered vacuum is used to help clean up the soot once the chimney is clean.

A smoke evacuation test is then carried out to ensure that the smoke goes where it is supposed to!

A Guild of Master Sweeps certificate is issued as proof that the chimney has been cleaned to the ‘Industry Standard’.

Honey Bee Removal

IMPORTANT: This service has unfortunately been temporarily suspended by Goodfires and hopefully will resume in the future. We can however recommend a bee removal specialist should you have a problem with bees.

Honey Bees are a very valuable asset to society and the food that we eat. In fact every 3rd mouthful of food we eat is due to the humble Bee. So as humans we need to look after them!

They do however have a habit of hiving in our chimneys - especially disused ones!

Being Bee keepers as well as sweeping chimneys, Matt and Helen have an interest in saving bees to help regenerate colonies in their apiary.

Removing bees from chimneys can be carried out traditionally by fitting a temporary hive to the chimney and moving the bees gradually to their temporary home. They also have a specially designed bee vacuum to carefully suck the bees very gently (not killing them) directly into a new hive which can be carried away to another location.

Once the bees are removed, the chimney is scraped from the top removing as much wax as possible to avoid more bees returning to do the same the following year. In certain circumstances the chimney pot can be proofed against bees returning forever (unfortunately this is not possible on all chimneys especially in ones that are in use).

The bees will then be re homed in the apiary and raised to produce honey or passed on to fellow bee keepers to do the same.

Bees in Chimney Flue Removal - click here to watch video

Jars of local honey are available upon request.

Minor Repairs to Stoves/Wood burners

Replacement of fire bricks
Stove door seals
Stove glass
Grates replaced
Re sealing of stove pipes

Other Services that can be arranged

Re pointing and rebuilding of chimney stacks
Fitting chimney pots
Flue lining
Wood burner fitting
Fireplace fitting
Chimney scaffolding platform

Tar Removal

We are now able to assist in the removal of heavy tarring in chimneys that have suffered from the burning of unseasoned wood. This is carried out to make chimneys safer, or for post flue lining. The process involves spraying ‘CREAWAY’ powder up the chimney using a compressor. The powder is then heated by having at least 7 hot fires and the chimney is re swept. The process may need to be repeated depending upon the severity of the tarring in the chimney.