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Chimney Sweep in Whitstable

Sooty & Sweeps are a family-run business with over 40 years’ experience, and we offer chimney sweeping and chimney cleaning in Whitstable, from open fires and log burners to gas fires. Our sweeps are HETAS approved, accredited with APICS and fully insured.

We’ll give you a final quote before any work starts, and you’ll get a HETAS certificate afterwards that your home insurer will accept.

Chimneys by the coast

Whitstable has a lot of Victorian terraces and older cottages, many with chimney stacks that have been exposed to sea wind and salt air for a long time. Pots, cowls, flashings and the pointing around the stack take most of the weather, so we look at those as well as the flue. If you have a wood burner, a bird guard or a cowl also helps keep gulls and nests out of the pot.

What a Whitstable sweep includes

In addition to the above service, we offer additional chimney inspection and chimney maintenance services including:

We also install wood-burning stoves and line flues; our flue liner and log burner installation pages have the detail. We also work in nearby Herne Bay, Faversham and Canterbury. See all our chimney sweeping areas in Kent, or contact us for a quote.

Common questions in Whitstable

Why do Whitstable chimneys need extra checks?

Stacks close to the coast take sea wind and salt air. Pots, cowls, flashings and the pointing around the stack take most of the weather, so we look at those as well as the flue.

Should I fit a cowl or bird guard in Whitstable?

If you have a wood burner, a bird guard or a cowl also helps keep gulls and nests out of the pot.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How often should I have my flue swept?

HETAS recommends yearly when burning smokeless fuels, twice a year when burning wood or bituminous coal. The reason it is recommended to have a chimney sweep regularly is because soot builds up inside your flue which can cause a fire hazard, leaving your chimney sweeps too long can cause buildups of soot to the point where smoke can instead of leaving through the chimney leave through your fireplace. This is dangerous as your house can then have a build up of carbon monoxide.

What is involved in Sweeping?

Sweeping a chimney usually requires a good amount of patience and plenty of time to devote to the task (at least half a day to a full day) as well as the having the correct equipment and the right attitude! Chimney sweeping is undoubtedly a messy job so a good amount of pre-planning is paramount, make sure your room is covered in any type of sheet you can find, making sure your furniture is covered too. If you look up your chimney and can’t see straight up it, you may have a blockage, though we recommend hiring a professional if this is the case sometimes the debris is just built up soot or a birds nest. Sometimes though it can be a structural integrity issue such as a misplaced brick that will need professional attention.

If choosing to maintain your own chimney instead of hiring professionals, you will need to be aware that it is important to check for structural damage on a regular basis, small cracks and chips can be patched up alone but large cracks will need the aid of a DIY manual or hiring a professional. Sooty and Sweeps have years of experience in dealing with structural problems in chimneys, our expert advice may be what you need!

Sooty and Sweeps for all your flue sweeping needs in Whitstable and across Kent.

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