Yes, is the short answer and here's why. Wood burners and multi fuel stoves are no different from an open fire in regards to soot deposits building up in the chimney or the stainless steel flexible liners that many stoves are now fitted with. ​In addition, all wood burners and multi fuel stoves have a baffle plate mounted just underneath the entrance to the flexible chimney liner and deposits from the flue and the burner itself can build up on this plate. If left uncleared this can potentially block the entrance to the flue leading to carbon monoxide fumes entering the home and also risk catching light and causing a chimney fire.

Any time is a good time to have your chimney swept. Regular chimney sweeping is important regardless of the season and if your chimney is due for cleaning, it is always best to have it done sooner rather than later. However, there are several advantages to having your chimney swept once you've finished using it for the burning season, which is why spring and summer are often considered the best times of year. Spring/Summer is the best time. As the cold dark nights finally come to an end and long warm summer evenings become the norm, the last thing on your mind will be booking your chimney sweep. However, it may come as a surprise to some, but summer really is the best time of year to have your chimney swept and here's why. Soot is acidic. Because soot is acidic it can corrode flexible chimney liners until they become paper thin and eventually failing. The acid properties of soot will also eat into the pargetting and mortar in traditional brick chimneys so it makes sense to have your chimney swept and cleaned once the burning season has finished. Avoid the Autumn rush. Because the majority of people don't think about their wood burning stoves and open fires until Autumn arrives. We have then become very busy and can have wait times of a number of weeks for appointments. Booking your chimney sweep during the quieter summer months enables us to fit you in for your chimney sweep promptly resulting in minimal wait times for your appointment. This has the additional benefit of prolonging the life of your brick chimney or stainless steel liner by removing the soot deposits. Avoid the smell of soot. In the summer the air temperature outside your house is warmer than the air inside your chimney. This causes the air in the chimney to sink. The result of this is a horrible sooty smell in your house. The hotter it is, usually the stronger the smell, this is particularly prevalent with open fires. If we have a wet humid summer the smell can be even stronger Repairs and replacement stove parts. If any remedial work is required to your fire or stove, spares can be easily sourced and fitted as suppliers have replenished their stocks after the busy Autumn/Winter period. Again, we can repair the issue promptly in contrast to a long wait for a revisit during our busy periods, resulting with your fire in good working order come the cooler evenings. Keeping your sweep certificate in date. If your house insurance stipulates that your chimney should be swept annually and you wait until Autumn before booking in, you may find your last sweep date has expired due to having a lengthy wait for available appointments. You may only be insured in case of chimney fire or fireplace related problem for 365 days from the date your last chimney sweep. If you have your chimneys swept in the summer, it won’t matter if you miss it by a few weeks as you won’t be using the fire anyway.

The National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS) recommends the following frequency; ​Wood - Quarterly when in use Smokeless fuels - At least once a year House Coal - At least twice a year Gas / Oil - Once a year ​I will provide advice during the appointment on frequency, however as a general guide, for occasional evening and weekend use once per year is usually sufficient. This can be dependant on fuel quality and the correct use of the appliance.

No, I protect the work area with fresh laundered floor covering and seal the fireplace/stove with clean soot sheets on every chimney sweep. Modern chimney sweeping has come a long way in terms of cleanliness and efficiency. Using power sweeping rods, brushes and HEPA vacuums eliminates the dust and mess that used to be common in the chimney cleaning process.