Premier Chimney Sweeping Services

13/04/2023

The best chocolate in the world!!!

24/12/2021

Thanks to all my lovely customers for another very busy year. Stay safe, have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year and let's do it all again in 2022!

10/08/2021

Finally, something interesting and very unexpected turned up in a fireplace. Unfortunately no money or jewels when it was opened...

23/12/2020

That's it for another year at Premier Chimney Sweeping Services - the van is parked up and rods and brushes safely put away. Thanks to all my lovely customers who have supported me through this difficult year, I literally couldn't do it without you!
All the best for Christmas and the New Year, and we will (hopefully!) do it all again in 2021.

27/08/2020

19/07/2020

Don't try this at home / necessity is the mother of invention. You've got to love a really awkward soot hatch giving access to a long horizontal run into a 90 degree bend that shouldn't work but does!

14/05/2020

***BACK TO WORK***

Following the current guidance from the government encouraging a SAFE return to work I’m provisionally returning to sweeping on MONDAY JUNE 1st (although I’m happy to take provisional bookings for the next few months if you don’t wish to get your chimney swept at the moment).

During the lockdown I’ve undertaken the World Health Organisations’s training course for Infection Prevention and Control for Novel Coronavirus, and I’ve also taken the opportunity to stock up on new ppe, disinfectant, hand sanitiser and wipes.
I take my customers’ and my own safety very seriously so subsequently I’ve put some extra safety procedures in place. Please have a look below and implement where appropriate and if you’ve any questions please feel free to give me a call:

• When booking an appointment, I’ll ask you to confirm that everyone in your household has been free of coronavirus symptoms for at least 7 days and that no-one is isolating and I’ll confirm the same for our household. The day before your appointment I’ll give you a call to make sure we’re okay to go ahead.
• Before I arrive please ensure that the route to your appliance is clear and all external and internal doors opened. Please also ensure there is clear adequate space for me to work in – ideally about 6ft in front of the hearth. Clear out any ashes and remove any ornaments / tools / logs etc from the hearth.
• Please ensure a plug socket or extension lead is available next to the hearth.
• Please ventilate the room with open windows ahead of my visit where possible, and it’s recommended to leave them open for approximately 30 minutes after I leave.
• Don’t be alarmed but I’ll be wearing my full-face mask and gloves when I arrive and these will remain on until I leave.
• I’ll observe recommended social distancing throughout my visit and ask that you remain in another room during the sweep.
• I’ll issue a digital certificate via email, or via post if no email available.
• Payment via bank transfer is preferred but cash or cheques are still acceptable.
• I profoundly regret I’ll be unable to accept tea and biscuits - for now!

If you need advice or wish to make a booking, please call: 07595 622020 / 0191 268 3147
All the best,
Simon

02/04/2020

Spare PPE - 2 boxes of gloves and some disposable haz mat suits - dropped off at the RVI in Newcastle today, they need it more than me at the moment! It wasn't too busy but the Ward Sister described it as feeling like the calm before the storm... Stay home and stay safe everyone.

26/03/2020

Following on from my previous post regarding delaying getting your chimney swept for the foreseeable future, if you do wish to continue to use your appliance please take note of these few suggestions to keep you as safe as possible (but please be aware, even if you follow this advice you're still at a far greater risk of chimney fire and carbon monoxide poisoning than if you have your chimney swept):

1) Using a dirty chimney greatly increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and there's no substitute for using a qualified sweep to reduce this risk. However, do make sure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm correctly installed in the room of your appliance and that you TEST IT regularly - ideally once a week.

2) Use only smokeless fuels and if burning wood make sure it has a maximum 20% moisture content - a moisture meter is the ideal thing to use for this and they are easily available to buy on the internet. House coal and wood with a high moisture content makes lots more soot, making a chimney fire and fumes leaking into the room even more likely.

3) If you have a multifuel stove / woodburner, read the instruction manual and learn how to remove the 'baffle'. Soot and ash builds up here and can cause a blockage. If you know how to remove it, you can regularly clear it - typically once a month - to prevent this happening.
If you can't find the manual - and you definitely won't be alone if you can't! - the vast majority are easily found on the internet.

Please be aware, none of this is a substitute for regular maintenance, but hopefully it'll make using your appliance safer. And if you are having a problem with your appliance that you think might be dangerous - STOP USING IT IMMEDIATELY and give me a ring.

All the best,
Simon

23/03/2020

Bearing in mind the current advice regarding social distancing and not having anyone in your house unless absolutely necessary, I'm stopping sweeping until the situation eases. Obviously if you have a safety concern regarding your appliance or chimney then please get in touch, but otherwise I think it's sensible to leave your annual sweep for a bit longer than usual. Let's all stay safe.

23/12/2019

We're all done here for another year at Premier Towers, so it's a big shout out to all my lovely customers who have kept me busy for the last 12 months - let's do it all again next year!

24/10/2019

You think you might have a "little" nest in the flue? Let's have a look...