If I’m being perfectly honest, removing bees’ nests from chimneys is my least favourite chimney sweeping activity. It is not so much the job, although that can be rather dirty and sticky, it is having to clean all the equipment of sticky mess afterwards that

 
In September for a couple of days we had the company of local lad Andy Bannister, who had recently retired from working for Uttlesford Council in Saffron Walden. We have been sweeping Andy’s chimney in Radwinter for a good few years and he had

Here is a fine example of a thatched kangaroo this time on a roof in Suffolk and the work of Clive Dodson, Master Thatcher of Cambridgeshire. It is very close to a thatched address we sweep at in West Wickham. There is another Thatched

I just had to share this beautiful and kind Christmas gift we received from friend and brilliant artist Richard. Pictured in the snow are our three working Cocker Spaniels, Millie (Black), Roger (Brown) and Maggie (Black & white). Richard has really captured their characters and

Firstly, we would like to take this opportunity to wish all our friends and customers a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. And a big thank you to you all for your loyalty and support throughout the year!
Secondly, it has

I have used this very useful bit of kit a lot this autumn, usually on Sundays when we tend to remove birds nests from chimneys and clean particularly dirty flues. We have been using it for a number of years now, and I

Here we are sweeping again for the Bishop of Chelmsford in the lovely Essex village of Great Maplestead. Fortunately, we had some time to enjoy the historic medieval church of St Giles following the sweep, it is a real Gem. Remarkably, both Great and

Being dog owners, this is always something that always makes me and Claire smile, a dog who loves our dust sheets! I believe that they think in their heads that we have come just see them, put out some nice bedding for them and make

Here is something new that I saw whilst sweeping in Monk Street Thaxted recently, the new model Woodwarm Fireview 5 Eco Multi-Fuel Stove. I think they look slightly more sleeker and contemporary than the old model Fireview’s. They dismantle slightly differently than the

Here is another in my series of blogs entitled ‘life at the coalface’ – In this blog I will be looking at soot collection traps and how to empty them. Soot collection traps in the main are found in two different types of chimneys.