Professional Chimney Sweeping — Safe, Certified & Insured

Most chimney fires start in chimneys that haven’t been swept. A build-up of soot and creosote — the natural byproduct of burning wood or solid fuel — is one of the most common causes of house fires in the UK. It’s also entirely preventable. A proper annual sweep, carried out by someone who knows what they’re doing, removes the build-up, clears any blockages and tells you if there’s something developing that needs attention.

Phil Markides has been sweeping chimneys for 20 years across Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol and the surrounding area. He does this work every day. He knows what a good chimney looks like, what a bad one looks like, and how to tell the difference — and he’ll explain what he finds in plain language.

What a Proper Sweep Involves

A lot of people have had a bad experience with a chimney sweep who rushed the job, left a mess, and didn’t really tell them anything useful. Phil’s approach is the opposite. He arrives on time, lays down dust sheets and protects the area around the fireplace properly, uses professional brushes and vacuum equipment that captures the soot at source, and carries out a thorough sweep of the full flue. Before he leaves, he’ll give you a verbal summary of what he found and provide a certificate — the document your home insurer needs.

If he spots anything during the sweep — cracked flue liners, damaged pots, debris from a collapsed bird’s nest, a build-up that needs more than one sweep — he’ll tell you about it honestly. There’s no upselling, no invented problems. If it needs attention, you’ll hear about it. If it’s fine, you’ll hear that too.

How Often Should You Have Your Chimney Swept?

The industry guidance is straightforward: wood-burning stoves and open fires in regular use should be swept at least once a year, and ideally twice if you burn a lot. Smokeless fuel appliances at least once a year. Gas fires at least every two years. For solid fuel use, most home insurance policies require evidence of annual sweeping — if you can’t show it and you have a chimney fire, there’s a real risk your claim won’t be paid.

If you’ve moved into a new property and you don’t know when the chimney was last swept, the safest thing to do is have it done before you light anything. Phil can assess the condition of the flue at the same time and let you know what you’re working with.

Common Chimney Problems Phil Can Identify

• Creosote and tar build-up — a fire risk that requires prompt attention
• Bird’s nest blockages — jackdaws are particularly common in this part of Wiltshire and Somerset
• Cracked or deteriorating flue liners — a safety issue that needs to be sorted before the appliance is used
• Poor draw and downdraught — often a structural issue that can be resolved
• Damaged chimney pots or cowls — can be inspected and replaced as part of a masonry service
• Cracks in the stack — identified during the inspection and addressed through chimney stack repair

Areas Covered for Chimney Sweeping

Phil sweeps chimneys across a wide area centred on Lower Westwood, Bradford-on-Avon. Regular areas include Bath, Bradford-on-Avon, Bristol, Trowbridge, Frome, Melksham, Corsham, Devizes, Warminster, Westbury, Wells and many of the villages in between. Not sure if we cover you? Get in touch and we’ll confirm.

Ready to book or want to ask a question first? Call Phil directly on 07708 362 171 or send us a message.