Category: Service and Maintenance
HomeService and MaintenancePage 6

Category: Service and Maintenance

Video: Why you are BANNED from burning this in Chorlton, Withington, Didsbury or Northenden

It’s cheap, traditional and gives a good flame picture. But burning housecoal ANYWHERE in the Manchester City Council area could land you with a fine of up to £1,000.

The reason is because the whole of Manchester – including Chorlton, Withington, Didsbury, Northenden – is a designated Smoke Control Area.

The zone was brought in back in 1985 to help improve air quality across the city area. This means that regardless of whether you have an open fire or multi fuel stove, you cannot burn traditional housecoal.

And the only way you can legally burn wood on any appliance in this area is if it is a DEFRA Exempt Appliance. These are usually more modern stoves which are tested for emissions and cannot be ‘slumbered’.

The only fuel which can legally be burnt on any multi fuel appliance or open fire in this area is Approved Smokeless Fuel. More details on this can be found at https://www.gov.uk/smoke-control-area-rules

The overall picture on how the law is applied across Manchester is hazy (forgive the pun!) Manchester City Council said they couldn’t tell me how many complaints they’d investigated under the Clean Air legislation as complaints aren’t categorised in that way, and to search through every record would take days. However, they did confirm that since 2009, they hadn’t sought to prosecute a single person under the Act.

Nevertheless, why run the risk of being the first person in a decade to be fined? My advice is to always use the right fuels for your fireplace and, if in doubt, check with a professional!

Mr Soot Chimney Sweep is a co-founder of Burnright, a DEFRA-backed campaign which aims to educate solid fuel users on how to get the best out of their appliance while doing their bit for the environment. He’s also a HETAS Approved Sweep, and member of the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps, offering a professional and friendly chimney sweep and stove service. Book Mr Soot online or call 0800 0541154

 

It’s A Dangerous Time of Year For Chimneys. Here’s Why… And What You Can Do About Yours

“There’s no point doing it now. It’s been fine so far… we’ll just get it done before we start using it again.”

As spring starts appearing on the horizon, it’s tempting to push all thoughts of having your chimney swept until later in the year. 

But if you last had your flue swept 12 months ago or more, now is precisely the time you should get it done.

Because the longer you leave it, the worse it is getting.

Even if you are using the correct fuels and burning at the correct temperature, soot builds up in your chimney. Soot is not only acidic (so attacks brickwork and liners), but it is also flammable. It’s no surprise therefore that more chimney fires happen at this time of year than any other.

I always strongly advise against ‘skipping’ a sweep. It’s very tempting, especially if you can’t see any visible difference in how your fire is working. But most issues to do with chimneys aren’t picked up by customers at all, or not until the point where they become serious.

Some ‘hidden’ issues which can build up over time include:

  • Tar in the chimney (see main photo)
  • Fallen wildlife (pigeons/squirrels etc)
  • Leaking flues, causing potential carbon monoxide risks
  • Dangerous levels of soot build up, which is a fire hazard

The good news is that there’s usually a remedy available, but it some cases this will require works to the flue. There’s no better time to have these done during months when you’re not using the fire.

If you leave it until autumn/winter, the weather gets worse and the availability of solid fuel professionals becomes more restricted in what is a busy time of year.

12 months is a long time in the life of the chimney. It takes a real battering from all the heat and gases during the burning season. As sweeps, we often say that if people looked up their chimneys as often as they peered through their windows, they’d get them swept without question much more often.

Don’t be blind to the dangers which can lurk in your chimney. Stay safe and stay ahead of the curve – book a sweep today!

Mr Soot Chimney Sweep is a HETAS Approved Sweep, and member of the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps, offering a professional and friendly chimney sweep and stove service in Wigan, Stockport, St Helens, Ormskirk, Chorley and surrounding areas. Book Mr Soot online or call 0800 0541154.