Chimney Sweep in Oxfordshire (1)

The average chimney sweep cost in the UK varies depending on where you live. For the majority of the UK you can expect your local chimney sweep cost to be about £50 - £80. If you live in London, the average chimney sweep cost is higher at around £80 - £100.

How much should a chimney sweep cost to clean your chimney? Well, that will depend on the size and condition of your chimney – more specifically, when it was last cleaned. The cost of a chimney sweep will be higher if it’s been a long time since the chimney was last cleaned.

Here are some of the average chimney sweep costs in the UK:

• Chimney sweeping service (London) – £90

• Chimney sweeping service (rest of UK) – £65

• Sweep one chimney (last cleaned over 2 years ago) – £70

• Sweep two chimneys (last cleaned over 2 years ago) – £120

Chimney cap installation cost

If you have an unused chimney in your home, it’s a sensible move to have it capped to avoid unnecessary damage to your property. The average cost of a new chimney cap is around £150 - £180 – although some of the more elaborate models of chimney cap can cost up to £500+.

Quotes for chimney sweep costs in the UK

To get accurate costs for a chimney sweep in your area, we always recommend obtaining at least three quotes from different chimney sweeps in your area. By shopping around you can make sure you're paying a fair and competitive price for the work.

Thankfully, we've got a tool that makes finding multiple quotes super easy. Our request a quote tool is perfect for getting quotes. All you need to do is post details about the chimney sweep work you need doing and we’ll send it out to local tradespeople in your area and they’ll get in touch with you directly. Try it out – it's quick and easy!

If you have a chimney that needs sweeping, hiring a professional chimney sweep is very often money well spent. Here are some of the reasons why it can pay to get a professional to sweep your chimney for you:

• Chimney sweeps are skilled in safely and efficiently doing the job

• It saves you the time, hassle and mess of doing it yourself

• The cost of a professional chimney sweep is usually very affordable

• They have the tools to the job to a professional standard

• They’ll clean up any mess after they’ve finished

Why do I need to clean my chimney?

You might be wondering why you need to clean your chimney at all. If so, you might not realise that you’re putting you and your home at risk if you have a dirty chimney.

Here are some of the very important reasons why you need to regularly clean your chimney:

• When you burn wood, soot and creosote accumulates within the lining of your chimney and creosote is a highly flammable substance that poses a serious fire hazard

• Soot and dirt can build up and sometime block a chimney, posing a risk of toxic gases leaking into your home

• Blocked or partially blocked chimneys affect the efficiency of the fireplace

Find the best local chimney sweeps

If you’re eager to have your chimney sorted out and cleaned thoroughly, you want to find the best chimney sweep in your area to carry out the work. And, thankfully, we can help you find them.

You can either search for chimney sweeps using our online search and contact them yourself. Or, use our request a quote feature and leave it to us to find them for you – just tell us what you need and we’ll reach out to recommended chimney sweeps near you and get them to contact you directly.

Yes, it is possible to sweep a chimney yourself – but it’s a time-consuming, messy job. Without the right equipment and experience, you could spend an entire day sweeping your chimney.

It can also be physically tiring and can be quite an unpleasant experience as you’ll most likely be covered in soot, dirt and various bits of debris by the end of it.

If you do decide to sweep the chimney yourself, make sure you cover the room with protective sheets before you start. You don’t want to ruin your carpet or furniture by getting it covered in soot, dust and dirt.

We would always recommend hiring a professional chimney sweep to do the work for you. It not only saves you the time and stress of doing it yourself, but it also gives you the peace of mind that the job has been done properly.

Hire a local chimney sweep

If you don’t want to deal with the upheaval and exertion of sweeping the chimney yourself, we don’t blame you. And we can help you find the best chimney sweeps near you – including those who come highly recommended by your neighbours.

You can either use our quick and easy online search to find and contact chimney sweeps in your area. Or, alternatively, request a quote and we’ll do the legwork for you by reaching out to the best local chimney sweeps near you.

If you hire a professional chimney sweep, they are usually pretty quick and efficient at sweeping a chimney. If your chimney was cleaned a year ago then a chimney sweep should be able to do the job in about an hour.

If your chimney hasn’t been cleaned for over two years then it will take longer, somewhere in the region of 2-3 hours. This is because there will be more preparation work needed, and there will likely be more soot, creosote and other debris to remove as part of the sweeping.

DIY chimney sweeping

If you plan on sweeping a chimney yourself, be prepared to spend a lot longer than a couple of hours on the job. It can take novices up to 8 hours to achieve a thorough sweep of the chimney, leaving it clear of blockages and removing the majority of soot and creosote.

Want to know more?

To find out more about how long it will take a chimney sweep to clean your chimney, and to find out how much they will charge, speak to local chimney sweeps in your area. Search for the best chimney sweeps near you and get in touch with them to discuss your chimney cleaning project.

To keep your chimney in good working order and to avoid unnecessary health and fire risks for your home, you should organise an annual inspection by an experienced local chimney sweep.

Each home will have different requirements, usually based on a number of factors including:

• Size of the property

• Type and size of fireplace you have

• condition of your chimney

• If you chimney / fireplace are in use

• How often you use your fireplace

Here are some of the guidelines recommended by the National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS) about the frequency of chimney sweeping required in the UK:

• For fires burning smokeless fuel – at least once a year

• Wood burning fires and bituminous coal – quarterly, when in use

• Gas and oil-burning appliance chimneys – once a year

Preparing your chimney for winter

If you have a property with a chimney and want to make sure it’s prepared for winter, we’ve put together some top chimney sweeping tips for winter. Or speak to your local chimney sweeps for their professional advice and guidance on how best to care for your chimney – they’ll also be able to give you accurate quotes for how much they charge to sweep your chimney.