The Origin of the Chimney Sweep and Chimney Cleaning

A chimney sweep is a worker who clears the ash and soot from your chimney. Over time with the build-up of creosote – and a lack of chimney cleaning – the chimney itself becomes a volatile location where the fire within the fireplace may ignite the accumulation and set it, and ultimately the building, ablaze. The sweep, essential to full functionality of the chimney, comes in with brushes to clear them out. If your Hackensack home needs a chimney cleaning, look no further than Guardian Chimney.

The chimney became all the rage in 16^th century England, so much so that they tended to be placed in every room of the home. The 17^th century brought about the Hearth Tax (based on house size and number of chimneys a house had) which homeowners sought to avoid. Builders of the day would connect the multiple flues stemming from the multiple chimneys in a complex maze of tunnels inside the home, making chimney cleaning a more difficult task. Simultaneously, coal became a popular source of fuel for the fires, as such, sweeping became a more sought after commodity. Without regular cleaning, coal’s sticky soot deposits would clog flues and pollute the home itself with fumes. Queen Victoria mandated that all chimneys must be cleaned regularly and the chimney sweep began to be associated with the idea of bringing clean and fresh air back to the home. They became associated with good hearth and good health.

During the Industrial Revolution, an urban housing explosion (people, not via fireplace) occurred across the western world, and the number of chimneys grew vastly with it, creating quite a demand for chimney cleaning and a new level of job security for the sweeper.

Buildings became taller and chimneys more complex, grouped together on the roof of multi-unit dwellings. Often containing more than two right angles with both vertical and horizontal angled sections, the flues and their grates were substantially more difficult to keep clean than in standard straight chimneys. Chimney cleaning and the job of the chimney sweep were looked upon as very dangerous. Even with the high-risk job, chimney sweeps were not paid well amongst other tradesmen of the time.

Today’s chimney sweep has studied local codes and scientific functioning with regard to chimneys. Chimney sweeps diagnose and ultimately service what they find within a chimney, making repairs and installations. The chimney sweep remains an important profession that will continue on. These respected professionals help homeowners and businesses maintain safe operation of their chimneys. Our chimney sweep is certified, licensed or organized in: 

•         National Chimney Sweep Guild
•         Chimney Safety Institute of America
•         National Fire Protection Agency
•         NJ Division of Consumer Affairs
•         Better Business Bureau

For more information on chimney cleaning in Hackensack, call Guardian Chimney at 888-688-1388 or contact us to Schedule an Appointment.