Safety Checking and CCTV Surveys
We get called to a large number of properties where people have just moved in and find a fireplace or stove fitted that they want to use but there is no history or safety documents and they don't know if it is safe to use.
In addition, if you are changing the use of a fire (e.g. from gas to solid fuel) or reinstating an old fireplace then the same service applies; regulations state you must have the 3 stage flue check.
Do not be tempted to light it and see how it works. You could have a chimney fire, suffer carbon monoxide poisoning or catch the house alight.
Home buyer surveys often identify issues such as damp and chimney related issues but offer no potential solution or indicative cost. We offer a service that plugs this gap. We will inspect any stove/fire installation and its associated chimney and flue and provide a report that can help save money when negotiating a purchase price or help you understand potential costs where the purchase price is not negotiable.
Before you try to use it a full safety check is strongly recommended. Ideally if you are buying or selling a property this is conducted before the sale so you can negotiate the price is work is required. (Home Surveys rarely identify the issues we find)
Why Is This Necessary?
This service has already saved our customers many thousands of pounds from 2016 to 2024 and identified some serious safety issues that would have been life threatening if the appliance had simply been lit. Typical issues discovered include unsafe or unregistered stove installations, cables and live electricity wires, nests, flues unswept for years, timber, pipes and RSJs installed into chimneys, structural problems, incorrect capping, damp and even a shower installed into a chimney in an upstairs flat! Any of these problems are safety issues.
What Is Involved?
We will inspect the appliance, sweep the chimney (if necessary), conduct a full CCTV examination of the flue, visually inspect the chimney stack above the roof and within the attic if possible and then conduct some smoke testing and provide a verbal report and certificate of sweeping, please note that the certificate can take a little while to complete, please be patient. We can provide a full written report if required as part of a sweeping certificate and estimate/quote and conduct any necessary repairs identified. Where major installation problems are identified our partner HETAS engineers can be consulted. In short we provide a complete one stop shop for all your requirements.
Even nice looking stoves and fires can have problems, don't risk it, get us in early. Please note that we will report our findings and views to you, good and not so good, our prime responsibility is safety, even if the news is unpalatable.
The Enhanced Service
Brand new from Spring 2018 is an enhanced safety checking service utilizing the industry standard Wohler DP 600 pressure testing equipment. This equipment provides the means of pressure testing a flue or liner, of any length or size. It provides a definitive result in terms of leakage values and a pass or fail in accordance with regulations. This is a particularly useful service for landlords where a property is divided into different dwellings but the chimney runs through them all. Additionally if you are having problems with a fire or stove it can be used to test if there is sufficient combustion air supply to the room where the appliance is. We understand that this equipment and service is only offered by us in the Bristol area.
