John sweeps up with professional approach

AFTER years of working in the corporate world of opening up a national brand of coffee shops John Baldacchino decided on a complete career change – and trained to become a professional chimney sweep.
Now he helps people enjoy the pleasures of coal fires and log burners, ensuring their homes are not a risk from burning down.
John owns the local franchise of Wilkins Chimney Sweep.
He will sweep chimneys, remove nests and fit cages, caps and cowls to the chimneys of homes and businesses in the local area.
In a move aimed at giving peace of mind to his customers, especially the elderly, John is also fully police checked.
He said: “I want to offer a great service making customers’ chimneys safe and treat every customers home as well as how I would want someone to treat my Mum’s.”
Chimney sweeping is not your ‘run of the mill’ profession and shouldn’t be completed by an amateur, with the huge increase in energy prices over recent years and more people using open fires and wood-burners to heat their homes, the frequency of chimney fires is on the increase. This risk can be diminished significantly with an annual sweep.
John is a A.P.I.C.S. and N.A.C.S. approved chimney sweep and attends regular training to keep his knowledge up to date.
If you’re using your fire on a daily basis (4+ days per week) and/or you’re burning coal or wood, you should consider having your chimney swept twice a year.
If you have been burning throughout the winter so far and you have an insurance condition stipulating twice each year (often the case for thatched properties) this is the month you should consider a second sweep!
Spring, when it arrives, means those little Jackdaw fiends are eyeing up your chimney to build their nest. They start by dropping twigs down the chimney – this is the foundation, or scaffolding as we like to call it. Look out for twigs in the grate since this is the first sign that your house chimney has been chosen for their new home.
Once the twigs are installed, the birds build lovely solid nests and lay their eggs. By May chicks will have hatched – so in May and June it is against the law to remove a nest as it may contain young birds.
The problem will be obvious when you choose to light a fire as smoke will enter the room. Worse still if you have a gas fire as carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless. It can enter the room undetected unless you have taken appropriate action.
Have a quick check of your chimney stack – is there any bird activity – do you have anything to prevent the birds from entering the chimney? Your sweep
should be able to guide you on the type of cowl or bird guard that you need depending on what type of fire or woodburner you have.
For complete peace of mind call John now on 01928 897294.