Luck, love and coal – life as a female chimney sweep

A coal lotta love

When you think of your chimney sweep, the first thoughts that spring to mind are probably those of a smiling sooty face and a circular bristle brush. Dick Van Dyke and his fellow sweepers leaping daintily across the roof tops with Mary Poppins in tow won’t be far behind in the stereotypical image of the age-old profession, but do you ever picture a woman standing in those smoky shoes?

Emma Roddy of Sparkling Flues has been maintaining and servicing chimneys for the last six years whilst also making the odd cameo appearance at weddings. A chimney sweep at a wedding? You wouldn’t necessarily cohere a white wedding dress and a sooty chimney sweep together but apparently even Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were wished well by their local sweep on their wedding day. Legend has it that about 200 years ago a sweep stopped King George II’s runaway horse and carriage. A Royal Decree was issued stating that all chimney sweeps were lucky and subsequently this belief continues today.

Some particularly superstitious couples-to-be want to receive as much luck as they can get, so much so that Emma has even attended a wedding as the ring bearer, “I was so nervous! I was asked to dress up in full Victorian chimney sweep attire and walk the rings down the aisle. The hardest thing was balancing the rings on a polished piece of coal! It’s such an unusual thing to do really.”

Brush up on fire safety

Lucky charms aside, Emma is keen to demonstrate the serious responsibilities that come with her chosen career and how vital it is to promote awareness of fire safety. “I still can’t believe that it isn’t compulsory to sweep your chimney in the UK. All of the members of The Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps have to hope that we can get the message across ourselves. It’s all about education.”

Most insurance policies make chimney sweeping an essential part of the agreement with their clients, requesting proof that the maintenance work has been done.  Receiving a certificate provided by your chimney sweep will validate your insurance whilst giving you peace of mind that your chimney is not only clean but also safe. [i]

Fuelling your fire with nappies?

There are many considerations when it comes to having an open fire in your home. Using the correct fuel is very important, and not burning waste is key. It is renowned amongst chimney sweeps that people burn the most unsuitable things, with some sweeps even finding remnants of clothes and nappies in the grate. “Some of my colleagues have found shoes inside the chimney which is just bizarre.”  Whether those shoes had been placed there to burn, or to ward off evil spirits[ii] is unknown but the message from Emma is clear “Using the right fuel will help keep your fire and chimney in good condition and you’ll get the most efficient use from it.”

The government’s Clean Air Strategy of 2019 aims to reduce the amount of emissions created from homes, and subsequently lower the level of pollutants in the air. Burning wood and coal in open fires and stoves makes up 38% of the UK’s primary emissions of fine particulate matter2 ( PM2.5) Similarly, Sulphur dioxide is emitted by coal burned in open fires, so what can we do to help our environment?

Put fire on ice?

The government is not putting a stop to what many people believe is ‘the heart of the home’ but they are aiming to phase out the sale of bagged traditional house coal by February 2021, and sales of wet wood will also be sold with advice on how to dry it out before it is burnt. The moisture content of wood needs to be 20% or less “and remember, burning wet wood produces poor heat, much more pollution and can even block your chimney. The risk of your chimney fire will also increase” reminds Emma.

“There’s the whole world at your feet. And who gets to see it but the birds, the stars and the chimney sweeps!”

“I switched careers six years ago and I have never looked back. Yes, the work can be physically heavy but the best part of my job is down to the people that I meet. Sometimes I even have to factor in extra time because my clients can talk my socks off!

All chimney sweeps are so friendly, we are all connected on Facebook, there is even an International Festival of Chimney Sweeps once a year in Italy which I hope to go to one day. The main aim from us all is the same though – we want to educate everyone…

…Remember to have a carbon monoxide alarm, use a professional to sweep your chimney who will also check your appliance and flues, and most importantly I want to remind people that using the wrong or poor quality fuel is bad for your chimney, bad for the environment and bad for your wallet!”

1. https://www.lloydwhyte.com/advice-zone/heritage/your-property-owners-guide-to-chimneys/
2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-41507752
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-air-strategy-2019
4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51581817
5. https://ohmy.disney.com/movies/2015/06/18/the-top-9-mary-poppins-quotes-according-to-you/