Member-only story
How’s YOUR Chimney Smoking?
Mine’s clean as a whistle
I had my first introduction to chimney sweeping the other day.
Against all my principles, I do have a slow-burning, supposedly environmentally-sound wood-burning heater, and it’s wonderful.
Flush to the wall, it’s super-efficient, and very comforting in winter, but even better is that it warms up the bedrooms.
Personally speaking, I would not have bought it, but it was in this house when we bought it, and it will have to stay when I sell it because the cost to convert to a sound environmental option would not be reflected in the selling price.
So, it is what it is. I’ve resigned myself to the reality that I simply can’t solve all the world’s problems.
Still, it was only two days into autumn when my lovely neighbour knocked on my door to tell me he was free to clean my chimney and would I mind being his apprentice.
To be honest, he didn’t use that word, apprentice, but he did need somebody at ground level to pull the rope when he’d fed it down the chimney.
Seems I did a stellar job. Hardly any soot fell into the fireplace … until it did, and I was quite glad he’d done the job.
Mess incurred? Almost none, but two dead sparrows among the soot made us both feel a wee bit sad.
But how about that for a caring neighbour? Not only did he clean my chimney, but in the afternoon, he headed off to his chef job in town.
Nothing is too much trouble for Al. I may have to pack him with me when I head back home.
