Chimney Sweeps Still Actively Used

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Chimney sweeps have been around since the eleventh century in the United Kingdom and the German states. They were primarily used when chimneys were clogged to the point of not functioning. The original chimney sweeps used young boys to do the climbing and soot removal. Due to the dangerous nature of climbing on roofs, many were injured and even killed. The soot from the chimney is carcinogenic, so many of the chimney sweeps who worked from the bottom died of what has become known as “chimney sweeps cancer”.

Because the young boys who worked on the chimneys did not bathe often and stood the brunt of the soot coming out of the chimney, they stood a high risk of this form of cancer. It was not until the late eighteenth century that laws were enacted to educate and protect chimney sweeps from the inherent dangers of the trade. Boys were no longer required to climb nude up lit chimneys in order to put out chimney fires. Chimney sweeps were developed around this time as we know them today, with a long brush to clean out the creosote. The modern form of chimney sweep may use higher quality machinery, but the techniques ...
... are generally the same.

It is necessary to remove the build-up of creosote on chimney walls. Equivalent to plaque on arterial walls, this sticky substance builds along the inside of the chimney during normal use and becomes thick and tarry. As the creosote is repeatedly reheated, the chimney stands a fair chance of catching fire, thus the need for removal on a regular basis.

Chimney cleaning is an art form as well as a necessary trade. Chimney cleaning Washington DC style involves inspection of the chimney, the flue, and air flow through the chimney. Chimney sweeping in the nation's capital is a regular service that is available by subscription or on an as needed basis. Chimney cleaning Baltimore used to boast had a crew of over seventy people, men and women, who practiced chimney sweep safety and all of whom had been certified at a safety course for sweeps and apprentices.

The differences in chimney sweeps in the United States and those in the United Kingdom are due to the different types of houses in each location as well as the political temperature of the two super-powers. Settlers to the new world had more chimney sweep regulations than the United Kingdom started with because of settler housing being so close together. If a fire started in one chimney, it was likely to spread to and destroy all of the houses in the village or town. The original chimney sweeping Baltimore employed was based around home owner based cleaning. The home owner would use a long brush or a bag of bricks to clean out the bulk of the accrued creosote. The only real additions to the chimney sweep trade are vacuums, cameras, and vibrating picks. The rest is done with a long brush.

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