Don’t wait for the soot to fall – give Andy Whiteside a call. You’ll get cheerful, friendly service and the expertise of a third-generation chimney sweep – his grandfather started the business in 1950.
Andy, 57, is a member of the National Association of Chimney Sweeps. He carries 20 kinds of brushes, using the traditional rod method or a spider on rods attached to a drill for stove chimney linings. He is assisted by his wife, Becky, who does his admin, and his dog Varley, who often accompanies him! “Anybody can buy a set of rods and brushes,” he says, “but it’s a real skill to extract the soot from the chimney while keeping the house clean. There’s no mess – we don’t do mess.”
Andy works all over Lancashire, North Preston a key area, going as far as Rochdale and Wigan to clients who moved to those areas. He provides certificates and advises on how to stop wind and rain coming down chimneys, fitting chimneys with bird guards and cowls. Andy also cleans pipes for any make of solid fuel fire, wood burner or stove, including Agas. He can also do camera surveys of chimneys which, he says, must be swept annually to avoid fires.
