Fun Chimney Sweep Facts

The chimney sweep trade traces back several centuries. Here are a few fun facts about chimney sweeps that we've collected.

• It is apparently good luck to see a chimney sweep on the day of your wedding. This story can be traced back to one lucky chimney sweep who fell off the roof while working, but fortunately became caught on the gutter. A young woman pulled him in through a window, and the two fell in love and later married.
• The town chimney sweep used to walk the streets on New Year's Day with a pig in tow. Why? Pigs are supposedly good luck charms, and chimney sweeps are as well (see the above fact).
• Chimney sweeps are often depicted as fellows who wear suits and top hats. They did not try to dress in such a fancy manner on purpose, however. Originally, chimney sweeps started to wear suits and hats because they were passed down to them by far more wealthy undertakers.
• The term "light a fire under you," is thought to have originated from the use of small children as chimney cleaners. Many of the children understandably did not enjoy being forced to clean chimneys, and some sweep masters would force the children into the chimney flue and then light a fire to "help" them reach the top of the chimney. It was a cruel practice that did not stand the test of time, thankfully.

Does your chimney need a good cleaning? Get in touch with the team at Guardian Chimney today! You can call toll-free (888) 688-1388, or complete our online contact request form.

A Brief Chimney Sweep History

The profession known as "chimney sweeping" really took off in England in the 17th and 18th centuries. During this time, the fireplace was catching on as a great way to keep homes heated in cold temperatures. In fact, the English were such big fans of fireplaces that they started having them installed in every room of the home for optimal heating. The multiple fireplaces often connected via a maze of pipes to one chimney, and these pipes became dirty and clogged with soot very quickly.

Thus, the chimney cleaning industry was born.

Chimney sweeps initially swept chimneys at no cost to the homeowner. Instead, the chimney sweep sold the soot from the cleaning to farmers as fertilizer, and profited that way. When chemical fertilizers started to become popular, chimney sweeps were forced to begin charging for their services. They did quite well, too -- it's said that over 1,000 chimney sweeps served Victorian London.

Times are obviously a bit different now. We have multiple sources of heat, such as gas and electricity, that are more popular, but the chimney sweep trade still survives, and keeping your chimney clean is just as important in 2012 as it was in the 1700s. If you're interested in having your chimney inspected and cleaned, be sure to contact Guardian Chimney today at 1-888-688-1388.