What A Sweep Does
A sweep visit done properly is as much an inspection as a cleaning, and the report is the part you keep.
Short answer
Dust protection and a sealed work area, mechanical sweeping of the full flue length with vacuum extraction, the smoke chamber and smoke shelf cleared, the damper and firebox checked, the exterior assessed, and a written report with photographs. A forty-minute brush through the throat is not that.
What should happen on the day
Dust protection: sheeting, a sealed opening at the fireplace and a vacuum running during the work. A sweep visit should not leave soot in the room.
Mechanical sweeping of the full flue length, from the appliance connection to the top, rather than as far as the brush reaches comfortably.
The smoke chamber and smoke shelf cleared, which is where most of the debris actually is and which is the part most often skipped.
The damper cleaned and operated, and the firebox and firebrick inspected.
The appliance connection and the baffles on a stove or insert.
And the exterior: the crown, the cap, the pointing, the flashing and the termination, from the roof or by ladder where it is safe.
The smoke shelf
The ledge behind the damper, at the base of the smoke chamber, collects everything that falls down the flue — soot, debris, mortar, nesting material. It is awkward to reach and it is the clearest indicator of whether the visit was thorough. Ask whether the smoke shelf was cleared, because a surprising number of visits never touch it.
What the report should contain
What was done, and what was not accessible.
The liner condition, with a camera where the appliance is in regular use.
Creosote stage and quantity on a wood flue.
Any defects with locations and photographs.
The exterior condition: crown, cap, pointing, flashing, termination height.
And a recommendation with a priority, so you know what needs doing now and what is monitoring.
Signs it was not thorough
Under an hour on a fireplace with a full flue.
No dust protection and soot in the room afterwards.
No camera on a wood appliance in regular use.
Nothing said about the crown, the cap or the flashing.
No written report, or a receipt rather than a report.
And no mention of the smoke shelf or the smoke chamber, which is the quickest way to tell.
Common questions
How long should a sweep visit take?
More than an hour on a fireplace with a full flue, including the inspection.
What is the clearest sign of a thorough job?
Whether the smoke shelf and smoke chamber were cleared.
Should I get a written report?
Yes, with photographs and a priority list. A receipt is not a report.