What is a HETAS chimney sweep?
A Hetas chimney sweep is a chimney sweep that is registered with the Heating Equipment Testing Approval Scheme (HETAS) via their chimney sweep scheme. This is entirely seperate to their installer scheme. This is officially referred to as a ‘HETAS approved chimney sweep’. They can usually be identified by their ‘HETAS approved chimney sweep’ logo on their van or website, as can be seen below. They may also carry a HETAS identification card which will also show the logo.
How do you become a HETAS approved Chimney Sweep?
Step 1:
You must complete one of two HETAS training courses. Either the H009 2 day ‘Service and Maintenance’ course, or the 3 day H003 ‘dry appliance’ course. The H009 course is around £600 and the H003 around £800.
Step 2:
Option A: If you are a member of a HETAS approved association such as APICS or NACS, having completed H003 or H009 you can pay an annual fee of around £100 to be a HETAS approved chimney sweep.
Obtion B: If you’re not a member of a HETAS approved association but have obtained your chimney sweeping NVQ in the previous 2 years, you can join using the direct entry route. The annual fee for becoming a HETAS approved chimney sweep using this route is more than as a member of a HETAS approved association. It’s in the region of £250 per year.
Option C: Anybody who has completed H009 or H003 can become a HETAS chimney sweep if they undergo a paper based assessment which is said to involve sending pictures to hetas of their equipment and their methods.
Step 3:
As part of being a HETAS approved chimney sweep, an H003 or H009 refresher course must be attended every 5 years.
Why do people become HETAS approved chimney sweeps?
HETAS training is mainly based on basic guidance from Approved Document J of the Building Regulations, BS EN 15287-1 and BS EN 8303. Many chimney sweeps have a lot of this knowledge prior to any HETAS training, and their attendance is mainly to be able to refer to themselves as a HETAS approved chimney sweep.
When asked why, most sweeps will say it’s for the marketing. We asked one sweep in Staffordshire why he was HETAS approved. He said:
“It was just to say I am, really. I didn’t really want another expense but I had a lot of customers calling and asking if I was affiliated with HETAS. It didn’t really add anything to my business beyond being able to advertise as being HETAS approved. I’m not a better sweep for it”.
How is HETAS relevant to chimney sweeping?
In short, HETAS have no jurisdiction or authority in the chimney sweeping industry. They are a Competent Persons Scheme in the solid fuel industry, meaning their members (the installer members, not the HETAS approved chimney sweeps) can sign off their own installations rather than going through building control.
Chimney sweeps, though spending the majority of their time sweeping solid fuel appliances, also sweep and check chimneys connected to oil appliances, gas appliances and even disused chimneys.
HETAS to this point have not offered any industry specific training to chimney sweeps, they do not (last time we checked) have any current or former qualified chimney sweeps working in their technical department, nor do they express to have any great knowledge of the chimney sweeping industry.
Are HETAS chimney sweeps ‘better’?
Better is quite subjective. They may have better knowledge of Document J due to attending a course largely based on it. Although, Document J is a free document open to all, so that may not be the case.
Some chimney sweeping associations include many aspects of relevant building regulations and British Standards in their theoretical training. This training relates these regulations specifically to chimney sweeping, which isn’t the case with HETAS training as it is not geared towards chimney sweeps specifically.
The NVQ L2 in Chimney Sweeping is generally considered a better all round demonstration of Chimney Sweeping knowledge, from regulations to manual handling to knowledge of how to react in an emergency at work. The chimney sweep training offered by The Association of Professional Independent Chimney Sweeps initial training is said to be a ‘pathway’ to the aforementioned NVQ, so should cover most bases.
Is a HETAS chimney sweep the ‘best bet’?
Again, this is subjective. In a round about way it’s been demonstrated above it isn’t the most strenuous task to join HETAS as an approved chimney sweep. Which chimney sweep you choose should be based more on more than whether they are a member of a particular organisation.
Is the chimney sweep you’re looking to employ well established? Are they experienced? Are they formally qualified with an NVQ in Chimney Sweeping? Do they have good reviews or references? Do you have a friend or relative that have used their services?
These are questions that should be asked before asking whether they’re a member of HETAS. You won’t always be able to get a yes to every question, but a yes to as many as possible is a good start.
