A Brief Guide to Steeplejack Services

The right maintenance is vital if we want to preserve our buildings, whether it’s a modern high-rise office block or a centuries-old church. Building maintenance can take many forms, from interior cleaning, to plumbing repairs, fixing holes in roofs, maintaining doors and windows or cleaning sewage lines.
 
One vital aspect of building maintenance is the services provided by a steeplejack, a craftsman who specialises in the maintenance and repair of a building’s tallest points. If you’d like to know more about what a steeplejack is and the types of services they provide, read on to find out more.

What is a steeplejack?

A steeplejack is a tradesman who scales buildings, chimneys and church steeples to carry out maintenance and repairs on the high points of these structures. They work on a variety of building parts, including clock towers, industrial chimneys, bell towers, and church spires.
 
There are two main routes to take for those wanting to become a steeplejack; you can either gain experience on the job by working for a steeplejack company and train towards gaining NVQs, or take a formal route through the Construction Industry Training Board.

What do they do?

As mentioned, steeplejacks provide a number of maintenance and repair services for the high points of buildings. They may also be called upon occasionally for additional work, including masonry repair, brickwork, carpentry, painting and roof repair.
 
Specific services include:
 

• Inspection and maintenance of chimneys in various materials (brick, steel or fibreglass)
• Ultrasonic testing
• Cladding repairs
• Dismantling work
• Roof waterproofing
• Church spire restoration

 
Steeplejacks are highly skilled workers that are trained to erect ropes and ladders to gain access to high and hard to reach areas. Many of these would not be accessible using scaffolding, so steeplejacking is a highly niche technique which can require years of specialised training.
 
If you’re looking for professional steeplejack services, get in touch with the team at Rodells. With over 100 years of experience, we’re proud to offer expert steeplejack services, including brickwork, cladding repairs, ultrasonic testing, high rise building maintenance, and more. We can also provide a range of additional services for your buildings, including church conservation, lightning protection and scaffolding services. For more information about any of the above, give us a call today or visit our website. 
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