Chimney sweeps are overwhelmed in Geneva as many want to bring their long ignored fireplace back into action.
Facing a potential energy crisis and federal limits on household temperatures, using wood seems to be an option worth exploring.
The law states that all chimneys have to be maintained and swept once a year.
But chimney sweeps and companies that install wood burners have told the Tribune de Genève that they’ve had so many requests, it can now take 5 months to get an appointment.
If a fireplace has not been used for many years, it needs to be checked with a camera to make sure it's safe.
The Geneva Fire Service says a badly maintained chimney can mean smoke in the home or worse a fire in the chimney itself.