As temperatures cool down, you may be thinking of lighting up your fireplace for that cozy fireside feel. But whether you’ve got a gas or wood-burning fireplace, fire sources in the home tend to create debris buildups. Your chimney could conceal creosote, a glaze-like substance deposited on the surface, or other flammable debris that could pose a fire hazard.
Fortunately, an annual chimney inspection and sweep can address these issues. If you use your fireplace regularly, autumn is an excellent time to hire someone for an inspection and cleaning.
Chimney sweeping is an advanced craft. Rather than the Victorian brooms you may envision, chimney sweeps will use various advanced tools to loosen and knock out debris. Some look like masses of rubber wire on a long whiplike cord to loosen and knock out debris from your chimney.
Chimney inspections come in three levels. Most annual cleanings are a level one inspection. A level two inspection goes into more detail at a somewhat higher cost. A level three inspection is much more expensive and usually involves chimneys with structural damage, high levels of debris, or hard-to-reach areas that require part of the structure to be removed.
Things to Ask Your Sweep
The best way to learn whether you’ve got a good contractor is to pose the right questions. Ask your chimney sweep these questions before hiring:
1. How long have you been in business?
Experience isn’t the only indicator of a good business, but it’s a powerful one. Someone who’s been around for a while and has an established presence in your area is more likely to be reliable and responsive to anything that might go wrong.
2. Can you give me any recent references?
Ask for references and check them. The best source of information on a company’s reliability is other homeowners like you. Look them up on Angi’s site for more information and reviews about them as well.
3. What kind of warranty do you offer?
Most home improvement companies offer two different warranties: one for the materials, which varies based on the material, and one for their workmanship. Ask them how long each one lasts.
4. Do you hold certification from the Chimney Safety Institute of America?
The CSIA is the largest of the few organizations offering widely-recognized chimney sweeps certification. A sweep with CSIA certification has passed numerous classes, receives continuing education, and follows a strict code of ethics. Accreditation is an especially important tool for chimney sweeps since many states don’t require them to be licensed.
Tweet your home care questions with #AskingAngi and we’ll try to answer them in a future column.
