A safe home includes a safe chimney and fireplace. But taking care of a chimney isn’t something most homeowners can do on their own – it takes specialized skills and tools to thoroughly inspect and clean them! But you may not know how to hire a chimney sweep who’s experienced and reputable.
Read on to learn tips for hiring the best chimney sweep to keep your chimney in the best condition possible.
Look for CSIA Certification
The number one thing to remember when planning to hire a chimney sweep is to look for CSIA certification. The Chimney Sweep Institute of America is a national nonprofit organization built around improving the chimney sweep and maintenance industry. They provide:
- Education for chimney professionals
- Specialized training opportunities
- Certification
- Public awareness campaigns
By focusing only on organizations that have CSIA-certified sweeps, you’ll be able to find the best chimney sweeps in your area. CSIA certification helps ensure that they’re properly trained, up-to-date in chimney safety and will provide the best service.
Proper maintenance for chimney systems is complicated. Some chimney sweep companies across the nation may provide services that they’re not fully trained to do! Considering the importance of any system involved with fire and the byproducts of combustion in your home, you want to know you’re hiring someone you can trust.
Unlike some other service-based industries, chimney sweeps are less regulated. That means it’s easier for a person to start a business with little to no experience. Untrained sweeps may not identify potential issues or inadequately clean your fire-based appliances. These can put your home or health at risk.
Check Their Online Reviews
When deciding how to hire a chimney sweep that will perform a great job, make use of online resources like review platforms. A simple Google search is often all it takes to find a business’s reviews from their previous work.
Look both at reviews as a whole and browse through individual reviews to learn more about the company before you hire them. Reviews are a great source of candid experiences from previous customers that help you understand who you’re hiring.
Keep an eye open for consistent praise or concerns. Do several reviews reference how thorough they are? The care they took with keeping your home clean during a chimney cleaning? Whatever information you can find will help you narrow down your choices to just the best in your area!
Schedule in the Warmer Months
Chimney inspections and cleanings are something that should be done on a yearly basis. Every homeowner with a fire-based appliance and a flue that exhausts the byproducts needs to take maintenance seriously! Incidents like chimney fires or CO2 poisoning are real concerns that affect any home with a chimney.
Even if you don’t use your fireplace, wood-burning stove or other appliance, it still needs regularly inspected and cleaned. But the most common time for people to think of them is when the weather gets cold. That means you shouldn't just think about how to hire a chimney sweep but also when!
The best tip for how to a hire a chimney sweep is to schedule your inspection during the warmer months of the late spring or summer. By scheduling your inspection in these seasons, you’ll likely be able to have your chimney serviced sooner. Then you’ll know it’s ready for use when the first chilly day arrives and you want to warm up by a cozy fire.
Schedule an Inspection of Your Chimney Today!
Our CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps will inspect your fireplace and chimney to make sure your chimney liner is in excellent condition, or to schedule an appointment to install a new liner if necessary! Contact us today! We’ll get you set up right away so you can have peace of mind.
Call Us: 1-800-438-3583
Email Us: office@drflue.com
Office Hours: Mon-Fri: 8am-4pm
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