Don’t Trust Home Safety to Just Any Chimney Sweep

The chimney is designed to protect your home and family when using the fireplace. However, it can eventually become a fire and safety hazard without proper chimney maintenance and care. When hiring a chimney sweep, there is a big difference between someone who says they can sweep chimneys and someone who is a Certified Chimney Sweep®. Here’s how to ensure you hire a chimney sweep that you can trust to keep your home and family safe.

Certification

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) is the leading credentialing organization that certifies professional chimney sweeps. A chimney sweep must pass rigorous training, education, and exams with demonstrable knowledge of the chimney system to receive this certification. A Certified Chimney Sweep® is a qualified professional in the safe and efficient cleaning, repair, and maintenance of the chimney and any attached heating appliances. To ensure that chimney sweeps stay current on the latest technologies and techniques, they must complete recurrent education every two years to maintain their CSIA certification.

Identification

You can instantly recognize a CSIA-certified chimney sweep by the photo identification badge displayed on their uniform. If a chimney sweep doesn’t have a CSIA identification badge, then they are not certified.

Marked Commercial Vehicle

A professional chimney sweep should arrive in a well-marked commercial vehicle that at least indicates the company name and telephone number. A chimney sweep who arrives at your home in an unmarked vehicle or a vehicle with a temporary sign or unprofessional lettering is a red flag that they may not be a professionally trained or certified chimney sweep.

Questions to Ask When Hiring a Chimney Sweep

There are a few questions to ask when hiring a professional chimney sweep to make sure they are someone you can trust to perform the work.

1. How long has the chimney services provider been in business? The longer a company has been in place, the more trustworthy they are likely to be. The company you hire should have several years of providing safe, reliable, and efficient chimney services in your community.
2. Do they carry business liability insurance? Business liability insurance protects homeowners against property damage or injury that occurs while working on your premises. Otherwise, the homeowner can be liable if an uninsured contractor gets hurt or causes property damage while working on your property.
3. What do their online reviews say about the business? Virtually every service business has online reviews. While it’s difficult to please everyone, a chimney services provider with overwhelmingly positive reviews is a sign they are meeting or exceeding the expectations of most of its customers.
4. Do they have unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)? Make sure the chimney provider you hire doesn’t have unresolved complaints with your local BBB. In the event a problem arises, you want a provider who will work hard to resolve any issues to your satisfaction. It’s just good business.

Contact Black Moose Chimney to schedule an appointment with a Certified Chimney Sweep® today!