It’s that time of year to hire chimney sweep
With the cooler weather arriving in the last week, many homeowners are turning up their thermostats.
If you also cozy up by your fireplace to relax, it’s important to have the chimney cleaned and inspected annually to ensure safety.
A reputable chimney sweep will be able to clean and detect any dangerous problems within the chimney. The Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas advises homeowners to refer to these tips when hiring chimney sweeps:
• Shop around. Search for chimney sweeps at BBBHouston.org to read reviews or complaints. Ask friends, family members and neighbors to recommend a chimney sweep. Be sure to find out how long the chimney sweep has been doing business.
• Get several estimates. Request multiple estimates from different chimney sweeps to compare the cost of the job that is needed. A price that is unusually lower than the other bids is probably too good to be true. Choose the bid that will give you the most for your money, even if it means paying more to hire an experienced sweep. Also, find out what type of services are included in the cost, and if there are any guarantees on the services. For example, if a blockage is missed during the initial cleaning, find out if the company will come back free of charge, or will you have to pay for another service call.
• Request references. Ask the chimney sweep to provide a list of references you may contact. Ask the references about their experience with the business and if they were completely satisfied with the work. Ask if they would hire the chimney sweep again for a future job. Refusal to provide references is a red flag and you should look elsewhere for chimney-sweep services.
• Confirm insurance. Be sure the chimney sweep you hire has the necessary insurance that will protect you and your home in the event of damage or an injury. Make sure to get proof of insurance before they start doing work on your chimney.
• Don’t accept broken debris as evidence of a needed repair. That rubble may not be from your chimney. Ask to see what is broken or collapsed and make them show you. If they can see the needed repairs, so can you.
• Avoid chimney sweep solicitors. Ignore chimney-sweeping businesses that solicit by phone or door-to-door and claim they were just “in the neighborhood.” These scammers promise an extremely low price for a chimney cleaning, but once they start working they will “discover” an urgent repair. Scammers will take your money and leave the job unfinished or worse than it was before. A legitimate, reputable, chimney sweep will supply photo and/or video evidence if there is a serious repair needed.
The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased nonprofit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews and BBB Wise Giving Reports to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. For information or to check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit www.bbbhouston.org, which includes our BBB Accredited Business Directory, or call 713-868-9500. Leah Napoliello is senior director of Investigative Services with the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas. Send questions regarding homeowner issues to Leah Napoliello, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail her at lnapoliello@bbbhou.org. Include mailing address and phone number on letters and emails.