No matter how often you use your home’s chimney, regular chimney inspections are a key part of keeping your home safe. Whether you use your fireplace several times a week, or you only light a fire when company is in from out of town, your chimney could be filled with debris, creosote, or wear and tear that may damage your home and risk your safety the next time you use it. When you hire a chimney sweep to clean and inspect your chimney and fireplace, you’ll want to ensure they have the proper qualifications to do the job right. Here are a few questions to ask your chimney sweep before a cleaning and inspection.
- Do you have CSIA-certified chimney sweeps on staff? This certification ensures that technicians follow all regulations and suggestions from the Chimney Safety Institute of America, the most trusted source for training and certification in the industry.
- How long have you been in business? Another question that helps you ensure your chimney sweep is qualified and prepared for the job. An experienced chimney technician will arrive on the job with all of the tools to complete the work on time. An expert can also determine what type of inspection is needed and what to do should something unexpected turn up during an inspection.
- What type of chimney inspection do I need? Once you have chosen a qualified chimney professional, you should ask what type of chimney inspection will be done. There are three levels of chimney inspection. Level 1 is standard in most cases. If you’re selling or buying a home, a Level 2 inspection is appropriate, but a Level 3 inspection (which may require some disassembly of the fireplace and chimney) is usually only performed in cases of extreme wear and tear. Know which type of inspection your technician plans to do, so that you can be prepared for the pricing, the amount of time needed, and thee final report.
Call the Minneapolis, MN certified chimney sweeps at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for expert services from a company trusted in the area since 2001. Call Us Today! 612.922.9600 or 1-888-PIXLEYS