You’ll see our brightly marked trucks & certified chimney sweep crews on their way to provide chimney services like chimney cleaning and chimney maintenance in towns like West Hartford, Glastonbury, Avon, Newington, Canton, Unionville, Weatogue, Suffield and the surrounding areas.
Visit Our Friends at Louisville Chimney Sweep & Repair LLC
It is important to know how to choose a sweep since there is big differences among chimney contractors in the industry. At first glance, it may be hard to know the difference because all of their ads look the same, but a few simple details can indicate what type of chimney sweep you are speaking to. So, how can you tell a superior sweep from an inferior one?
Because chimney sweeps play such an important part of your safety, and since the nature of their work requires that they come into your home, it’s important that you choose a chimney sweep that you trust completely.
The government does not regulate Chimney Sweeps and in most states, chimney sweeps are not licensed. Further, opening a chimney service business requires a relatively small capital investment. So, virtually anyone — without education, training, experience or even a working knowledge of proper tools or equipment can become a chimney sweep.
Consequently, there are many poorly equipped, unprepared people offering their “services” as chimney sweeps. There are some who have studied and worked to become capable sweeps. Still others offer incompetent service and leave their customers with a false sense of well-being.
So, whether or not you choose to work with us, the least we can do is help you to know what to look for so that you can make the best decision for your situation.
10 things to look for in a chimney sweep
Expertise in the field
Perhaps the best way to gauge expertise is to check whether or not the sweep has been certified. To check if your sweep is certified check the list of certified sweeps in your area by visiting the CSIA website. You don’t want to play guinea pig; your home and family are too important to trust to just anyone. Make sure that your sweep has received professional training, that they have the equipment necessary for your job, and that they know how to use it properly.
Strong references
Check references and see if the sweep has a history of satisfied customers. Some may have a record of customer evaluations; others may offer to have you call references.
Membership in a sweep organization
Members of organizations are afforded opportunities for ongoing training and are usually better informed about the profession than those sweeps that are not. Up-to-date certifications and licenses signify that the sweep has the knowledge and expertise to be effective. Because this is an unregulated industry, anyone who wants to can buy a brush and call themself a professional chimney sweep, so make sure they’re legitimate.
This sweep was likely from London during the 1800’s. Chimney sweeping as a profession started in England during the 17th century. The first sweeps did not charge for the service, as they made their money by selling the soot to farmers as a soil fertilizer. Today, our industry is highly developed and technical requiring all of our technicians to pass CSIA certification and take part in ongoing education.
Insurance
Find out if your sweep has full coverage insurance; it’s rare that you’ll need it, but a simple mistake even from the most experienced sweep may cause damage. So make sure they’re insured, and find out what their policy covers.
Good character
Pay attention to how you feel with them. There’s no guaranteed way to gauge character, but make sure that you’re comfortable with the sweep, and do your best to determine whether or not the sweep is someone you want in your home.
Timeliness
A professional sweep is on time, every time. Everyone knows that schedule changes are sometimes unavoidable, but look for a sweep that notifies you if he or she ever needs to change an appointment time.
Professional Appearance
Sweeps should have the courtesy to wear clean clothes, and clean up after the service is complete. They should have clean uniforms, a clean vehicle, and clean equipment.
Open communication
The best sweeps will listen to your questions and concerns. They will provide services with the goal of winning your business for life, and they will understand that that kind of relationship requires that they take the time to answer your questions.
Have your best interest in mind
An excellent sweep will provide services that you need and that will help you, and not pressure you to buy things just so that they can get more money from you. A trustworthy sweep will tell you how to get the best deals and services.
Customer Retention
You want a sweep that has loyalty from his or her customers. A sweep should have longstanding customer relationships. Anyone can get fooled into buying a bad service, but few people would stay with a sweep after they’ve done an unsatisfactory job.
