In virtually any industry, you have two categories: those who understand how to do the job the right way and those who are looking for a quick dollar. From painting to car maintenance to, yes, even chimney sweeps you need to hire someone who understands how to provide the best possible service. In fact, the importance of hiring the right chimney sweep may eclipse any of the other industries we’ve mentioned for these five big reasons.
Protecting your familyOne of the main reasons you should hire a chimney sweep in the first place is to keep your family safe. This includes protecting their health as well as their physical safety.
First, hiring the right chimney sweep means that your technician will proactively remove anything that could cause dangerous gasses to drift back into your home. Whether creosote buildup, leaves, or animals, several different things can cause blockages within your flue. If not properly removed, they can cause big problems including carbon monoxide poisoning.
Second, these blockages can also lead to house fires. Within the United States, it’s estimated that over 22,000 chimney-related house fires happen every year. Many of these are from creosote, a sticky, tar-like substance that is a byproduct of burning unseasoned wood.
If it breaks off or catches fire, it runs the risk of exiting your flue either via your crown (if you lack a chimney cap) or via the firebox. Either way, this can cause a fire. At the very least, smoldering creosote can also lead to smoke damage internally. Protecting your family’s health is equally as important as protecting them from either of these fire-related safety concerns. If you hire an unqualified chimney sweep, they may miss these vital issues during your annual inspection.
Moving beyond your family, hiring the right chimney sweep can help ensure that your chimney’s physical structure lasts as long as possible. Chimneys are exposed to the elements all year long, ranging from the sun’s UV rays to rainwater to high winds and more. Each of these conditions can cause your chimney to deteriorate if not annually inspected by a CSIA-certified chimney sweep crew. If your chimney needs physical maintenance, such as tuckpointing, repointing, or waterproofing, hiring the right chimney sweep will mean that you know about these needs right away.
Of course, you could potentially perform preventative and restorative chimney maintenance on your own. Many homeowners are incredibly handy and enjoy DIY weekend projects. However, repairing a chimney takes time as well as a certain level of skill. As many of us lead very busy lives, there often isn’t enough time to perform chimney-related maintenance. Hiring the right chimney sweep can save you significant time and potentially even money by doing the job right the first time.
Saving you stressFinally, hiring the right chimney sweep can save you quite a bit of stress. This is especially apparent when a homeowner doesn’t hire the right chimney sweep, as the problems that arise after are often more stressful than the original need. There’s a certain peace of mind that comes with knowing you have a trained and qualified technician helping to keep your family safe.
We’re proud of the team we have here at Chimney Solutions. Each of our crew members is CSIA trained and well experienced, able to handle any preventative maintenance task as well as whatever repair needs you may have. Are you ready to get started? Then contact us today!
We Service the Greater Atlanta GA and Chattanooga TN areas!Greater Atlanta Area – 770-255-1300 Chattanooga TN – 423-551-9912
