Your fireplace is probably your home?s focal attraction, but make sure it?s working properly vital. All chimneys must be inspected on a yearly basis. Besides, fireplace means fire, albeit controlled, so you have to take extra precautions to keep your chimney clean, functional, and safe.
Here are the most important considerations you should make before hiring a chimney cleaning service:
Online Reviews and Personal Referrals
Reputation is a good sign of the quality that a chimney cleaning service offers. Check out third-party consumer websites like Yelp and Angie?s List to find good leads. Ask your friends, relatives, neighbors, and colleagues whom they hire to maintain their chimneys. When it comes to hiring a service professional, word-of-mouth is king.
Certification
When considering a certain chimney service, ask them if their workers are certified by recognized trade organizations. While certification does not prove that a company right for you, it does reveal its high level of commitment to the industry and its customers.
Cost
Price will always be important. Who doesn?t care about a discount or a steal? But if a price is too low compared to the average, it could mean that corners are being cut. So ask for quotes from different companies and compare. If all things are equal, go with the cheapest on the list. In the real world, however, we know that this doesn?t happen very often. You just want the greatest value for your money at the end of the day. So price is important, but not the most important when choosing a chimney cleaning service.
Insurance
As with any service provider you hire to work in your property, choose one with insurance. This should include property damage, personal liability, and of course, worker?s compensation. They must not hesitate to give you the information you need about their policy, their insurer and coverage limits. If a chimney cleaning company seems unwilling to show you proof that they are insured, be wary. It only means they?re hiding something and you should take your business elsewhere.
Professionalism
Professionalism is crucial as we all know. The company you hire should honor their word, especially with the details of the service and the costs, and even simple arrangements, such as a specific date and time when they will come to work. A professional chimney cleaner will arrive on time and be easy to contact within reasonable hours.
Customer Service
Finally, when all your options seem to excel in the technical aspect, it may boil down to how they make you feel as a customer. Are they nice and friendly? Do they put you on hold too long when you call? Do they listen to you when you?re asking questions? Do they take the time to provide a satisfying answer? These things may seem trivial, but they?re the ones that will probably keep you coming back for more. After all, chimney maintenance is an ongoing affair. It would not only be convenient but also cheaper to go with one and the same service every time.