FAQS

Some of the following services are offered by many professional chimney companies, as well as other services not listed here...check with your local chimney professional to see if they offer these services:

*Chimney Inspection & Sweeping - Evaluate chimney condition inside & out to help establish whether or not chimney is suitable for use. Many companies offer video scanning services for hard to see areas of your chimney system. Sweeping will remove dangerous, flammable creosote from inside the chimney.

*Chimney caps - Installation of raincap/animal guards can prevent potentially damaging rain, snow, animals, from entering chimney, as well as reduce risk of blockage from debris from animals & leaves. Caps are made of high quality stainless steel, copper, aluminum, and galvanized steel. Stock or custom sized caps are available.

*Glazed creosote removal - Mechanical and/or chemical removal of the most dangerous type of creosote.

*Chimney flue lining/relining - Gives new life to unlined or damaged chimneys; to prevent the penetration of flue gas byproducts like carbon monoxide gas and creosote; protect from heat transfer to hidden combustibles surrounding chimney. Liner materials include: high quality stainless steel , cast-in-place poured masonry, and aluminum...check with your professional chimney technician to see which liner would be appropriate for your system.

*Dryer vent cleaning - A properly maintained clothes dryer vent will not only help reduce the risk of fire from overheating, but improve the efficiency and reduce times to dry a load of clothes. Poorly installed vents using the vinyl flex hose(now banned by many communities in new construction) can be corrected.

*Problem solving - A multi-point evaluation/inspection may help determine causes and solutions for poor performing systems, such as smokey fireplaces or woodstoves, water infiltration due to bad flashing, deteriorating masonry, water stains on interior walls due to condensation from furnace and/or water heater, animal nesting, debris blockage, etc.

*Masonry repairs - Repairs to masonry chimneys including: Crown repair - prevent water penetration through cracks or gaps in the top of your chimney... Pointing - restore the condition of the mortar between the bricks and/or stone... Rebuilding - many times, if the deterioration is too extensive for pointing, a partial rebuild of the chimney may be recommended...Waterproofing - application of a water repellent helps protect the masonry from water damage... *** Other forms of masonry repairs may include rebuilding of the firebox using methods and materials which will increase heat output from the fireplace.

*Appliance installation - Higher efficient woodstoves, fireplaces, gas logs, glass doors, grates, etc....are many additional services available to you. Ask your professional about options.

*Animal removal or prevention - Birds and raccoons are common uninvited guests. Either humane removal as allowed by law, or the prevention of them entering the chimney can be accomplished.

.........and many, more services may be available such as: gutter cleaning, power washing, damper replacement, and much, much more. Ask if you don't see it mentioned.

The short answer is NO...  A professional chimney sweeping company will have clean tarps to lay around the work areas of the stove or fireplace. They will also have powerful soot/dust control vacuums running at the time of the sweeping to make sure your house stays clean. Professional chimney sweeps strive to make sure that you do not have to worry about messes after they are done sweeping your chimney.

No. Chimney inspections play a vital role in the chimney sweeping process. Inspections allow us to look for defects in fireplace/stove and chimney systems before and after chimney sweeping (cleaning) is done. It allows us to let you know if there is a possible dangerous problem with your venting system. Professional chimney sweeps have specialized training that allows them to diagnose potential problems that may affect you or your house.

Most of the time, a visual inspection is the most basic level of service that many companies preform. You may be able to have an inspection preformed without having the chimney swept, but you will not be able to get a chimney swept without an inspection.

• A professional chimney sweep will maintain proper credentials with their city, state or other national certifying agency. While choosing a sweep with credentials may not guarantee a positive experience, it shows that a professional chimney sweep had made the efforts to gain/retain knowledge about his/her's profession. In addition, a professional chimney sweep will maintain proper insurance and be able to provide proof of insurance upon request.
• A professional chimney sweep will have a variety of tools and equipment to sweep and inspect your chimneys and fireplaces.
• Some of the most common tools and equipment in a professional sweeps arsenal are:
  1. Clean drop cloths: A good sweep will use clean drop clothes to protect your flooring and furnishings as work is being done.
  2. A powerful commercial-grade filtered vacuum. Today's chimney sweeping vacuums have one or more high grade filters designed to keep your house clean.
  3. Digital camera: A good sweep will use a standard digital camera to document any potential concerns such as deteriorating caulk around the flashing or deteriorating masonry above the roof line.
  4. A chimney scanning video camera: Because knowing the true condition of your chimney’s interior is vital to safe operation, a good sweep will have the ability to inspect and document the entire flue interior by the use of a video camera system. Video inspection of clay chimney interiors is especially important because video scanning is the most common way to view potentially dangerous sidewall cracks and/or deteriorated or missing mortar joints within the flue lining. (This is especially true in large or tall chimneys or chimneys that do not have rain protection, such as a flue cap.)
  5. A quality draft gauge. This tool enables chimney sweeps and technicians to troubleshoot performance issues and to make appropriate adjustments to your barometric damper. This keeps your chimney clean and your heating system running efficiently.
• A professional chimney sweep will will keep products for your chimney in their truck to make sure that minor repairs can be done quickley. If larger repairs are needed. A professional chimney sweep will give you an estimate in writing.

Most of the time, just calling your chimney sweep and letting them know that you have a question or concern with their service will yield a positive result for you and the chimney sweep. A professional chimney sweep will address your concern in a professional and timely manner.

If you questions or concerns are not addressed or resolved by the chimney sweep or their company you have a couple of options:

• If your chimney sweep company is a member of The Pennsylvania Guild of Professional Chimney Sweeps, please feel free to contact the regional director for your area. For a list of regional directors click here.
• If you feel you have been ripped off or mislead by a "chimney sweep", Contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General - Contractor Site. They can work on behalf of a resident to help prosecute shady contractors.