Response from Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps - Bless Your Hearth
Thank you for your comments. We appreciate your inquiry with our company and subsequently taking the time to report on your experience with us. Your call came at one of our busiest times of the year, right before Christmas. It is not uncommon for there to be a backlog with quality service companies during peak business times of the year. It seems there was some misunderstanding about our charges. The $119 that you referenced is our current charge for a Level 1 chimney inspection as outlined by the National Fire Protection Association - performed by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep with many years of experience. During the course of that inspection one of the things determined is whether the chimney needs to be swept or not. If the chimney does need service and that service is performed at the time of the inspection, the $119 charge is waived and the charge for sweeping the chimney applies. Either way, the homeowner is left with a report about the condition of the chimney, from an inside perspective, from the hearth extension through the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, and flue all the way to the top of the chimney. Additionally, we report, from a roof perspective, on the flashing, the exterior of the chimney (whether it be brick or some other construction) and the crown wash or metal chase covering as well as the terminating chimney cap, if there is one. If we find issues that relate to safety or maintenance needed, we will make recommendations for resolution and, if you wish, we can offer pricing for any of the work that our company can provide. The time it takes to get the information (pictures and measurements) necessary to thoroughly inspect and report is often considerable. We do feel that we give good value for the prices we charge. Just to review -- the $119 charge is for the inspection and report received. All estimates are free. If the chimney needs sweeping, there is normal standard pricing for different installations (i.e. fireplaces, wood stove inserts, free standing heaters, furnace flues). We can give you those estimated prices when you call. If, in a different scenario, a homeowner knows they need repair work and if they can provide us with pictures (inside and out) and measurements that we need to quote pricing, we can provide those estimates over the phone as well -- at no charge. Many times customers will email such information to us if all they want is estimated pricing for work they already know they need to have done. Unfortunately, we cannot tell whether a chimney needs to be swept or whether it needs work without looking at it. So, as mentioned, we come prepared to do a sweep service, so that the $119 inspection fee can be waived if possible. Thank you, again, for your time and your comments. Please let us know if we can be of help in the future.