Are you a do-it-yourself type of person? Nowadays, there are online tutorial videos that can help you learn how to complete almost any home project you want. However, there are some tasks that would best be left to the professionals. It may be tempting to buy some chimney sweeping tools and attempt to perform your chimney cleaning yourself. However, chimney cleaning is something that can have dire consequences if not performed correctly and should only be left to a professionally trained chimney technician.
Safety
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) is a non-profit organization that dedicates itself to educating, training, and certifying chimney sweeps on the latest chimney and ventilation technology and safety standards. Acquiring certification is no easy process. Chimney sweeps must complete rigorous training related to the most advanced chimney, ventilation, safety, and maintenance techniques. Once training is completed, each chimney sweep must pass two exams before they are certified. Certification means that a chimney technician has met the highest of safety and technological standards that the chimney industry has to offer. At Northeastern Masonry & Chimney, we want your chimney cleaning experience to be the best that it can be. That’s why we require all of our sweeps to be CSIA certified before they can clean your chimney.
Fire Hazards
A dirty chimney is a dangerous chimney. Most chimney fires are caused when creosote, ash, and debris building up in your chimney and catching fire. If you are unsure how to identify and properly remove these things from your chimney, you may be putting your home at risk. This is why you should never attempt to clean your chimney. A CSIA certified chimney technician has training and experience in removing hazardous creosote and debris from your chimney, assuring that your chimney cleaning will be done safely and effectively. Furthermore, a CSIA certified technician will also be able to identify if there are any other issues with your chimney while cleaning it.
Cost
To clean your chimney, you need the right tools for the job. Chimney cleaning brushes, cameras, and hand tools can add up in cost very quickly. Also, because of inexperience and trying to learn the chimney cleaning process on your own, cleaning your chimney on your own can take up a lot of time as well. With all the money and time it takes trying to clean your chimney on your own, it is actually less costly to have a trained chimney sweep clean your chimney. Furthermore, a trained sweep may also be able to catch a small issue in your chimney before it becomes a larger, more expensive issue, saving you even more money.
We know that it may be tempting to try and clean your chimney yourself, however, with such a high potential for fire hazard and cost, wouldn’t you like to know that your chimney was cleaned by a professional? Our CSIA certified professionals can help! Call Northeastern Masonry & Chimney at 518-767-9315 or visit us online and to schedule a chimney cleaning today!