Word of mouth remains the most reliable referral when it
comes to finding a good chimney service company, but here are some basic
guidelines intended to help you make a better choice. Chimney flues require
yearly inspections and servicing to remove soot and creosote deposits as well as to diagnose
potential problems with the system.
How do you select a chimney company?
When you shop for a chimney company’s
services, one of the first things you'll ask is what’s the rate? More often
than not, we tend to hire the person that offers the cheapest rate but when it comes to your home, what are you getting for that deal?
When a chimney
service company quotes $200.00 for their service, you may gasp before opting to
hang up right then and there in favor of a company that offers to do the job
for much less than that (some for as low as $50.00).
You can find chimney services anywhere, Angie's List, Craiglist, Yellow Pages, and of course even the
internet. Some may even come to your door since they just happened to be in the
neighborhood. But what are you getting for you money?
In all honesty, if you've ever seen
the operation, chimney sweeping is deceivingly simple. A brush is pushed
through the chimney passage several times and the fallen debris removed. Simple. Or is it?
Well established chimney service companies understand the
real complexity of maintaining an exhaust system. They employ tools
specifically designed to perform their job, they know what to look for in terms
of potential issues in order to avoid problems and costly repairs or how to properly repair
a damaged system, and what it costs to not only protect their business, but
also their customers as well as their homes. A thorough sweeping and evaluation of the system will typically take an hour or more. Do not be fooled by the twenty minute sweep who shows up
at your house with a brush and a ladder.
Let’s talk about initial
impressions.
You can immediately get a feeling for who you're about to
hire with that first phone call. A company conscious of its first impression
will be courteous and knowledgeable of the business at hand, will most likely
ask you a few questions about your home, and even provide you with an
informative profile of their service and reputation. As a customer, a person in
need of good service about to spend your hard-earned money to maintain an
important component of your home, you should not expect anything less.
But let’s get beyond a courteous,
informative phone call. You've made your appointment. What do you expect?
Good companies will have an
emphasis on the overall presentation; that first impression on you, the
customer. A professional-looking lettered vehicle is a good start. A uniformed, well-groomed
technician compliments that impression exponentially. Business cards and documents with the company letterhead are also part of the company's investment in making a good impression.
Would you hire the long-haired,
tattooed, pierced guy getting out of an old, dented, flat gray old van? Hopefully not, but
this is where that gap in service prices comes into play.
As I pointed out before, a solid
company protects not only themselves, but also their customers. Good chimney
service companies invest in the education of their technicians, which starts
with certification from the Chimney Safety Institute of America, where new
technicians learn the latest building codes, maintenance procedures as well as
the guidelines for chimney sweeping service and exhaust system installations. By
properly training their technicians, good companies are protecting you as a
homeowner. At this point you're not making a payment for a service; you are
investing into peace of mind and the safety of your home and more importantly,
you and your family.
Remember gasping when the person you
called quoted you $200.00 or more?
Your run-of-the-mill scam company's primary focus is
getting paid for the job of the day. They'll be happy to offer you a “deal”
simply because they don't plan on seeing you again. The bolder outfits will
even employ scare tactics to force you into a repair you most likely don’t even
need.
A good company will look to cultivate
a relationship with you by going out of their way to treat your home as their
own. Their technicians will provide you plenty of information, offer
suggestions, and ultimately let you make the best decision.
Remember, good professionals in any field are forced into realistic rates because of carrying proper
liability insurances, another way to ensure the protection of their business as
well as the customer.
An insured company pays
their premiums because they mean to stand behind their work, and of course, in
the name of being able to make a living after paying insurance, workman's
compensation, health benefits to their employees, the rate will be what most of
us will see as high.
Companies of questionable
reputation offer lower rates because in many cases they operate uninsured and
without the proper licenses. Stories of apologetic contractors promising to fix
their mistakes in the future only to never be seen again are unfortunately all
too common.
Bottom line, a solid, honest, well establish chimney
service company goes several steps further to cultivate a relationship with
their customers. In training and offering benefits to their employees, they
keep the typical revolving door which results in the customer getting a new
person on each appointment. Understanding that familiarity inspires trust and
comfort in a customer, good companies make the investment in their employees
and overall presentation and proper licensing and insuring of their
services.
And of course, ask around. A good
company will only be too happy to offer you referrals in order to win your
business.
contribution by Javier A. Robayo
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