How often should my chimney be cleaned and/or inspected?

To put it simply, yearly . To make sure your system is in proper working order, we follow the recommendation of the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). This association is a non-profit organization that compiles data from thousands of fires every year and their findings provide the basis for building and fire safety codes. Their recommendation states "have a professional inspect the chimney, chimney connector, and other related equipment every year." Also the Chimney Safety Institute of America "recommends an annual chimney inspection and sweeping when necessary."

There are two main factors that determine how often your chimney and heating unit should be cleaned.
One is how many times you use your heating system a year. The second is what type of heating system you have. Most systems burn at a very hot temperature and therefore, create a layer of residue that can become flammable.

When we clean your chimney, you can rest assured that you and your house will be protected from all dust and debris. We only use the specially designed chimney sweep vacuum shown here, not a cheap shop vac like some other companies use. This special vacuum is so strong that it will capture dust particles as small as .5 microns. Since it is the highest powered vacuum, it will exchange all of the air in a large sized room in less than two minutes. Now that is performance! We take the time and clean all components of your system. Our full service cleaning takes approximately an hour. If price is your biggest concern, be careful to watch how long it takes another company to clean your system. If you feel the job was rushed, then something was probably missed and you most likely did not get a proper cleaning.

What do you inspect?
We carefully inspect each and every component of your venting system. The picture below lists all the crucial parts we inspect. We are one of the few sweeps that take the time to carefully check all of these areas for safety and stability. Missing one of these areas could become a hazard. We pride ourselves on our knowledge and use of this crucial information for your safety and protection.

How do I choose a chimney sweep?
BEWARE!! Virtually anyone without any training, education, or experience can call themselves a chimney sweep.
First and foremost, you need to make sure the chimney sweep you call is Certified through the Chimney Safety Institute of America. This page lists all of the certified sweeps in the State of Indiana. Certification is a personal credential. Certified chimney sweeps gain their knowledge through hours and hours of rigorous studying and testing. In order to become certified, these sweeps must pass a written examination based on fire codes and standards for the construction maintenance of chimney and venting systems. They also need be retested every three years to maintain their certification. Each individual on the list carries a CSIA photo identification badge which shows their certification number and expiration date.

WARNING! Occasionally, sweeps advertise they are "certified", but they may not be. There are some people that call themselves a "chimney sweep" only because they own a few brushes, a vacuum, and a ladder. For your own safety, if they are not on the CSIA list, you should not use them.

Due to our certification, we are providing our customers with proven solutions to their chimney problems. We know you want to receive the maximum value for your dollar, and contracting with a Certified Chimney Sweep, like us, is your best choice. It takes years of training and experience to be skilled in the trade. Preventive maintenance is always more cost effective than repairs that could have been avoided. Annual inspections are critical for a chimney's safety and yours. When you contact a chimney cleaning company, make sure they only send a CSIA Certified sweep to your home. Rest assured, all of our jobs have a CSIA certified sweep.

Let our years of experience work for you! Call us today, 489-2277, to make an appointment.