While the chimney is one
of the most important components of a house in Long Island, it is often
overlooked by homeowners. This results in expensive repairs and even chimney
replacements in the long run that may cost a fortune. To avoid such situations,
it is always advisable to hire Long Island chimney contractors who can provide
regular and quality chimney cleaning services at competitive prices. However,
deciding to hire a chimney sweep is only half the battle. The other half is to
find a good chimney sweep to get the job done.
To make things a lot
easier for you, we are sharing some important things that you should know
before hiring a chimney sweeping company in Long Island.
- Chimney sweeping is not a
regulated industry
It might come as a
surprise that the chimney sweep industry is unregulated. This means even
unskilled and inexperienced professionals can legally start up a firm offering
chimney sweeping services in Long Island. The people working in the company are
not required to have the training or the tools to take up projects for chimney
cleaning. Fortunately, nationally recognized associations do provide licenses
and certifications to companies who have the professional qualifications to do
the job with excellence and skill.
- Don’t overlook the importance
of checking licenses and certifications
As mentioned earlier,
anybody can become a chimney sweep and can call you to provide his or her
services at discounted rates. Trust us, it’s a scam. Such companies or
individuals are only interested in your money and provide the worst services
that consequently may even compromise the functioning of your chimney.
Therefore, it’s important to check for licenses and certifications such as NFI
certification, which is the minimum nationally recognized standard provided by
the Chimney Sweep Institute of America.
- Verify insurance coverage
Another factor to
determine whether a company is authorized to do the job or not is insurance
coverage. If a company has liability insurance coverage, it has the experience
and a good reputation in the market. A chimney contractor who offers insurance
can protect you against unforeseen damages that may occur while performing the
chimney cleaning services. Even though it’s highly unlikely that any damage or
injury will happen if the company is experienced, the homeowner is responsible
for any damages incurred if the company fails to provide the required
coverage.
Chimney safety is
important. Thus, it’s a good idea to hire a reliable Long Island chimney sweep
for quarterly chimney cleaning.
