Chimneys must be cleaned on an ongoing basis in order to eliminate build-up of soot, ash and creosote which could damage its structure. Regular sweeping can also detect minor problems like cracked masonry and missing bricks and repair them before becoming major issues.
Chimney sweep cost and services can depend on several variables. Here are a few things to keep in mind when setting aside money for this service:
How Much Will a Chimney Sweep Cost?
Chimney sweeps use brushes and extension poles to reach the top of your chimney and scrape away coatings and debris that have formed from having fires in your fireplace over time, such as creosote which poses health and safety risks.
If your roof has steep pitches or other conditions that make accessing your chimney difficult or dangerous for a chimney sweep, that could increase costs significantly. Furthermore, extensive buildup could drive up costs even further.
When hiring a sweep, be sure to inquire about their experience and any specialized skills they might possess. Also ensure they’re certified and carry workman’s compensation coverage in case an accident should arise at your property. It would also be wise to select someone with extensive industry experience who has been doing this type of work for some time now.
The Number of Flues
Your chimney’s structure dictates how long it will take for its cleaning to be complete, which is why chimney sweeps take this into consideration when providing you with a price estimate for service.
In my experience, Chimney sweeps must first clear a path to each flue in the chimney; thus requiring that roof access should be reasonably easy. They’ll put down protective coverings like tarps or drop cloths and use shop vacuums to clear away dust from floors while using their shop vac to collect debris and dust.
Level 2 inspections cost more than standard sweeps as they involve video scanning to assess any structural damage, while a level 3 evaluation requires disassembling parts of the structure for further assessment.
The Shape of Your Chimney
Chimneys come in all shapes and sizes. Some can be straight while others bend inwards; round, square, one flue or multiple flues may exist depending on their design; depending on their form, some chimneys require greater effort for cleaning than others.
Chimney sweeps utilize shop vacuums and specialized brushes to properly clean your chimney. In addition, they will likely lay down a sheet or tarp on the floor to protect carpeting, furniture and other items from being stained by soot spillage from their work.
Before your chimney sweep arrives, it’s advisable to clear away any toys or small items from around the fireplace area. Also be sure to drape any decorative rugs or draped plastic over them to protect from getting dirty. Also remember to move any tools from around your grate as this will allow chimney sweeps access into and out of your firebox easily.
The Level of Inspection
Chimney sweeps typically offer three levels of chimney inspection services and each level comes at its own price point. Level one typically involves basic cleaning while levels 2 and 3 provide more in-depth and comprehensive examinations.
Your chimney type also affects its cost for inspection and cleaning. Some chimneys contain multiple flues while others feature complex structures with many nooks and crannies to be cleaned thoroughly. A chimney with dead animals inside may prove more challenging to clear out than an animal-free chimney.
Chimney sweeps usually use shop vacuums and specialized brushes to clean the chimney. They may also cover the fireplace area with tarps and drop cloths to prevent dust from escaping into the home, and may recommend either relining or capping as part of their services.
Add-Ons
Use of a fireplace or stove regularly can result in soot and creosote build-up within its chimney system, creating fire hazards as well as health concerns for you and your home. Therefore, annual chimney inspections and cleaning are highly recommended to maintain safety for everyone’s benefit.
Chimney sweeps are also adept at cleaning wood stoves and pellet stoves, but their services tend to cost between $155-1.95 more.
Some chimney sweeps may charge extra for services like bird removal and animal trapping, tarpaulin placement over furniture/floor surfaces that might get dirty during cleaning, and camera inspection of chimney. Software such as QuickBooks is also an effective scheduling, dispatching, and reporting solution – check it out as it could help your chimney sweeping business to reduce scheduling, dispatching, reporting time as it offers complete mobile workplace management solutions!
Robert Michael is an expert in health and lifestyle, and he loves writing about food. He started writing because he cares a lot about overall health. Robert’s health articles are helpful and show his understanding of healing and well-being. He enjoys food and writes about tasty dishes and healthy eating. His lifestyle articles show his belief in a happy, healthy life. Robert writes in a way that is easy to connect with and shows he cares about his topics. This makes his articles very appealing.
