I used this service to come by and check out my fireplace. Basically as a new homeowner, I wanted to see if any work was needed so that it could be used. I had been told that the fireplace had not been used for several years, so I figured that at least a sweep needed to be performed prior to using.
This is not a criticism of the technician. I found him to be pretty knowledgeable overall, and the biggest compliment I can provide is that he did not try to upsell me on fixing things that did not need to be fixed. However, the inspection as a whole was a bit underwhelming for the hefty charge that this company charges you. Please be aware that any visit from them, regardless if work is performed or not, is not free. Many other local companies do offer a free inspection, so my first advice is to seek out an estimate first with one of the many companies that offer it. I ended up paying $150 to have no real work performed and to be told my fireplace was otherwise fine and ready to use. The inspection consisted of some pictures from inside the fireplace, which to the common man such as myself, do not show me much of anything. These were to validate that the fireplace was in fine, working condition. Aside from that, the tech did offer to clear out the debris and ash with a shop-vac, and, considering I was getting charged $150 anyway for this service call, allowed him to do something I could otherwise do myself.
Again, the fault does not lie with the technician. The visit was short-lived and not very thorough, but I believe that it is the company practice to get in and out as soon as possible. While I am in favor of that, I still believe that more inspection could be provided when you are going to pay a flat fee for them even stepping foot on your property. Creosote testing is also offered by other local companies, but it was not tested here. The tech said that the soot level was below the threshold but did not have the technology to look all the way up the chimney to make that determination. There were no cameras used inside the fireplace itself to look up the chimney and see if there was any debris build up where we cannot otherwise see it. To sign off and say it's ready to use without knowing that can result in liability if a chimney fire were to happen. Other companies clearly specify the degree of thoroughness they use when they do inspections. When comparing that to what I received overall, the $150 cost was not at all justified. Using an ipad to take a picture going up the chimney is not a thorough inspection. While I understand that wintery conditions and snow on a roof can be a safety issue for the tech, there still need to be other ways to run a full inspection inside the fireplace itself to validate the exorbitant charge of having an inspection done in the first place.
I did advise the Office Admin at the company about my concerns and he or she was kind of blew off my concerns, suggesting that snow on the roof prevented them from going up there to see what's going on up there. I can understand the safety measures in place for technicians, but that still doesn't mean I should be short-changed on a proper inspection. There need to be other measures in place to provide a proper inspection to ensure we are not overlooking things that can result in a chimney fire. If I am paying $150 to get my fireplace looked at, I expect it to be done with regard to my family's safety and to provide me quality service. The admin seemed disinterested in my concerns and the discussion went no further. I will happily pay for peace of mind and assurance that everything is in good working order when I can see the company putting in an effort to look things over thoroughly. That was not done here, and I do not have peace of mind. Absent of any technology or testing to ensure that this fireplace can truly be considered in fine, working order leaves me with doubt. Like I said, I appreciated the technician who came out, but I believe he did not have the proper tools to make a determination that would make his assessment a truly accurate one.