There is a scam that is spreading in the U.S. that involves chimney inspection and cleaning. This scam is on the rise because many people are not well knowledgeable about chimneys and fireplace so it is easy for the scammers to fool their victims.
A chimney inspection and cleaning scam works like this:
A scammer will contact you either by phone or email or any means of communication. He will offer a special chimney service that is very tempting because of its super low price – usually around $39 to $40. It’s as if they did some research about you because sometimes they know if you have just moved in to your home or not. If you are a new resident, they will claim that the previous residents have gotten their services in inspecting and cleaning their chimneys. They can even provide names of these people to make you believe.
As soon as they get inside your home, they will make horrible stories of how dangerous your chimney condition is. They will conduct inspection and will inform you that your chimney is severely damaged or that you need to buy a new chimney cap. They may even carry in props like small concrete samples or dead birds which they will claim came from your chimney. These scammers will scare you about carbon monoxide poisoning and will tell you that you are lucky to be alive.
Another strategy that these scammers do is that they will tell you that you need to replace your chimney liner even though they are still on good working condition. Liners are expensive and much worst – they will replace a good liner with a new liner that is not perfectly installed or a fake liner which can be very dangerous.
To prevent being a victim of this scam, it is advisable that you do not fall for prices that are hard to believe (extremely low price in this case). The usual chimney inspection costs around $75 and chimney cleaning for $150. Check the company if they have license and covers liability insurance. It may be safe to do the inspection on your own, do some research on how to know if your chimney needs cleaning or not. Otherwise, seek professional help on your own and do not trust those who are offering themselves especially for an unbelievable offer.