The Superior Chimney Sweep

When I was buying my house, I asked the seller to have the chimney cleaned (something he admitted he had never done despite making extensive use of the wood-​burning furnace that he talked up as a major selling point). He clearly wasn’t careful about the company he used, because he came back and told us that they determined that the liner needed replacing and that it would cost $ 2,500 to repair. He couldn’t provide a written estimate, though, because the company wanted a $ 100 fee to put it in writing. He didn’t have the patience to deal with this and offered to just rebate me half of the $ 2,500 to make it go away.
The $ 100 fee for a written estimate was a huge red flag that he was being deliberately ripped off by one of the many unscrupulous companies in this industry. After taking ownership of the house (and taking the seller’s $ 1,250), I did some research to identify the most reputable local chimney sweep I could find, which was Superior Chimney Sweep. Not surprisingly given their reputation and the fall season, they were booked up for weeks. When my appointment finally came, I told the technician only that I just bought the house and needed to be sure the chimney was ready for use. He inspected it and determined that it needed a cleaning (the company hired by the seller was such a ripoff that they hadn’t even cleaned the chimney). I asked if anything else needed attention, such as the liner, and he said it was all in good working order. He suggested maybe considering a chimney cap in the future, but didn’t push the issue at all. He spent about an hour giving the chimney a very thorough cleaning, and was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The price was extremely fair for the work that was done, and for the peace of mind of knowing it was done right.
Bottom line, it’s super important to find a reputable chimney sweep, and Superior is a company that you can trust. (And no matter what company you use, if they’re telling you that you need expensive repairs, get it in writing and get at least a second estimate!)