Planning to delay that chimney repair? I want to advise you against that. If you do not tend to chimney issues soon enough, they will lead to further damages – even to your home, and repairing will be even more costly. There is just one problem with the entire scenario. Unlike other repairs, chimney repairs are not obvious to the average homeowner. The chimney repair industry takes advantage of this and uses it to fool you.
A representative of the Better Business Bureau stated that chimney scams are really easy to conduct because hardly any homeowner knows about them and cannot even tell if the task was done properly or not. She went on to add that scams can take place at any time of the year, but their probability is higher when there is a fallen tree or too much soot.
So what are the common scams?
I talked to a couple of representatives from the Better Business Bureau and they told me about a few common scams. In some of these, an individual shows up at your door and claims to be a chimney cleaning professional. They tell you they have been roaming in the neighborhood and offer you a good deal. They hover around the chimney, appear to do a number of tasks, take payment and then leave. The truth is they do not really tend to any cleaning work, and just pretend to be involved in it.
In another form of scam, another individual will schedule a cleaning or a repair with you, take payment and then simply disappear forever. Criminals have also been known to attract consumers by presenting them with fake referrals.
So how do you stay protected?
No matter what scam it is and what industry it is, the best defense is always knowledge. The same was the opinion of the president of a reputed cleaning company who added that credible organizations can be recognized by checking them out before you allow them to do any work. He added that any standard cleaning session will take around 45 minutes and will involve two people, one up on the roof and the other in the basement. The cost of this session will be $125 or a little higher.
Once the service is completed, your chimney must have brush marks. If this is not so, the service actually has never been done.
Needless to say, referrals can also save you from becoming a victim. So act smart, and you will be able to protect yourself.
Source: www.realestate.aol.com
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