Is it time for a change? Sometimes, after a long winter, we realize that a change is in order. Maybe it’s just time to change up the decorations, maybe get a new carpet or paint some walls. Or maybe, if you’ve given it a lot of thought, a bigger change is in order, and you’re looking for changing your place of residence. It might be that you’ve been thinking about this for a long time, that you’ve got a new job and are ready to start a new life. Maybe you’re downsizing and want to sell or lease your home. No matter what the reason you’re changing locations, if you’re planning on selling or leasing your home in the near future and if you have a fireplace, there are some things that you can do in order to make the transition go more smoothly.

chimney sweep climbing a ladderHave Your Fireplace Inspected and Cleaned

The first step you’ll want to take is to have Black Velvet Chimney come in and do a standard inspection and cleaning. It’s important that you have a thorough inspection by qualified, Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified chimney professional like the sweeps at Black Velvet. This certification is important because it means that our professionals have been trained at the top level of the chimney industry, and also that we have access to the latest in educational and technological advances in the industry. We’ll give you the best inspection you can get, and you’ll know if there are any repairs that need to be made as well.

Why Is It Important?

If you have kept up on your chimney inspections and cleanings, your chimney should be in pretty good shape. If you are planning on selling or leasing your home, you’ll still want to make sure that it’s in great working condition. In fact, if you are leasing your home out, it’s your responsibility as the landlord to keep the fireplace properly maintained. Beyond it being your job, however, it’s a good idea to keep everything in the best working condition possible so that your leasers will have no problem using the fireplace, and so that they won’t make a bad situation worse by using a fireplace that isn’t in good condition. Remember, even with the best people leasing your home, they probably won’t be as cautious about keeping things up as you, the homeowner would be, since you are ultimately going to be responsible for any necessary repairs. You also don’t want to be responsible for anyone else losing their possessions, or worse, their lives because you haven’t kept up on necessary repairs.

If you’re selling your home, it is required that you have a Level 2 inspection conducted. Why not stay on top of the situation and have this done by a certified chimney sweep? It will be one thing that you can check off your list before you get into the nitty, gritty details of selling your property. Not only that, having this done early will serve a two-fold purpose. First, it will keep you one step ahead of the game. You’ll know exactly what it is that you are dealing with, will allow you to make necessary repairs before you actually make the sale. Second, it will make sure that the inspection is done correctly, by a certified, highly qualified chimney sweep that you can trust. Besides this, having a highly functioning chimney that has been cleaned and inspected will increase the value of your home, as well as assure your customers that you are a responsible homeowner who takes care of your property.

Things We’ll Be Looking For

When we do an inspection of your chimney, we’ll make sure to check out the condition of your chimney cap, chimney crown, and flashing to make sure that there are no areas that might be leaking. This is important because any areas of leaking in or around your chimney may cause a weakening of the structure of your chimney and in the walls and ceiling of your home, around the chimney. This could cause a dangerous situation where gases that should be leaving your home could be sneaking right back in, causing health issues for your family.

We’ll also use our video equipment to look closely at the interior of your chimney. We’ll check on the condition of your chimney liner to make sure that it fits properly and that it doesn’t have any chinks or cracks. A chimney liner in great conditions means that your fire will burn efficiently and safely, making sure that your family is safe and your hard-earned money lasts longer.

Stay Ahead of the Game

If you’re looking to lease or sell your home, stay ahead of the game by calling Black Velvet Chimney to take care of your inspection before you get deep into the sales or leasing process. We’ll take the worry out of the process before you even know the worry exists!