With summer winding down, your life is most likely getting busier every day. Fall can be one of the most hectic seasons of the year with back to school preparations and holiday countdowns being added to your regular workload. When you are busy, it can be easy to forget things or procrastinate tasks. Fall is also the busiest time of the year for us at The Mad Hatter. From September through December, our calendars are filled with appointments to get chimneys in the Indianapolis area ready for the colder months of the year. Many important fire safety organizations, including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), recommend having your chimney professionally swept and inspected before lighting the first fire of fireplace season every year to ensure everything is working efficiently and safely. If you wait too long to schedule your appointment with us for these essential chimney maintenance services, you might have to wait for a month before we will be able to come to your home. Scheduling this appointment in the summer assures that your fireplace will be ready to use on the first cool day of fall. We would like to share a few more tips with you that will make your chimney sweeping and inspection appointment go smoothly.
PREPARING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
Since you will have to be home when The Mad Hatter sweeps and inspects your chimney, you should make sure that your schedule is cleared on the appointment date. If you are unable to be at home, ask a family member or friend who can be there for you.
For safety reasons, do not use your fireplace, stove, or other heating appliance for at least 24 hours before the appointment. The Mad Hatter can only work with systems that are completely cooled.
You will need to remove all fragile items away from your hearth area to protect them from any accidental damage. The Mad Hatter requests that you clear the area around your fireplace so that we will be able to get our chimney sweeping equipment, including a high-powered vacuum that keeps dust and other debris from the chimney out of your home, in place. We generally need a clearance space of about five to six feet around the fireplace.
Payment will be due on the date of your appointment. You can pay with cash, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. We also accept personal checks; however, the check must be local, and you will need to show a valid Indiana driver’s license.
Get your fireplace ready for fall. Contact us at The Mad Hatter today to schedule your appointment for your annual chimney sweeping and inspection.