Hire a chimney sweep before you sell your home? Yes, it would be a good idea. When people have lived at their home for years, they tend to have a routine down for when it’s time to call in a chimney sweep. In some cases, you may not even use your fireplace any more and have no recollection of the last time that you had a professional chimney sweep inspect it. Whatever your scenario is, if you plan on selling your home, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve hired a chimney sweep to help get your space ready. Here are a few ways that a chimney sweep can help your space and how to know if you need to hire one.
Consider the Last Time You Had Your Chimney Swept
If you’ve had your chimney swept in the last year and have the receipt from a professional backing it up, then you’ll be fine when you put your home on the market. However, if it’s been over a year since you’ve had it swept, you’ll want to add this task to your list. Chimney sweeps will inspect the entire chimney from the flues to the caps, and will let you know if there are any issues that need to be addressed. Let them know that your intention is to sell the house and they’ll know to look at the elements that home inspectors and potential buyers will be interested in.
Make the Fireplaces Visible
If you’ve boxed up your fireplaces because you don’t use them, you’ll want to make them visible when selling your home. Hire a chimney sweep before you sell your home just be sure that you call in the chimney sweeps to make sure that there aren’t any animals in the vacant chimney and that it is properly cleaned for the showings. Many chimney sweep services will include small repairs around the chimney on the exterior and interior, so be sure you ask how far they can extend their work.
Decide if Having a Fire Would Add to the Ambiance
Fireplaces add a sense of aesthetic beauty and comfort to a home, especially if you’re selling a home when it is cool out. If you do want to have a fire when you are showing your home, make sure that you continue to use all of the safety features like a screen to protect your floor from embers shooting out. You can also take extra steps and keep clean and attractive tools for stoking the fire to add to the attraction of the mantle.
Learn How a Chimney Sweep Could Add Value to the Sale
Take the time to learn about the value your chimney can add to your home. If you have stonework covered up by sheet rock, you may want to consider removing it just as you would remove carpet to expose hardwood. By calling in a professional chimney sweep to clean and care for your fireplace, you’ll be adding value to your home. And with a little extra attention, you can make it a focal point that will impress those that are touring your home.
