| Author |
Message |
    
mooewe
Citizen
Username: Mooewe
Post Number: 319
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 7:53 pm: | 
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Several times a year I get phone calls from someone who says they're from "the chimney cleaner", and everytime I say "No thanks". It's always vaguely bothered me that they NEVER say the name of the company, but since I wasn't interested anyway, I never asked.
Well, tonight I got one of the calls, and I decided to ask - "What is the name of your company?"....and I was promptly hung up on.
Seems pretty clear this is a scam....thoughts? Experiences?
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Jennifer Pickett
Citizen
Username: Jpickett
Post Number: 145
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 8:03 pm: |
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We got a chimney cleaner that way- against all better judgment, but I knew we needed it and was so lazy I gave in. It worked out great- the people who came were reasonably priced and professional. I don't know if I would recommend it, but it was very convenient for me.
They probably hung up at your question because it is illegal for them to call you if you are on the Do Not Call List (even if you aren't, if they are calling people who are, they are trained to hang up). It is also illegal for them not to state the name of their company. A friend of mine used to make 10K a year suing telemarketers for this crap. |
Jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 37
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 10:01 pm: |
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Oh the chimney sweeps! They were my first big expense when we bought our first house. We were having a dinner party and I wanted to have a (safe) fire. I called a company from the value-pack coupons with a $75 chimney cleaning offer. They came, took me up on a ladder to my roof and showed me how my chimney was in need of repair. I opened my mouth and bit down on a painful hook. When they were done reeling me in, I had paid $700 for a "complete" fix up that included chimney caps priced at $110 each. I was thrilled that they could do it right then so I could have a fire for our party...
I saw the same $110 chimney cap at Home Depot for $30. The repair was painting the masonry with some rubbery goop and some actual masonry work in the basement. I didn't feel very good about the whole experience. Then again, I don't know what a chimney fire feels like.
J.B. |
Peter
Citizen
Username: Peter
Post Number: 173
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 10:20 pm: |
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The same week our home purchase was reported in the "homes sold" section of the Star-Ledger, we got a call from "the chimney people." They told us it had been just over two years since the previous owners had the chimney swept and that we were in grave danger of a fire. So I asked for the name of the old owner, and they told me that was confidential. Pretty clearly a scam based on new home sales in the paper, and new homeowners being paranoid. |
Dave
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 8461
Registered: 4-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 12:09 am: |
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I noticed "creosote removing logs" at Home Despot yesterday. If they work, that would seem like a good alternative. |
Jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 44
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 12:00 am: |
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These logs are for preventing. Cleaning is still necessary. I was a big duraflame plus wood fire builder until I heard (read on-line) that this practice is responsible fore 80% of chimney fires. Use creosote removing logs regularly, but not in place of the real thing. The real thing is letting the chimney-sweeep scammers into your house to bilk you out of hundreds (at least it's not thousands?!) to clean your chimney properly.
I don't know if that's helpfull... It's all I got. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 12046
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 12:17 am: |
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I notice the dirtiest businesses are the dirtiest businesses. |
cwalk
Citizen
Username: Cwalk
Post Number: 57
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Monday, February 6, 2006 - 12:26 pm: |
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Well said, Tom. Simply prepare yourself in advance for a regular chimney sweeper to find 9 thousand things wrong with your chimney (needs new liner, new caps, some goop slapped on to the sides, a lovely ribbon etc...)
NO ONE and I do mean NO ONE will just clean your chimney, take their money and leave.
NO ONE! |
kevin
Citizen
Username: Eloso
Post Number: 82
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 8:21 am: |
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If you want to read more horror stories about chimney companies just google 'chimney scam.' For entertainment I let one of the telemarketing companys come to my house and 'inspect' my chimney. They told me that my lining was cracked but luckly they had all the parts on their truck and since they were already here they could fix it for only $2000.
Some people have no shame!!! |
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