Symptom field notes
Excessive soot or suspected creosote
Unusual deposits or falling soot warrant assessment. Their appearance alone cannot establish whether a chimney is safe, clean or compatible with its appliance.
Never attempt to burn out deposits or use a cleaning product as a substitute for inspection.
What to document
- Where was the deposit noticed without reaching inside?
- What fuel and appliance are used?
- When was the last documented inspection?
Keep dates and observations separate from guesses about the cause. Photographs from a safe location and earlier service records are useful starting material.
What to ask the contractor
- What type and location of deposit did you observe?
- Is standard sweeping sufficient or is specialist removal needed?
- What underlying factors should be investigated?
Ask for findings, access limitations and recommended next steps in writing. A proposed product or repair method should follow an explanation of the observed condition.
Turn the observation into a comparable scope
Send the same brief to each company. Ask whether the appointment is an inspection, a diagnostic visit or a repair, and how additional work is approved. If proposals disagree, compare the evidence each contractor cites before comparing totals.