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So you’ve decided to sell your home. What an exciting time! Are you following a Philadelphia home seller’s checklist to make sure you have everything taken care of before putting it on the market? Your Real Estate agent should discuss all of the usual selling points with you, but I wanted to touch on your heating system; specifically your fireplace or wood burning stove and chimney. A pre-listing chimney inspection and cleaning will help put potential buyers’ minds at ease and make selling your home go more smoothly. 

Pre-Listing Chimney Inspection

You know the drill. You have to scrub and clean every surface of the home and get the landscaping in shape before listing your home for sale. Otherwise people drive on by instead of stopping to look. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that you also have a chimney sweep inspect the chimney and give it a good thorough cleaning before you list. You don’t want to sell your home and have the buyer discover later that the chimney needs work; they have 30 days to renegotiate terms or cancel the sale. Take the initiative to hire a chimney sweep first, and set yourself up for a better home sale experience.

Chimney Repair

Repair any potential problem areas with your chimney or flue before listing your home and you will likely receive a better price than you would otherwise. Potential buyers often hire a home inspector to inspect the entire home, and a chimney sweep to inspect the fireplace and chimney, before they decide to purchase. This puts their mind at ease before they make such a major commitment.

If the potential buyer finds out that you have listed the house with existing chimney problems, they might assume there are other problems with the house. This could possibly lead to them deciding not to purchase because it is too much of a hassle. A yearly chimney inspection and cleaning will keep your chimney in tip-top shape, making it much easier to prepare to sell your home when the time comes.

Selling Older Homes with Fireplaces

Philadelphia is an old city with a lot of older homes. Older homes often need work to make sure they’re up to code. Old fireplaces must also be kept up to code for the safety of the home and all occupants. There could be problems with the structure and it may not meet certain safety standards. Hire a chimney sweep once a year to inspect and clean your fireplace and chimney to make sure they meet current code requirements.

If the chimney and fireplace have been neglected for a while and not had annual cleanings and inspections, there will probably be a problem that needs to be addressed. So if you want to go through the home selling process easily and smoothly, go ahead and get the chimney inspected before you list your home for sale. 

Are you planning on selling your home in the near future? A fireplace and chimney inspection could save you a lot of headache and help put potential buyers’ minds at ease. Give me a call any time to discuss your options. I’ve worked with a lot of homeowners and potential homeowners in the Philadelphia area, and would love to help you make sure your chimney is working properly before you sell your home.