I hired Air Care Home Service back in mid-November for wood fireplace cleaning and inspection. I was looking forward to the use of the fireplace during the winter months, and knew it hadn't been cleaned for at least a decade. I was initially happy with the response time, service booking and pricing. Team arrived within 48 hours, completed the service very quickly (too quickly), and apparently not much soot came out of the chimney. Surprised to find that there was no inspection to the full chimney stack as advertised, I was told that only happens if there is visible damage apparent. I had no complaints initially.
However, in December when the weather changed, and I prepared the fireplace for its first use of the season, several significant issues became apparent. Firstly, the team had damaged the damper. I know it was working, becaused I tested myself before I called for service. Yet after the service was completed, the latch handle had become detached from the damper panel. Secondly, it appears all of the soot that was flushed from the chimney became lodged behind the damper panel. This included debris, soot and pieces of chimney brick. Even the most cursory inspection by the team after the work was completed, would have discovered this. Yet this very obvious damage went completely ignored, either negligently or deliberately. Once I discovered the damage, I immediately attempted to contact Air Care Home Service, but all of my calls, emails and messages have been completely ignored. I didn't pay much for the service in the grand scheme of things, but they damaged my property and ghosted me after.
