Rant: Customer asked me to sweep a fireplace that was clearly sealed off

I got a call last Tuesday from a guy in Maplewood who insisted I sweep his fireplace. Drove 20 minutes out there, looked inside, and it was completely bricked over with no flue at all. He said the previous owner told him it was a working chimney 3 years ago when he bought the place. I had to explain there's nothing to sweep and still charged him a trip fee of $25. Felt bad but I wasted my gas and time. Has anyone else run into people who don't know their own fireplace is fake?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason1121mo ago

Fake fireplace is a classic homeowner special.

cooper.viola1mo ago

My neighbor's got one of those in his living room and it drives me crazy every time I see it. It's like people think sticking a fake brick veneer over a gas insert makes it a real fireplace when it's just a heater with a light show. Same energy as those plastic shutters that don't actually close or the decorative dentil molding that's glued on with construction adhesive. Whole neighborhoods are full of this stuff pretending to be something it's not.

alice_harris354d ago

Consider that these fake fireplaces might actually be SAFER than real ones in neighborhoods packed close together. Real fireplaces have real smoke, real soot, and real risks of chimney fires that can spread to the house next door. A gas insert with fake brick gives you the cozy feeling without having to worry about burning down the whole block.