26 Mar Chimney Cricket Covid-19 Policies and Response
Chimney Cricket takes this pandemic very seriously. We want to update our customers on our response to this emergency, what services are still available and how we can still assist many of you until we are allowed to resume full operations. We accept the findings and recommendations of the CDC and WHO regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also complying with Governor Wolf’s order to shut down all non-life essential services involving personal contact. Here is where we are as of 25 March 25, 2020:
- Our offices have physically shut down. We are monitoring phone calls and emails remotely and responding as we can.
- Our production and service crews are shut down for all non-emergency, elective work. This includes inspections, routine chimney sweeping, and production work for non-essential repairs.
- We are still relining heater flues and clearing blockages because these constitute short term hazards to the occupants.
- We are responding to appliance emergencies such as carbon monoxide issues and suspected gas leaks.
- We will discuss servicing hearth appliances on a case by case basis. If we determine the application warrants it we will render service.
If we agree to come to your home for urgent service we want you to be prepared for our response. Our employees with call ahead with our estimated time of arrival so you can prepare. Our employees will require extra time to perform hand hygiene then apply the requisite Personal Protective Equipment or PPE prior to approaching the house. We will bring with us a limited amount of equipment until the situation has been assessed. Our technician will ring the doorbell then step back at least 6 feet from the door wearing an N95 mask and gloves. He will be driving a Chimney Cricket red truck lettered in most cases and wearing Chimney Cricket logo apparel.
We must ask the following questions prior to entry so please be prepared to speak through a storm door or at least 6 feet of separation:
- Is there anyone present who has tested positive for Covid-19 now or ever?
- Is there anyone present who is suspected of carrying the Covid-19 virus?
- Is there anyone present who either themselves traveled out of the country within the last 14 days or was exposed to someone who traveled abroad over the last 14 days?
- Is there anyone present who is considered a high risk category including the elderly, the immune-suppressed or those with respiratory illnesses?
- Is there anyone present who is coughing?
- Is there anyone present who is short of breath?
- Is there anyone febrile defined as running a fever of 100.4° taken orally not masked by antipyretics such as Tylenol(acetaminophen), aspirin, or Advil/Motrin(ibuprofen) taken within 6 hours of testing and at least 30 minutes after meals, drinks or exercise?
If you are experiencing symptoms or want information from your health department you can call 877-724-3258 in PA or 215-686-4514 in Philadelphia.
You can download a handy pamphlet from the CDC titled “Care And Record Everyday” with worksheets to track symptoms.
A COVID-19 Fact Sheet is also available from the CDC
We are also in compliance with OSHA Guidelines for COVID-19
For issues that do not require us to respond to your home during this emergency but you still want to move forward on a project we can provide limited estimates and estimations remote from our offices. Once normal operations resume we can provide accurate quotes based upon our physical inspection.
We ask that where we must enter your home for an emergency that all other occupants be removed, if possible to other rooms and close the door to that room. We also ask that any forced air heating or cooling system be shut off at least 1 hour prior to our arrival.
Note that we cannot perform comprehensive non-emergent services at this time.
If we provide an in-home service, such as getting heat back on, please do not expect us to provide a full service on that appliance. Our policy is to enter, solve the problem and exit promptly minimizing exposure to each other.
Note that our technicians perform personal sanitizing between service calls or exposure to the public such as refueling or eating.
We appreciate your patience during this difficult time and ask that you bear with us if these procedures present a burden or inconvenience. If additional non-emergency work is needed, we will expedite you in our calendar as soon as normal operations and resume.
Thank you for contacting Chimney Cricket. We appreciate your co-operation and understanding.
