Legal · Company Info —
Privacy Policy
Your privacy is not an afterthought — it is built into how we operate. This policy explains, in plain language, exactly what we collect, why we collect it, and what we will never do with it.
🚨 Chimney Scam Red Flags
⚠️ Unsolicited door knock offering $49 inspection
⚠️ “I saw your chimney from the road” opener
⚠️ Pressure to decide before they leave
⚠️ No physical address or verifiable website
⚠️ Alarm at vague “damage” with no photos
⚠️ Refuses to provide written estimate before work
Our Commitment to You —
Plain Language. Real Transparency.
Verified Chimney Pros (“we,” “our,” or “us”) operates verifiedchimneypros.com. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect from homeowners and chimney professionals who use our platform, how we use that information, who we share it with, and the rights you have over your own data.
By using this website, you agree to the practices described in this policy. We have written it to be read — not to be avoided. If anything here is unclear, contact us directly at admin@verifiedchimneypros.com and we will answer personally.
Our core promise: We do not sell, rent, trade, or monetize your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes — ever. Not homeowner data to chimney companies. Not chimney company data to other businesses. Not anyone’s data to advertisers.
1. What Information We Collect
We serve two distinct groups of users: homeowners searching for chimney professionals, and chimney professionals applying for verified listings. The information we collect differs meaningfully between these groups.
Information You Provide Directly
- Contact form submissions— your name, email address, and the content of your message. Used only to respond to your inquiry.
- Location data you enter— city, state, or zip code used to return relevant search results. Not stored after your session unless you create an account and choose to save it.
- Account information— if you create an account, we store your email address and encrypted password credentials.
- Business identity information— company name, address, service area, and contact details for your listing
- State contractor license or registration number— verified against the issuing agency’s records
- Certificate of Insurance (COI)— stored securely in our records; not displayed publicly on your listing
- Professional certification numbers— CSIA, NFI, or equivalent credentials confirmed with the certifying organization
- Background check authorization— owner and key technician information submitted for screening as part of the verification process
- Payment and billing information— processed through our secure payment provider (Stripe). We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers at any time.
- Application correspondence— any documentation or communication submitted during the application or appeals process
Information Collected Automatically
Like all websites, ours automatically receives certain technical data from visitors regardless of whether a form is submitted:
- IP address— used for approximate location detection and spam prevention. Not stored long-term or linked to personal profiles.
- Browser type, operating system, and device information— used to optimize site display and performance
- Pages visited and time-on-page— aggregated and anonymized; used to understand which content is useful, not to track individual visitors
- Referring URL— the website that linked you here, used to understand traffic sources
We use Google Analytics for traffic analysis. Data collected through Google Analytics is anonymized at the collection point. We have not enabled advertising features, remarketing, or cross-site tracking within our Google Analytics setup.
2. How We Use Your Information
What We Do
✓ Operate the directory and return accurate local search results to homeowners
✓ Review, approve, or decline listing applications from chimney professionals
✓ Verify submitted credentials with issuing agencies and certifying organizations
✓ Monitor whether active listings remain compliant with our verification standards
✓ Send transactional emails — billing receipts, application status updates, account notifications
✓ Send optional newsletters and platform updates (you can unsubscribe anytime)
✓ Improve site content and functionality based on aggregate usage patterns
✓ Meet legal and regulatory obligations where required
What We Never Do
❌ Sell your personal information to any third party for their marketing purposes
❌ Share homeowner contact data with chimney companies beyond what appears on their public listing
❌ Share chimney company application documents with other businesses or individuals
❌ Use automated profiling to make individual decisions without human review
❌ Send unsolicited marketing emails to homeowners who have not opted in
❌ Use your information for any purpose not described in this policy without your consent
3. Cookies and Tracking
We use a minimal and purposeful set of cookies. We do not use advertising cookies, cross-site tracking cookies, or cookies associated with any third-party remarketing platform.
| Cookie Type | What It Does | Duration | Can You Disable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session cookies | Keep you logged in during a visit to your member account dashboard | Session only — deleted when browser closes | Only by logging out |
| Preference cookies | Remember your location selection so you don’t re-enter it on repeat visits | 30 days | Yes — via browser settings |
| Analytics cookies | Count page visits anonymously through Google Analytics | Up to 2 years (Google’s standard) | Yes — via browser or Google opt-out |
You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings at any time. Disabling analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use any feature of this website.
4. Third-Party Services
The following third-party services process limited data on our behalf under their own privacy agreements. We have selected each based on their security reputation and data handling standards.
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Google Analytics
Anonymized traffic and engagement data. We use this to understand how homeowners and professionals navigate the site. Advertising features are disabled.
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Stripe
PCI-compliant payment processing for professional listing subscriptions. Card data is handled entirely by Stripe — we never receive or store full card numbers.
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Email Provider
Transactional and notification emails are delivered through a trusted email service provider. We use this only for necessary communications — not for advertising.
We do not use Facebook Pixel, Google Ads conversion tracking, behavioral advertising technology, or any tool whose primary purpose is advertising targeting.
5. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have specific legal rights under applicable privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Regardless of jurisdiction, we honor the following for any person who asks:
- Right to Access— Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you. We will provide it in a readable format within 10 business days.
- Right to Correction— Request that we correct any factual inaccuracy in your data. Active listing members can update most information directly in their dashboard.
- Right to Deletion— Request that we permanently delete your personal information. For homeowners without accounts, there is typically no persistent data to delete beyond anonymized analytics. For active professional members, deletion is processed upon cancellation.
- Right to Unsubscribe— Every marketing email we send includes a functional unsubscribe link. Transactional emails (billing receipts, application updates) cannot be opted out of while an account is active, as they are necessary to your membership.
- Right to Data Portability— Request your data in a portable format that you can take to another service.
How to exercise your rights: Email admin@verifiedchimneypros.com with the subject line “Privacy Request — [your name or company name].” We aim to respond within 10 business days. We do not require you to create an account or pay any fee to exercise these rights.
6. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law.
| Data Type | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Active listing data | Duration of membership + 60 days after cancellation | Business continuity; then permanently deleted |
| Application documents (COI, credentials) | Duration of listing + 12 months | Regulatory compliance, dispute resolution |
| Billing records | 7 years | Required by U.S. tax and financial regulations |
| Contact form submissions | 12 months | Response and follow-up; then deleted |
| Analytics data | No fixed schedule | Anonymized — contains no personally identifiable information |
7. Children’s Privacy
Verified Chimney Pros is not directed at, and does not knowingly collect personal information from, children under the age of 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at admin@verifiedchimneypros.com and we will take prompt action to remove that information from our systems.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes — changes that meaningfully affect how your information is handled — we will:
- Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page
- Email all registered professional members at least 14 days before the change takes effect
- Post a notice on our platform for the duration of the notice period
Cosmetic edits, grammar corrections, and clarifications that do not change the substance of how we handle your data do not require formal notification.
9. Contact Us About Privacy
For any questions about this policy or how your personal information is handled, reach us directly. A real person reads and responds to every message.
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Google Analytics
Use subject line: “Privacy — [your question or request]”
Response within 10 business days for privacy requests.
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Mailing Address
Verified Chimney Pros
423 Oak Ave. South
Maple Lake, MN 55358
United States
+1 612-655-8181
Monday–Friday · 9am–5pm Central
Ready to find a verified pro near you?
⚠️ Independent Platform Disclaimer
Verified Chimney Pros is an independent, privately operated platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or associated with the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG), the National Fireplace Association (NFA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the National Fireplace Institute (NFI), the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or any government agency. References to third-party organizations or standards on this platform are for informational purposes only. All trademarks, programs, and certifications belong to their respective owners.