NCSG Innovation 2012 February 15-18 • Orlando, Florida
Orlando is the place to be for NCSG Innovation 2012! Plan NOW to be there February 15-18 for another great year of nationalcaliber chimney education and professional networking. Reservations at the Buena Vista Palace are now open! Call (866) 397-6516 and mention that you’re with NCSG or use the link online at www.NCSG.org to lock in rates starting at $139/night. Note: There is an additional $10.95 daily resort fee which includes free wi-fi access and parking during your stay. If your family perked up a little when they heard the word “Orlando”, we’ve got you covered. Our group rate runs February 9-22, so you can sneak in a few days before or after the convention for some time with the world’s most famous mouse or exploring any number of Orlando’s exciting destinations.
Wish you were
Here! - NCSG
Staff
All eyes (and ears) on chimneys for NCSG Innovation 2012 in Orlando!
April 2011 Volume 35 #3
Table of Contents Features 14 So You’ve Been Put on Notice
P.14
22 The Case for Hiring a Qualified Technician 24 NCSG Innovation 2011 Recap
P.24
Departments 3 Moving Forward 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Technical Q&A 10 Industry Watch 11 NCSG Financial Statements P.35
Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology (ISSN# 10416692) is published 11 times annually, by the National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. Annual dues to the National Chimney Sweep Guild are $459 for Voting Member Companies and $689 for Supplier Member Companies, of which $80 goes toward a subscription to Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology. Additional annual subscriptions are available for $80 by contacting the National Chimney Sweep Guild at the office of publication (NCSG, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology National Chimney Sweep Guild 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168
13 Chimney Sense 28 New NCSG Members 31 Progressive Perks 32 Dates & Events 33 Perspective 35 Darwin Awards 35 Display Ad Index 36 Classified Ads
APRIL 11 SWEEPING 1
ResourcePage
NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD
COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND TASK FORCES FOR 2011-2012 Bylaws Diane Pilger (631) 863-2460 - chimneygal@aol.com Convention Site Selection Diane Pilger (631) 863-2460 - chimneygal@aol.com
Governance Randy Brooks (805) 646-8961 hearthhunter@aol.com
NFPA 211 Representative Randy Brooks (805) 646-8961 hearthhunter@aol.com
Government Affairs Phil Mitchell (603) 659-7776 - sootski@aol.com
NFPA 31 Representative John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneygal@aol.com
Discussion List Marge Padgitt (816) 461-3665 margepadgitt@comcast.net
International Relations Victor Imgarten (636) 477-9966 - stlswp@accessus.net
Ethics Mark Stoner (615) 459-2546 - ashbusters@aol.com
Long Range Planning Diane Pilger (631) 863-2460 - chimneygal@aol.com
Finance Mark Maynard (920) 830-1920 mark@chimneyguy.com
Membership Jeremy Biswell (913) 236-7141 fluesbrothers@yahoo.com
NFPA 54 Representative Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com Public Awareness Task Force Marge Padgitt (816) 461-3665 margepadgitt@comcast.net
To contact any member of the Technical Advisory Council, please email TAC@ncsg.org with your question’s topic in the subject line.
Masonry construction and restoration Priorfire firebox Chris Prior Middle Grove, NY (518) 882-6091 chris@priorfire.com Customer communications NFPA 211 Randy Brooks Ojai, CA (805) 646-8961 hearthhunter@aol.com
Codes and standards Gas venting NFPA 54 James Brewer Chesapeake, VA jbrewer@magic-sweep.com 757-523-2400 Oil flue sizing, Relining NFPA 31 John Pilger Smithtown, NY (631) 236-7422 Chimneyman@aol.com Stainless steel lining Video scanning Narrative report writing A. Bart Ogden Wichita, KS (316) 265-9828 bart@homesafeks.com
Installation & Venting of Pellet Stoves Fred Joy Hoyt, KS (785) 986-6432 joyfredm@live.com Dryer Vents Jay Walker Tallahassee, FL 850-528-1357 JRegion3@aol.com NFPA 211, ICC John LaBrosse Hope Valley, RI 401-377-6009 john@labrossebrothers.com Dryer Vents, Masonry Rich Martinez Algonquin, IL (847) 658-7659 pam@leonardandsons.com
Be advised that advice given by NCSG’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC) reflects best practices of the chimney sweeping industry. However, we are unable to account for any particular type of situation since regional variations in construction practices and additional environmental, physical and geographical factors necessarily vary the level of service appropriate for a particular fireplace and/or chimney. Additionally, local laws and ordinances may govern and/or supersede the information and any recommendations provided. Final determinations are the responsibility of a local professional with first-hand knowledge of the situation, and the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Neither NCSG nor any member of TAC will be held liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from the use of or reliance on information provided by anyone associated with TAC. By your use of this member benefit you acknowledge acceptance of these terms.
ADVERTISING RATES for Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology may be obtained by contacting Malisa Minetree at (317) 815-4688 or SweepingAds@indy.rr.com Design by Laura Houser Design • laurahouser.com • (317) 213-7497
PRINT GREEN
NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press release and articles to Melissa Heeke, Sweeping Editor at mheeke@ncsg.org. Submissions should contain items of interest or importance to the chimney and venting industry. Submissions should not contain direct solicitations, prices, or a call to action on the part of our readers. Submissions may contain images or artwork attached in a .jpg format. In all cases, NCSG reserves the right to edit submissions to fit space limitations, keep the release and publish at a later date, or refuse to publish the release for any reason. Neither publishing, nor refusing to publish the submission should be considered a statement of NCSG’s opinion regarding the release. NCSG further reserves the right to reject at any time any advertising determined not to be in keeping with the publications’ standards. Acceptance of advertising by Sweeping magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. NCSG does not make any effort to review or substantiate claims made by advertisers. © 2011 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500
2 SWEEPING APRIL 11
President, Region 3 Jay Walker (850) 562-4692 • president@ncsg.org Vice President, At-Large Diane Pilger (631) 863-2460 • chimneygal@aol.com Treasurer, Region 5 Mark Maynard (920) 830-1920 • mark@chimneyguy.com Secretary, Region 1 Phil Mitchell (603) 659-7776 • sootski@aol.com Region 2 Bob Fleer (410) 544-7600 • bobfleer@aol.com
TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
TAC Chair Installation/Direct Vent Gas Appliances Dennis Dobbs Fort Payne, AL info@fireplaceservicecenter.com (256) 845-9814
NCSG BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2011-2012
Region 4 Marge Padgitt (816) 461-3665 • margepadgitt@comcast.net Region 6 OPEN SEAT FMI: Randy Brooks NCSG Governance Chair (805) 646-8961 • hearthhunter@aol.com At-Large Directors Jeremy Biswell (913) 236-7141 • fluesbrothers@yahoo.com Dennis Dobbs (256) 845-9814 • info@fireplaceservicecenter.com Fred Joy (785) 986-6432 • joyfredm@live.com Supplier Representative Edmund Poplawski (570) 504-7107 • epoplawski@olympiachimney.com
STAFF 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500 Fax: (317) 837-5365 Mark McSweeney, CAE Executive Director mmcsweeney@ncsg.org
Megan McMahon Office Manager mmcmahon@ncsg.org
Melissa Heeke, CAE Director of Communications & Marketing mheeke@ncsg.org
Sara Sichting Certification Coordinator (CSIA) ssichting@csia.org
Ashley Eldridge, COI, CPP Director of Education ashley@ncsg.org
Debbie Cornelius Membership Development Coordinator dcornelius@ncsg.org
Candice Bradbury Director of Finance cbradbury@ncsg.org
Donna Lee Kasmer Program Coordinator dkasmer@ncsg.org
JAY WALKER NCSG PRESIDENT
G
reetings fellow NCSG members!
It was good to see everyone who attended the convention in Hartford, CT. Our annual convention is one of the top benefits of being a member. Members come to learn, create friendships, re-energize and to see the new products available on the market. We had almost 650 members in attendance at the 2011 convention – which is not a bad showing for the North East venue. Thankfully the snow subsided and allowed for fairly easy travel to and from the Downtown Hartford Marriott. The wheels are already turning for your NCSG Board of Directors. While our annual planning meeting is coming up fast (it will be held this year during the first week of May), committee chairs are already diligently working on their committees and setting plans for the rest of the year. As we move forward, I am reminded of the technology available today and the need for change to take advantage of the newer technology and communications out there. Very soon, you, as a member, will be receiving a special voice mail message from me which is to serve as a reminder that NCSG is continuing to strive to step up member benefits. I hope to create more active communication with all members and also within the NCSG board and staff. It is very important to keep engaged with frequent communications as we move forward.
Moving Forward
to enact systems with board and staff to enable these very important aspects of leading our organization. I would like to welcome our two new directors to the board; At-Large Director Fred Joy of Top Hat Chimney Sweep, Inc. in Hoyt, KS and Supplier Director Edmund Poplawski of Olympia Chimney Supply, Inc. in Scranton, PA. They are the newest board members and have just completed their board orientation. This coming May during our planning meeting, we will welcome both of them with a seat at the table. Many of you just met our newest staff member, Director of Finance, Candice Brandbury. Thank you for making her feel welcome. I look forward to working with Candice and the
I attended a luncheon a couple of weeks ago where Jimbo Fisher, the new head football coach for the Florida State University Seminoles was the speaker. Two words he used in reference to his players during his speech were “accountability” and ”dependability”. I agree with him that these are two important characteristics of effective leaders and hope to be able
APRIL 11 SWEEPING 3
finance committee in the future to continue to strive to keep us “in the black”. It has been a pleasure to work hand-in-hand during the last couple years with NCSG’s two immediate Past-Presidents Howard Rowell and Randy Brooks. I know I can count on either of them for consultation. The organization’s financial stability is due to some hard decisions that had to be made during the last few years. We have these two leaders to thank for steering us in a positive direction. I would also like to thank Russ Dimmitt of Copperfield Chimney Supply, Inc. in Fairfield, IA for his direct involvement serving on the board over the last few years. I know Russ is willing to continue to help out on committees and I appreciate his willingness to do so, as his knowledge of and experience in the industry is very valuable. I would be remiss not mentioning our past-Vice President Bob (Gunny) Priesing. Bob had to make a decision to give up his board service for a more important personal family responsibility. Which, if you know Gunny, you know his values, morals and his words are his bond. I do hope that in the future Gunny will be able to return to board service. I consider him one of the many friends of the industry I have been blessed to know throughout the years.
At convention many of you came up to me and spoke words of encouragement as the NCSG board moves forward. I really appreciate your comments. And to those who mentioned that they’d be available if NCSG needed anything; I have you all on the list to call in times of need. Some of you Southerners mentioned to me that you wanted a more Springtime venue for convention, but I immediately reminded you that most of our members are in the Northern climate and are not able to work in the cold winter months due to snow and frigid conditions. Thus the February time for convention; majority rules. Next year, however, we are in Orlando, Florida. I would imagine this site will allow many to attend and enjoy the warmer weather as well. Site Selection Chair Diane Pilger and her committee are working diligently on NCSG convention sites for the future. NCSG Innovation 2012, next February 15-18 in Orlando, Florida should be a great venue with none of that white stuff piled up everywhere on the ground. If you are a new member of the Guild or one of the old timers, I would like to welcome you and let you know I appreciate your support of the chimney sweep industry as a whole. Sweep’s luck to you and your family, and God Bless. Jay Walker NCSG President
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Editor’s Letter
MELISSA HEEKE NCSG DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
T
he NCSG Innovation 2011 Convention and Trade Show is one for the history books! Almost 650 sweeps and suppliers met in Hartford, Connecticut to celebrate the industry and learn from one another. A huge thanks goes out to each and every person who attended the convention and trade show in Hartford. While we hope that you learned from your fellow attendees and from our lineup of professional speakers, we also need to point out your role in making the convention memorable for your fellow attendees. Whether it was chatting about how you’ve kept your head above water in a tough economy during the welcome reception or sharing your thoughts on mobile devices, when you shared your perspective, you kept the wheels turning for your industry colleagues. That clever idea that you came up with during your evening shower and later went on to test in your business may
have been just the thing that your fellow sweep had needed to try in his business. And his acknowledgment of the issue just gave you a bit of confidence about the issue that you may not have had before. Part of networking is knowing that you’re not alone in your quest for sweeping excellence. Keeping in touch and keeping the network of chimney professionals alive is one of the most important things that we can provide to you as members of the Guild. Whether it’s through the NCSG discussion list, our Facebook and Twitter pages, communication from your regional directors or even through the pages of this magazine, we want to help you keep connected to one another so you can continue to build your professional network.
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6 SWEEPING APRIL 11
Professor Ernie
Technical Q&A
Q
DENNIS DOBBS, NCSG TECHNICAL ADVISORY CHAIR
How can I prove to my customer that their chimney is leaking?
A
Every sweep has his or her favorite method. Listed below are just a few:
Use a calibrated test tube. These tubes resemble glass tobacco pipes. Adhere the base of the tube to the chimney with malleable putty; fill with water to calculate the amount of absorption in a 5 to 30 minute time period.
Point out efflorescence. White staining, known as efflorescence, on the chimney exterior, the brick or rock fireplace face or in the firebox are visible signs that are easily pointed out to the homeowner. Many home interiors are not well lit and evidence of the leakage goes unnoticed. Use a digital camera to take a photo of the fireplace face, the masonry firebox and a photo through the damper highlighting the smoke chamber. This is an easy way to illuminate interior efflorescence. A spotlight is also good for highlighting the area of concern as the brighter the light the more obvious the white stain appears.
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Point out rust. Rusted metal fireboxes as well as rusted components of a masonry firebox such as the damper, ash door and lintel plate are also obvious signs. Other indications of a leak are drip stains on the firebox floor or drip impressions made into the ashes on the firebox floor below the lintel plate and damper areas.
Use a moisture meter. A moisture meter used to probe the mortar joints in the fireplace will show a high moisture reading. If you don’t have one of these, another simple way to show moisture is to use a brown commercial grade paper towel. Press a section of the towel to the damp masonry and the liquid will wick into the paper towel leaving a stain that clearly shows that moisture is present.
The prevention of water-related issues as well as the repair of water-damaged chimneys has become a lucrative part of the sweeping industry. I urge everyone to take advantage of this opportunity.
Industry Watch Two Winners and a New Name Announced During 2011 Inventice Awards Program Jim Gillam of The Chimney Sweep News (SNEWS) unveiled a new name for the Inventice Awards program during the NCSG Innovation 2011 convention in Hartford, CT. The awards program honoring innovation in the chimney and venting industry shall now be known as The Pete Luter Innovation Awards. During the 2011 program, the judges (Yvette Aube, Bob Ferrari, Marge Padgitt, Ron Brigman and Royal Edwards) examined eight products and determined two products to be most outstanding: LintAlert from In-O-Vate Technologies, Inc. received The Pete Luter Innovation Award in the Accessories category. The DuraPro Combustion Air System from M&G DuraVent received The Pete Luter Innovation Award in the Major Products category.
Call for Proposals to NFPA 211 The next edition of NFPA 211 will be the 2013 edition, and it will be published near the end of 2012 or very early in 2013. Changes to the code take time for the committee to consider and seek input and comments from the public. If you have an idea for a change to NFPA 211 you should submit a proposal to the committee before May 23, 2011. The deadline for proposed changes to the next edition is 5 pm May 23, 2011. You can download a proposal form at www.nfpa.org Additionally, if you aren’t familiar with submitting a proposal, Jim Brewer will be glad to help. Keep in mind that with any proposed change you must provide substantiation or justification (i.e. why the proposed change is necessary). The proposal should provide enough detail so the committee understands the change request, and why you believe it is important. If you have any questions about the process please contact Jim Brewer at (757) 523-2400.
Industry Watch Policy NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases to Melissa Heeke, Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology editor, via email at mheeke@ncsg.org. Submissions should contain items of interest or importance to the chimney and venting industry. Submissions should not contain direct solicitations, prices, or a call to action on the part of our readers. Submissions may contain images or artwork attached in a .jpg format. In all cases, NCSG reserves the right to edit submissions to fit space limitations, keep the release and publish at a later date, or refuse to publish the release for any reason. Neither publishing nor refusing to publish the submission should be considered a statement of NCSG’s opinion regarding the release.
10 SWEEPING APRIL 11
THE NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2010 Report of Independent Public Accountants To the Board of Directors The National Chimney Sweep Guild Indianapolis, Indiana We have audited the accompanying statement of financial position of The National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) as of August 31, 2010, and the related statements of activities and cash flows for the year then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the NCSG’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of The National Chimney Sweep Guild (a nonprofit organization) as of August 31, 2010, and the results of its activities and its cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Our audit was made for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental information on pages 9 – 12 is presented for purposes of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial statements. Such information is the responsibility of management and was derived from and relates directly to the underlying accounting and other records used to prepare the financial statements. The information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the financial statements and certain additional procedures, including comparing and reconciling such information directly to the underlying accounting and other records used to prepare the financial statements or to the financial statements themselves, and other additional procedures in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. In our opinion, the information is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the financial statements as a whole. November 15, 2010 Merrill & Thoman, LLP Certified Public Accountants THE NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD
(A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2010 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $156,642 Accounts receivable 38,185 Due from CSIA (Note 7) 29,840 Inventory 4,841 Prepaid expenses 3,906 Property, technology and equipment (Note 3) 2,143 Total assets $235,557 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Advance dues and prepaid revenue Accrued payroll and other Total liabilities Net Assets (Note 6): Unrestricted net assets Total liabilities and net assets
Change in net assets before interest, depreciation and amortization
$8,748 319,914 41,844 370,506
( 134,949) $235,557
Operating revenue: Dues $449,176 Advertising income 163,634 Trade show and convention income 200,639 Retail sales 2,986 Interest income 1,189 Other 812 Total operating revenue 818,436 285,897 206,201 215,675 18,556 16,099
69,633
Depreciation 2,572 Amortization 1,343 Change in net assets from operations
65,718
Net assets - beginning of year Net assets - end of year
Changes in net assets:
Operating expenses: Member services Publications expenses Trade show and convention expenses Supporting activities: General management – staff expenses General management – other expenses
Organization and development 2,920 Technology 3,455 Total operating expenses 748,803
(200,667) $(134,949)
Reconciliation of change in net assets from operations to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Change in net assets from operations Adjustments to reconcile change in net assets from operations to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Depreciation and amortization Decrease (increase) in: Accounts receivable Prepaid expenses Inventory
$65,718
3,914 (13,998) (2,328) 2,936
Increase (decrease) in: Accounts payable and accrued expenses Unearned revenue Total adjustments
(8,973) 25,505 7,056
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
72,774
Net change in cash
72,774
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of year 83,868 Cash and cash equivalents – end of year $156,642
APRIL 11 SWEEPING 11
Congratulations to Our New CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps CALIFORNIA
Phillip Mc Carthy • Flue Season • Redding CONNECTICUT
Dave Burns • August West Chimney • Weston Brennan Hagley • Northeastern Chimney LLC • West Hartford
OHIO
Dan Dombek • Colonial Chimney Services • Cleveland PENNSYLVANIA
Charlie Gutridge • Antrim’s Complete Chimney Service • Pottstown Peter Beardsley • Chimney Cricket, Inc. • Springfield George Costella • E & T Chimney Sweep • Hanover VERMONT
KANSAS
Adam Kent • Brickliners Corp. • Williston
Ryan Swope • The Flues Brothers Chimney Service • Overland Park
VIRGINIA
ILLINOIS
Charles Brewer • Superior Chimney Services, Corp. • Lombard Richard Hartmann • Superior Chimney Services, Corp. • Lombard Michael Milton • A-1 Safety Chimney Services, Inc. • Lombard James Mueller • A-1 Safety Chimney Services, Inc. • Lombard
Derrick Otis • Chimney Saver Solutions • Richmond WISCONSIN
Dennis A. Stodola, Jr. • Wisconsin Chimney Technicians, Inc. • Waukesha Brian Fernandez • The Chimney Guy, LLC • Menasha Mark Bushek • ABC Chimney Sweeping and Restoration • La Crosse
Please visit www.csia.org to verify that your contact information is correct.
MASSACHUSETTES
Dan Cevilkewich • Willy’s Chimney Service • Lanoka Harbor Brent Hersey • Thoren Chimney Cleaning and Repair, Inc. • Andover Gregory Rampertab • McPuff Chimney Services, LLC • Branchburg NEW YORK
Ian Kelley • AAA Timberline Inc. • Clarence Center
Did you know?
400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 0
2005
2006 2007
2008
2009 2010
2011
2011/2010 Year to Date: 104,347/ 132,535 -21% January 2011/January 2010: 59, 064/73,534 -19.68% February 2011/February 2010: 45, 283/59,001 – 23.25%
Did you know that in addition to administering the only nationally-recognized credentials for chimney sweeps and dryer exhaust technicians, the Chimney Safety Institute of America is also an advocate of the chimney industry for home inspectors, fire departments, green builders, Realtors and homeowners? CSIA also partners with the EPA to promote its Burn Wise campaign. For more info, visit www.CSIA.org
12 SWEEPING APRIL 11
104,347
NEW JERSEY
500,000
645,948
Thomas Cady, Sr. • Tom Cady Chimney Sweep LLC • Lebanon
600,000
596,316
NEW HAMPSHIRE
700,000
523,752
Kyle Williams • Dano’s Chimney Sweep • Rochester Jesse Smart • SmartSweep Chimney Service, Inc. • Apple Valley
800,000
533,640
MINNESOTA
CSIA.org Statistics At-A-Glance
507,635
Jeffrey Hunt • Affordable Chimney Sweeps, Inc. • Peabody Glenn Sharp • Affordable Chimney Sweeps, Inc. • Peabody
346,057
CSIA Update
ADVERTISEMENT
BY DENNIS DOBBS, TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIR
Chimney Sense
Suffering From PMS
B
ack in the 70s and through the 80s, wood stoves, connector pipes and improperly built chimneys were responsible for a great number of house fires as well as for a large number of deaths. It is evident that in those days there was a lack of accessible information and some installers and homeowners would just go out on a limb doing what they felt was safe. Manufacturers have come a long way since the early days. There have been vast improvements by manufacturers and testing facilities to provide in-depth manuals for installation purposes. As it stands today, it’s much easier to install these appliances with confidence because of these published guidelines. It’s also a plus for us that we have the background of being professional chimney sweeps.
With every fireplace I inspect, I am not satisfied until I determine how it was constructed and masonry is always the most challenging. When I am inspecting a masonry fireplace and I begin seeing things that are wrong at the very start then it leads me to believe other things are wrong as well. Hearths that are cracked, cracked facings, sinking fireboxes, gaps between the lintel plate and the facing are all small signs that a larger problem may be at hand. One of the most common problems I see in the field is that masonry hearths are built on the wood subfloor. Some hearths are about a foot tall while others are inlayed level with the floor. Sometimes even the firebox is built on the wood floor. Having run into this a few times, I now perform a simple test on masonry fireplaces before the sweeping equipment comes off the truck. I kneel down, make a fist and pound on the floor, the hearth extension and the firebox while listening to the sounds this makes. If either area sounds the same as the wood floor then I immediately start to look for deeper issues.
Today, masons who construct masonry fireplaces should have the desire to obtain as much knowledge as possible about this trade, but unfortunately that is not always the case. Many suffer from Poor Masonry Skills (PMS). Some are With this said, the mason is clearly not the only one at fault. building chimneys just as they have been taught by a previous Home contractors and subcontractors can take a perfectly employer or family member. The odds are that none of us good fireplace and create hazardous conditions as well. If have ever seen the “perfect” fireplace and chimney system. we care about our profession and the well-being of our There is always something about every masonry chimney customers, then we need to do more than have a wham-bam– system that is lacking. Unlike their prefabricated cousins thank-you-ma’am-clean-the-chimney-then-get-out-of-town which are manufactured on an assembly line, masonry attitude. Even though I have been in this industry over thirty fireplaces are hand-built on-site and no two are identical. years, I never have the attitude that I know everything. There Today, some homeowners pay as much as thirty thousand is more to learn, some will be learned by day-to-day on-thedollars to have a masonry fireplace constructed. This can job experiences but even more can be learned by talking with easily become the most expensive built-in appliance in fellow sweeps at conventions, classes at the CSIA Tech Center the home. These beautiful works of art are intended to be and regional gatherings. everything the homeowner has been dreaming of. With the lights down low and the warmth and glow of the evening Manufactured hearth products have changed over the fire, a glass of wine and a little classical music, life couldn’t years and there is no excuse for improper installation. be better. What is supposed to be a relaxing evening has Every appliance has an installation manual included in the the potential to turn into a night of horrors. The fireplace packaging. Installation manuals have not been on-site for which was once their new best friend has now turned into a masonry-built systems. Our industry has relied upon NFPA211 fire breathing dragon which could consume their home and and IRC for the design and I will be very glad to see evidence everything in it because the mason did not have the proper that masons are using these guidelines in the construction training and not enough information to do his job process as well. Consider recycling those correctly. In Alabama where I live, a person who old NFPA211 manuals today by giving one This month’s Darwin builds a chimney is not required to have a state to a mason. There may not be a cure but Award winner (page 35) license, but a person doing electrical contracting, we can put forth more effort and help those plumbing, homebuilding or heating and air suffering from PMS. is an example of PMS. conditioning must be state licensed.
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JERRY E. ISENHOUR SR. OF CHIMNEY & VENTING CONSULTANTS IN CONCORD, NC
So You’ve Been Put on Notice The real story of what happens when “Bad Things Happen.”
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or quite a few years I have worked with sweeps all over the country, both in classrooms and in individual conversations, who have been PUT ON NOTICE. So you can understand what I am referring to, this is the term that is used when an attorney, adjuster or insurance company decides that you may be involved in or at fault in a potential lawsuit involving damage from a fire or other incident. This information is being presented to give you the actual way that this can happen and the process that you will go through as a business owner. What each business owner must understand is that liability is a large part of any business operation. In addition, we are all human and, as humans, we do make mistakes in our lives every day. The more people you have on your staff, the more prone and susceptible your business is to this fate. Also each business owner must understand that much of the following is now an automatic process. The key thing is that the business proceeds in the proper manner in all actions pertaining to this event once receiving the notice. The term PUT ON NOTICE is what occurs after an incident, or what we referred to in classes as BAD THINGS HAVE HAPPENED (this a term that was coined by a student at one of the classes I conducted many years ago in Madison, Wisconsin). The term says it about as good as anyone could, and the term BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN has hence become an industry saying that is
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commonly seen in internet discussion list conversations. To deal with the business at hand, let’s detail exactly what the term PUT ON NOTICE means and the processes that will happen. Please be aware that in this day and age this has now become very common and in fact it is becoming an industry practice for many insurance companies in an effort to cut or lower their losses from a claim. For our example, we will use the following incident: A fire occurs in a home, in this case we are referring to a structure fire that may or may not have resulted from a chimney fire. When the fire is reported to 911, the fire department will respond to the scene and do their best to extinguish the fire. In the process, they’ll rescue any persons or animals involved. In addition, the fire department will take all steps they can to prevent damage to the property, both from the fire and also during the extinguishment efforts. In this example, we have a residence that has received damage, and the amount of damage could be small or large with damage anywhere from $50,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. Again, this is dependent upon the value of the property and the extent of the damage. Please keep in mind that the loss may also involve other items in the home such as collector, heirloom or oneof-a-kind items. When a loss occurs, it is amazing how much property can be classified as “family heirlooms and collectable items “that Dear Uncle Fred had years ago and is now “irreplaceable.”
After the fire has been extinguished, the fire department will do a preliminary investigation. They will ask questions, and depending on the locale, the available assistance and the procedures in place, there may be a fire department investigator or a fire marshal that will conduct an inspection and will attempt to determine the cause of the fire. Depending on the amount of the loss, this may happen at the time of the incident or the property may be sealed until this can be done and the fire officials release the property. The next logical step is for the occupant of the home (or in the case of a rental, the owner of the property) to call their insurance company and start the claims process. A claim number is assigned and usually an adjuster will be assigned the claim. The time frame for the adjuster to move on this will be contingent upon what else is happening in the world of insurance loss at that time. If a natural disaster of some sort has occurred, likely many of the adjusters may be dispatched to other parts of the country and in many cases even larger companies will at times contract with an “independent adjuster” to settle the claim. In the case of some insurance companies, the claim will AUTOMATICALLY be sent to the legal department of the insurance company and a decision may be reached at that time to obtain information about any and all who have worked on the residence in the vicinity of the fire. In this case, we will say that we are dealing with a 5-year-old home, there is about $50,000 in damage and the damage is in the area of the fireplace where a factory-built fireplace has been installed.
Likely the builder, the electrician, the fireplace installer, the installer of the façade, the framer and even the drywall hanger may be put on notice that a fire has occurred in the area. The legal department, or the attorneys they contract with, will then put all of these individuals and companies on notice. Often if there is a manufactured product (a stove, fireplace or liner) these manufacturers may well have also been put on notice. Please do not take any of this personally. Do not let this get to you emotionally, even though it will. This is business and this is in many cases an AUTOMATIC procedure! The other side of this is that the adjuster may examine the property, or review the report and damage, and in his opinion, or based on the fire investigation conducted by the fire officials, may advise his company that there may be a case for subrogation, in which case the legal team will then move into action. This will be determined by the procedures as established by that insurance company. Whichever the case may be, the insurance company has now decided on a course of action to put the various involved companies on notice. The various contractors will be determined through the questions as asked by the adjuster or the property owner’s legal team and these companies will be contacted. This will usually be done to the owner of record and is found by a quick internet search as these are all public records and very easy to locate. A business should be aware that a part of the claims process and a part of the policy provisions will provide that the
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insurance is now operating as an “agent” for the actual owner of the property. During the subrogation process, the other facets will no longer be under the control of the property owner. The property owner will not be allowed the right to even start the repair process until the property and site have been released by the insurance company. Letters will be prepared alerting the various business owners of the following: • A loss has occurred, • The address of the property and likely the name of the owner of the property, • The loss is in an area where the contractor or service technician has done work, • There will be instructions for the company being put on notice to contact their insurance carrier, and • There will usually be a response date listed. This is the deadline for the attorney pursuing subrogation to receive notification of receipt of the name of the business insurance carrier. These letters will, in all likelihood, be sent via certified mail so that the receipt can be determined, but these are also now often being sent electronically via email (thank goodness for the electronic age). Please be aware that the attorneys that work subrogation are, as a rule, specialists in this category and, as a rule, they are very good at what they do. Their job is to determine who is at fault and, if this can be determined, they are experts at working to get the insurance company a portion or perhaps all of the loss they have suffered. There are some legal firms where there is a subrogation expert and the world of subrogation is the only legal work the attorney may do at the firm. There are also legal firms in this country with hundreds of subrogation specialists on staff. I would inject here that if you receive notice, you should not talk to anyone other than your insurance company, your attorney or your own staff members who may have been involved. If discussing with your staff, be sure to clearly include the additional instructions that this is a proprietary matter and should not be discussed with anyone except company management and the insurance and legal counsel representing you. You will need to ask any staff members that were involved in the job for their memory of the job. It is best to ask the question and give them a day or two to review their thoughts. Encourage them to share anything and everything that may have transpired on that site at the time of the work or to share any dealings that were with that customer including any issues that may have arisen at that time. Make sure that they understand the need for openness and honesty. Your legal team and team of experts representing you have to know EVERYTHING and must be alerted to any issues. They cannot work your defense without the complete knowledge of the case.
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I also advise you not transmit anything in writing, as any written correspondence will be open to discovery during the legal proceedings. Discovery means that your correspondence can now be called for in court and you will be directed to produce it. This is why attorneys prefer to talk to you either by phone or in conference; they do not like to write anything down until it is final. No matter how tempted you might feel to hit one of the industry discussions lists. DON’T. These discussions are also open to discovery. Additionally, even if you feel tempted to discuss it with others, I would discourage this. Don’t discuss with your drinking buddies, and don’t discuss it with the property owner. Many times a business owner will not want to report this to their insurance carrier due to a fear of increased premiums, or potential cancellation. My advice here is to never ever ignore these notices and never attempt to do this on your own. You can compromise your coverage and the cost to you could be enormous. Your first order of business is now to contact YOUR insurance carrier. This situation is the reason you have been paying those premiums through the years. A part of your insurance coverage is the legal work that will now be done on your behalf. I also will add here that once this claim is entered, you will now step back to the position of an innocent bystander and your insurance company will now be your agent in the defense of the claim. Also be aware that decisions reached from this point forward may not be consulted with you. The insurance company could even reach an out of court settlement on your behalf even though you feel you did nothing wrong. However, the other side of this is that the loss to you will be the amount of your deductible in most cases, unless your limit of liability is exceeded. If so, THEN BAD THINGS WILL SURELY HAPPEN. The adjuster will have resources at the ready involving his cause and origin folks. They are his experts; people he knows can do the job. If you feel there is a resource for him to contact, feel free to share that with him. But, as a rule, the experts are already known to the attorneys and the cause and origin guys. Many times a cause and origin guy will meet a good expert at a job site working for the other side, but then will bring him up as a resource in a future case if the cause and effect guy felt he was competent. Your insurance company will now assign an adjuster to this case. The adjuster will be the type of specialist who works these
kinds of claims; this will not be an adjuster who works on car wrecks or other types of everyday claims. Your adjuster will be experienced in these specific types of claims. You should now be making attempts to locate any and all documentation of the work done at the residence. Photos, reports, invoices, job sheets… Anything, and I do mean anything, that has a record of your visits to this home should be located and you should be prepared to cooperate with the adjuster to get him the information in the manner he wants it. Photos that you may feel have no bearing may have a bearing on the resolution of this case. (I once worked a case where a photo was taken at a party the night of the incident, but the photo showed us evidence that we needed to resolve the case because the fireplace and the surround were all very plainly in view.) At this time, the adjuster will likely alert you that he will be contracting with a cause and origin investigator. We will refer to this investigator here as a generalist, since he does cause and origin investigations after incidents. In the discussions of the loss, at this time or perhaps after the inspection we will describe later occurs, there may be a decision reached to call in an expert in the area of the damage source’s equipment. If the work itself were in question, then likely an industry standard of care expert would be the person called in as the expert. In our case, there is a determination made that the loss requires both the cause and origin investigator and that we bring in a person who has expertise in fireplace and chimney systems. Additionally there may be a person brought in who carries
expertise in “standard of care” of the industry, or perhaps as expert in the NFPA 211 inspection standards. Do not be surprised if this person or people come from another area of the country! All in all, what your insurance company is doing is building the army it will need to do an investigation and prepare a defense. If the direction of subrogation is determined, then they will have to have the muscle to carry their side. The army will start to review documentation that is available prior to the inspection of the scene. Remember those photos, those receipts and all the other documentation? This army of experts is now working with every scrap of paper you have and can find on this. Do not be surprised if they want to see your business cards, how your truck is lettered, what your advertising looks like and what your web site looks like. The expert will want to know as much about your business and how you do business in order to be as prepared as possible for the inspection when it is done. Keep in mind that if the notice has gone out, the area of the fire has been left undisturbed. In other words, nothing involved in the fire can be moved or disturbed after the fire department has finished its work. If the area is disturbed, this is referred to as “spoilage”. If spoilage occurs then this can compromise the entire subrogation claim. The next step in the process is the inspection that will occur at a date and time that all involved agree will work. Usually there will be a general time frame for this inspection to start. You can usually attend this inspection as an observer. I highly
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may mean a liner, a factory-built chimney, a cap, a damper or basically anything on the site that may be taken and then put into storage. Pay attention to the things selected. This will often tell the expert along with the cause and origin folks representing you where the investigators are going with this. Do not get into a discussion about something. Let them make their own determinations. Just watch and observe. You can take photos, too. But remember, again, any photos you take are open to discovery. Watch the photos taken and watch where attention is paid by the investigators.
recommend attending this inspection, as this is a very eyeopening scene. Since we may be dealing with individuals who will be flying in from out of state, there will be a delay in setting up this inspection to ensure that everyone has access and that all involved experts are at the scene. Prior to the inspection commencing, there will be a sign-in process where the lead investigator, the one working for the insurance company that has started this whole scenario, will ask each person to sign-in and also list their contact information. Usually each person will leave a business card with their contact information. Let me interject here, usually inspections are held regardless of the weather, unless conditions simply cannot allow this to be done. As you view the various people at the scene you may have adjusters, cause and origin investigators and expert witnesses. At times you will even have attorneys, the fire marshal, the contractors involved, and the list goes on. You will likely find that many of the cause and origin guys are good friends with each other (remember it is business, guys). Even the experts and the cause and origin guys may know each other. Some guys talk, some guys keep to themselves. Some answer questions, some do not talk. The inspection process has a wide range of personalities. Sometimes these guys are like a team working together to help each other with the “dig out” and at other times they do not communicate well with each other at all. Whatever the investigator is looking at is also allowed to be examined and photographed by everyone. I will add a word of caution here. If you want to ask a question of the cause and origin guy, or the adjuster, or the expert working on your behalf, do not ever ask or discuss anything where others can hear. You will commonly see small conferences happening all over the site, these done out of earshot of others. If you see something of importance, mention it to your team, but as above out of earshot! The cause and origin guy who has been hired by the insurance company covering the loss will now be in charge of the scene, but he does nothing without being observed by all. If something moves, cameras are recording. And any photos on the site are naturally open to discovery. I have seen investigations where there are hundreds and hundreds of photos. The investigators may start taking items from the fire to put into storage; this may mean a piece of wood, a stove or a fireplace. It
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The time frame for the inspection may be a few hours; however it may take days and even weeks. It depends upon the depth of the damage and the issues found. However all inspections must be completed before the repairs or rebuilding can take place. Remember the spoilage that we discussed earlier? Another word commonly used to define what is going on is the term “forensics.” Many cause and origin guys will go by the term “forensic expert” or “forensic engineer.” To define the word “forensic” in the simplest terms, think of it as reconstruction. They are attempting to reconstruct the scene to understand what the situation was before the incident. You may see a lot of attention paid to a particular item, a burnt wire or some melted things that are abnormal. They are searching for the exact point of origin of the fire. And it is quite common that their investigation will be much more in-depth and much more intense than the inspection that was performed by the fire officials when the fire occurred. It is also not unusual that the fire department’s opinion may be contested by the cause and origin forensic experts and their experts. Many times what the layman may consider to be small and minute can well be an area that the inspection team concentrates their efforts on. Now at this time things will sssssslllllllllllllloooowwww down. You may not hear anything for weeks, months, or, in some cases, years. The next move is for to the insurance company that has covered the loss to decide if they want to pursue action. Remember you were simply put on notice. You were not served with a lawsuit. And notice does not mean you will be sued, it just is a warning that they may sue, hence the term PUT ON NOTICE. There will be a statute of limitations, but this could be years dependent upon the law in that state. During this timeframe, the attorneys, cause and origin investigator, and any experts they have on staff for the case will discuss the findings of the cause and origin report and, if there is an expert involved, what his findings were. This discussion is by the team working for the insurance company. The ones representing you have filed their data and will not do anything until the insurance makes a move. These discussions are being conducted orally. These guys know what they are doing and, by talking about the case, there is nothing emailed, faxed or mailed that could be open to discovery, we are referring to opinions. At times there may be conference calls. A decision may be reached to pursue subrogation now or maybe later. If it is not pursued then likely you will never hear further, you just get to
sit out there and wonder what is happening. But if the attorney decides to pursue subrogation (please be aware these guys are specialists and subrogation is likely all they do), the attorney will make a judgment based on the opinions provided by the experts. Be aware, at this time there likely has been quite a sum of money spent simply on the investigation process. The cost of the investigation may get quite large. There has been the billable time for the adjuster, the attorneys and the various cause and effect folks, not to mention the charge for the experts. There is also the cost of daily expenses. Remember that the expert who may have flown in from across the country needs to be reimbursed for rental cars, mileage, parking, hotels, the list goes on and on and the process is an expensive one In our case we will say that the matter of subrogation is decided on and the insurance company will now pursue this course. Now comes the lawsuit that you and everyone involved gets served with. The suit will not be pretty and basically it will say things that you may not want to hear. There is now a very long road that will be traveled, keeping in mind that this may well be months or even years after the incident. There is a time frame to file within and many times these lawsuits will be filed right at the end of the time frame before the statute of limitations is up. The statute of limitations is set up by each state but commonly seven or ten years is the norm. Remember that this is business; this is the time in the process that things will start to get a little testy.
You will likely be called to a deposition which will involve you sitting in a conference room with a court reporter. You will be put under oath and the attorney for the insurance company that is suing you will ask questions. They will be simple questions such as your name, where you live and where you went to school. This will go on for a period of time and then they will ask you questions about the job, your training, how you did the work, how you train and the questions will be ongoing. The attorney who is representing your insurance company will be in attendance but will not be a participant except at the end unless he wants to enter an objection. Depositions will be taken of all kinds of people, if you had an employee on the site, that employee may well be deposed. The homeowner may be deposed, the experts may be deposed and the cause and origin guy may be deposed. The depositions are all recorded and are all printed out. Depositions can go from several minutes to several days. Prior to giving depositions, your representing attorney will have a conference with you and your staff to go over how to answer questions. Listen carefully as he will not be able to advise you during the deposition itself unless a recess is called and you can go to a private place. Also remember that it is your right and privilege to take a break during the deposition if you need to. When a recess is called, all conversations go off the record. This is also when you can consult your attorney over things. It will not be like a court of law where you are giving testimony, though, in fact, this is exactly what you are doing. You will also be asked if you wish to receive a copy of the deposition. My
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advice is to ask for it. You may be surprised at the answers you actually gave. Experts and the cause and origin guy will make declarations based on their expertise and what they plan to testify to. These declarations will be forwarded to all parties, as will be the photos and all documentation able to be collected. Likely, the insurance company has now filed reports with everyone they intend to go after. Once the depositions and reports have been filed by the insurance company that is on the offensive, the team for the business being sued will move into action. Now is the time your team reconvenes, reviews their data and examines the approach and ammunition the offense has presented, before beginning to work on their strategy and reports. At times additional experts may be contracted with due to the need for a certain expertise. Once a direction is decided upon, commonly the defense will file what is known as a “declaration” that will list the experts, the qualifications of the experts and the planned areas of testimony of the experts. Usually a court date will be set. Do not be surprised if this is changed, rescheduled or anything else. This is the civil court system of this country. In all likelihood, at some point, there will be a mediation done, and very likely the matter may be settled without there ever being a court hearing. Many states now require mediation prior to a court case, or the parties may mutually agree to mediation. Reports will be prepared by all of the various individuals who inspected the site. The first reports are done by the insurance company that is pursuing subrogation. All of these reports will usually have a provision that the author of the report reserves the right to amend, add to, or delete from their report based on additional or future findings. After these reports are filed, then the army defending the case will file their initial reports, with the same provisions of the ability to add, modify, change or delete portions later. This is frequently followed by a second report issued by the first army, which in turn will be answered by the second army of experts that is defending the subrogation. As I mentioned earlier, most participants get a little testy by this part of the process. By this time the paperwork may well be a stack 6” or more of 8 ½ x 14” legal-sized papers.
This portion of the process may go on for quite a period of time. Each time one side files something, and then the other side will have a certain amount of time to file a reply, a rebuttal, an additional opinion or a rebuttal opinion. And maybe, just maybe, there will come a day that this all will be decided by the case going to trial. Though, most likely an out-of-court settlement will occur. The length of time for the entire process will likely be determined by the strength each side believes that the other side has presented or it will be determined by the strength of their own reports and findings. My friends, this entire process has been performed in an effort for the insurance company to obtain at least a portion, if not all, of its loss from another insurance company. Even if the case goes to court, many times a settlement is reached before it goes to the judge or the jury for a ruling! You may not agree. In fact you may disagree. An insurance company may decide to settle out of court when you felt you did nothing wrong. Again this is business and the insurance company will proceed in the matter that is best suited to settle this in the most economic matter. In a future article I will share with you some of the documentation methods that you should incorporate as a business owner to prepare yourself and your business into your procedures. All too often, the matter of documentation is not decided by the actual mistake, but the decision is based on the amount of documentation or lack thereof. Your documentation can prevent the subrogation from going forth or it can be the fuel that feeds the fire. I have seen where proper litigation has served to quash documentation before it ever started, and I have also noted cases where the lack of this data was the fuel that fed the fire. When folks talk to me about lawsuits and the ridiculous side of many of them, I often refer them to the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform’s website (www.facesoflawsuitabuse.org). Additionally, I encourage people to look for candidates for public office who have TORT reform as a part of their platform. I have just explained much of the cost of providing insurance to a business, TORT reform that stops the filing of frivolous lawsuits is one of the ways that your cost of doing business can be reduced. With today’s laws, this is the very real world.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jerry Isenhour, Sr. has served in numerous industry capacities over his career in the chimney sweep and hearth industries including holding several strategic leadership and educational roles in the National Chimney Sweep Guild, Chimney Safety Institute of America, North Carolina Chimney Sweep Association, Hearth Patio and Barbecue Association, Hearth Education Foundation and Southeast HPBA. Upon his retirement from the industry in 2010, Isenhour was awarded the Jack Pixley Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Chimney Sweep Guild in recognition of his many industry contributions. Presently Isenhour serves as an independent consultant to the industry; additionally he provides training and sales representation for Innovative Backyard Designs /IBD Outdoor Rooms. To learn more about Isenhour’s many accomplishments and about the services that his company, Chimney and Venting Consultants, provides, visit www.chimneyandventingconsultants.com. Editor’s Note: The information appearing in this article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice to any individual or entity. We urge you to consult with your own legal advisor before taking any action based on information appearing in this article or on any web site which is mentioned in this article.
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MARTIN AUBÉ OF AIM CHIMNEY SWEEP & STOVE SHOP IN MIDLAND ONTARIO
The Case for Hiring a Qualified Chimney Technician
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t is too often that homeowners rely on the advice of their home inspector for chimney and venting installation inspections. I’ve found that presenting the following case for hiring a qualified chimney technician helps our clients understand the need for specialized service:
Did you know that certification for a chimney professional is voluntary? This means that not everyone working in this field is properly trained in updated Building and Fire Codes. Right now, anyone may build fireplaces and chimneys; anyone may service or install wood burning inserts and freestanding stoves, as well as stainless steel liners and insulated chimney systems. With rising energy costs more people are going back to burning wood; however when was the last time someone inspected your wood burning system? And to what degree? A basic visual inspection is of easily accessible areas but does not include the use of tools to open or remove any parts for further inspection and may not even include looking down the chimney. CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps and WETT Certified Solid Fuel Technicians recommend a more in-depth approach. These technicians are trained to look for any possible damage or deterioration or faulty construction that may be present in your system. From clearances to combustibles to metal fatigue, do you know the tell tale signs of a chimney fire? Does your inspector? Home inspections are beneficial for a general overview of your home, but how can one individual know everything about codes and construction? The answer, they cannot. Easily recognizable warning signs of problems can be taught, but not specific requirements of every aspect of a house. Just because something looks sound and stable does not mean it is worthy of retaining fire. Fire changes everything. Some materials absorb heat, some repel it and some dissipate it. Fireplaces must be built to meet specific minimum thicknesses and required materials of mass to properly contain the products of combustion. These requirements can change based on location and on the design of an intended system. You would not ask your mechanic to check your heart, but too many people assume that a home inspector knows everything. It is far too difficult to remember every detail of every code let alone know how to properly apply and interpret the meaning.
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A simple misunderstanding can have drastic effects and consequences. Under normal use, around 300-500 Fahrenheit (150-250 degrees Celsius) there is a fair amount of heat in the venting system. However when manufactured units can be designed for temperatures upwards of 1200 degrees F (650 degrees C) and chimney fires burn at around 2100 degrees F (1150 degrees C) that is a tremendous amount of heat for any residential application. When a chimney fire burns at approximately the same temperature range as molten lava, is it any wonder why they can cause structure fires? It is easy to say “Never have a chimney fire - never have a problem”, but that is just not true either. Any combustible material has an ignition temperature. Through constant exposure to temperatures above 190 degrees F (90 degrees C), you get what is called pyrolisis of the combustible, which means that the ignition temperature lowers with the more time that exposure to excessive heat has passed. Think of it this way. What burns better? Wet wood or dry wood? Air-dried wood or kiln-dried wood? Again, when builders and installers do not have to be certified or properly trained, very important issues may arise. Far too many times, home inspectors pass systems they simply do not understand. They do not do this because they do not care; they simply lack the training in most cases to make a proper determination of the usable condition and Building Code Requirements for that specific type of system. I have seen systems some inspectors have passed where they have written ”But I did not check the chimney” on their report. My question is then: How can it pass? I have seen where it has been written on reports “safe to use” but have then stated they have not looked inside the stove or fireplace. In my opinion, ”safe” is a dangerous word in this industry. It means nothing bad can happen. Most people are smart enough to know not to light something on fire on the coffee table, but cut a hole in the wall and put a screen in front of it or run a pipe through it and most people would not hesitate to use it. Materials degrade from heat, weather, temperature change and time. In my area, the Ontario Fire Code 2.6.1.4. calls for mandatory inspections of every chimney, flue and flue pipe at intervals not greater than 12 months, at the time of addition of any appliance, and after any chimney fire. But it does not require specialized training to conduct such an inspection.
Would you trust a vehicle inspection that said the tires have lots of tread so the brakes must be fine? Of course not, you have to look but you do not have to know what you are looking for. Are we burning a fire on the coffee table again? I believe that the basic visual inspection is acceptable in most aspects of a house inspection, if you understand them. Internal systems typically have different requirements than ones located on an outside wall of a house. Do you know the difference? Did anyone do a renovation around the fireplace to alter any aspect of it? What about the facing materials, enclosed walls and additions? Can you recognize an original system built at time of construction verses one built after completion? Do you know which chimney manufacturers do not recommend elbows in their systems when installed on the outside of a building? Unless you are very active in the industry there are too many possibilities for errors and misinterpretations. Funny designs are usually for a reason. Some after-market products change the way a system works, which products are approved and which products will potentially cause more damage? Not only can dirty chimneys cause fires but improperly built, installed and modified ones can as well. It is my opinion that when dealing with wood burning products in general, you should only use properly trained CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps and WETT Solid Fuel Technicians, not home inspectors, for evaluating the condition for fire worthiness and containment for the products of combustion. When a chimney fire has the same temperature range as molten lava and pyrolisis reduces the ignition temperature of combustibles, you should not rely on just anyone’s opinion of your wood burning systems. Choose properly trained CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps and WETT Solid Fuel Technicians for the satisfaction and enjoyment of a safer home. Your life MAY depend on it. Both in the United States and Canada, Solid Fuel technicians and sweeps require extensive training in order to properly do their appointed jobs. From a basic sweep to a full installation, we must know our stuff. Both CSIA and WETT Certifications are the recognized credentials of individuals who care about your chimneys and appliances. Visit www.csia.org or www.wettinc. ca for more information on training available to chimney professionals. We, as a company, utilize our certification in all of our verbal communication with homeowners, realtors and builders - at home shows, presentations and at meetings-as being the best of the best. Our credentials show our potential and established clientele the advantage of the additional attention that our technicians use over the services of the “flue by nighters” out in the service world who do not understand or know enough about chimneys, appliances and their proper installation methods. We also use this verbiage in our proposals, letters, quotations and evaluation/inspection reports. We share our on-going and past training to inform our clients that we are not just one of the “seasonal sweeps” but rather a full-time company with employees of merit. This sharing of knowledge and in-depth conversation generally gets us accepted as the Technician of Choice with many clients, including realtors, insurers, renovators, builders and installers. So how do YOU promote yourself to the best of your ability? Easy. Promote your training, your knowledge and your caring and get the job done right- the first time.
APRIL 11 SWEEPING 23
Innovation 2011
NCSG welcomed sweeps from as far away as Canada, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
During its auct ion in Hartford, the Chimney Sa fety Institute of America raised the remaining amount needed to pay off the mortgage on the CSIA Technology Cen ter and the adjoining land in Indianapolis .
ford, CT t r a H • 2 1 9 y r Februa
Almost 650 sweeps and vendors met in Hartford Connecticut for NCSG Innovation 2011!
Congratulations Are in Order Emily and Paul Luter of Countryside Chimney Sweep in Roanoke Rapids, NC accepted the NCSG Friendship Award on behalf of their late husband and father Pete Luter. Pete served as President of the National Chimney Sweep Guild and the Chimney Safety Institute of America from 1989 to 1991 and is credited as one of the handful who brought European traditions to the United States by building friendships nationally and internationally.
Hope Stevenson and Heather Newell of Dave Pomeroy Signature Training in Wayland, IA accepted the CSIA Education Award on behalf of their late father Dave Pomeroy. Dave played an integral role in the professional development of many chimney sweeps and hearth retailers and also served as NCSG Innovation 2010 convention keynote in Indianapolis.
Howard Rowell of Royal Chimney Service in Milwaukee, WI was awarded the NCSG President’s Award. Howard served as President of the National Chimney Sweep Guild and the Chimney Safety Institute of America from 2006 to 2008. He has also served in multiple additional leadership capacities including as a member of the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Marketing Task Force and as chair of the Ethics and Governance Committees.
Jerry Isenhour of Concord, NC was recognized for his contributions to the chimney service industry as the recipient of the newly-named Jack Pixley Lifetime Achievement Award. Jerry served as President of the National Chimney Sweep Guild and the Chimney Safety Institute of America from 1994 to 1997 and again from 2001 to 2004. Additionally, Jerry has served in numerous industry capacities throughout his career in the chimney sweep and hearth industries including holding several strategic leadership and educational roles in the National Chimney Sweep Guild, Chimney Safety Institute of America, North Carolina Chimney Sweep Association, Hearth Patio and Barbecue Association, Hearth Education Foundation and Southeast HPBA.
26 SWEEPING APRIL 11
Thank you! Ho t e l & Spa
Keller & Heckman, LLP
M&G Dura Vent SaverSystems
Many thanks to the vendors, volunteers, sponsors and sweeps who made a BIG impact on the success of the members of the National Chimney Sweep Guild by being a part of NCSG Innovation 2011. Without your input and legwork, the convention and trade show would be merely a shadow of the successful event that it is today. We look forward to meeting many of you again in 2012 and wherever our travels may take us in between. All the best for a safe and successful year collecting experiences to share at next year’s convention in Orlando! APRIL 11 SWEEPING 27
NewNCSG Members
NCSG REGIONS REGION 1
CONNECTICUT William Benito • Connecticut Steam Cleaning, Inc. • South Windsor VERMONT Kyle Fischer • Fischer, Kyle • Stow Aaron Wolfe • Catamount Chimney Service LLC • Fletcher NEW HAMPSHIRE Ryan Gagnon • Ryan Gagnon Masonry • Manchester Emanuel (Manny) Pacheco • North Atlantic Chimney Service • Hampton NEW YORK Jonathan Steele • Empire Masonry Heaters • Scottsville MASSACHUSETTS Jeffrey M. Smith • The Berkshire Brush • Shelbourne Falls Linwood Stone • Linwood Stove & Fireplace • Hanson
REGION 1 Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire
REGION 2 Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
REGION 2 PENNSYLVANIA Dean Fletcher • Fletcher Contracting • Cranberry Township Roy Johnston • Johnston’s Chimney Sweep, Inc. • West Newton Jeremy D. Smith • Mid State Chimney Sweeps, LLC • Bedford MARYLAND Roger Veiasquez • Capitol Chimney • Silver Spring
GEORGIA Jim Tutsock • Chimney Mischief • Atlanta NORTH CAROLINA Richie Baxley • Environmental Chimney Sweep Inc. • Fletcher Clifford Freeman • Freeman, Clifford • Piney Creek Robert Jones • Carolina Chimney Cleaning • Charlotte Jim Wiles • Neuex Hearth Products • Charlotte
NCSG Charter Members Paul Bourque Huntsville, AL
John Cline, Menlo Park, CA
Don Leavitt San Diego, CA
Dale Meisinger, N. Augusta, SC
David Harris Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Eva B. Horton, Greenwich, CT
28 SWEEPING APRIL 11
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
REGION 4 REGION 3
Dan Wheeler Santa Rosa, CA
REGION 3
Alan Hisey, St. Louis, MO
Harry Richart, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio
REGION 5 Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin
REGION 6 Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
NewNCSG Members REGION 4
Energy-Saving Dampers
ILLINOIS Richard White • White, Richard • Streamwood KENTUCKY La Mara Martin • Hearth & Home of Kentucky, Inc. • Paducah Brian Trusty • Chimney Man • Covington
Reduce Your Customer’s Utility Bills
MICHIGAN Jason Cook • Stone Wall Construction • Warren
REGION 5 LOUISIANA Mike Dugas • Chimney Care of Lake Charles • Lake Charles WISCONSIN Isaac Theisen • Ledegar Roofing • La Crosse ARKANSAS Mike Roberts • Delta Chimney Sweep • West Memphis Jacob d. Cromwell • Top Hat Services • Springdale KANSAS Scott Schmelzer • Metal-Fab Inc. • Wichita OKLAHOMA Paul Sanders • Cobra Chimney Caps Inc. • Salem
REGION 6 CALIFORNIA Dennis Daugherty • Wilshire Fireplace Shop Inc. • San Diego Ed Ehrenpfort • Ehrenpfort, Ed • Frazier Park Mike Lender • Absolute Chimney Service • Big Bear Lake Phil Stith • Napa Valley Chimney Sweepers • Napa Alexander Vasquez • A Better Vent Cleaning • Murrieta IDAHO Bryan Fredrickson • A Firemans Chimney Sweep • Emmett
• Over 80,000 Sold in the Last 10 Years • Superior Design & Quality – Cast-Aluminum Construction – Easy Opening With Power-Lever Assist – Easily Mounts Atop a Flue Tile
• Over 25 Years in the Business
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New Supplier Member
New England Chimney Supply 280 Commerce Street Williston, VT 05495 (888) 900-8106 Technical: (802) 310-5843 cell Fax: (888) 392-4432 www.newenglandchimneysupply.com ps@nesbestfex.com
Innovative Chimney Liner Manufacturer Offers a Wealth of Experience, Products and Originality New England Chimney Supply is a new company, but its leadership is made up of trusted individuals who have earned the respect of their peers in the chimney industry. The New England Chimney Supply team brings more than 70 years of combined experience in the chimney industry to you. Pierre Simard and John Parot have built their reputations based on their knowledge and expertise in the chimney liner supply business. “We are one big family at New England Chimney Supply and we bring family values to our business.We sincerely care about you, about your customers and about our products.We promise 3 things: (1) That we have what it takes to make ‘our’ homes safe. (2) We will make your jobs easier. (3) Doing business with us will be enjoyable!”
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30 SWEEPING APRIL 11 11 Sweeping April Copperfield.indd
1
2/24/11 9:09:52 AM
Progressive Perks
BY DEBBIE CORNELIUS MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS! - Unknown
Volunteers – Your Gift of time is Priceless! Once again I would like to recognize the dedication and enthusiasm volunteers play to the success of the National Chimney Sweep Guild and its mission.
While “thank you” may never seem to be enough, on behalf of the NCSG staff and Board of Directors, I will again say thank you. The credit of our success firmly rests in your dedicated volunteer efforts and it is a pleasure to work with all of you.
Many organizations, including the NCSG, do not have large staffs so it is imperative to seek out other resources to help with one of our largest events - the NCSG Innovation convention and tradeshow. Since just about everything that is done at convention requires volunteer support, the efforts of members, spouses, employees and friends make the vast contribution to its overall success.
P.S. – While you’re considering the importance of volunteering, don’t forget Sweeps Week June 20 – 24, 2011! Come for a day, several days or the week. We’ll be building many masonry chimneys in preparation for the ESCHFOE conference later in the summer. In exchange for your masonry skills, you’ll receive good food and great fellowship along the way. Several sweeps even camp out at the Tech Center (get here and you’re taken care of for your stay)!
2010 – 2011 Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program Featured Coupons of the Month Look for the 2010 – 2011 coupon offers in the “Members Only” section of the NCSG website at www.NCSG.org. Here you will find information necessary to redeem these coupon offers and others from these participating vendors: AHRENS Chimney Technique • AirJet, Division of Continental Industries • Copperfield Chimney Supply • Duct Cleaners’ Supply • Dynacote LLC • Earthcore Industries, LLC • Eclipse Distributing • Enervex, Inc.(formerly Exhausto) • Firesafe Industries • Golden Flue, Inc. • Hearth Classics • Lindemann Chimney Supply • MC Refractory Inc. • Matters of the Hearth • Meyer Machine & Equipment • Morso • National Chimney Supply • Olympia Chimney Supply • RLH Industries, Inc. • Rutland Products • SaverSystems • Smoktite LLC • The Chimney Sweep News (SNEWS) • U.S. Fireplace Products, Inc. • Ventech Industries, Inc. • Wakefield Brush • Wohler USA, Inc. • Z-Flex.
These are just a few of the many offers available to you as a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild. Visit www.NCSG.org to learn more and to start saving!
Enervex, Inc. (formerly Exhausto)
Firesafe Chimney Systems, Inc.
Lindemann Chimney Supply
SAVE Up to $ 100
Save $100 on an Exhausto Vacu-fan (reconditioned RS12 or RS14 with handle and 3-prong plug)
SAVE Up to $ 100
FREE – Loaner Fan for any home show in your area (includes shipping to and from show) Must book at least two (2) weeks in advance
SAVE Up to $ 50
$50 OFF any order for Crown Guard summer formula (1 or 3 gallons)
SAVE Up to $ 50
$50 OFF any order for Crown Guard HP winter formula (1 or 3 gallons)
SAVE Up to $ 50
$50 OFF any order for FireGuard applicator, ceramic powder, or BA bonding agent
SAVE Up to $ 54
FREE PANEL! Buy 4 Skamolex refractory replacement panels, Get the 5th free!
SAVE Up to $207
FREE DAMPER! Buy four (four) Sealtight or Energy Top Dampers, Get the 5th one free!
APRIL 11 SWEEPING 31
Dates & Events April 24, 2011 SaverSystems- Richmond, IN HeatShield Installer Factory Training For more information call (800) 860-6327 x105 or email stuartk@ saversystems.com April 25-29, 2011 Online CSIA eLearning For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA. org April 29, 2011 Sponsored by Olympia Chimney Supply Scranton, PA CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review and Exam For more information please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 2, 3, 4, & 5, 2011 Online Codes & Standards Quizzes Available For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA. org/quiz May 6, 2011 CSIA Technology Center CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review & Exam For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 6, 2011 SaverSystems- Richmond, IN HeatShield Installer Factory Training For more information call (800) 860-6327 x105 or email stuartk@ saversystems.com
May 9-15, 2011 Online CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review For more information, call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 9-15, 2011 Online CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review For more information, call (317)-837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 12-13, 2011 Oregon CDET Review and Exam For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 13, 2011 Baltimore, MD CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review & Exam For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 16-20, 2011 CSIA Technology Center Installing and Troubleshooting Gas Hearth Appliances For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 16-20, 2011 Online Health & Safety Week For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA. org/safetyweek Please send notice of your events for NCSG Dates & Events listings at mmcmahon@ncsg.org for inclusion here, in weekly posts to the discussion list and online at www.NCSG.org/dates. The event must be considered educational or informative for the industry (sales events and open houses will not be listed).
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BY MARK MCSWEENEY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Perspective
The Entrepreneurial Relationship “Assumptions are the termites of relationships.” -Henry Winkler
E
arlier this year, shortly before NCSG’s convention, I read a post in a local business journal titled “The Link Between Entrepreneurship and Divorce.” Happily married for twenty-one years and the product of parents who have been married for more than 50 years, I have always been pro-marriage. In fact, my wife and I have been heavily involved in programs for engaged couples for well over a decade. So, the title of the article caught my attention. The author acknowledges that readily-available statistics on the subject are next to impossible to find. I did some searching myself, and while there are a handful of opinions and theories from credible sources including Inc. magazine and Entrepreneur.com, hard data on entrepreneurship and successful nuptials just doesn’t seem to be there. None-the-less, anecdotal as it may be, some of these articles have generated some interesting online feedback from a variety of industrialists offering their perspectives from marriages that
were succeeding and thriving, to those who were struggling, to those who had failed. Thankfully none of the comments were bitter which somehow made them seem more credible and merely insightful. The common thread between them all was that success does require a committed and special relationship. One entrepreneur responded, “I find great reward in my business accomplishments, but I find greater reward in having time to spend with my family…More time than if I worked a traditional 9-5 job. Have I had to make sacrifices? You bet. But I would sooner hand over workplace tasks to an extremely competent employee than hand over my parenting tasks to a full-time care provider.” A writer for one of the articles, an entrepreneur themself, commented “Many spouses can’t compete with the intense passion many entrepreneurs have for their businesses, and business ownership can intensify traits not known for nurturing relationships—bossiness, self-importance and impatience.”
APRIL 11 SWEEPING 33
Since I could only get so far with the marital impact, the subject got me thinking about the challenges of business relationships in general beyond the family. Having studied the “institute” of marriage over the years in one of my volunteer capacities, I appreciate that the leading cause of most failed marriages tends to be false assumptions and little to no real communication. I talked to a handful of sweeps about this topic over the course of our recent convention in Hartford and received remarkably similar feedback. Specifically, when they reflected over challenging customers and/or problem employees in their past, they acknowledged that the common culprits were often assumptions based on misinformation, taking someone’s contributions to the professional relationship for granted, and a breakdown in constructive communication. It is interesting to note that, like in marriage, “constructive communication” doesn’t necessarily refer to a lack of information. Some may even argue that there is such a thing as too much information. Rather, it’s taking the time to ensure that the information we are reacting to is appropriate and credible and that we are communicating in a way that is respectful and mutually meaningful to both parties. Alan Alda once said, “Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them
off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.” We process many ethics complaints in our office. I am thrilled that the sweeping industry offers this due process outlet for homeowners and sweeps…Many industries do not. The vast majority of the issues reviewed are fortunately not determined to be unethical at all. Most of them are the result of miscommunication and false assumptions, and once the complainant and the respondent are able to sort that out (which thankfully happens in more cases than not) the situation is able to sort itself out. The experience always begs the question… Why couldn’t a deep breath be taken and a bit of empathy exercised to begin with to avoid all the angst? I’ve known many entrepreneurs over the years, some extremely successful and some not. Most generally agree that it’s in their very nature to be assertive, particular and demanding; it’s how they’ve gotten where they are. But the most successful over the long haul have tended to be those who understand and value the importance of relationships…personal as well as professional. I was taught early on in my life that any true relationship is a constant dance of give and take, and it’s relationships that make the world go around. “You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world, but a world lives in you.” – Frederick Buechner. Until next time, I wish you every success!
34 SWEEPING APRIL 11
Darwin Awards Have you snapped a photo of a peculiar chimney in your area that made you shake your head in disbelief? Send it to Melissa Heeke at mheeke@ncsg.org for publication in Sweeping. Or, mail it to NCSG, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168.
While these are good examples of Poor Masonry Skills, they would not have been exposed had it not been for an unrelated house fire. - Submitted by Dennis Dobbs of The Fireplace Service Center in Fort Payne, AL.
Display Ad Index Page #
Advertiser
Phone
Email or Website Address
7
Ahrens Chimney Technique
800-582-1392
ahrenschimney@qwestoffice.net
11
Barnhill Chimney Company
859-219-8736
www.barnhillchimney.com
15
Cobra Chimney Caps, Inc.
503-463-0636
www.cobrachimneycaps.com
30
Copperfield Chimney Supply
800-247-3305
www.copperfield.com
23
Empire Masonry Heaters
585-889-2002
www.empiremasonryheaters.com
6
ENERVEX (formerly EXHAUSTO)
800-255-2923
www.chimneyfans.com
32
Firesafe Industries, Inc.
800-545-6607
www.firesafeinc.com
9
Golden Flue, Inc.
800-468-1052
www.goldenflue.com
21
Hose Master
800-221-2319
bobdaniels@hosemaster.com
BC
Lifetime Chimney Supply LLC
877-234-7473
www.lifetimechimneysupply.com
4
Lindemann Chimney Supply
800-722-7230
www.lindemannchimney.com
29 Lyemance
800-334-2154
www.GLLchimneyproducts.com
19
National Chimney Supply
800-897-8481
www.nationalchimneysupply.com
10
New England Supply
888-900-8106
www.newenglandchimneysupply.com
5
Olympia Chimney Supply
800-569-1425
www.olympiachimney.com
36
Sand Hill Wholesale
800-258-5496
www.sandhillwholesale.com
3
SaverSystems, Inc
800-860-6327
www.chimneysaver.com
8
Specialty Supply Company
800-331-9234
www.specialtysupplyco.com
17
U.S. Fireplace Products Inc.
888-290-8181
www.usfireplaceproducts.com
800-335-2534
www.whitecaps.com
34 Whitecaps
APRIL 11 SWEEPING 35
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CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERS Members can run one 35 word classified free each year! Regularly classified ads are $2/word or $1/word for NCSG members. Classified ads are non-commissionable and must be pre-paid. To place a classified ad, please contact Megan McMahon at mmcmahon@ncsg.org or (317) 837-1500.
CHIMNEY SAFETY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA Just minutes southwest of the Indianapolis International Airport, the CSIA Technology Center is located at 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. CONTINUING EDUCATION AT THE TECHNOLOGY CENTER April 11 – April 16 - National Chimney Sweep Training School Fundamentals of sweeping and inspection of chimney systems, equipment operation, health and safety considerations and stepby-step instruction in codes, clearances, standards and practices. CCS CEUs: 4 T, 4 C&S, 4 C&L, 4 H&S NFI CEUs: 16 T May 16-20 - Installing & Troubleshooting Gas Hearth Appliances Appliance standards, combustion requirements, pipe sizing, installation, troubleshooting, carbon monoxide testing and fuel conversion. NFI exam included! CCS CEUs: 4 T, 4 C&S, 4 C&L, 4 H&S NFI CEUs: 16 T June13-18 - National Chimney Sweep Training School Fundamentals of sweeping and inspection of chimney systems, equipment operation, health and safety considerations and stepby-step instruction in codes, clearances, standards and practices. CCS CEUs: 4 T, 4 C&S, 4 C&L, 4 H&S NFI CEUs: 16 T June 27-29 - Inspection & Report Writing Designed to enhance your inspection process. During this session, our instructors will concentrate on helping you build the narrative-style reports your customers demand. CCS CEUs: 8-T, 8 C&S NFI CEUs: 16 T
July 11-15 - Installing & Troubleshooting
Woodburning Hearth Appliances Energy efficiency, appliance selection and sizing, installation of woodburning fireplaces and stoves, system operation, maintenance and troubleshooting. NFI exam included! CCS CEUs: 4 T, 4 C&S, 4 C&L, 4 H&S NFI CEUs: 16 T July 18-20 - Chimney Physics Diagnosis and resolution of chimney performance problems, solving air pressure problems, identifying the symptoms of indoor air pollutants, determining combustion air requirements for vented appliances. CCS CEUs: 4 T, 4 C&S, 4 C&L, 4 H&S NFI CEUs: 16 T August 1-6 - National Chimney Sweep Training School Fundamentals of sweeping and inspection of chimney systems, equipment operation, health and safety considerations and stepby-step instruction in codes, clearances, standards and practices. CCS CEUs: 4 T, 4 C&S, 4 C&L, 4 H&S NFI CEUs: 16 T September 19-24 - National Chimney Sweep Training School Fundamentals of sweeping and inspection of chimney systems, equipment operation, health and safety considerations and stepby-step instruction in codes, clearances, standards and practices. CCS CEUs: 4 T, 4 C&S, 4 C&L, 4 H&S NFI CEUs: 16 T
Schedule subject to Change. Please contact CSIA prior to making travel arrangements. This institution is regulated by: The Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education, 302 W Washington St, Room E201, Indianapolis, IN 46204 Accreditation contact IN Toll Free 1(800) 227-5695 or (317) 232-1320.
Visit www.CSIA.org or call 317-837-5362.
When earning a new CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® credential, candidates are required to:
□ Attend an online or in-person review session. □ Pass a one-hour exam based on Successful Chimney Sweeping (2009) and NFPA 211 □ Pass a ninety-minute openbook exam based on the 2006 International Residential Code. □ Agree to pay the Annual Certification Fee. □ Sign CSIA Code of Ethics.
CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® and CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® Online Review Sessions Are Scheduled Monthly Online Exams Also Available Visit www.CSIA.org! IN-PERSON REVIEW & EXAM SESSIONS Single Day Review Followed by Two Certification Exams
May 6 - CSIA Tech Center May 13 - Baltimore, MD June 10 - Richmond, VA July 12 - California GSCSG Convention July 22 - Fairfield, IA August 26 - Nashville, TN September 9 - CSIA Tech Center September 9 - Atlantic City, NJ October 21 - Albany, NY November 4 - CSIA Tech Center
CDET DRYER VENTS
Single Day Review Followed by the Certification Exam
May 12-13 Cottage Grove, OR September 8-CSIA Tech Center
NEW FOR SPRING! MASONRY CHIMNEY LINING with Stainless Steel Coming Soon! As of 3/10/11
National Chimney Sweep Guild 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168
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