Sweeping July 2018 VOLUME 42 #6
The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology
Sweeps Week
How & Why OverMarketing Can Hurt Your Business
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Departments President’s Letter 3 Editor’s Letter 5 Coach’s Corner 18 Technical Q&A 22 Dates and Events 24 New Members 28 Membership Memo 29 Around the Tech Center 34 Classifieds 35 Darwin Award 36 On the Cover: Sweeps Week 2018 was another wonderful success! Check out the full group photo on page 12.
Table of Contents Sweeping July 2018 Volume 42 Issue 6
Features
How & Why OverMarketing Can Hurt Your Sweeps Business Week
6 12 July 2018
Smoke Chambers and Cast in Place Liner Installation (866) 283-8667 Ext. 706
Factory Built Fireplace Installation and Replacement (866) 283-8667 Ext. 701
Dryer Vents (866) 283-8667 Ext. 707
Gas Appliance Venting, Gas Logs and NFPA 54 (866) 283-8667 Ext. 702 Oil Appliance Venting and NFPA 31 (866) 283-8667 Ext. 703 Chimney Inspection, Documentation and NFPA 211 (Levels of Inspection) (866) 283-8667 Ext. 704
Installation and Venting of Pellet Stoves (866) 283-8667 Ext. 708 IRC and NFPA 211 (Code Questions) (866) 283-8667 Ext. 709 Customer Service and Customer Communication (866) 283-8667 Ext. 710 General Sweeping and Repair (866) 283-8667 Ext. 711
NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2017-2018
TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
Masonry Fireplace Construction and Restoration (866) 283-8667 Ext. 700
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STAFF
Resources 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500 Fax: (317) 837-5365
Megan McMahon Association Manager mmcmahon@ncsg.org
Donna Lee Kasmer CSIA Certification Coordinator dkasmer@csia.org
Darcy Marlett Director of Communications and Marketing dmarlett@ncsg.org
Penny Seals Program Coordinator pseals@ncsg.org
Zach Zagar CSIA Marketing Director zzagar@csia.org
Sara Sichting Systems and Records Coordinator ssichting@ncsg.org
Russell Dimmitt Education Director rdimmitt@ncsg.org
Annemarie Stockton Membership Coordinator astockton@ncsg.org
Charissa Benge Mahaffey Office Coordinator cmahaffey@ncsg.org
July 2018
COMMITTEE CHAIRS and TASK FORCES 2018 – 2019
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 firsthand 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.
Region 6 Bob Ferrari (530) 941-5818 bob@flueseason.com
Vice President, Region 4 Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com
At-Large Director Gregg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net
Treasurer, Region 3 Ron Rust (803) 730-5858 tophatswp@aol.com
At-Large Director Jeff Peterson (703) 444-5155 jeff@potomacservices.net
Secretary, Region 1 Matt Mair (603) 525-7905 matt@blackmoosechimney. com
Supplier Representative Stuart Karanovich (765) 966-5084 stuartk@saversystems.com
Region 2 Bill Thornton (215) 540-9787 wissahickonvalleysweep@ yahoo.com
Stainless Steel Liner Installation (866) 283-8667 Ext. 705 To contact any member of the Technical Advisory Council, please call (866) 283-8667 and select the extension for the person who is best qualified to answer your question:
President, Region 5 Jasper Drengler (715) 304-8934 drengler01@gmail.com
Bylaws Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com
NFPA 211 Representative Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com
Ethics Andy Raycroft (703) 836-7858 andy@rooftopchimneysweeps.con
NFPA 31 Representative John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com
Governance Tom Hunkele (641) 774-8056 topnotchchimney@gmail.com
NFPA 54 Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com
Government Affairs Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com
Technical Advisory Council Michael Segerstrom (908) 253-9190 chimneysweeps@optonline.net
International Relations John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com
Scholarship Committee Gregg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net
Membership Bob Ferrari (530) 221-3331 bob@flueseason.com
ADVERTISING RATES for Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology may be obtained by contacting Malisa Minetree at (317) 815-4688 or sweepingads@me.com Layout and design by David Bruce, Red2 Design Bureau NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases and articles to editor Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@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 publication’s 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. © 2018 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 837-1500
S
o here I am "back home again in Indiana" taking the gas class. The last time I took this class was with the late Dave Pomeroy in 2002. Dave was a wonderful teacher and I loved his style and dedication. The last few years a few of my guys have taken the class and with mixed results. Everyone agrees it is the most difficult, but I showed up pretty confident. Day 1, my head almost exploded! Honestly reading the book or anything may have been a good idea. The next few days with the hands on training was amazing. It's great for new guys and I tried to not jump in and just fix everything. The tech in me loves the problem solving part of this industry the most. Gas has been a great addition to our business and I highly recommend the training. Tomorrow I test and I'm pretty sure I’ll pass, but I'm still studying and getting to bed early.
I hope everyone is having a safe, fun and profitable early summer. Remember now is the time to get trained, get stocked up and before you know it the crazy season will be here again.
President’s
Letter Jasper Drengler
President
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I hope you are having a wonderful summer.
Before you close the issue check out this month’s Darwin Award that comes to us all the way from Romania!
Here at the Tech Center we just said goodbye to all of our Sweeps Week visitors and are getting ready to host more students for the National Chimney Sweep Training School. Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Sweeps Week event and helped us to continue to make improvements to our beloved Tech Center. Be sure to check out the photos from this year’s event and make plans to join us next year. (The food alone is worth the trip!)
Editor’s
Letter Darcy Marlett Editor
Cheers,
You will also want to read this month’s Membership Memo column, our membership coordinator has the details on a
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5 S W E E P I N G
How & Why OverMarketing Can Hurt Your Business
Taylor Hill and Carter Hawkins Spark Marketer
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A
s business owners, we have this fear that one day the phones will just stop ringing. In seasonal businesses, that fear is perhaps greater, and that day is almost expected — but bills don’t stop and payroll doesn’t stop just because the phones stop, which can be pretty scary. You may think the best way to avoid the seasonal slowdown is to keep your marketing and advertising strategy full throttle, even when you have so much business you can barely keep your head above water. But while this may seem like the logical thing to do, it’s certainly not the wisest thing to do… Think about your busiest time last year. Were you slammed with business, booked out for
July 2018
weeks, hoarding customers, and rushing through jobs to make sure everyone was taken care of? Did you slow down your marketing and advertising efforts during that time or did you keep things going as usual? The reality is, your advertising and marketing budget and strategy should shift and change with your business. When you’re in the weeds, you can’t just do what you’ve always done, because it might not make sense for your present reality — it might actually hurt your business. You know the old phrase, ‘Too much of a good thing?’ When it comes to marketing your business, over-marketing can be just as damaging as under-marketing, so you’ve
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or overwhelmed when you or your staff do finally talk to potential customers, you risk running off those leads. What will those potential customers think? They’ll think you’re too small and inefficient to meet their needs. Guess who won’t be calling you again?
Wait, what? I thought you were a marketer. How can you say that? Stay with me…
What’s at Risk?
• Your rapport with existing customers. If you keep your marketing going full-blast, you need to make sure you have the capacity to add more trucks and more techs, so that you’re able to take care of the new customers your marketing brings in -- especially in the fall and winter months when everyone’s looking to make sure their fireplaces and stoves are ready for that first fire -- and the existing, loyal customers you’ve served in years prior. If you’re understaffed and bringing in more business than you can handle, you put your reputation on the line. You may miss things, skip chimscans that could reveal issues and repairs you could book in the spring/summer months to keep work steady, and provide a less than stellar customer experience. If you and your team are focused on the next job on a seemingly neverending TO DO list, your service will inevitably suffer. You’ll underserve the customers you’ve already established a relationship with, and
What’s the harm in doing a little too much with your marketing and advertising and sticking with the same strategy year round? Once again, think back to your busiest time last year. Aside from the mental and physical wellbeing of you and your team, what else gets stretched thin when you don’t have a manageable workflow? Your systems? Your customer service? When you’re rushing around trying to get to all of your customers and the calls keep coming in because you haven’t paused or slowed down your ad and marketing spend, what’s at risk? • Your reputation with potential customers. When you’re in the weeds and your mind is going a million miles a minute, you miss things, and your frustrations come across in your voice and your body language. By not returning calls, not answering schedule request forms, and sounding curt, rushed,
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you won’t have the time or headspace to look for ways to add value for each customer. The customers who know you and know how you do things are accustomed to a certain level of service. When they don’t get what they’ve come to expect or they feel like you’re just rushing through the job, your rapport with them is compromised, and the relationship is changed to some extent. The next time they call you (if there is a next time), you’ll have to work to repair that relationship and reassure them that they can expect consistent, high-level service from you and your team, no matter the season. • Your mental and physical health. Look, we’re not (yet) machines. Having more business than you can handle and working non-stop is physically and mentally exhausting. Your stress levels rise, your sleep suffers, you miss out on the restoration that comes with relaxation and time with family and friends — and all of these things can take a toll on you and prevent you from being the best leader, father, mother, and spouse you can be. When you have so little time for yourself that you have nothing left to give anyone else, frustrations, fights, and guilt-trips follow, making matters worse. The only solution is to stop and give your body and mind what they need (which isn’t more work, mind you), but if you’ve kept the marketing and advertising efforts full-throttle, even if you want to take a breather, you may not be able to.
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• Your money! While chimney leaks and masonry damage can occur any time of year, the reality is, most people are going to call a chimney sweep when the temperatures drop and they start thinking about the first fire of the season. So naturally, business is going to ramp up heavily during the fall and winter months. Why not save some of your marketing and advertising dollars for when things slow down and you actually need to drum up more business? If you keep feeding and feeding the budget when you already have more business than you can handle, you’ll end up wasting money that could be better spent somewhere or some time else.
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Have you been thinking of your marketing as a ‘set it and forget it’ thing? Stop! Marketing strategically will protect your business from extremes and help ensure that business comes when you’re ready for it so you can close more leads and keep your customers happy and loyal. And ultimately, isn’t that the point of marketing? Taylor Hill is co-founder and crew chief of Spark Marketer, a local online marketing company that specializes in marketing service businesses across the US. He’s passionate about helping service business owners navigate the Internet oceans filled with sharks and unsavory pirates. He’s also co-host of the Blue Collar Proud (BCP) Show, the podcast that’s all about having and living the blue collar dream, and coauthor of Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles For Building A Kickass Business You Love. @sparkmarketer, facebook.com/ sparkmarketer, facebook.com/bcpshow/, facebook.com/ groups/bluecollarproudnation/, @taylorkhill @bcpshow
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While this year's event was a bit more intimate (read smaller) than last year, we had so much enthusiasm and participation that we accomplished amazing things all week long. This year's event wouldn't have happened nearly so nicely without each and every contribution! WELL DONE! (to EVERYONE)! We had vendors who participated in various ways. They either sent representatives to work with us and/or sent stuff for us to eat or use on our projects and/or made generous donations to our Portland Sweeps Week Silent Auction. • Grandy & Associates • Enervex • SaverSystems • National Chimney Supply • Duct Cleaner Supply • RLH Industries • Estoban • CVC Coaching • NY Chimney Sweep Guild • Lindemann Chimney Supply In addition to all our wonderful attendees every single day, we also had individuals who went the extra mile to offer something special. Some brought or prepared food, some contributed $$ directly or via our Portland Silent Auction and some actually got in on the "Kitchen Duty" end of things.
Onsite: • Victor Imgarten — sent some of his specialty honey • Chuck Roydhouse — brought pulled pork made with his own hands • Debbie Wiedwald — made generous cash donation and always brings a gang of Blackburn smiling faces • Jasper Drengler — brought famous Wisconsin cheese curds — again • Mark Stoner — made amazing smash burgers for us • Ken Hoelscher — whipped up his special recipe sausage gravy • Jim Pritchett — brought lift to do chimney
July 2018
maintenance and was "wingman" for our Wingman • Mike Hammonds — made sure we had our second annual "wingfest" (three delicious flavors of chicken wings) • Buck Owens — brought pineapples grown from Sweeps Week pineapple tops from 2 years ago • Chris & Ingrid Prior — our very gifted cohorts in managing this year's event (Chris on projects and Ingrid in the kitchen) • David Faassen — Dishwasher Extraordinaire (and hands-down the attendee MOST happy to be there!!!) • Leo Faasen — Tiramisu Chef Magnifique • Sara & Brittany Sichting - Kitchen Rescue on Wednesday night!
Behind the Scenes: • Kevin & Teresa Russell — Auction items • Dennis & Bonnie Bowser — Auction items (EVERY SINGLE YEAR) • Thomas Rhines & Stephanie Williams — Auction items (EVERY SINGLE YEAR) and most years they are onsite. • Blume — Auction items (always can be counted on for that one SOMETHING INTERESTING every year) • John & Diane Pilger — Auction items (EVERY SINGLE YEAR) • Martin Aube — Auction items • Ashley Eldridge — Auction items • Jay Walker — Auction items • Andreas Gartner — Auction items • Stephen Lander/ Klaus Tapken — Auction items • Jeff Gitlin — Auction items • Lauren Pilger — worked tirelessly (remotely) with folks onsite to keep our Facebook presence alive and "kicking" Hope to see you next year. Renée Brigman
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I Corner Coach’s Jerry Isenhour
I Can’t Find Anybody That Wants To Work!
18 S W E E P I N G
s this you? Do you find yourself saying this, perhaps even want to scream it at times? If this is you, don’t feel bad, this is a common statement across the country in this day and time. It is a sign of a booming economy, low unemployment and other reasons may even come into play. Likely this is leading you to want to increase your work force as you see opportunity, or perhaps it us time for you to move from tech to manager. Whatever your reasoning, finding people to fill the open job slot is tough in 2018, and the outlook will likely not improve. A challenge, but one you can find solutions and resolutions for. Is the problem severe, you better believe it, and blue-collar companies seems to be hit hard but we are not alone, as you likely see people everywhere looking for people to add to their payroll. The estimated number of open jobs in America in the Blue-Collar trades is estimated to be between 5 and 10 million jobs. But this issue is affecting all industries and businesses of all kinds. In many cases artificial intelligence is replacing people increasingly as a part of the solution, have you ordered a Big Mac at the kiosk yet? Adding to this issue is what we refer to as the skills gap, this where many prospective workers do not have the basic skills that we look for. Recently one business owner shared on an industry discussion where he had an issue finding people who could read a tape measure, another replied he would be happy if he could find
July 2018
people who knew what end of the hammer to hold. Another is the stack of applicants that cannot pass a basic skills test or other preliminary testing. Add to this the frustration of applicants not even showing up for an interview, or being unable to pass a drug test, the growing Opioid issue and yes, all this adds to the frustration of having a severe issue in staffing our teams. Likely the recruitment, training, and placing qualified people on a team is a challenge today to so many in industries across America. It is often a discouraging view as one looks at the issues. I see some who say I AM DONE and by this they are simply drawing back to smaller crews. Others are likely hiring people and adding them to their team that, if they are honest with themselves, are not the right people for the team. Others are using creative methods of searching for new people and implementing changes in their processes to staff their teams. When one adds to this the number of years many of these new recruits will be in their workforce recalls that it may be time for a change in the way we operate our recruitment process. One of the processes is that as a business owner, recruiting is likely a daily task now, and from this point of view the progressive business owner is likely spending every day in the recruitment mode. If a suitable prospect is found, they are recruited as they will find a place for this person. But to do this one has to also have imaginative ways to recruit
new hires. And there are even classes being presented to share new methods and processes of recruitment to industry management teams. To be successful one must become very creative, some of the ways include the following:
THE BAIT One of the things a successful recruiter must have is an attractive bait that will attract the trophy team members one is seeking. This includes a compensation package that is attractive to prospects in your market. That will vary greatly dependent upon the local economy. What it may take in a large urban area will be vastly different that in perhaps a smaller urban market or what is required in small town America. The first step in success is the determination of just what your bait is and including both
monetary compensation and benefits. As such deep research into your local demographics, cost of living, average wage and many more factors will go into the research.
FACE TO FACE RESEARCH When you visit a restaurant, or see a person who would fit your demographics of a prospective member of your team, ask them some questions, such as: You seem like a really nice guy (or gal) and could you share some information with me, where do people like you look to find jobs. From doing this you may find a new creative way to market for new recruits. Ask them how the job situation is around there for great people, are there plenty of jobs out there? From this you may also
want to hand them a business card that if they ever are looking for new employment to come look you up.
UNDERSTANDING The next thing that is required is deciding what does your prospect look like in terms of the prospect’s skills, attitude, drive, and core energy. It also takes an understanding of what the prospect is looking for in a new career. What would draw him to you and what are the key words. Once you examine this you are going to be able to put together a story to attract them to you and a career with you. Likely you will have to develop and understanding of a generation of which you are not a part of. If you are in your 50s, do you really understand what someone n their 20s is looking for in a new career.
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YOUR STORY AND HOW YOU PRESENT IT In today’s world you must have your story, and it must be presented in new and innovative ways. Perhaps this is in print, perhaps this in video, perhaps it is in audio. But you have to sell yourself to a prospect just as you would sell your company and yourself to a customer. This is a part of the recruitment marketing that success will require you to develop. A client recently shared that he felt he was being interviewed by the prospect, and I had to tell him, guess what, you are.
HOW DO THEY APPLY Is it easy, many prospects have shared that in todays world, that unless a company has a way to apply on their website, they are likely not hiring! Do you have this way to hire? Many prospects are going to look for this as a method of applying. The day of a prospect knocking on doors is likely outdated, much as you may dislike it, this is the way of the work today. And the world of today is the one you are in competing for the good suspects for a job that you want to turn into a prospect and then into a new hire. LEARN TO INTERVIEW PROSPECTS Interviewing is an art form, and one needs to understand how to do this properly if they are going to be successful. Brandi Biswell recently shared her methods at a recent NCSG Convention. She shared her process of phone and in-person interview procedure. It works so study and take some of the classes Brandi is now presenting on-line.
PREEMPLOYMENT TESTING
20 S W E E P I N G
Once you find the right person then preemployment testing s also crucial in the process. This is not just for basic skills but also as a measurement of their interior core energy and their ability to learn and comprehend.
MORE TO UNDERSTAND You will also have to come to the realization that you will often now have to be teaching basic skills that we used to feel all had, sadly they no longer often do. But it’s not their fault, this can be often traced to the parenting they had, and the schooling they had, it was not based on preparing them for a job in the world of skilled labor. As such training is now a new ballgame, but luckily
July 2018
there are many great sources for this so in this you no longer must do it on your own, the world of E-Learning has opened new avenues of processes of training that can produce tremendous results. Now there is another solution to the issue, but likely one you may not want to have to have. The present jobs situation has at it’s roots that the economy is doing great. Now if there was a recession this would change, does anyone remember 2007 – 2008 – 2009 – 2010 when we had an overabundance of prospects for jobs, but we also had an economy that tanked and massive economic issues ensued. I think we all prefer the present situation over another one of those episodes. It’s simple, you got to get to work on the issue, it is not going to fix itself. If growth is in your sights, then this is one of the areas that you got to get to work in. Above all don’t let discouragement hold you back, look at this as bumps in the road, many times it may feel like a massive pothole, but with determination and stamina you can win, others have and you can too. Jerry Isenhour is an industry consultant, educator and coach who authors a monthly article in Sweeping as a service to the industry. For more information about Jerry and how his team can assist you individually and your business in your quest for success and your ascent to the next level, take a look at his web site www.cvccoaching.com He can be contacted at jerry@cvccoaching.com or by phone at (704) 425-0217. You can also obtain great business tips from his Facebook page CVC Coaching and Youtube channel CVCCoaching.
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Technical
Q&A
Michael Segerstrom
NCSG Technical Advisory Chair
Question
For the depth of a masonry fireplace, where does the hearth or firebox end, and the hearth extension begin, and how or where do I measure them?
22 S W E E P I N G July 2018
Answer:
This may seem like a simple question, but with some fireplaces, that's not always the case. For the purpose of this discussion we will focus on a fireplace system where the firebox floor is flush or even with the top of the hearth extension. Both of these may be flush with the room floor, or as we often see, both the hearth extension and firebox will be raised typically anywhere from 8 to 12 inches above the room floor. First let's look at what the minimum required depths are, and then we'll take a look at how and where to measure. The IRC requires that a masonry hearth or firebox floor has a minimum required depth of 20 in. (Exception: Rumford fireboxes shall have a minimum required hearth depth of not less than 12 inches) The NFPA 211 requires the same hearth depth of 20 inches, with the same 12-inch minimum requirement exception for Rumfords. The IRC requires the hearth extension depth to be a minimum of 16" where the fireplace opening is less than 6 square feet, and a minimum hearth extension depth of 20 inches where the fireplace opening is equal to or greater than 6 square feet. The NFPA 211 has the same hearth extension depth requirements. A quick note about raised fireboxes: The IRC has an exception for hearth extension thickness, when the bottom of the fireplace opening is raised a minimum of 8 inches above the top of the hearth extension surface. When the Firebox is raised the minimum of 8 inches, the hearth extension may be constructed of a minimum 3/8"
thick approved non-combustible material. But even with this thickness exemption, the hearth extension still must extend the minimum 16 or 20 inches in front of the firebox. The NFPA 211 describes raised fire boxes and requires that the hearth extension extend in front of it, but does not have an exemption for thickness. The challenge we sometimes face in measuring, relates to the facing material installed on the fireplace. Facing material is often brick, whether it extends to the ceiling, just to a mantel shelf, or is limited to around the perimeter of the fireplace opening. In some cases this brick may be covered by marble, tile worry stone veneer. There are also cases where we see the original brick veneer has been removed, and has been replaced with marble, tile or a stone veneer attached directly to the front of the firebox walls. When measuring firebox depth, out of habit, many of us will commonly start our measurement up against the back wall of the firebox on the floor, and measure to a point right where the facing material begins, regardless of the facing material thickness. The IRC however, has 2 diagrams that clearly show the hearth or firebox depth being measured to the outside surface of the facing material. In both of those diagrams, the facing material on the fireplace is brick. It's important to note that the IRC diagrams only show a single course of brick as the facing material. There are fireplaces we see that will have an 8in thick brick face, and sometimes a stone face that's even thicker before the firebox wall begins. In those cases, if we measured to the outside of the face, the floor
maybe 20 in of fire brick, but the side walls of the firebox may be significantly shallower, potentially only 12 in deep. This may create a potential concern if the fireplace is built into a combustible wall and framing is concealed somewhere behind the face adjacent to the firebox. We will want to really scrutinize these types of installations. The NFPA 211 does not have a diagram depicting where firebox depth is measured, and does not offer any additional language or text other than the minimum 20-inch depth requirement. For hearth extension depth, neither the NFPA 211 or the IRC have additional language or text on measuring, but both have diagrams. And the diagrams in both clearly show with arrows that hearth extension depth measurements are taken from the outside of the facing material. So while neither offer great detail in their narrative or text, both have diagrams that are helpful in clearing this up. Both the IRC and the NFPA 211 require hearth extensions to be a minimum of 16 or 20 inches depending on fireplace opening size, with both measuring from outside the fireplace face. And both require a minimum hearth or firebox depth of 20in, with the IRC measuring to the outside of the face of the fireplace. One difference in requirements between a Hearth & Hearth extension is the specifications for thickness. Both the IRC and NFPA 211 require that hearths are a minimum of 4 inches thick, and hearth extensions are a minimum of 2 inches thick. It's not common to see a hearth extension only 2 inches thick, but they are out there. If the transition between the hearth and hearth extension is not clear, but we know the hearth extension is only 2 inches thick, we need to try to make sure that 4in is present where we measure our 20-inch firebox depth. And lastly, there is a simple way to at least get started on our measurements. If we know based on the fireplace opening size that our hearth extension needs to be 20 inches deep, we can take an overall measurement from the back of the firebox to the outside edge of our hearth extension. If it's not 40 inches or more, we know either the firebox isn't deep enough, the hearth extension isn't deep enough, or a combination of both. Taking that measurement first is often helpful in calculating the other dimensions.
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July 2018
23 S W E E P I N G
Dates and
Events July 2018
24 S W E E P I N G
July 2-8, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon June 29th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org July 9 – July 14, 2018 CSIA National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org July 9-15, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon July 6th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org July 9, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Golden State Chimney Sweep Guild Convention Reno, NV For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org July 10, 2018 Reline Workshops by Copperfield Charleston, WV For more information, please call (800) 256-1926 or visit www.copperfield.com July 16-22, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon July 13th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org
July 2018
July 17, 2018 Professional Inspection Deliver by Olympiacademy Manchester, NH For more information, please call http://www. olympiachimney.com/events July 19, 2018 Professional Inspection Deliver by Olympiacademy Greenville, SC For more information, please call http://www. olympiachimney.com/events July 23-29, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon July 20th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org July 23-24, 2018 NFI Gas Review & Exam CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org July 24, 2018 Reline Workshops by Copperfield Middleton, WI For more information, please call (800) 256-1926 or visit www.copperfield.com July 25-26, 2018NFI Wood Review & Exam CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org July 25, 2018 Professional Inspection Deliver by Olympiacademy Colorado Springs, CO For more information, please call http://www. olympiachimney.com/events July 27-28, 2018 NFI Pellet Review & Exam CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org July 27-29, 2018 NYSCSG Annual Summer Workshop -Engaging hands on seminars with CEU's -Large trade show tent -Gigantic Auction
-Golf outing on Thursday July 26, 2018 -Fun activities for the whole family -Plenty of onsite camping and lots of food For more information, please call (518) 882-6091 or visit www.nychimneysweepguild.org July 30 – August 5, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon July 27th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org
August 2018 August 2-3, 2018 Chimney Inspection by Olympiacademy Scranton, PA For more information, please call http://www. olympiachimney.com/events August 6-11, 2018 CSIA National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org August 6-12, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon August 3rd - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org
August 8-9, 2018 Chimney Inspection by Olympiacademy Scranton, PA For more information, please call http://www. olympiachimney.com/events August 10, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Richmond (Sandston), VA For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org August 13-14, 2018 2 Day Masonry Richmond, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org August 13-19, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon August 10th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org August 15-17, 2018 Advanced Masonry Richmond, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org August 16-17, 2018 Chimney Inspection by Olympiacademy Olathe, KS For more information, please call http://www. olympiachimney.com/events
25 S W E E P I N G July 2018
August 20-26, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon August 17th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org August 22-23, 2018 CSIA Two Day Chimney Physics CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org August 23-24, 2018 Chimney Inspection by Olympiacademy Folsom, CA For more information, please call http://www. olympiachimney.com/events August 24, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org August 27 – September 2, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon August 24th
26 S W E E P I N G July 2018
- Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org
September 2018 September 3-9, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon August 31st - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org September 10-16, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon September 7th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.csia.org
27 S W E E P I N G July 2018
New
Members
MASSACHUSETTS Affordable Chimney Sweeps, Inc. • Glenn Sharpe • North Andover
NEW JERSEY A1 Dependable, LLC • Edison Bilali • Garfield
NORTH CAROLINA Albemarle Chimney Sweep • Harry Slaughter • Elizabeth City Cape Fear Dryer Vents • John Hall • Southport
TEXAS Freedom Chimney & Fireplace • Marshall Jackson • Irving
REGION
MARYLAND Old Line Chimney Sweeps • James Horne • Pasadena
REGION REGION
FLORIDA Chenel’s Chimney Cleaning • Tom Chenel • Madeira Beach
MAINE Larrabee Chimney Services LLC • Dana Larrabee Jr. • Gorham
PENNSYLVANIA The Chimney Guy • Kevin Haines • Fairchance
REGION REGION
REGION REGION REGION
REGION REGION
REGION REGION
142142 532 5363 6 CALIFORNIA A-1 Chimney Sweeps • Efraim Valverde IV • Salinas
S W E E P I N G July 2018
REGION
28
REGION
VERMONT Vermont Dryer Duct • Clinton Calderwood • Milton
REGION REGION
REGION REGION
REGION
4 54 5 65 6 6 NEW YORK Clean Sweeps Chimney Service • Mike Lyons • Churchville Pippo, Vincent • Vincent Pippo • Gansevoort
O
ne of the greatest benefits you receive as a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild is a company listing on our website. Homeowners nationwide go to our website to look for dependable and reputable companies who can get the job done and get it done well. We believe we have found a way to make this process more efficient for homeowners and more profitable for you.
That way you can enjoy year after year of continuous NCSG membership and all of the valuable benefits that come with it. Look for the ARB form with your renewal notice this month. I look forward to seeing the NCSG web listing pages filled with your business descriptions! If you have any other suggestions for great benefits you would like to see, feel free to drop me a note. Enjoy the sunshine and warm weather!
Membership
Memo
By Annemarie Stockton
We are excited to introduce an additional marketing opportunity for your business. With this new member benefit, you will now be able to display a brief summary of your business as well as a list of the services you provide. This will increase the amount of attention your listing gets, and hopefully an increased volume of business follows suit. In order to get your profile all set up, visit the following link: http://bit.ly/NCSGlisting. If you have issues accessing this, either send me an email at astockton@ncsg.org or call our office at (317) 837-1500 and I’d be happy to assist. Want another easy thing you can do for your business? Have you considered putting your membership on an Automatic Recurring Billing (ARB)? An ARB allows you to set up your annual membership payment and forget about it. Until you tell us otherwise, we will automatically renew your membership each September with no hassle on your end.
29 S W E E P I N G July 2018
CSIA UPDATE July 2018 Report
www.CSIA.org
Chuck Checks-In at Sweeps Week 2018 by Chuck Hall, CSIA President president@csia.org
If you’ve not attended Sweeps Week, or it’s been awhile, you should be aware of all that you missed out on. First and foremost: fellowship. You’re spending a week with people who “get it” because they’re in the industry or are related to it (many spouses and families attend too). That’s hard to come by sometimes because we are all part of this very unique brother/sisterhood. Much of that comraderie is enjoyed over delicious meals. Whether it’s brick oven pizza, pulled pork, chicken wings, or Mexican biscuits and gravy, you won’t go hungry during Sweeps Week.
for technicians to learn on. It will intentionally be built as “the world’s worst chimney and fireplace” and will feature intentional defects for students to identify during their courses at the Tech Center. Most of the projects around the tech center earn attendees Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) towards their re-certifcation. The week is essentially a free course taught by some of the industry’s best technicians.
NEW! Register for Exams - Online
Recently, we added the ability to order your proctored exams through our website for the Certified Chimney Sweep® and Certifid
Dryer Exhaust Technician® credentials. We also work on projects around the Tech Center throughout the week. Sometimes it’s minor things, like remodeling an office or putting up shelves, but we always try to start or complete one big project. For instance, the pizza oven was a three-year project. This year, I’m proud to report that we laid the foundation of a new training fireplace and chimney
Sweeps Week doesn’t happen on by luck every year and I want to extend a personal thanks to everyone who puts in time raising funds, soliciting donations, organizing, cooking, working, attending, and everything else that comes along with Sweeps Week. So, Chris, Ingrid, Ron, Renée, Lauren, Jim, Jasper, Russ, and so many more, thank you. ADVERTISEMENT
This new feature works for both the online and paper exams for new certifications, re-certifications and retests. You will still need to schedule your proctor first, in-person or ProctorU. Once scheduled, you can go right to the CCS or CDET credential page on the CSIA site (under the Certification tab on our website) to order your exams.
July 2018 Report
New Certifications Maryland Shawn Lotter Superior Fireplace and Garage Door Prince Frederick Michigan Bryce Wilson Doctor Flue, Inc. Tecumseh Arkansas Luke Thomas A-1 Chimney Pro Conway California Wyatt Castner The Village Chimney Sweep Valley Center Indiana Shane Tague Certified Sweeps Brookston Josh Mullens Certified Sweeps Brookston Stephen Coyle Chimney & Masonry Outfitters Indianapolis
John Sackett Sackett’s Fireplace Kalamazoo Minnesota Patrick Brennan Structure Tech Monticello New Jersey Tom Jaust ABC Chimney Sweep Augusta New York Raymond Mulligan Chim-Chiminey Chimney Sweeping Service Cortlandt Manor North Carolina Rob Medlin Owens Chimney Systems Charlotte
Kansas Zachary Myers Full Service Chimney Olathe
Forrest Rorie Owens Chimney Systems Charlotte
Shane Turner Full Service Chimney Olathe
Brian Clatterbuck Owens Chimney Systems Charlotte
ADVERTISEMENT
Ohio Levi Smith Blackburn’s Chimney Sweeps Columbus Caleb Abbott Blackburn’s Chimney Sweeps Columbus Pennsylvania James Balsone Advance Chimney Sweeps Uniontown David Mori Advance Chimney Sweeps Uniontown Matt Gallagher Above All Chimney & Masonry Langhorne Dale Konsavage Weller’s Chimney Sweeps Orwigsburg Texas Logan Cole Shane’s Chimney Care Abilene Vermont Matt Brown Chimney Savers Inc. Randolph
www.CSIA.org Virginia Michael Deckman Rusty’s Fire Place & Chimney Hamilton Wisconsin Bradley Siggeman Pratt’s Professional Chimney Burlington
CERTIFIED
DRYER EXHAUST
TECHNICIAN
Florida Michael Wood Chimney Champions Jacksonville Buck Owens Swept Away Largo Illinois Cory Gonzales Chimney Doctor Metamora Kansas Donovan Blanks Home Safe Hearth & Chimney Wichita New York Robert Cunningham Cunningham Duct Cleaning Bayport
North Carolina John Hall Cape Fear Dryer Vents Southport Jason Beck Smoke Alert Garner Texas Jacob Hackett ASAP Operations Houston Vermont Clinton Calderwood | Vermont Dryer Duct | Milton Virginia Matthew Blackmon Black Goose Chimney Sweep Thaxton Billy Stickney Black Goose Chimney Sweep Thaxton
MASTER
Delaware John Zeron Swift Services New Castle The CSIA Master Chimney Sweep designation is awarded to those CSIA Certified professionals who have gone above and beyond ADVERTISEMENT
in their efforts to stay at the very front of the chimney and venting industry. In addtion to being an active CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® for a minimum of ten continuous years, candidates are also required to be actively certified as a CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician®, and must have completed several advanced courses. Specific requirements can be found at:. www.csia.org/mastersweep
eLearning Update CSIA continues adding and updating courses on the CSIA eLearning platform. Most recently, Russ Dimmitt, our Director of Education spoke on our Facebook page about updating The House as a System - Chimney Physics and Extreme Customer Service. These two courses will begin appearing in the monthly rollouts in rotation with the other CSIA courses in the subscription. Please note: July 1 marks the end of the $1 for your first month promotion. Regular subscriptions for single and multi-user accounts are still available at: www.csia.org/elearning.
June 2018 Report
Upcoming Classes & Events
2018 Education Calendar National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center | Jul 9–14 Aug 6–11 Sep 17–22
CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exam CSIA Technology Center (Plainfield, IN) | Aug 24, Oct 12 Reno, NV | Jul 9 Golden State Chimney Sweep Guild Convention Frederick MD | July 10 Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Chimney Association Richmond, VA | Aug 10 Atlantic City, NJ | Sep 14 Albany, NY | Oct 19
Sweeps Week 2018 CSIA Technology Center | Jun 11–15
Chimney Physics Fredericksburg, VA | Aug 15-16 CSIA Road Show course with Mid-Atlantic Chimney Association visit www.chimneysafety.org to register w/MACA
CSIA Technology Center | Aug 22-23
Masonry Repair for Chimney Professionals Richmond, IN | Aug 13–14 (SaverSystems)
Advanced Masonry Repair Richmond, IN | Aug 15–17 (SaverSystems)
CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® CSIA Technology Center | Oct 10-11* (incl. hands-on instruction)
Contact Us: Mailing Address 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168
Pittsburgh, PA | Sep 13* (one day workshop/exam) National Air Duct Cleaners Association Fall Tech Conference Book your own CSIA Road Show course(s). Learn more at: www.csia.org/roadshow.
Telephone (317) 837-5362
MASTER
Email: Office@CSIA.org
TECHNICIAN
Twitter: @Chimney_Safety Facebook: /ChimneySafety
CERTIFIED
DRYER EXHAUST
For additional course details, please visit www.csia.org/education. ADVERTISEMENT
Around the
Tech Center. Megan McMahon Association Manager
34 S W E E P I N G July 2018
Summer is in full swing here at the Tech Center. We have already had the privilege of hosting dozens of students for in person classes and will be hosting dozens more in the coming months. Of course, we also got to see many new and old faces at Sweeps Week, one of our favorite annual traditions. If you’ve never had the chance to attend a Sweeps Week I highly recommend you put it on your bucket list. For one week each June sweeps from all over the country get together to camp out right here
at the Tech Center, work on projects around the building and grounds to help improve our facilities, eat tons of great food, and make new friends in the industry. Did I mention this is all free and you earn CEUs? I would like to give thanks to all of those who volunteered this year to help make Tech Center even better. Your efforts at improving our facility are highly appreciated by the staff and myself. We are extremely lucky to work in an industry whose members are so dedicated!
Classifieds GasVent Software for Sizing Chimneys only $195 Call 1-800-648-9523 for more info and visit www.elitesoft. com to download a free trial version. Work for a Growing Company! Chimney Solutions, based in Atlanta, GA, is looking for Salespeople and Installers with the desire to move up within our company. A $1000-$2000 signing bonus is available, depending on certifications. Pay will be commensurate with experience. Relocation is available for the individual that meets our needs and qualifications. Send resumes to dpace@chimneysolutions.com or visit our website at www. chimneysolutions.com. Full service chimney company south of Pittsburgh, PA is looking for a chimney technician. Servicing both wood/gas systems, stainless steel liner installations/masonry work. Pay/Benefits will commensurate with experience. Send resume to: jchimsweep1984@gmail.com. Chimney business, primarily sweeping. Northeast PA. 20+ years, 380+ appts/year, $60K cash flow 2017. Immediate revenue increase possible with added services. All equipment ($40k), incl 2016 van, 1400+ customer database, stair climber lift. $120,000. mmccarthy@vrmarathon. com/866-416-4376 CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERS Members can run one 35-word classified free each year! Regular 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 Charissa Mahaffey at cmahaffey@ncsg.org or 317-837-1500.
July 2018
35 S W E E P I N G
Darwin
Award
“Found this stove pipe at a church I visited in Romania — really wished I could've opened it up and taken a look inside.” Blaine Kneller of Klein's Chimney Service Inc. in Springfield Il
See a chimney in your area that had you scratching your head? Send it to the editor, Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@ncsg.org for publication in Sweeping. Include a few words about the scene and location.
Ad Index 36 S W E E P I N G
Approved Industries 866-439-0069 www.chimneyspray.com 17 Chim Cap Corp 800-262-9622 www.chimcapcorp.com 29 Copperfield 800-247-3305 www.copperfield.com 7 ENERVEX 770-587-3238 www.enervex.com 8 Firesafe Industries, Inc. 800-545-6607 www.firesafeinc.com 5 ICP 508-695-7000 www.chimneycaps.com 19 Lindemann Chimney Company 866-629-8006 www.lindemannsupply.com 9 Lock-Top www.gllchimneyproducts.com 23 National Chimney 800-897-8481 www.nationalchimney.com Inside front cover New England Chimney Supply 888-900-8106 www.newenglandchimneysupply.com 21 Olympia Chimney Supply 800-569-1425 www.olympiachimney.com 11 Roydhouse Effect Inc 410-863-0157 www.roydhouseeffect.com 25 Sand Hill Wholesale & Mfg., Inc 800-258-5496 www.sandhillwholesale.com 26 SaverSystems, Inc 800-860-6327 www.saversystems.com 4 SnapLok Rotary Sweep Systems 702-790-4197 www.snaploksystems.com 27 Z-Flex 800-654-5600 sales@z-flex.com 3
July 2018
NATIONAL A SS
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ION OF STA IAT TE OC
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NCSG 2019 National Convention Waterside Marriott - Norfolk, VA April 17- 20, 2019