Sweeping Magazine - November 2020

Sweeping November 2020 VOLUME 44 #10

The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology

Spam-Bombing: What It Is, How to Spot It & What You Can Do About It

Mission: White House Government Affairs Committee Meet a Member— Steve Trumble

SpamBombing: What It Is, How to Spot It & What You Can Do About It

Mission: White House

Government Affairs Committee

Meet a Member— Steve Trumble

12 18 24 26 bombing What It Is, How To Spot It, And What You Can Do About It

Sweeping November 2020 Volume 44 Issue 10

Table of Contents President’s Letter 4 Editor’s Letter 6 Sweeps Say 8 Tech Q&A 10 Coach’s Corner 16 Membership Memo 28 New Members 33 Around the Tech Center 34 Classifieds 35 Darwin Award 36

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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 2019-2020

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Masonry Fireplace Construction and Restoration (866) 283-8667 Ext. 700

Stainless Steel Liner Installation (866) 283-8667 Ext. 705

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.

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STAFF

Resources 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500 Fax: (317) 837-5365

Megan McMahon Executive Director mmcmahon@ncsg.org

Penny Seals Academic Coordinator pseals@ncsg.org

Annemarie Stockton Director of Communications and Marketing astockton@ncsg.org

Sara Sichting Systems and Records Coordinator ssichting@ncsg.org

Russell Dimmitt Education Director rdimmitt@ncsg.org

Tammy Bruner Program Coordinator tbruner@ncsg.org

Brittney Burton Membership & Outreach Coordinator bburton@ncsg.org

Natalie Spruell Office Coordinator nspruell@ncsg.org

Charissa Benge Mahaffey Certification Coordinator cmahaffey@ncsg.org

Kaitlyn Gonzalez Administrative Assistant kgonzalez@ncsg.org

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Vice President, At-Large Director (Appointed) Thomas Hunkele topnotchchimney@gmail.com Treasurer, Region 1 Matt Mair matt@blackmoosechimney. com Secretary, Region 4 Jeff Keefer jeff@chimneycareco.com Region 2 Bill Thornton wissahickonvalleysweep@ yahoo.com

Region 6 Jesse Peralta chimcare@hotmail.com At-Large Joe Sauter joe@yourchimneysweep.com At-Large Director Steve Scally firesidesweeps@comcast.net At-Large Director (Appointed) Gregg Boss englishsweep@att.net Supplier Representative Stuart Karanovich stuartk@saversystems.com

Region 3 Ron Rust tophatswp@aol.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS and TASK FORCES 2019 – 2020

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 Tom Hunkele (641) 774-8056 topnotchchimney@gmail.com

NFPA 211 Representative Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com

Ethics Joe Sauter (317) 243-9687 joe@yourchimneysweep.com

NFPA 31 Representative John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com

Governance Bill Thornton (215) 540-9787 wissahickonvalleysweep@yahoo.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 Steve Scally (603) 895-8746 firesidesweeps@comcast.net

International Relations John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com Membership Jesse Peralta (503) 655-2446 chimcare@hotmail.com

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Sweeping do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Chimney Sweep Guild or its employees.

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 Annemarie Stockton at astockton@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. © 2020 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 837-1500

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Developing Recommendations Identifying Solutions

Jasper Drengler President

T

President’s Letter

he crazy season is in full swing and for most sweeps it’s going to be one for the record books. Speaking of which, how are your books coming along? Are you tracking what advertising is working for you? Are you watching add-on sales? Are your trucks staying stocked with inventory

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and tools, or are you wasting time waiting for parts and unnecessary trips back to the shop? Do you know what your techs cost you per hour and which ones are most profitable?

If your eyes just went cross and your head hurts, that’s ok. Start by just tracking gross numbers by day for each tech. Have them share what sales techniques are working and why. Coach your team and make the numbers open for all to see.

Next, figure out what labor is involved with these numbers.

Watch the overtime! Learning what to track and how to track is a long learning process.

I’ll be doing a more in depth presentation on knowing

your numbers at the CCP Expo early in 2021. Can’t wait to see you all at the 2021 NCSG Virtual Convention… even if it’s on a screen!

Be safe!

Be profitable!

NCSG President Jasper Drengler

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Annemarie Stockton Editor

T

he theme of our issue this month is Government Affairs, and we have several contributors who have some interesting updates for you! The Government Affairs Committee is always hard at work, so make sure to get caught up on the happenings in Committee Chair Jeff Keefer’s article

Editor’s Letter on page 24. He explains the functions of the committee, the goals, and how our members can affect change. In addition, TAC Chair Steve Scally encourages all members to be a part of the solutions when combatting local and state laws that affect your business in the Technical Q and A on page 10.

Many of us have seen a recent spike in the amount of spam we are seeing on Google My Business. We are even seeing lots of good reviews that manipulate the search results. This

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big issue we are seeing throughout the country is called Spam-Bombing.

Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill from Spark Marketer tell you how to spot it and what you can do about it on page 12.

Each year, a select group of chimney sweeps embark on a massive mission: Sweeping the White House. Jay Walker recounts the historic trip this year’s team took and how you can apply to be on the team.

Check out page 18 for this awesome feature!

Lastly, Early Bird Registration for the 2021

NCSG Virtual Convention and Trade Show is open still! We have some awesome things in store for you, so make sure you are watching our social media and newsletters to get all of our updates. For more information, please visit our convention website at www.ncsgconvention.org!

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Sweeps Say What are you thankful for in your business or in the industry this year?

“Grateful that Covid-19 didn’t hurt our business like it did so many others.” – Brian Gilmartin, Gilmartin Chimney & Vent “All the free education for my employees. Some of the available learning platforms really stepped up to the plate this year. It has been the single most helpful thing this year. Kudos to them.” – Mark Dent, Chesapeake Chimney & Co.

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“My staff held strong during corona and we are doing our best year to date. The industry in my area is also doing very well. Very grateful.” – Cory Schafer, Carolina Chimney Services “Thankful, grateful, for the NCSG staff, NCSG Board, and NCSG volunteers that did the best they could (a great job!) during these strange and often difficult times!!” – Michael Segerstrom, Bridgewater Chimney Sweeps, LLC

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“We had a trying spring and summer – Covid-19, an employee sick, truck wrecked and granddaughter with heart problems. Thankfully all events except Covid-19 resolved with positive results. I am very thankful for good caring doctors, good body shop guys and very understanding costumers.” – Glenn Holler, Glenn Holler Chimney Sweep “Grateful for the numerous NCSG & CSIA seminars providing support during the early days & months of the pandemic. Many people shared their expertise & ideas which helped others in the industry get through the challenges.” Debbie Wiedwald, Blackburn’s Chimney Sweeps, Inc. “We are thankful that we made it through this Covid-19 pandemic without any major difficulties and that all our family and crew are healthy and taking it seriously.” – Yvette Aube, AIM Chimney Sweep We here at NCSG are of course thankful for all of our members, but especially everyone’s resilience and togetherness through the hardships of this past year. This industry is unlike any other, and we are so thankful to serve all of you.

Look out for each month’s Sweeps Say question on Facebook!

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Steven Scally

Technical Q and A Regulations, Laws and Being Part of the Solutions

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t seems that in recent months, we have seen more state laws passed that directly affect our industry. In September, there was a new law in Oklahoma that states you must be NFI wood, pellet, or gas certified to service and/or install these units. It came at a complete surprise to the NFI, HPBA, CSIA, and NCSG. From the little I understand about this law, it has been three years in the making… and not one industry organization had been advised or consulted.

During the summer there was legislation in Missouri that would have required a mechanical license for any vents, flues, or negative air issues. This was made known at the last minute. I know a few sweeps represented our industry to voice our opinion on the legislation at hand.

As far as we know, currently this has been tabled until after the election.

In New Jersey, we learned after the

law had passed that a Master Hearths certification from NFI was required in order to install or service wood, oil, gas, and pellet installations.

Massachusetts was trying to pass some legislation to stop the use of all fossil fuels (gas and oil) as well as wood. It was called NET ZERO. The Massachusetts Chimney Sweep Guild was heavily involved and got involved with the HPBA to help fight this. At the time of this writing, the legislation did not pass.

There was legislation that was passed in New Hampshire that requires a chimney sweep to have a pipe fitter’s license from the state in order to install or service any appliance related to gas or propane, including the installation of a liner. The New England Association of Chimney & Hearth Professionals (NEACHP) have met with the licensing board in New Hampshire.

Attending that meeting was an NFI gas instructor, two NCSG board members, and one CSIA board

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member. We are still in the process of trying to either change this law or write a new law.

Unfortunately, this process can take up to 3 years to do, involving a lot of time and effort.

Then, of course, we all saw the EPA change the emissions requirements for wood stoves. The effective deadline date happened during the early stages of the pandemic, when many businesses were closed while the state and federal governments determined how to deal with the virus. It was unfortunate that the EPA refused to extend the deadline, leaving many stove shops stuck with inventory they could no longer sell. For the smaller stove shops, this was an added financial hardship.

With the increased concern over climate change, these types of laws will be happening all over our country.

We, as sweeps, can help shape our industry for the future by understanding these issues, by getting in touch with our local government officials, and learning about what

bills are in committee.

We are in a more powerful position when we can be proactive about these changes versus reactive.

I believe it is important for our state guilds to work with the local HPBA affiliates to get on the ground floor of these new legislations.

The HPBA has a governing body that looks up government bills in the regional areas. If you do not belong to your state or region’s chimney sweeping guild, I recommend joining one so that you can become aware of what is happening in your area. The NCSG and CSIA are also working to learn about these proposed laws. Since these laws are coming from the state level, you can help the NCSG by letting us know if there is proposed legislation happening in your area. It really is going to take all of us to watch for these types of legislation and work together so that we can have input on how our industry is going to change in the future.

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bombing What It Is, How To Spot It, And What You Can Do About It

12 Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill

A

s digital marketers who are obsessed with client success, our eyes are glued to Google 24/7. And we’re seeing something fishy that’s negatively affecting legitimate chimney companies across the country. Here at Spark Marketer, we call it spam-bombing.

What the heck is spam-bombing and why should you care?

There are two types of spam-bombing.

1. When multiple fake or spammy Google My Business (GMB) listings are created in one metro area, in order to take over the Maps feature of Google Search. These listings push legitimate chimney sweeps further and further down the search results, and make it harder for these legitimate businesses to be found by searchers.

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2. When businesses pay for a ton of good reviews in order to manipulate search results. These listings don’t just make it harder for businesses doing things the right way to rank, but they also attempt to deceive consumers into thinking they’re the best choice.

Considering the impact it can have on legitimate businesses — the chimney sweeps *actually* playing by Google’s rules — spam-bombing is a serious threat.

Unfortunately, we’ve spotted spam-bombing in multiple cities across the country, which means it’s a widespread problem that Google’s not proactively addressing.

While we hope Google eventually gets their proverbial crap together and figures out how to identify and prevent spam-bombing, we’re not

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just going to sit on our hands in the meantime.

And the good news is: you don’t have to either.

There’s a way to fight back, and we’re going to tell you how. But first, how do you know if it’s happening in your service area?

How to Spot Spammy GMB Listings There are a few telltale signs that spambombing is happening in your area. Here’s what you need to look for in Google Maps: • Businesses without websites or with simple one-page

websites • Businesses with a suspicious amount of reviews (we’re talkin’ a lot!)

• Businesses you’ve never heard of or seen in your area If you spot any of the above, it’s time to do some digging.

In our experience, if you call the number associated with these spammy listings, the person on the other end will not answer with the name of the business. Many times, the phone number actually goes to an answering service for

HomeAdvisor.

In the case of review spam (where a business has a ton of reviews that they paid for), you’ll find that when you look into the reviews, the users leaving them have also left reviews for a lot of other chimney companies.

It’ll appear like the user profiles were created with the specific purpose of reviewing chimney companies. (I mean, who really needs to hire seven different chimney companies?)

area is being spambombed. Like in these screenshots we took of the Google Maps search results for the Philadelphia/Main Line area of PA. G&Z, G&T, A’N, R’R, R’H, Q’F, Q’M, I&K, P&Z, H&Y, P&N, P&A, O&X, I&A? How can these listings be so clearly bogus to us, but not suspicious in the least to Google?

Answer: ‘Cos they’re not paying attention. So we’ve got to.

Of course, sometimes it’s just so stinkin’ obvious that an

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How to Fight Back When Your Service Area Is Being SpamBombed So, what can you do if your service area is being spam-bombed?

You’ve got two options:

reach out to your marketing agency or DIY. Spam fighting is not hard work, it’s just time-consuming work because you have to individually report each fake listing and/or spammy user.

Here’s how to report spam in Google Maps:

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#1 Report review spam with the edit function in GMB. This is the first thing you should try if you’re reporting a user for review spam. Simply find the user leaving suspicious reviews, click on the user’s name, and then click the three vertical dots on the top right corner of their profile.

At this point, the “Report Abuse” options will show up. For review spam, choose “Another policy violation.” See the screenshots below.

So if you work with a marketing agency, reach out to them first to see if they’ll work on the problem on your behalf. Not all marketing agencies fight Maps spam, but some do, so it’s worth checking.

#2 Report fake/spammy GMB listings through the edit function. For fake listings like the ones we saw in the Philadelphia/Main Line area screenshots earlier (G&Z, G&T, etc.), you can try reporting them through the edit function of GMB as well.

Simply go to the listing on Maps, scroll down until you see “Suggest an Edit,” and then choose the “Mark as closed or removed” option.

It will then ask you why you are marking it as closed or removed.

For the types of spam we’re talking about, we recommend choosing the “Spam, fake, or offensive” option.

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If you don’t work with an agency or your agency doesn’t fight Maps spam, you can either do the cleanup yourself or have someone in your business do the work.

Note: The good news is that when the listings are obviously spam, don’t have any reviews or photos, and are using the address of another business (like in the Philadelphia/Main Line screenshots), this should be all you need to do to get the listings removed. #3 Report more challenging spam through the redressal form. If the edit option doesn’t yield any results, it may be that the spam you’re reporting is harder to prove. In this case, you’ll want to try using Google’s redressal form.

The difference between the redressal form and the edit function of GMB is that

a redressal form submission will actually be reviewed by a human on the spam team at Google.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind when reporting spam through the redressal form: • You need to supply as much evidence and contextual information as you can when using the redressal form. Go into detail about what type of spam it is, why it violates Google’s guidelines, and why it should be taken down.

Don’t focus on how upsetting it is to you.

Focus on how spam and fake listings affect business owners and searchers, and their trust in Google. Focus on how they violate Google’s own policies.

The more detailed you are, the more likely it is that the listings will come down.

• If you’re including screenshots and images as proof, upload them

to Google Drive and include a link to them, rather than simply uploading the images.

You’ll get better results.

• If you are reporting more than 10 listings, there’s an option to upload a spreadsheet with all of the listings, links to the listings, and relevant info. It makes it much easier for Google if the spammy listings are bundled in one submission.

• A manual review process will always be slower, so expect to wait awhile before you see results.

Unfortunately, no one will let you know when they’ve reviewed your submission. So you’ll need to keep checking back in Maps every two weeks or so to see if anything’s been removed.

Three Reminders Before We Go Knowing how to fight Maps spam is important, because you *need* to show up in GMB — and fake listings and review spam can prevent you from showing up.

With more and more business coming from GMB, cleaning up Maps is well worth the time and effort. We do it almost daily on behalf of our clients!

So put in the work!

Okay, three quick reminders before you take off and start fighting Maps spam: 1. Create your Maps listing correctly. Don’t try to spam things, even when it clearly works. People (like us) are out there fighting and reporting spam, and ultimately, it’s not worth it to try and cheat the system.

You will eventually be taken down. And honestly, this is why we can’t have nice things.

really want to pay a company that’s busy competing with you?

3. If you really want to rank in an area, invest in a location there. Yes, it’s an additional cost, but it’s usually well worth it.

Alright, time to put on your spam-fighting cape and get to work!

Good luck!

Carter Harkins & Taylor Hill are the co-founders of Spark Marketer, a digital marketing company that works primarily with service businesses. They’re also cocreators of the award-winning app Closing Commander, which helps contractors close more estimates, and coauthors of Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles for Building a Kickass Business You Love.

2. Reconsider your lead gen affiliations. If you work with someone like HomeAdvisor who is creating fake listings to generate leads to their call center, you may want to reconsider. Do you

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Jerry Isenhour

Coach’s Corner How Are You Speaking To Your Community?

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everal years ago, Sheryl and I attended a Ziglar Conference as a part of her continuing education to maintain her Ziglar Coaching Certification, and I accompanied her as a guest. During the educational event, one of the speakers presented a course on How To Speak To Your Community. In this time where many speak in a way that may not come off in the best manner (a sign of our times), I felt this would be a good subject matter for this month’s article.

The first thing to do is to identify who your community is, defined by the following: • The present customers we do business with.

• The potential customers we wish to do business with.

• The persons we hope to influence.

• The persons we hope to lead.

• Spouses and other family members.

• Business colleagues.

There are potentially other groups, but the presenter’s focus was the potential customers that we might influence to do business with us (after all, it was a business conference).

He touched on how the statements we made orally, in writing, or social media were the way we speak to our community. The words that we say need to be said in a way that they profoundly influence others. But in today’s world, we often see that the new speech is often how badly we can speak of others. This is likely driven by our country’s leaders, state, city, and other regional governmental officials.

So often in today’s world, it has become a case of negative campaigning, often making us not choose

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the best candidate, but rather acting in such a way to elect a person to prevent the other from gaining office.

And so often in social discussions, we see that now as the norm.

But as business owners, we need to be expressing words of hope, words of encouragement, and ways to assist our clients. We do that through the stories we share — the true stories of how we have helped others, and how we have provided the assistance that others are needing.

This is what reviews are all about. If we tell others how great we are, then that is considered bragging.

But if others say it, it becomes proof. That is the goal of reviews.

Unfortunately, our great reviews and testimonials may be lost or fall on deaf ears. We see this all too often.

Some years ago, our industry lost a great man; he was close to me, likely closer than a brother. His name was Roger Charron, and some of you will remember him. Roger shared tremendous wisdom with me one day. It was when internet discussion lists were just talking, and our main form of industry communication was called Yahoo Groups.

A challenging man was always driving me up the wall with his ludicrous and off the wall statements, and in my younger days, it was easy to get me riled up really fast. Well, Roger called one day and offered me some advice that has worked well for me in my older years. His words were the following, “Jerry, never argue with an idiot. From across the street, others cannot tell who the idiot is.” I later found out from

research that this is attributed to the 19thcentury Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky.

And so today, we must take all of the steps we can to speak to our communities in a way that does not bring disdain nor disagreement. We should learn to speak, as my mentor Larry Winget teaches, by using sound bites: paragraphs with such profound meaning that instead of provoking argument, they provoke thought.

Larry shared how this

is a key ingredient in doing an interview with a newscaster.

This is the secret of speaking, and quite frankly of leadership.

But in order to speak and write in this manner, one must listen to others’ words to understand, not just reply. Once we understand what others are saying, we can comply with a statement that fills the bill as a sound bite.

Regardless of the poor examples we see every day, it needs to be our goal to keep our focus

on our community speak. As we have the opportunity to speak to our community in the various formats available today, we speak in a manner that has a positive effect on those that we are privileged to have listen to and read our words.

I hope that this article will have a positive effect on you and that it will give you cause to think before you speak, and to offer your words in a way that will serve to benefit others and build your influence.

About the Author: Jerry Isenhour is an industry consultant, educator, and coach who authors a monthly article in Sweeping as a service to the industry. A Past President of NCSG & CSIA, along with serving in several volunteer industry positions over his career. 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 website www.cvcsuccessgroup.com.

He can be contacted at jerry@ cvcsuccessgroup.com or by phone at (704) 425-0217. You can also obtain great business tips from his Facebook page CVC Coaching and YouTube channel CVC Coaching.

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Mission: White House

18 Jay Walker Jay Walker Enterprises Tallahassee, Fla

R

ecently, a group of chimney sweeps stood on the hot metal roof and surveyed the job ahead.

Not one or two, but thirty-six fireplaces and flues awaited a sweep and inspection on these rooftops. Rather than look at it as a daunting task, these sweeps were proud to be there. That’s because this was no ordinary domicile: the address was 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The White House.

Flashback to 2008 when I received a very important phone call. I was told that my letter was received, and that I

was nominated by a past team member, J. Blume from South Carolina, to have the honor to serve on the upcoming White House Chimney Sweep Team.

Since that day, I have had the honor to serve now four times (2008, 2011, 2017, and now 2020).

In 2017, the leadership baton was officially passed from Jeff Schmittinger to team leader and longtime NCSG member and NCSG and CSIA Past President, Howard Rowell. Howard has been on the team for twenty-six years, starting in 1994. I was honored to have been given the designation of his “back up”

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and second in command of the White House Chimney Sweep Team.

Sweeps from all over the country, young and old, had no idea when they started in this industry that they would be part of the seven-member team to service The White House chimneys this past August.

With the COVID-19 virus in our nation, we all took precautions of safety during this week in August.

Upon arrival and after checkin, we were escorted to the Executive Office building to get our COVID-19 test. After the

procedure was given to me, I asked when we would know results.

The nice nurse replied, “If you test positive, we will know within 30 minutes and we will come get you”. All testing negative – it was time to set up equipment staging and get instruction from the White House Staff as to where we will start our “mission” of servicing and scanning each flue.

This year on the roof of the White House was no different than other years during the month of August. The hot summer weather had set in and it was a sweltering experience.

We switched out team members every four hours and stayed hydrated with ice cold water. The thirty-six fireplaces and flues were swept and internally video scanned using a Chim-Scan Lighthouse inspection camera. This is an important part of the detailed inspection report that is given to the White House staff.

The flues are different sizes and lengths with the longest being eighty feet.

When asked if the chimneys had a lot of creosote buildup, my reply was some had more build up than

others that were used more frequently. Our goal is to never let the creosote buildup become an issue of supporting a chimney fire, the same mindset we have with customers back home.

Has the White House ever had a chimney fire? There was a big fire back in 1929 during President Hoover’s term on Christmas Eve, the biggest fire since the War of 1812.

This year’s crew worked in sync and as a team. This was mostly due to preplanning and communications prior to arrival and during our initial team meeting at the hotel before our work was to begin. In the past after we were done with our few days of work, most of the time we’re offered a tour (with the ability to take pictures) in the rooms we were in the past few days (except no tour in the Executive Residence).

According to the White House Historical Association: By approximately 10:30pm the fire had been put out.

The executive offices were heavily damaged and the White House press room was ruined.

Reporters lost personal effects and files—along with a new poinsettia plant; a holiday gift from the Hoovers. The next morning President Hoover, his physician and several cabinet members sloshed through still-standing water and looked at the damage.

Lt. Col. Ulysses S. Grant III (the former president’s grandson) of the

Public Buildings and Parks Department and Chief George Watson of the Fire Department told President Hoover that either a blocked or faulty chimney vent or defective electric wiring had overheated and caused the pamphlets in the attic to ignite.

Although the smoke-smudged walls were in good shape, the roof, attic and floors were severely damaged.

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19

This year was no different.

After the task was completed the night before the tour, each team member is traditionally asked to give their favorite experience from the trip and their favorite room. Howard and I both stated that seeing the first-time joy and awe of the new team members was our favorite. Others stated that they enjoyed just being on the roof of the White House, seeing the awesome view that few have ever experienced, and the different levels of

security. Some favorite rooms included: the Lincoln Bedroom where the original Gettysburg Address is on the desk, the Diplomatic Reception Room with the panoramic wallpaper depicting American History (a past team was able to get a photo op with then President George W. Bush and Barbara Bush), the Map Room with the history of the World War II invasion, and the Treaty Room (on the Residence Floor).

For those wondering, this gig does not come with financial compensation, and crew members pay their own cost to travel and stay in the Washington DC area.

We were lucky this year to get a reduced rate at a nice hotel just outside of DC (thank you Ralph Preising – Bob “Gunny” Preising’s brother is the past manager of this hotel). But the honor to be on the team has always been more than enough payback. It is surely the highlight of one’s career.

In order to serve on this crew, team members at a minimum must be an NCSG member, maintain their CSIA CCS certification, pass security checks, follow the team leader’s direction, and be respectful to White House staff and property. If you are interested in applying to be on a future White House Team, feel free to email Howard Rowell at howard@ royalchimney.com.

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Jeff Keefer

Government Affairs Committee Chair hile I was on a drive in the country between the two towns on the map above, I had a member call me regarding a license issue in his city. He was denied a permit to do work that he’s done for the last 12 years. He was simply lining the chimney.

Unfortunately, it’s becoming an all too frequent call.

The conversations usually involve some common threads.

• How can “they” change the regulations? We’ve been doing proper installations for X number of years and had them approved by the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction).

• The “approved” license holders in my area don’t even do this type work.

• What is the NCSG doing about it in my city?

• Can’t I be grandfathered in?

And sometimes I get comments like these that can be detrimental.

• It’s all because my municipality needs more money from the fees!

W 24

• I have been trained and certified to do these installations. I’ve forgotten more about chimneys and fireplaces than these guys know.

So let me address these last two comments, frankly, from my perspective. It was ironic that during one of these conversations I was leaving the town of Feesburg and heading towards Utopia. Yes they are real! This trip helped me with some perspective on the issue.

Let’s define Utopia, the town to which we would like to arrive, or the destination. First of all, it is where the homeowner has a safe, proper installation.

We all would agree that the homeowner’s safety is preeminent. It’s the overarching purpose of most codes and regulations. And that the installations and inspections can be completed by the members of our Guild.

To the first point about paying fees- while doing business in “Feesburg”, you are required to pay. It is simply a cost of doing business. Even if there’s a partial truth that your municipality

S weeping | November | 2020

needs money, the goal is to keep the resident safe. Just add it as a line item on your proposal.

The second detrimental comment is in making a blanket statement about who is knowledgeable and qualified to do the work is just wrong.

Comments like “I’ve forgotten more about chimneys and fireplaces than these guys know.” Even if that is true in your particular case, it will divide instead of unite. They will build up a wall and stop dialogue. There are people outside of our industry that may have never swept a chimney that know as much as or more than we do. To make a claim like this is arrogant and weakens our arguments for a seat at the table. Most local and state oversight boards are made up of reasonable people willing to listen. This may be the time to gently educate and advocate your position to the AHJ. At this moment you are required to play by the rules, even if the plumber contractor who has never installed a chimney liner has to sign off on your chimney

liner installation. Due to the occupational licensing requirements, many of our members have had to hire licensed plumbers and electricians for years.

There are some that have brought them on staff, even going as far as hiring a mechanical engineer. The future goal would be that our members attain an “approved” contractor status.

There are three main thrusts of Government Affairs committee.

- Standards and Codes - Occupational Licensing - Regulations Standards and Codes The NCSG has been blessed for years to have great representation on the Standard committees that are relevant to our industry. Their quarterly reports are available in the NCSG board notes. Our representatives are very active in ensuring what’s implemented is fair while keeping the consumer in mind.

Many of our members have served selflessly for decades in these roles. If you meet them, please thank them. The NCSG reps are there so that you can spend more time focusing on your business. Our codes and standards team is there to ensure your interests are

represented at the decision-making table at the NFPA 54, NFPA 211, NFPA 31, and IRC councils.

Occupational Licensing Many times Occupational Licensing comes up as a result of a quick fix due to an improper installation that caused a loss of life or property. Sometimes it is a governing board not knowing where or who to put Chimney and Venting in a specific licensing category. Does it go under HVAC, Plumbing, Roofing, Framing and Electrical…? In a typical replacement of a wood burning prefabricated fireplace, our members may touch all five of those trade disciplines.

Sometimes the governing board puts it under what they think is most appropriate. If you are a company out west, you most likely are required to have a license for each one of those trade disciplines!

In California, you need a Roofing Contractor’s License to install a chimney through a roof. Also, it may simply be one affiliated trade trying to get more under their auspices for their members.

Regulations Oh! Let us count the ways our industry can be regulated. No let’s not, but here are few

to keep an eye on. The “Zero Net Energy” and Energy Conservation regulations from The U.S. Department of Energy. Could all new homes be mandated to have no fireplace?

Then there is the NAHB Green Building Code (ICC 700) which is an effort by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) to increase environmental sustainability in new construction. This code is an amalgamation of NAHB, the International Code Council (ICC) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

The way that the ICC 700 is focusing on indoor environmental quality and resource conservation could unnecessarily place restrictions on gas appliances and limit the use of wood appliances.

To continue the list, you can add all state and local clean air agencies. And OSHA. Committee Goals Our goal is to stay ahead of the curve of what is coming down the road. Is it possible that surprise regulations occur?

Absolutely! How about what popped up in Oklahoma last month with the OK Construction Industries Board?

They now require an NFI certification in the type of appliance being installed and

serviced effective October 1, 2020. The NCSG implements a program that scours legislative websites for keywords related to our industry. Even so, a change can come up quickly. A city, county, district or region can have a regulation come out of a committee and be voted upon without it being recognized by the software. If you’re as old as I am, you will recognize the quote

by Tip Oneill that, “All Politics is Local.”

That’s where our local members come in.

They have a vested interest and may hear of a potential change quickly. Our members have the power to effect change. The recent case of possible regulation changes in Missouri is an example of how local members turned the tide. We are a small association without a full time lobbyist firm.

Rather our advantage is we have members throughout the states.

Many times our job is to simply inform you of changes when it comes to regulations on a federal level. It is our goal to alert, educate, and inform our members of industry issues. In the future articles, we will address the ways we can help our members advocate including templates and resources when facing these changes.

S weeping | November | 2020

25

Steve Meet Trumble Meet Steve Trumble of Chimney Doctors in Lakeville, Minnesota.

Steve shares with us how he got his start in the industry, why safety is important to him, and a unique invention to help him on the job.

26

What is a question you get asked most about being a chimney sweep/chimney sweeping/the industry?

Where’s your top hat?

How did you get started in the industry?

Back in 2004, I was working at a printing shop and was let go. My girlfriend at the time told me about a guy her brother knew in the air duct and chimney cleaning business that might need some help.

The next week I showed up at Michael McFarland’s house at 7 AM, and after a handshake and a short conversation, he handed me the keys to one of his trucks and had me follow him to a job site. I knew right away that I loved the service business. I worked on and off with Mike for a couple years then decided to start my own chimney business. In 2009, Mike passed away in a motorcycle accident and I decided to purchase his company and assets. Shortly after, I changed the name from Air Pro LLC to Chimney Doctors, dropped the air duct cleaning side of it and focused all my attention on chimneys.

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a Member

What advice do you wish you had received when you were getting started?

Read more.

What is the biggest challenge you face on the job?

What are your best strategies for overcoming it?

Safety. There are a lot of unique situations we as sweeps find ourselves in, doing our job safely is a huge commitment.

Who was your most famous customer?

Randall McDaniel from the Minnesota Vikings.

Have you ever attended NCSG Annual Convention & Trade Show? If so, what was your favorite takeaway?

Yes, Jim Brewer’s talk on safety completely changed my outlook on the importance of wearing climbing helmets and just being more mindful about safety.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Probably building my business from a one man operation to the 15 person company we operate today.

Have you ever had to make your own tool to solve a particular problem?

The dog catcher. Basically a noose made out of PVC and rubber coated cable used to remove rods and many other things from chimneys.

Weirdest thing you have ever found in a chimney?

Pileated wood pecker.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Play the drums, travel and spend time with my beautiful wife, Lindsay and our three children Trey, Tristan, and Taylor.

What is, in your opinion, the most valuable part of being a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild?

The amazing technical support.

Thank you, Steve! Make sure to check out his article on how technology within the industry has evolved in the Tech Q & A. Don’t forget to submit your nominations for the next Meet a Member to Annemarie Stockton at astockton@ncsg.org.

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S weeping | November | 2020

27

Brittney Burton

Membership and Outreach Coordinator

Membership Memo Influence further the influence of the Guild. Getting involved in industry discussion is the first step; join us for the 2021 Convention or simply participate on the NCSG Discussion list. You can also share your experience with other members through our mentor program.

If you are interested in volunteering your time and expertise to one of our committees

or as a future board member, please reach out to Megan McMahon, mmcmahon@ncsg.org with your interests.

Ultimately, your membership and participation is the key to the Guild’s ability to influence and advocate for the industry.

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Influence is a powerful piece of the National Chimney Sweep Guild.

There’s no surprise that there is strength in numbers, and by growing our Guild we increase our political clout and empower you. The NCSG advocates for our industries and interests at federal, state, and local governments, officials, and regulators.

We also work with key stakeholders in our industry such as the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association and state and regional chimney sweeping associations.

Representation is important, so we send representatives to National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 211, 54, and 31 code councils.

Members can look for updates each month in eNewslink. This is just one more way we are putting your money to work to help the nation’s chimney and venting industry!

5% of all dues paid to the Guild are set aside in a special fund for

advocacy and legislative action. If you have spotted a legislative issue in your area, you can report that on our website at www.

NCSG.org/GovernmentAffairs or contact the Government Affairs Chair, Jeff Keefer, at info@chimneycareco. com!

Of course there are many ways you can get involved and help

Roydhouse Round Up

late or we never get the word and did not show up to voice our concerns.

“Access is vital in Lobbying. If you can’t get in your door, you can’t make your case” -Jack Abramoff

by Chuck Roydhouse, CSIA President president@csia.org “Government, even at its best state, is but a necessary evil, in its worst state, an intolerable one.” -Thomas Paine How things work in our American society is a constant back and forth struggle of competing interests. There is an ebb and flow of influence based on who has the most clout. For too long, our industry has been a little slow getting to the dance. We at CSIA are building a trade. To undertake this task, we need to have a seat at the table of decision makers. How is this done? One way is for everyone in our industry to rally around a concept and each person advocates to their local, state and federal representative to make our voices heard. This is a time-consuming task at best and a financial drain at worst. Working in Government Affairs is generally defined as an attempt to influence government action through either written or oral communication. A more common or shorter term is “Lobby” -defined as to seek influence on an issue.

Because of the time and financial resources required to accomplish the goal, professionals are employed to represent your interest and make your case. The lobbyist firms work in this sphere of political influence 24/7 and know how to be effective. They have access. Access costs money. Our industry has not made the required financial investment to be protected nationwide. The successes we have made thus far has been though dedicated industry members rushing to the “fire” as volunteers to pushback whatever legislation or rule that negatively impacted the Chimney Industry. Thank the Lord for such industry stalwarts. Unfortunately, sometime it is too little too

This past winter, CSIA was invited to speak before the newly constituted New Jersey board regulating the Chimney Venting and Installation Industry. New Jersey has recently passed a law that requires an NFI Master Hearth Certification to work on chimneys. As your President, I made arrangements for CSIA to appear before the board to request the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Credential be accepted as an alternative to the Master Hearth requirement. Vice President Tommy Nelms made a compelling argument on our behalf. The ruling to accept the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Mark was scheduled for announcement by the NJ Board early June 2020. Due to Covid 19 this has been delayed and is expected anytime now. CSIA is working for you, the credential holders, and our industry to protect our livelihood and certification.

This is a true return on your investment with CSIA. We believe in the common good of everyone in our trade and work for that at all times. As the wheels of state regulation related to the chimney service industry roll faster each year it is incumbent for CSIA to lead. This year’s 2020/2021 fiscal year budget, for the first time, includes monies for an advocacy fund to get ahead of the curve and protect the CSIA credential holders. We will be working on your behalf and the betterment of the trade.

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7 CSIA IS THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CHIMNEY AND VENTING INDUSTRY.

Chuck Roydhouse CSIA President

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S weeping | November | 2020

33

Megan McMahon Executive Director

Around the Tech Center This is the Tech Center team’s favorite time of year.

One of our cherished group activities has grown to be helping those in need. Last year, the NCSG & CSIA Staff raised over $2,750 for Sweep Away Cancer, and this year we’re raising the bar to $3,000! Join us this month in supporting this fantastic organization by donating! Visit our Facebook page to donate.

In addition to contributing to a great cause, the entire NCSG & CSIA staff has pledged to participate in a contest if we reach our goal: “Color Combat Against Cancer”, a dodgeball style color war against cancer. Watch us on Facebook live December 4th!

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the recommended thickness and beyond, in minutes without sagging or running.

• That’s right! Remove smoke chamber corbels with a sprayer in minutes.

• New three foot extension now available.

See the incredible video at necs.tv/sprayer

WWW.NEWENGLANDCHIMNEYSUPPLY.COM • 866.513.2378

S weeping | November | 2020

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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 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 noncommissionable and must be pre-paid. To place a classified ad, please contact Natalie Spruell at nspruell@ncsg.org or 317-837-1500.

S weeping | November | 2020

Darwin Award A customer in Minneapolis, MN contacted us and asked for us to look at his chimney/fireplace to make it a working fireplace.

See a chimney in your area that had you scratching your head? Send it to the editor, Annemarie Stockton at astockton@ncsg.org for publication in Sweeping. Include a few words about the scene and location.

Andi The Chimney Pro’s Woodbury, MN

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S weeping | November | 2020

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