Sweeping Magazine - October 2020

Sweeping October 2020 VOLUME 44 #9

The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology

DrOnes— Tool or Toy?

Your 6-Formula Guide to Marketing Clarity

Meet a Member: Steven Scally

Your 6-Formula Guide to Marketing Clarity

Drones— Tool or Toy?

Meet a Member— Steven Scally

6 21 28 Sweeping October 2020 Volume 44 Issue 9

Table of Contents President’s Letter 3 Sweeps Say 4 Editor’s Letter 5 Tech Q&A 12 Coach’s Corner 16 Membership Memo 32 New Members 37 Around the Tech Center 38 In Case You Missed It 39 Classifieds 39 Darwin Award 40

Digital illustration by David Bruce, Red2 Design Bureau

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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

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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President’s Letter

t is absolutely amazing how fast technology advances. I remember the old days of having 40 paper maps in my truck to find jobs, my phone was just for phone calls or playing snake and you had to use a desktop to check email.

Today we can find codes, installation manuals, factory rep phone numbers and street view maps from inside our trucks. I’ve even written large estimates without ever seeing the home in person. I’ve sold many jobs with texts and emails, never meeting or talking on the phone.

Technology has saved us a ton of time. It has also drastically changed

how we market to our customers. Anyone remember the dreaded yearly meeting with the Yellow Book rep?

The cost was ridiculous, but it was required. To be fair, when I travel and come across a phone book I still flip to chimneys and take a look. I personally haven’t paid for an ad since 2004 — the ROI isn’t there for me.

While I’m not the safety expert (contact Jim Brewer or Bob Ferrari), the advancement of safety equipment has been huge. From being able to access difficult chimneys with ease to saving our backs and breathing clean air, the technology has greatly improved.

Finally, look at our

work trucks.

They are not just a rolling tool box, they are rolling showrooms.

We can show customers products like custom caps, wood stoves, and fireplace change-outs all on the spot. We have inventory control and even barcode systems that let you know if all your tools made it back into the truck before pulling out of the customer’s driveway.

While I’m sometimes stuck in my old ways and have many ways I can improve, technology definitely makes our job easier, safer and

Jasper Drengler President

more profitable.

Have a great day and be safe.

Jasper Drengler NCSG President

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Sweeps Say

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What new technology or tool have you added to your business that you’ve found to be really successful?

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

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Editor’s Letter

H

appy October, Sweeps!

Technology is the issue theme this month, and our contributors have some really great articles in store for you.

We wanted to hear from you as to what new technology you’ve implemented in your work spaces that have changed the game for you, and you did not disappoint! Check out what some fellow sweeps are talking about in the Sweeps Say on page 4.

Steven Scally touches on some notable technology innovations from over the years in the chimney

Annemarie Stockton Editor

There’s one (relatively) new piece of technology that is changing the game for chimney professionals everywhere: drones.

Guest contributor Jim Ferguson does a deep dive into drone technology, and even gives you the steps to obtain your own drone and certification.

This is a can’t-miss article on page 21.

What new technology have you been incorporating into your business? I’d love to hear, so send me an email at astockton@ncsg.org!

and hearth community in this month’s Technical Q and A on page 12.

Sometimes it’s important to see where you’ve come from to prepare for where you’re going.

Just like technology, marketing strategies are also changing and evolving over time. It can be difficult to gauge your marketing success and failures and map out where you should be going next. Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill from Spark Marketer give us a “6-Formula Guide to Marketing Clarity” to help keep you from flying blind.

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6 Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill

Your 6-Formula Guide to Marketing Clarity

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s a leadership team, we’ve been reading a book by Gino Wickman called Traction. There are endless takeaways, but one analogy in particular really stuck with us.

It goes like this: “Picture a small plane flying over the Atlantic Ocean.

Halfway across, the captain announces, ‘I’ve got bad news and I’ve got good news. The bad news is that the gauges aren’t working. We are hopelessly lost, I have no idea how fast we’re flying or in what direction, and I don’t know how much fuel we have left. The good news is that we’re making great time!’”

That’s what we call flying blind. And when you’re flying blind, it doesn’t matter what the good news is — the bad news is all that matters.

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Unfortunately, we see this all too often with service businesses and their marketing. They have no idea where they’re going, or if they’re going to make it there and how — all they know is that they’re going.

The problem is: clarity isn’t going to seek you out so you can make better marketing choices.

You can waste endless dollars and hours on marketing that won’t get you where you want to go. No one’s going to stop you. I mean, we’ll try if you’re our client, but otherwise, there are plenty of people willing to take your money and run.

It’s up to you to figure out what you need to do to land where you want to land. So, the question is: Are you flying blind with your marketing?

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Do you have a clear idea of where you want your marketing to get you and how/if it’s going to get there?

Do you know how to gauge your marketing successes and failures so you can pivot and change directions as needed?

If not, it’s time to equip yourself with the right instruments — we’ve got you covered. Here are some key formulas/ instruments to give you clarity around your marketing and make it easier to gauge and direct your efforts.

Ready? Let’s do this.

#1 What is your annual revenue?

First things first: in order to plan the trip and get where you want to go, you have to know your starting point. So, figure out how much money you’re actually bringing in each year.

This is the amount of gross income produced by the sales of your services and products.

#2 What is your average ticket value?

The next number you want to calculate is your average ticket value.

The simplest way to figure out your average ticket value is to take your total revenue and divide it by the total number of jobs for the year.

You should have a way of keeping track of the number of jobs you complete each year, but if you don’t, make it a priority!

#3 How much revenue do you want to make each year?

Now, put on your dreaming cap and think about where you want to “land” this baby.

How much revenue do you *want* to be making each year?

Feel free to dream big — the gauges that follow will tell you if your goal is attainable.

If it’s not, you can revisit and make it more realistic.

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#4 How many jobs do you need to do in order to reach your dream revenue goal for the year?

Once you know what your current revenue is and what your revenue goals are for the future, you have to figure out how you’re going to close the gap. So, take a look at your business and figure out how many jobs you will need to do next year in order to reach your revenue goal.

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To figure this out, simply divide your goal revenue by your average ticket value.

Voila! Now your revenue goal isn’t some ambiguous pie in the sky ideal - you know what to do to get there.

#5 What’s your blended closing rate?

Your blended close rate is going to tell you how good you are at turning leads into appointments and appointments into sales; so you can figure out how many leads you need to hit your target number of jobs.

Here’s how you figure out your blended close rate:

Take your number of appointments and divide that by your number of leads.

Multiply this number by 100.

This tells you your closing rate for turning leads into appointments. For example, if you have 20 leads on a given day and set 12 appointments, 12/20 = .6 x 100 = 60%.

Take your number of successful sales and divide that by your # of appointments.

Multiply this number by 100.

This tells you your closing rate for turning appointments into sales. For example, if you have 12 appointments on a given day and make four sales, 4/12 = .33 x 100 = 33%.

Add the two together and divide the sum by two.

This is your blended closing rate. Using the above numbers, 60% + 33% = 93%/2 = 46.5%.

The key here is to be HONEST. It won’t do you any good to put imaginary ratios here.

You need to know the facts so you can improve them.

Note: Your call to appointment number should be higher than

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your sales number. The average blended close rate in the chimney industry is usually in the 40-50% range. We’ve seen as high as 57% and as low as 18%.

#6 How many leads at today’s closing rate do you need to reach your goal revenue?

Until you know how many leads you will need in order to generate your goal revenue, everything in your marketing will be guesswork. You’ll be flying blind. So you absolutely *have* to figure out this number.

How do you do that?

By taking your current number of leads and dividing it by your blended closing rate.

Once you have this number, it’s just a matter of developing an overall budget and marketing plan in order to bring in that number of leads.

Let’s Land This Baby!

Phew! We made it through all that math.

Thanks for sticking with us!

your marketing flying in the right direction, at the right speed, and with the right amount of fuel needed to get to your goal destination.

And when your good news is that you’re no longer flying blind, but now have clarity around your marketing and what you need to do to hit your goals, the bad news is a lot easier to take.

Carter Harkins & Taylor Hill are the co-founders of Spark Marketer, a digital marketing company that works primarily with service businesses.

They’re also co-creators of the award-winning app Closing Commander, which helps contractors close more estimates, and co-authors of Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles for Building a Kickass Business You Love.

Hang in there!

The good news is: Even if you don’t have every single number in your business figured out, just knowing these few calculations can keep

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Steven Scally

Technical Q and A Technology: How far we have come.

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wanted to share with everyone who is reading this a little background of where we came from to where we are today as an industry. I may miss a few people and their contributions to this industry, so please do not consider this an all-inclusive list.

I have been in this industry for almost 43 years. I started sweeping in 1978 when my uncle started a chimney sweeping business … because of an article he had read in Mother Earth News. I was 15 when I started, and I’ve learned a lot and seen a lot in all those years since.

One of the innovators in our industry that stands out to me first and foremost is Bob Daniels.

I truly believe that without him and what he did for our industry, we would not be where we are at today. He is either partially or mostly responsible for the chimney cap. He started to build them out of his garage in the late 70’s/early 80s, and it just grew from there. He was also responsible for helping us shift our mindset to be more like businessmen instead of simply chimney sweeps. He would send out cassette tapes every month with a lesson about growing your business — with topics such as sales opportunities, adding product offerings, and marketing

yourself — just to name a few.

Another innovator in the early years was Andy Schukal from Sleepy Hollow Chimney Supply.

They invented the first flexible stainless steel liner. Before then, we were installing straight pipe as a liner system! Sleepy Hollow was also the first to make a cast firebox that created a more efficient fireplace, called a Bellfire. We now have two systems that are castable fireplaces — the other one is the Ahren-Fire.

During this time of innovation, the first camera inspection system came into being. Tom Urban was a chimney sweep at the time and wanted a better way to see what was going on inside the chimney. With his engineering background, he created the Chim-Scan camera system, which originally used a video format for recording what the camera was seeing.

Now we have all different types of camera systems for looking inside the chimney, and we even have drones for those hard to reach areas outside the home.

Pete Luter was another industry innovator who came up with a set of rods and tools. Up until then, we were all creating makeshift tools to help us do our job because no tools specifically designed for our industry

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existed. Two of Pete’s greatest inventions were tile breakers and the Ro-Kleen system.

All of this innovation was happening in the early ‘80s, as I recall. At the time Ronald Reagan was president, and he declared that all boilers and furnaces must be more efficient.

This began relining issues in America for oil- and gas-fired appliances. Bill Payton, probably one of the smartest men I ever met, taught us all about stainless steel — the different grades, qualities, and temperatures of stainless steel and how they were made so that we could offer informed opinions to the homeowner on which stainless liner to use for their appliance.

All through the years we were always trying to come up with efficient ways to sweep chimneys with different rods and brushes. We started with fiberglass rods – 5-feet long with air hose connectors, and metal brushes made by Worcester brush and then Wakefield brush a little later. Soon came the Bailey rods and the rattan rods. The Bailey rods had some flexibility to them so that we could get around angles a little easier. Stiff wire brushes were later replaced with more flexible poly brushes. Today we have power sweeping rods and

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brushes that allow us to sweep flues quickly and more efficiently.

Our original vacuum system was either an August West or a Hinkley vacuum. Ken Hinkley created one of the first chimney sweeping schools in the country, located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. August West offered chimney sweeping classes during the late 70’s/early 80’s. I still have two of the original August West vacuums in my basement. They can move a tremendous amount of air…but they are also big, bulky, and˛heavy.

Our relining tools and materials have come a long way from the original straight pipe that we purchased from Lloyd Greene in western Massachusetts.

We would connect the straight pieces together with pop rivets. I’m sure you can imagine how much “fun” we had back in those days when trying to get around an angle in the chimney. We would have to make up our own poured insulation with vermiculite or perlite and Portland cement. Now we have the choice of different types of stainless steel liners, cast-in-place liner systems, and

the HeatShield liner.

We also have various ways to insulate the liner — pre-insulated liners, wrapped insulated liners, and premixed poured insulation, all of which give us more flexibility to work with a variety of chimney conditions that we may come across.

Our industry’s innovations have not just been in our equipment and tools.

We have also seen our codes and standards change over the years to reflect what we have learned through

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research and testing and as new appliances have come on the market. The classes that the Tech Center offers have also evolved with these new learnings and insights.

We offer much gratitude to all those who came before us, who struggled and worked tirelessly to get the Tech Center up and running. The Tech Center continues to be upgraded with new innovations — always with an eye toward finding ways to better train the chimney sweeps and technicians

of today and tomorrow.

It is also important to appreciate our vendors who take an active role in training and teaching us all to be better at what we do.

For an industry that has only been around since the 1970’s, we’ve already come a long way. I believe it is important to know where we came from so that we can better understand what it takes to continue to grow and move forward in an ever-changing environment.

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Coach’s Corner Has The Fateful Day Arrived?

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You may be facing this issue today, tomorrow, maybe next week; where that fateful day has arrived and as the manager you are facing a hard decision. It’s a decision you are losing sleep over and truly dread: the decision to grant an employee their freedom to seek new employment. In other words, it is that fateful day where you have to terminate a member of your team.

You are also wondering how this decision will affect your business.

Who will take his place? What about the money you have invested training this person? What about the great sales he has made? What about the contributions this person has made? And is there any way you can turn this person around? These and other thoughts go through your mind.

Arriving at this decision took a lot out of you. If you are human and you have a conscience, you likely have spent sleepless nights agonizing over this decision. You have run through all the repercussions this will entail. Likely, you are thinking of the effect this will have on the employee and his family. After all he has depended on you, and his family depends on him.

But let’s ask the big question: when did this individual start their downward spiral that has brought on this necessary decision?

And then the question is, what did you as the manager do to coach this person, to reinvent them into a better member of the team?

will be required to make change happen.

When this occurs, we must look at our management style and processes and examine if we really did what we needed to do as this person’s manager. Did we truly attempt to coach, not just manage, this person into a reinvented member of the team? This is the classic advice often given by Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith show. Barney would advise Andy that he had to “Nip it in the bud” when Andy had a problem with Opie, and he would continue saying the words “Nip it”. There is even a YouTube video of Barney saying this on many different occasions on the show.

Often we let problems fester and grow, and we let bad habits form.

We simply ride out the pain of bad habits to avoid the pain that

It is the job of each manager, to take the steps to coach a member of their team when they see that bad habits

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are forming, while there is a chance that change can be made.

It is the manager’s job to “Nip it” before the downward spiral begins. Maybe they no longer strive to make your customers happy, their workmanship has fallen off, their culture just does not match the company culture, or they refuse to follow your processes and procedures. No matter the issue, look in the mirror and ask yourself the question: did I do my job of coaching this person properly?

If you can answer that question affirmatively, your conscience should now be free.

You should feel free to grant this person the freedom to go seek employment where they will be happy.

But now let’s reverse the situation. You come to work one morning, you had a great evening and you

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walk in smiling.

But˛when you arrive, one of the people on your team wants to speak˛with you.

This is a person who is a particularly important member of your team, a dependable person who is a part of your ongoing day to day success. They share with you that they have decided it is time they move on and they give you their notice, they are leaving in a week, or two weeks or whatever that period of time is. At

this point your heart sinks. You have this feeling of doom and gloom in your gut, and you feel sick from the anxiety this unexpected news has given you. You think to yourself, I had no idea this was coming.

When this has happened, you need to ask yourself, how did I not see this was coming, how did I not see that this could even happen? Well that answer may just be found in the conversations you

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never had, where you never found out if this person was happy, you never found out how they felt about their employment, and how they felt about working with and for you. Did you ever have these conversations?

Did you ever find out how this person was feeling? And even more importantly, did you ever just sit and listen to them?

One of the best ideas of communication I ever heard for an employee/ employer relationship

was shared with me

by Brandi Biswell.

She calls it the stay interview, which is a process where you sit down with employees to find out if they are really happy and if the company and you as a manager are meeting their needs.

These can be hard conversations, but this is how life works. True, hard conversations are what can provide us the impetus to move forward and lead others in a way they want to be led.

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I have described two vastly different scenarios, one is termination, the other is a key employee deciding it is time to move to greener pastures.

Now while each may be painful, you will survive, and the employee will survive, maybe both will profit from either move. But what will you learn?

What value can you take out of either of these scenarios where you become a better leader and a better coach.

You see, that is the advantage of failure, of any failure. It is what John Maxwell describes as failing forward, and the skill of learning from each and every failure is a skill that can build your leadership abilities in a remarkable manner.

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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 web site 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.

Drones Tool or Toy?

by Jim Ferguson

I

have been known as the tech, tool, and toy guy for a long time! My wife calls me Mr. Gadget because I am always looking for cool gadgets to make our job safer, easier, and when possible, more fun! So, when professional camera drones came drastically down in price, I got the itch for a new toy (tool)! But what can a drone do for our business? There were several factors I needed to consider. Why use a drone?

Can it replace going on the roof for an inspection?

Safety is the main reason for getting a drone,

but are there other ways it will enhance my business? Are there laws that regulate using a drone for business? Is there required training or certifications that I will need? How much money will I need to spend to get a drone that I will be happy with? Are there any factors that would limit when or where I could use a drone?

Improving Safety Adding safety to a rooftop inspection was my number one reason for getting a drone! It is easy to see the practical convenience of using a drone.

I can avoid traversing steep roofs, snowy roofs, tile roofs, slate roofs, wood shake roof and steel roofs.

With the drone, I can still see what I want to see and never leave the ground!

The best practice would be to do a complete level II inspection and use the pictures from the drone in your report. If you do not do a level II inspection when you are estimating an external repair, you should write a disclaimer on the estimate that a full level II inspection is recommended in order to reveal any issues that would need to be addressed and corrected. A level II inspection may involve an additional cost. The nice part about the drone is you can have it in your truck and may be able to safely complete the estimate in the first trip. It is easier and cheaper to have a drone with you as opposed to making a second trip or bringing a bucket lift with you!

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Wow Factor I did not realize how much “wow factor” using a drone at a customer’s house would add! Even though drones are becoming more commonplace, many people have not seen one up close or one being used for anything other than a toy! Let your customer know that for safety reasons you are going to be using a drone to get pictures of their roof and chimney.

They may want to come and watch! When I am using my drone I always try to go slowly and carefully. Your customer will not be overly impressed if you crash your drone into their house or chimney! After I have gotten the pictures I need, it is time to have a little fun and add some “wow factor”. Get some pictures from a distance that show the entire house. Go a little further away and get pictures of

the whole property. See if there is anything interesting you can get in the background of the shot such as a historical landmark, old building, or fall scenery.

Give the customer digital copies of the pictures. They may show them to their friends and you just got some free word of mouth advertising!

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Is this a must have tool?

There are some tools that are a must-have such as an internal chimney camera system. I do not think you are doing your due diligence for your customers or your company without a proper camera system for internal chimney inspections. I recommend having a drone, but it is not on my must have list.

Safely getting the pictures I need using my drone has been helpful when working with customers and insurance adjustors. We have information on our website indicating we are certified to use a drone, and we have gotten jobs specifically because we have a drone! One job was remarkably interesting. It was on a

multimillion-dollar home. They kept getting birds in the home but could not figure out where they were coming in. We were able to find the chimney with the missing screen. The screen I watch to see what my drone is looking at also tells me how high the drone is flying. I hovered the drone near the top of the chimney and saw the chimney was 62 feet tall! We installed the screen, swept, and inspected all the flues on the property and were awarded other inside repair work on their fireplaces.

These people own several other properties and they now call us for all their chimney needs.

The drone is not a must have tool, but I am sure glad I have mine!

Limitations Using a drone is great but there are many limitations to consider.

Weather conditions can prevent or increase the level of difficulty when using a drone. You obviously would not want to fly a drone in the rain or on a windy day. Drones that have GPS have exceptionally good flight stabilization built into them, but even a mild wind can increase your level of difficulty in using a drone. When you are flying near a house, there can be wind eddies and currents that change and structures on or around the home or chimney can alter the air currents suddenly. I was flying a drone and was staying fairly close to the roof as I brought it down. As soon as I got

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Unfortunately, this emergency landing may happen on the roof!

If it is a steep roof the landing will not go so well!

24 past the gutter, the wind drew my drone into the side of the house! Fortunately, that was not a fatal drone crash.

Cold temperatures can affect your flight. Your battery may discharge differently in cold weather. The battery

may deplete more quickly.

Drone batteries have smart technology built into them.

Cold temperatures can fool the drone into thinking there is not enough charge on the battery to maintain the flight. Some drones will do an emergency landing to try to prevent a crash landing.

Location can be a limiting factor in where you are permitted to use your drone. Local airports, helicopter pads, schools, national parks, and events where crowds are present are just a few of the places that will prohibit the use of a drone. Many drones have smart GPS technology that will not even allow your drone to take off in a prohibited area.

These areas have a geo-fence that prohibits a drone from taking off.

Depending on the size of the airport, there may be flight restrictions as far away as 5-10 miles from the airport. Airports have an airspace that resembles an upside-down wedding cake.

You need to have authorization if you want to fly your drone under an airports airspace. The new FAA system, LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) allows the drone pilot to download an app that links with the LAANC

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How to legally use a drone The first step is registering your drone with the FAA. This is easy! Go to faadronezone.faa.gov. It is $5 a year for each drone you register. All drones over the weight of 0.55 pounds must be registered even if used for recreational use. All drones used commercially fall under part 107 of the FAA regulations and must be registered.

You will be required to label your drone with your current FAA registration information. You will need to follow the FAA guidelines as to how to label your drone and where this label must be placed on your drone. system to get authorization almost instantly!

There are several apps that are available that will link with the LAANC system. The one that I have found to be easy to use and reliable is the Kittyhawk App. It takes about 2 minutes to input your flight data and within seconds you will get approval, denial, or approval with height restrictions. If you are too close to the airspace, it may say authorization for this area requires an authorization request to be filed 48 hours before the flight.

You will need to prepare for and pass your part 107 Remote Pilot Certification test. I did not want to go through all the studying and testing, so I thought I found a loophole. I never charged for my drone services so that is not commercial use, right?

Wrong! The law states that any drone used for the furtherance of business is considered commercial use and the remote pilot is required to have a Remote Pilot’s certification from the FFA. I got my part 107 certification about 4 years ago.

Your certification is good for 3 years and then you need to

retest. The recurrent test does not have as many categories as the initial test. Here are the categories you will need to be proficient in to pass the test Areas of knowledge for the test • Applicable regulations relating to small unmanned aircraft system rating privileges, limitations, and flight operation • Airspace classification and operating requirements, and flight restrictions affecting small unmanned aircraft operation • Aviation weather sources and effects of weather on small unmanned aircraft performance • Small unmanned aircraft loading and performance • Emergency procedures • Crew resource management • Radio communication procedures • Determining the performance of small unmanned aircraft • Physiological effects of drugs and alcohol • Aeronautical decision-making and judgment • Airport operations • Maintenance and preflight inspection procedures Yes, this is a lot of information!

Most of it you will never use other than to pass the test.

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Tips on preparing for and taking the test I took my test within the first few months that it was offered.

There were not a lot of resources to prepare you for the test.

Today there are a wide variety of ways to get ready for the test.

This is the approach I took and recommend.

1. Take a live, in person 2-day class. This is the best way to prepare for the test, because it is a lot of material to learn. If it is a live class, you will be able to ask questions to clarify anything you might not understand.

Unless you are a pilot, most of this information will be new and foreign to you.

2. www.dronepilotgroundschool. com/This is an excellent training website. It is a $250

investment for a lifetime membership. You will need this as a refresher when you recertify in 3 years. I suggest you do this in conjunction with a live class. If you cannot attend a live class you can get all you need here. Follow the training videos and you will be armed with all the information you need to pass the test 3. Purchase and download the app, Drone Pilot (UAS) Test Prep, by Dauntless Software.

Take several practice tests until you are regularly scoring in the high 80’s

What drone should you buy?

There are a lot of choices when it comes to drones! I am the kind of guy that does not like to skimp when buying tools (or toys!) but when choosing a

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drone, you might want to keep this thought in mind. There are

two kinds of drone owners: the ones who have crashed their drone and those who will crash their drone! You can spend $9 -$90,000 on a drone. The $9 one obviously will not do the job, but spending several thousand dollars is overkill. My first drone was about $2500. I was physically sick the first time I crashed that drone! Now when I buy a drone, I try to stay under $500. Here are some must have features when selecting a drone.

GPS. GPS will offer stability to your flights. It helps you keep

it steady in moderate to low windy days. It also will allow other important features that you will need in a drone.

Easy flight authorization. Your drone software should have the ability to connect the drone with an LAANC authorization app. GPS is needed to have this feature. Connecting with this app will allow your drone to take off in restricted areas if you have LAANC authorization.

Quality camera.

Your camera should be at least 8MP. You want high enough resolution pictures to see everything you want to see. The camera should be mounted on a

gimbal. Some lower cost drones have the camera at a fixed position. A gimble will allow you to change the angle of the camera. The gimbal should be able point straight forward, straight down, or any angle in between.

Easy to use You want to get a done that does not take a lot of time to set up.

My first drone, DJI Phantom 3 professional, took several minutes to get out of the case and install four props.

It took 10 minutes or more to get it in the air.

I now use a DJI Spark and I can have it in the air in under 5 minutes.

A drone must be easy to fly and easy to get the pictures from the drone into your chimney inspection report.

All the drones I have used have been manufactured by DJI. I have been very happy with the results I have gotten from them. I have owned the DJI Phantom Professional III and the DJI Spark. If I were currently in the market for a new drone, I would consider the DJI Mavic Mini with the fly more combo.

It is small, easy to use and the fly more combo gets you the remote, extra batteries and more (and is only about $499).

So be safe, get a drone, follow the rules, and get your remote pilot certification!

27

About the author Jim Ferguson 40 Years in the hearth and service industry. Creator of the Chimspect app for chimney inspections and report writing. Certified C.S.I.A. F.I.R.E., N.F.I. wood heat specialist, C.M.C.T. FAA Certified drone pilot Jim@ChimSpect. com 330-933-7081

S weeping | October | 2020

Steven Meet Scally

28

a Member

Meet Steven Scally of Fireside Sweeps LLC in Fremont, New Hampshire.

Steven is a long time member of NCSG, serves as the TAC committee chair, and currently sits on the board as an At-Large Director.

He shares with us some of his biggest challenges and how he works to overcome them.

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

How did you get into chimney sweeping?

How did you get started in the industry?

In 1978, my uncle Bill Vandusen started a chimney sweep company and it went gangbusters right away. I was 15 at the time and of course was looking to make money doing something as I was looking to get my license. I started that summer and then Saturday’s when I went back to school, working with my uncle. It blossomed from there.

He hired a mason and I went to work with him, tending and learning a lot about masonry. After that mason quit, I took over the masonry work.

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

When I started my business 21 years ago, one of the things I wished I had was a good accountant and an office manager. It took me a few years to hire an accountant and too many more years to hire an office manager.

What is the biggest challenge you face on the job?

What are your best strategies for overcoming it?

Finding the right employees for me and my company. I stand fast to hire to my core values, and I have found some great employees that way. During this COVID pandemic, I have zoomed in on all but one of the meetings offered by NCSG and CSIA. The way to hire was in one of those zoom meetings, which I know will make it a lot easier than I have been doing in the past. For anyone looking for information, those joint meetings are full of great information.

Who was your most famous customer?

Bill Belichick was probably one of the most famous customers we had. Also, Malcolm Forbes out on the Nashaun Island, J. Geils (musician), Rico Petrocelli and Jerry Remy, who played for the Red Sox, and Johnny Bucyk, Tiger Williams and Rick Middleton, who all played for the Boston Bruins.

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

I have been to many conventions and trade shows over the years. What really stands out to me was the year we were in Hershey, Pennsylvania – when the blizzard hit. I went down early, as I saw it coming and did not want to get stuck like a lot of folks did. Ken Robinson was doing a Rumfordize hands-on class, and his helpers did not make it there on time to help him. So I jumped in and volunteered. Because of my work there, Kevin Delucenay offered for me to come help build the twisted chimney project at the Tech Center. That convention was also memorable because of the 5 folks that sat outside in the 4 feet of snow in their bathing suits, smoking cigars to raise money. And when the police showed up, Ashley Eldridge in his mom and baby costume was discussing this with the police.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I will give you this quote by Albert Einstein as an answer, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” I’ve use this for most of my life because I felt I had to continually prove myself to others. When I realized I do not need to, that is where I really started to grow as a human being.

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

Have we met? I started back in the stone ages. Been making or modifying tools most of my life. I did on a job just the other day. I needed heat shield in one specific place about 4 feet down from the top. I modified my rod and a trowel to work perfectly in getting what I needed done. I believe that most chimney sweeps are this way. We find ways to get stuff done.

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Weirdest thing you have ever found in a chimney?

I have found so many things over the years…all the different animals you can think of. But the weirdest: panties.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Playing poker and smoking cigars are a couple of them. I have played golf, which I like but it doesn’t like me. I like to go fishing, though not often enough.

I like to help people. I do a lot of that in so many different ways.

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

There are just so many things here. One of the most valuable to me is the great people in our industry who will help you out. I can call just about any one of them and I get the help I need. The friendships I have gathered over the years are immeasurable. This is one of the reasons I wanted to be on the TAC committee, which now I am the chair. I want to give back to any one in our industry who needs it.

Thank you, Steven! 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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Membership Memo all that you love about the convention; while staying safe and allowing our members across the globe to attend regardless of location or travel restrictions.

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What a perfect time to talk about technology.

Here at the Tech Center, technology is the word of the day.

We are diving in head first to bring the best technology available to the 2021 Virtual Convention. This year we are pivoting to an all-digital convention that will be flexible to best accommodate

The technology currently available for virtual events is impressive to say the least. The platforms we are considering will allow us to bring interactive classes, Q&A sessions, networking, vendor connections, product demonstrations and much more to you in the comfort of your own home or office. You

will be able to finish the week with all the education, ideas, and new friends as you have in previous years while also saving on travel and time commitments.

all about, so we are brainstorming plenty of exciting ways to bring coffee breaks, after hour events, and even those barstool talks into the virtual experience.

Our priority is to allow you to attend classes, receive CEUs and interact with the speakers as if you were in the same room. The trade show will offer the opportunity to “walk the show”, learn about new products and to visit one-onone or in groups with your favorite vendors.

We know networking is what convention is

We have hit the ground running to put on a spectacular event for 2021 and look forward to “putting the pieces together for success.”

Questions or Concerns?

Visit NCSGConvention. org/FAQ

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Roydhouse Round Up

by Chuck Roydhouse, CSIA President president@csia.org

“Once new technology rolls over you, if you’re not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road.”

-Stewart Brandt One of my responsibilities as your president is to ensure our trade progresses with the tools and education to keep our industry always moving forward. Because CSIA is the leader of our industry, it is incumbent that our credential holders offer the best and most professional levels of service to the public. The definition of a professional is a person who is an expert at his or her work. Communication is defined as the imparting or exchange of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writing or signs. Certification is defined as: guaranteed; reliability endorsed. How do we combine the professional, communication and certification in an effective way to be demonstrative in our investigative report and corrective action recommendations to be taken if needed? To elucidate this, it is best using all the forms of technology to showcase and define your level of expertise. Now is the time to embrace technology on multiple levels.

“Technology is the campfire around which we tell our stories.” – Laurie Anderson Things you might want to consider: Some have been around from the early days of pen and NCR forms with a 21-point check off list. Then we moved up in the world with polaroid pictures. How about the old Chim-Scan screen shooter hood for the

polaroid pictures? Those were the days.The modern chimney service company has smart phones for photo documentation and phone calls and tablets for inspection report documentation using multiple software programs to deliver first class service. Think of the value for the homeowner when they experience in real time evaluation reports with photos and digital video with voice over explanations. How about Zoom meetings for the client to share report info if they are not able to meet face to face.

CSIA has also made a large investment in technology to better serve you, our clients. We have a phone app to manage your CSIA account 24/7. View your CEUs, register for a class, online education, events calendar, CSIA Swag shop and much more. The CSIA+SureFire eLearning platform allows you access to almost 150 courses and growing to keep you sharp and help you earn CEUs. At the Tech Center we have installed a giant Smart board for in-person classes and virtual training for many of our classes. CSIA also updates you monthly by email in our CSIA Access. Staying in touch and keeping you informed through technology is the modern-day version of the family meeting. CSIA embraces the future and we encourage you to as well.

Technology is out there and is only moving faster each day; the more you interact with your customer the more engaged they will be at your service visit.

Today’s homeowner expects the CSIA Certified technician to create a report with photo documentation on mobile devices onsite to review in real time. The photos are captured using both digital internal cameras for concealed areas and traditional cameras for all other areas of inspection. Chimneys and vents that were not normally readily accessible due to height, snow/ice or other hazard limiting conditions are now viewed by drones. Upgrade and repair choices are now just one

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click away on your tablet. You can have a wood stove, gas fireplace, and custom cap brochures at your fingertips to share with your customer during the service call.

The homeowner only has a limited amount of time to spend with you regarding the chimney system. All information should be ready for presentation with corrective action options if needed right then and there. As the Roman poet Horace said, “Carpi diem” (Seize the day). Command the respect you deserve as a tradesman and tradeswoman. As service professionals, certified by CSIA and using all the modern available technical resources to present a detailed report and plan for rectification. By employing these best practices, you are performing at the highest level of competence and professionalism, providing value to your customer.

These are just some of the technological advantages, devices, and systems available to our industry. Taking advantage of these tools will make you and your company more organized, professional and profitable. If any of this is foreign to you or you are just not sure how to implement the

We are family and here to help with certification, business and in person academic and hands on training. We also offer online training and testing with multi-topic courses at CSIA+SureFire eLearning. All can be found on www.csia.org.

“If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.” - Gen. Omar Bradley CSIA IS THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CHIMNEY & VENTING INDUSTRY

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Kentucky Donovan Humbert All American Chimney Service Louisville Maryland Shea Edwards Bethesda Chimney Bethesda Tim Owen MCP Chimney & Masonry, Inc Damascus Minnesota Ryan Palmer Trades Advantage Champlin Nicholas Reese Chimney Doctors Lakeville Ryan McGonigal Chimney Doctors Lakeville Missouri Matthew Arnold Fire Watch Chimney Sweeps, LLC Troy Gino Austwick English Sweep Inc Valley Park Alexander Lute English Sweep Inc Valley Park

North Carolina Travis Johnson Smoke Alert Garner Thomas Fazzi Seaside Sweep, Inc Wilmington New Hampshire Nathan Limric Nor’east Chimney & Vent Manchester New York Leonard Tompkins Genesee Valley Chimney Sweep Avon Ohio Jeremy Bowles Abbey Road Chimney Sweep Brookville Brandon May Chimneys Plus Chimney Service Cincinnati Craig Schmidt Chimney Works and Rocky Mountain Stoves and Fireplaces Cincinnati Vincent Harris Chimney Works and Rocky Mountain Stoves and Fireplaces Cincinnati Aaron Ross Chimney Works and Rocky Mountain Stoves and Fireplaces Cincinnati Coleton Bucholz Mid-Valley Chimney Repair & Sweep LLC Franklin

October 2020

Zach Sebert Sooty Fireman Chimney Sweep Marysville

Austin Snipes Cougot’s Chimney Service Richmond, VA

Brandon Trader A-1 Evans Chimney Service Ontario

Wisconsin Andrew LaForge Pratt’s Professional Chimney, Inc Burlington

Pennsylvania Andrew Owens Integrity Chimney Service Dickson City David Kada Pete & Sons Chimney Svc Croydon

Scott Hanover Pratt’s Professional Chimney, Inc Burlington Jonathan Mejia Butler Chimneys LLC Oconomowoc

South Carolina Joseph Erivin Carolina Chimney Services Gray Court Texas Shawn Currie Go Squeaky Clean Forney Virginia Christian Smith Blue Ridge Chimney Services Harrisonburg, VA

New York Harold McCadden My Dryer Vent Guy Glenville

Joseph Allsbrooks Black Goose Chimney Sweep Newport News, VA

Pennsylvania Jorge Showers Core Value Contracting Lancaster

Fraser Halliday Cougot’s Chimney Service Richmond, VA

For a complete list of upcoming CSIA training and events, head on over to www.CSIA.org/eventcalendar

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New Members

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NEW JERSEY McNally Chimney • Keith McNally• Roselle Park S.O.S. Woodstoves, Inc. • Heidi Itkor • Port Murray The Wood Stove & Fireplace Center • Christine Melick• Oakhurst

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CONNECTICUT Armstrong Chimney and Stoves, LLC • Joshua Armstrong • Lisbon NEW YORK AllPhase Masonry & Chimney • Jacob Constantine • Feura Bush My Dryer Vent Guy • Harold McCadden • Glenville

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1 312 2 2 3 343 NORTH CAROLINA All American Chimney Services • Macon McCoy • Rustburg VIRGINIA Davenport, Kevin • Kevin Davenport • Hayesville

ILLINOIS Certified Chimneys • Michael Nolan • Highland Park Naperville Chimney Sweeps, Inc. • Philip Perino • Naperville MICHIGAN Air Flo Cleaning Systems LLC • Kaleen Mozham • Carlrton KENTUCKY Monroe Chimney Care • Keith Lance Monroe • Lancaster

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CALIFORNIA Cal Duct Cleaning • Mushvig Mammadov • Cupertino OREGON AnswerForce • Jerry Stitzel • Portland WASHINGTON Pristine Sweeps, LLC • Aaron Woodward • Seattle

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4 46 5 5 5 6 6 6 International

CANADA Chim-Chimney Ltd.• Mike Bullock • Edmonton AB

S weeping | October | 2020

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Megan McMahon Executive Director

Around the Tech Center Hello Fall!

I hope October finds you all well and busy! This year has been all about moving forward here at the Tech Center.

To continue aligning with the future direction of the Chimney “Success�

Institute of America, CSIA recently upgraded our projector in the classroom to SMART Technology to be able to provide a more interactive solution for our students to learn. The SMART Technology and software is designed to provide endless ways to brainstorm, innovate and share content.

As a result of this upgrade, students are able to capture and directly sync notes and drawings from the SMART board to their smart phone devices. Instructors are able to share resources and PDFs directly to synced devices. In addition, this has

provided us the opportunity to host hybrid courses to accommodate students from their home/office while simultaneously hosting students at the Technology Center in Plainfield, Indiana.

With the SMART technology, we are able to collaborate, communicate, train and support our class attendees on a much higher level of engagement than ever before. The possibilities are truly limitless. Please plan to join us for an in-person or virtual event soon, to experience the innovation for yourself!

Megan McMahon

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Tel: 508-985-3746 rodstationusa@gmail.com

www.rodstationusa.com S weeping | October | 2020

In Case You

Missed

it…

It’s finally that time…

2021 NCSG Convention and Trade Show

Registration is now open for the 2021 NCSG Virtual Convention, March 17-20th!

As always, bringing a first-rate event to the whole chimney and venting community is our top priority. To achieve this, we are pivoting to design an alldigital convention that will be flexible to best accommodate what you love about the convention – all while staying in your comfort zone.

While we will certainly miss seeing everyone in Milwaukee, we are excited to really dive into our convention theme, “Putting the pieces together for success” with this innovative and fresh take on our long-standing tradition.

Register today to get the Early Bird rate at www.NCSGConvention.org.

Don’t forget to renew your NCSG Membership!

Renewals for the 2020/2021 Membership year were due September 30. If you missed the date, then don’t worry! We are still accepting renewals. We wanted to thank our members who continue to stick with us year after year – we wouldn’t be where we are without each and every one of you! We’ve got some really great things in store this next year, and we’d love to have you along for another trip around the sun.

Renewing is easy! Log into NCSG.org to pay your invoice online.

39

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 | October | 2020

Darwin Award This wasn’t the customers fault but this gas line through the flue was definitely not what I was expecting when I opened the damper and looked up.

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.

David Creason Crestwood Home & Hearth Crestwood, KY

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Ahrens Chimney Technique 800-843-4417 ahrenschimney@qwestoffice.net 20 Approved Industries 866-439-0069 info@approvedindustries.com 15 Copperfield 800-247-3305 www.copperfield.com 17 Chim Cap Corp 800-262-9622 www.chimcapcorp.com 14 CVC 704-425-0217 jerry@cvccoaching.com 18 Duct Cleaners’ Supply 800-634-2822 4viper@ductcleanerssupply.com 30 ENERVEX 770-587-3238 www.enervex.com 32 F&C Distributors 630-241-0506 sales@fandcdistributors.com 19 Gelco www.gllchimneyproducts.com 10 ICP 508-695-7000 www.chimneycaps.com 8 Lindemann Chimney Company 866-629-8006 www.lindemannsupply.com 13 Locktop www.gllchimneyproducts.com 29 National Chimney 800-897-8481 www.nationalchimney.com Back cover New England Chimney Supply 866-513-2378 www.newenglandchimneysupply.com 7, 22 Olympia Chimney Supply, Inc. 800-569-1425 www.olympiachimney.com 9 Rodstation USA 508-985-3746 www.rodstationusa.com 38 Sand Hill Wholesale & Mfg., Inc 800-258-5496 www.sandhillwholesale.com 4 SaverSystems 800-860-6327 www.chimneysaver.com 11 SnapLok Rotary Sweep Systems 888-570-5407 www.snaploksystems.com 31 Z-Flex 800-654-5600 www.z-flex.com 5

S weeping | October | 2020

Shop from anywhere with National Chimney’s eStore!

Conveniently shop on the job and place orders as the project progresses.

No hassle, no wait, no headache! .com

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