Sweeping Magazine- September 2015

Sweeping September 2015 VOLUME 39 #8

The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology

Doing Some House Cleaning Before TheBusy Season Chimney Insurance 101 Marketing, Money & Mania

SAVE THE DATE Mark your calendars to join us at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, FL February 24-27.

Chimney Sweeps Anywhere , Planet Earth

www.ncsgconvention.org

Registration Opens September 21!

Departments President’s Letter 3 Editor’s Letter 5 Coach’s Corner 12 History Project 14 Technical Q&A 20 New Members 22 Progressive Perks 26 Date and Events 28 Around The Tech Center 34 Classifieds 35 Darwin Award 36

Table of Contents

Cover illustration by David Bruce, photograph, letterpress and Photoshop

Sweeping September 2015 Volume 39 Issue 8

Features Money, Marketing & Mania

Chimney Insurance 101

German Proclomation

What Records Should Be Kept And For How Long

6 15 18 24 CLAIMS MANAGEMENT

GENERAL LIABILITY

September 2015

Jim Brewer Gas Venting and NFPA 54 (317) 203-0088 x: 3 John Pilger Oil Flue Sizing, Relining or NFPA 31 (317) 203-0088 x: 4 Randy Brooks IRC, NFPA 211 or Customer Communications (317) 203-0088 x: 5 Bart Ogden Stainless Steel Lining, Video Scanning and Narrative Report Writing (317) 203-0088 x: 6

Fred Joy Installation and Venting of Pellet Stoves (317) 203-0088 x: 7 Jay Walker Dryer Vents (317) 203-0088 x: 8 Rett Rasmussen Vented and Vent Free Gas Logs and Controls (317) 203-0088 x: 9 Rich Martinez Dryer Vents or Masonry (317) 203-0088 x: * Rich Rua General Sweeping or Relining (317) 203-0088 x: 0

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015-2016

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Chris Prior Masonry Construction and Restoration and Priorfire Fireboxes (317) 203-0088 x: 2

2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500 Fax: (317) 837-5365 Frances Kelly Excecutive Director fkelly@ncsg.org Megan McMahon Director of Finance mmcmahon@ncsg.org Debbie Cornelius Membership Development Coordinator dcornelius@ncsg.org Donna Lee Kasmer CSIA Certification Coordinator dkasmer@csia.org Claire Rutledge Program Coordinator crutledge@ncsg.org

September 2015

Darcy Marlett Director of Communications and Marketing dmarlett@ncsg.org Tom Spalding CSIA Director of Communications and Marketing tspalding@csia.org Ashley Edridge Director of Education ashley@csia.org Sara Sichting Office Manager ssichting@ncsg.org

COMMITTEE CHAIRS and TASK FORCES 2015 – 2016

STAFF

Resources

Vice President, Region 5 Jasper Drengler (715) 304-8934 drengler01@gmail.com Treasurer, Region 3 Ron Rust (803) 730-5858 tophatswp@aol.com Region 1 Mike Elliott (508) 987-6348 sootguy@aol.com Region 2 Ed Ridgeway (856) 241-7999 masons@chimney-duct.com

To contact any member of the Technical Advisory Council, please call (317) 203-0088 and select the extension for the person who is best qualified to answer your question: 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.

President, At Large Director Jeremy Biswell (913) 236-7141 fluesbrothers@yahoo.com

Region 6 Bob Ferrari (530) 941-5818 bob@flueseason.com Secretary, At Large Director Gregg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net At-Large Director Vacant At-Large Director Dennis Dobbs (256) 845- 9814 info@fireplaceservicecenter. com Supplier Representative Vacant

Region 4 Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com Bylaws Jasper Drengler (715) 304-8934 drangler01@yahoo.com

Membership Bob Ferrari (530) 221-3331 bob@flueseason.com

Ethics Andy Raycroft (703) 836-7858 andy@rooftopchimneysweeps.con

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

Governance Jay Walker (850) 562-4692 sweepingJ@aol.com

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

Government Affairs Mike Elliot (508) 987-6348 sootguy@aol.com

NFPA 54 Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com

International Relations John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com

Technical Advisory Council Michael Segerstrom (908) 253-9190 chimneysweeps@optonline.net

Long Range Planning Jeremy Biswell (913) 236-7141 fluesbrothers@yahoo.com

Scholarship Committee Vacant

ADVERTISING RATES for Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology may be obtained by contacting Malisa Minetree at (317) 815-4688 or sweepingads@me.com Layout and design by David Bruce, Red2 Design Bureau NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases and articles to editor Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@ncsg.org. Submissions should contain items of interest or importance to the chimney and venting industry. Submissions should not contain direct solicitations, prices, or a call to action on the part of our readers. Submissions may contain images or artwork attached in a .jpg format.

In all cases, NCSG reserves the right to edit submissions to fit space limitations, keep the release and publish at a later date, or refuse to publish the release for any reason. Neither publishing, nor refusing to publish the submission should be considered a statement of NCSG’s opinion regarding the release.

NCSG further reserves the right to reject at any time any advertising determined not to be in keeping with the publication’s standards.

Acceptance of advertising by Sweeping magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. NCSG does not make any effort to review or substantiate claims made by advertisers. © 2014 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 837-1500

S

teve Ells opened the first Chipotle restaurant in 1993 with money from family. At the time, he had no business experience, never taken a business class or looked at a business plan. This is very similar to many chimney business owners, including myself.

Within six months of opening, his new restaurant generated daily sales of $3,000 per day.

He opened two more stores in 1995 and five more in 1996. And the growth just kept coming.

In 2005, the company opened its 500th store, and today it has more than 1,800 stores.

Chipotle has always had clear offerings and great food. Even when McDonald’s owned a majority stake in the company, it didn’t compromise. At one point, McDonald’s executives suggested expanding the menu, adding items like coffee and cookies. Ells refused. Chipotle has a unique model among restaurants. It does very few things, but it does them very well. That means a limited menu. That, along with an efficient assembly-line process for preparation, makes for a very efficient operation. This maximizes the number of customers that can be served during peak times, and it makes a Chipotle store’s real estate and employees very productive. And by saving money on real estate and labor, Chipotle can spend more on quality ingredients while still charging reasonable prices.

It’s a win-win model -customers get better food and faster service and Chipotle generates higher profits.

I remember the first time I went to a chipotle. I love burritos and everyone that had been there was raving about the flavors, portions, and service. The first Chipotle opened outside of Colorado was in Kansas City, Missouri. I entered the restaurant to quite a line of people standing and waiting. There always seems to be a line at Chipotle.

The line moved rather fast. As you move through, everything is spread out and there is an open kitchen behind the food containers where you can watch the food being prepared.

There are always several people moving your burrito through the different levels of preparation.

One is the tortilla, rice, bean, and meat person, then comes the salsa person, then the cheese and sour cream person. All very organized, efficient, and exact.

Then they wrap it up and you pay. Simple, fast, and easy.

President’s

Letter Jeremy Biswell

President

I

Love Chipotle.

Why is the President of the NCSG talking about food in this month’s President letter? It’s not about the food, it’s about a streamlined process that this successful business has created and uses at over 1,800 locations consistently and successfully.

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Wouldn’t it be amazing to have 1,800 chimney sweep company locations? One thing I see consistently with extremely successful businesses outside of our industry is consistency and streamlined processes. You cannot go to Chipotle and order a hamburger. In fact, you cannot order anything that isn’t on the menu and the menu is not that big! But, the menu is consistent.

S W E E P I N G

So, what does this have to do with chimney sweeping? I

September 2015

have found that we all tend to fall into tasks that we do occasionally or hardly ever. These tasks are time consuming, frustrating, and eat up valuable dollars.

So why do we do them?

Why do we spend an hour working on something that may make us $200 dollars instead of focusing our hour on things that may make us $2,000? You may say those dollars are a stretch, but they are not.

The other huge side to this debate is employee issues. We expect the average employee to be a chimney sweep, inspector, carpenter, brick mason, gas technician, sales guru, photographer, accountant, bill collector, welder, and the list goes on and on. Then, we try to train these 10 trades into this person and get mad when they can’t perfect 14 different aspects of 14 different jobs on a day to day basis.

Yet, at Chipotle, the common employee has to master several skills, not master several trades!

4 S W E E P I N G

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September 2015

I like to debate that we may be setting ourselves and our people up for failure. How awesome could our people be if they could not only learn, but master several tasks and repeat those tasks on a day to day basis?

Guys and gals, we may have it all wrong. I think we as business owners need to sharpen our pencils and think a bit differently. I think you may be surprised where your efforts should be focused to optimize the most capital from your business.

I read from a company owner on a chimney list recently that

they may give up chimney cleaning, inspections, and dryer vent cleaning because their repair side of the business is what they excel at and is what is most profitable and fulfilling to them. I praise that company for being innovative.

I would gamble that if they focus their efforts on that one aspect of the business, they may find themselves even more successful not having to focus on aspects of their business that they feel are not leading them to what they excel at and what is most profitable for them.

Take some time to think as we start the beginning of the busy season. Are we focusing our efforts efficiently and profitably? Do you need to trim extras that are eating your valuable time and dollars?

Are you expecting too much from your people? What would your company look like if you only focused on the items that make you the most money?

What would your employees be like if they could be trained on several streamlined tasks and have the opportunity to be great at those same tasks on a day to day basis?

I hope this month’s letter has made you think as much as it has made me think. I would love any feedback.

Put your feelings and ideas on the new NCSG discussion list on Facebook. To find it just search “NCSG Discussion List” and request to join.

Let’s start the conversation.

Enjoy this edition of Sweeping magazine, Jeremy Biswell, NCSG President

W

elcome to fall Sweeps!

For most chimney sweeps September marks the start of the fall busy season. Here at the Tech Center our phone rings off the hooks with homeowners looking to hire a chimney sweep before the all-important holiday season.

In that spirit this issue’s theme is “Surviving the Busy Season.”

Throughout the issue you will find advice from contributors on how to keep your business and your sanity in check during this hectic time of year.

For new businesses who are trying to navigate the confusing world of insurance coverage check out “Chimney Insurance 101” from new contributor Cam Arnold. He writes on the fundamentals of understanding

insurance and how to make sure you’re covered. You also won’t want to miss John Pilger’s photos from his last trip to Germany where he presented a proclamation from NCSG and CSIA to the German Master Chimney Sweep Guild.

Editor’s

Letter Darcy Marlett Editor

Have you ever considered serving on the board of directors? Take a look at the call for nominations for the 20162017 board of directors on page 17 to see what board positions are available and consider running for a position. New directors will be seated in board of directors meeting before the convention in Orlando, Fla. Cheers,

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September 2015

5 S W E E P I N G

Marketing, Money & Mania

Taylor Hill

Spark Marketer

6 S W E E P I N G

W

e have all been in the situation of being so manic that we simply miss doing things that should be done, could be done, or would have benefitted us greatly had we had the time to do them.

For a seasonal business it’s called “the busy season”, and even though it happens year in and year out, we can’t seem to get used to it.

Are We Really Too Busy?

On a quiet Sunday morning in June, I was sitting and enjoying a nice cup of coffee when something my wife was listening to caught my ear. It was about being busy and what that means in the world we live in today. As I listened, there

September 2015

was an exercise that ended up being pretty amazing as I went through it. It’s easy, as well.

Think about how you would be living your present life 200 years ago. What would you have access to? Or, it may be easier to think about what you wouldn’t have access to.

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Now ask yourself this question: What would you do with your time?

8 S W E E P I N G

Granted, many of us would be working on farms, raising animals and families, and doing it the hard way. But way back then, because we had no lights, we also had some time each evening around the table or fire to think and dream.

Fact is, we actually have more time to think and dream than ever before because of all the conveniences we have today. The issue is not time, it’s what we choose to do with that time.

So our mania can be reduced by making better choices. That choice may be to get some help, change the way we do something, get rid of a “time suck” task that does nothing for us or our business, stop ending our day in front of the TV, give up personal Facebook and other social time, turn off the computer, make sure we get enough sleep, or whatever it is we can eliminate to make room for the things we deem important.

September 2015

Call 800.247.3305

What Could Possibly Be More Important Than Time?

While I will admit my time is really important, I also have to admit there are times when money is more important, especially when there is a lot of money coming in that needs to be managed, as well as when there is not enough money coming in to pay the bills. Being raised in a farming family gave me a front row seat in how these two things are related. If you can properly manage the money when there is a lot coming in, you will minimize the amount of time you will not have enough money coming in.

If you can get this relationship down, you will have done what most very small businesses (VSMB) will never do because most don’t see these two things as related. It’s also extremely difficult when you are in that manic season and feel like you just don’t have time to take the time. If you make that time, however, you could very possibly see great results from actively managing the money as well as your marketing

MA DE IN

USA

You won’t believe it! Watch video online at www.copperfield.com What’s Marketing Got To Do With It?

Paying To Tick People Off

Part of managing your money is managing your marketing.

There are always times when you will be over-marketing as well as under-marketing your business. The goal is to figure out when that is, and either reduce or increase as needed.

When we moved into our current office space we brought a freezer that had a side of beef in it. It was plugged into a socket that was attached to a lightswitch in another room, and no one told us that the switch had to be in the “on” position for the freezer to work. You can imagine what we walked into after a hot May weekend in Nashville, Tenn.! It was not only bad in our space, but blood had leaked down the walls into the space below, which is occupied by a fitness guy. He was not too pleased, either.

I have talked to a number of clients in home services businesses that measure the success of their marketing campaigns by the number of weeks they are booked out.

I can’t fathom why someone would think that not being able to get to a client for two to three weeks or more is a good thing.

It confuses me even more when a client wants to “turn up” the marketing and spend more when they are already too booked to handle what they have!

What do you think would happen if I called the remediation company and they told me it would be a couple of weeks before they could get to me? I would be calling someone else until I got someone who

could come out quickly, and you would too. Why would you pay for more people to find you than you can service? This is the time to back off a bit because you don’t want to tick people off. Save that money for the times you need to turn up the heat in your marketing.

There Is Another Way Either that, or you can spend some time figuring out how to serve those customers who call you throughout the busy season and need service sooner than you might think possible.

There are many seasonal home service companies that have started conquering this dilemma. They use scheduling strategies to address this issue, and those large enough even have an extra crew or two during those busy months.

The point is, it’s time to start

September 2015

9 S W E E P I N G

thinking creatively about how to solve the marketing, money and mania issues that come up every year. Once you get these three things under control, you’ll start evening out that “busy season” business into year-round business.

We have been a witness to that for several companies and know it’s possible.

Taylor Hill is Co-Founder and Crew Chief for Spark Marketer, a local online marketing company specializing in marketing for service businesses across the US. He loves the chimney industry and is passionate about helping service business owners navigate the Internet oceans filled with sharks and unsavory pirates. @sparkmarketer, facebook. com/sparkmarketer, @taylorkhill

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10 S W E E P I N G

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Coach’s

Corner T Greg Polakow

Letting Go

his article is about how and why we tend to drop useful and productive business protocols and how and why we should never do that. It will explain not only the pressures and situations that lead to this unfortunate letting go as well as the reasons that result in our not reinstating them later. These opinions are not based on theory. They are based on what I’ve witnessed firsthand in even the most well intentioned companies.

Business owners tend to let go of some very important things when they think they are too busy to attend to them.

Too busy means, the phone is ringing off the hook and there is barely the time and resources to get to all the work that is suddenly coming our way.

This, of course, is very true in the chimney service industry.

Busy season hits and we drop everything that is not essential so we can grab as much business as we can.

So, what is not essential? The things that tend to disappear are training, company meetings, management of personnel issues, anything but the most essential vehicle maintenance, and sometimes even common courtesy. People get burned out and then burned out all over again. But we are caught in this wave of new and old customers that need us and need us now and we can barely keep our head above the waters.

12 S W E E P I N G September 2015

What ensues is something resembling panic mode. We manage current crises only.

And because we do that, more crises arise. In this manic mode of trying to at least stay up with the curve, we fall further and further behind.

When busy season ends, we are exhausted. The last thing we feel like doing is adding back in all those things we let go of when busy season began. And so we don’t. We don’t even a few months later after we have regained our balance and have caught up on our rest. Why? Because those dropped things no longer seem so important. After all we got along without them for a few months now. Why worry about them. It’s all good.

So, the company meetings that help our team stay connected and stay on top of current issues don’t get reinstated. The training regarding safety, customer treatment and follow up, sales, organization of our trucks, office procedures also falls permanently by the wayside.

All the finer details that we used to manage carefully in our business go unattended. And, pretty soon, like a house that remains unlived in, things start to decay very quickly. Someone suggests we have meetings again. Someone wonders if more training will help. We say, no, we’ve tried those things before and they didn’t help.

See, unfortunately, when you let important things go, even during the press of busy season,

you often fail to reinstate them.

And after busy season fatigue and our own memory do not serve us well. The benefits of these procedures and protocols that we have let go of, though very powerful and useful, are also subtle. We hardly notice them when they are done right because things are flowing smoothly. So we are left with the impression that they were not all that important.

Because when you are busy, is exactly when you most need to be organized, communicating, planning, training and in touch.

Really, in the end, we are either running our business or it is running us. And of the two, the former is much more enjoyable and productive.

Greg is an industry educator and coach. He served for many years as the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Copperfield Chimney Supply. Greg is a member of the CVC Coaching Team. For more information about Greg and how the CVC team can assist you individually and your business in your quest for success and your ascent to the next level, take a look at www.cvccoaching.com Greg can be contacted at greg@cvccoaching.com. You can also obtain great business tips from the Facebook page CVC Coaching and Youtube channel CVCCoaching. Follow Greg on Twitter at Greg-cvccoach@Ttrader108

What’s the moral of this tale of woe? Don’t let important, business organizational procedures and practices fall by the wayside even in busy season.

Rather, embrace them. They will help keep busy season less hectic, less manic, and less exhausting.

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September 2015

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History

Project

By Claire Rutledge

This poster was a giveaway at the 1988 National Chimney Sweep Guild Convention in New Orleans. This was reprinted from the “Historic New Orleans Collection.”

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• Vacu-Stack® works with single wall, double wall, triple wall, or masonry.

• Solves draft problems related to hills and mountains, tall trees, and tall buildings near the chimney.

14 S W E E P I N G

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September 2015

• Standard construction is 100% austenitic stainless steel; also available in other alloys including copper and Type 316 for marine/coal appliances.

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CLAIMS MANAGEMENT

COVERAGE

GENERAL LIABILITY POLICY

Chimney Insurance 101

15

By Cam Arnold, Geny Insurance Group First off, I want to take a quick moment to introduce myself to the Chimney Sweep world. My name is Cam Arnold. I moved from Perry, GA to Nashville, TN in February 2014.

The move to Tennessee opened up numerous opportunities and led me to a great mentor, Mark Stoner. I met Mark when I joined a networking group, and I made it my goal to learn about him and how he operates. It turns

out, he would provide me with the knowledge and resources to guide and advise a unique and ever changing industry, Chimney Sweeps.

I want to start the insurance topic by making this known. No matter who you purchase insurance from, I highly suggest being sure each type of coverage mentioned in this article is covered for your business.

Let’s start with the basics.

September 2015

S W E E P I N G

1. Be honest with your agent.

Never hide information from your agent just because you think it will make your policy less expensive. Be detailed when describing your scope of work, do not leave out any important details. Be especially honest when speaking of sales numbers. If you withhold any information needed, I can promise an unhappy client (due to a non-covered claim) or a negative audit.

2. Never assume a contract will protect you. There are many sweeps who only have a General Liability policy with the thought that a customer contract on top of their GL policy is sufficient.

While I do recommend having a customer contract in place that is drawn up by a lawyer, this will not protect

you from court and settling a large claim out of pocket.

3. Practice claims management.

The main reason for the Chimney Sweep industry increase in premiums is the horrible loss ratio. Last year, for every $100 of premium paid to insurance companies, approximately $85 was paid out in claims! Every business should have an emergency fund of at least $5,000 at all times.

If a claim does not exceed this threshold, you should consider paying it out of pocket.

4. Never accept anything less than $1,000,000 in coverage.

No matter the coverage (Professional/E&O, Pollution, General Liability, Auto) you should always carry $1,000,000 in coverage. With the cost of everything rising (LITERALLY

EVERYTHING) and courts awarding large sums of money to just about any plaintiff with a decent lawyer, it is important to spend the extra money to purchase these limits. Look at it this way, you have a choice between two fireboxes. A used firebox from Craigslist that may only last for one season for $1,500.00; or a brand new precast cement firebox that will last forever for $2,000.00…

It’s a no brainer, make the investment. PROTECT THE BUSINESS YOU BUILT! 5. Always purchase an Umbrella policy. Most Umbrella policies will fall over the underlying coverages, (General Liability, Auto, Crime, Workers Compensation) IF those coverages are placed with financially stable carriers.

This extra layer of coverage can provide you with $500,000 up to $10,000,000 of coverage per occurrence.

6. Always have your policy double checked! Everyone makes mistakes – whether it is a part of your operation that is excluded in the fine print or something completely left off the policy.

Always have your agent go over each coverage and explain when and where it will come into play.

16 S W E E P I N G

Having your business insured correctly is just as important as having your field techs trained properly.

Would you send your office manager to do tuck pointing on a 2 story home? No. Would you buy the safety net for your business (an insurance policy) from someone who knows nothing

September 2015

about safety nets? I hope not. No matter where your insurance is placed, I am here to help. Be sure that whoever is handling your business policy is familiar with the sweeping industry, as it is one of the hardest to place businesses out there. Time and time again I look at policies from businesses paying good money for nothing more than a piece of paper. I want to see the industry flourish without getting a bad rap with the insurance carriers. It is a work in progress. With the help of tools and benefits provided by the NCSG everyone should have a busy and smooth running business.

Take advantage of what resources NCSG provide and do not be afraid to call another sweep. There is enough business out there for everyone. Look out for other articles I will be putting in the Sweeping Magazine to help you better understand what coverages mean, and why you need them. Happy Sweeping!

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September 2015

17 S W E E P I N G

John Pilger presented a Proclamation to the new President of the ZIV, German Master Chimney Sweep Guild, Oswald Welheim, on behalf of the Presidents of the NCSG and CSIA. The pictured article was published in the newest edition of the national German chimney sweep magazine “Das Schornsteinfegerhandwerk.�

18 S W E E P I N G September 2015

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September 2015

19 S W E E P I N G

Technical

QA &

Micheal Segerstrom

NCSG Technical Advisory Chair

Question: During the normal season, sometimes it seems like it can take forever to sweep a fireplace. During the busy season it can really throw off my schedule. Is there anything that we can do to speed the process up without compromising the quality of the service I provide?

Answer: Maybe. A part of that is going to depend on our standard sweeping methods and the nature of the services we provide. If we are working with 1 person crews there simply might not be anything we can do without cutting into our services. Whether we are using one or two person crews, looking to manage time may require that we take a whole sale look at our SOPs and processes for sweeping.

We can look at the actual sweep, the methods we use. Do some industry research, talk to other sweeps and find out the methods they use. For example it may take less time to sweep the fireplace from the bottom with rotary equipment then it does to sweep the system from the top with rods and a brush. My personal experience has been, having used both rotary methods from the bottom and brushes from the top, that the rotary method is consistently a little bit faster.

Our soot and dust control methods may be something else to consider. Do we spend a lot of time setting up to control soot and dust? Does our current method cause us to have to take our time when brushing the flue and or smoke chamber? I, and many other contractors, will often use an exhaust fan mounted on the top of the chimney to assist with soot and dust control. This can be very helpful and also allow us to be more aggressive with heavier soot deposits and still

20 S W E E P I N G September 2015

perform the sweep in a timely manner. It’s important that we are always aware of where the dust and soot will be going when it leaves the exhaust fan.

If we scan every flue that we service we can also look at how long this process takes. Is there video of scanning equipment that might be a little more versatile that would allow us to set up and break down for the scan a little bit quicker?

Again, we can do some industry research and talk to other sweeps and get insight from them. It may be worth investing in new scanning equipment if it will make us more efficient.

We can also look that’s our procedures for collecting inspection data, and also preparing our invoices. Do we have standardized forms that help us collect the data or are we writing down a lot of notes on every sweep? Do we hand write our invoices or do we type them up with a laptop or tablet? I can say from personal experience, that when I implemented using standardized forms for myself and my other sweeps to collect data, that was definitely quicker. I can also say that when I switched from handwriting my invoices to typing them up on a laptop and printing them out, this process also took less time. Once again, doing some industry research and talking to other industry professionals can help us get insight With 2 person crews there may be other ways to manage time a little better. This is

something we definitely need to have SOPs for. We should make sure individuals know their role for each sweep, and that there shouldn’t be any time when one person is doing nothing while they are watching the other person work.

and chimney can be different.

But if we have certain SOPs in place, and procedures are followed, it will relieve some stress, increase productivity, and maybe even help us manager time working both more quickly and efficiently.

The busy season can be tough in many ways, managing time and working efficiently is just one of the areas that needs worked on. These are just a few examples where we may be able to work more efficiently and manage our time better, without compromising the level of service that we perform. Each company is different, and we all know that every fireplace

One final thought: we should never rush through a job, even if we are behind because if we do, we may miss something, we may not perform our service as thoroughly, and this can be detrimental to our client, to our business, and to our bottom line.

21 S W E E P I N G September 2015

New

Members

REGION

REGION REGION REGION

REGION

REGION REGION REGION

REGION REGION

REGION REGION

2 14 34 245 5 356 NEW YORK

VIRGINIA

OHIO

WISCONSIN

WASHINGTON

Claudio Zhinin | Chimney Sweepers LLC | White Plains

Valeria Vega | A US Clean Ducts LLC | Bealeton

David Thompson | DM Thompson Chimney Repair Specialist LLC | Columbus

Mike Kaminski | The Fire Place Ltd | Milwaukee

Bob Wallace | Home Fire & Nursery Landscape Materials, Inc. | Spokane

INDIANA

Chris Kelly | ChimneyMan | Claremore

Donald A. Ross, III | DAR Home Alexander Hargrave | MidSolutions, LLC | North Scituate Atlantic Masonry Heat, Inc. | Madison

ALABAMA

22 S W E E P I N G September 2015

REGION

REGION

REGION

54 65

6

REGION

Tim Beutjer | Black Widow Chimney Sweep LLC | Birmingham

Neil Clifton | Schlemmer Brothers Metal Works | Wabash

OKLAHOMA

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September 2015

23 S W E E P I N G

Doing Some Housecleaning Before The Busy Season: What Records Should Be Kept And For How Long Eugene M. LaFlamme

24 S W E E P I N G

I

t is that time of year where sweeps and hearth professionals are starting to gear up for the busy season. Part of that process often includes going through old records and purging those that may not be relevant anymore.

When going through old records, one should be mindful of the potential that such records could be necessary in the future. The general rule of thumb for income, debt and asset records (i.e. records that the IRS may be interested in) is that these records should be kept for at least 7 years. This, of course, is just a general rule

September 2015

and companies are recommended to consult with their counsel or accountant for specific questions on the purging of old financial records.

There are other records, however, that the IRS is not necessarily interested in that are important as well. Some of these records include service and inspection records, contracts, and employee training/personnel records. While these records may not interest the IRS, they are vitally important should a company ever be sued in litigation.

I have defended a number of sweeps and hearth professionals where the alleged negligent acts occurred more than 7 years prior to the fire loss at issue. Consequently, the 7 years rule of thumb applicable to financial records does

not necessarily hold true for service/inspection records, contracts, and employee training/personnel records. In that regard, I recommend that these records be kept beyond seven years, if possible.

The specific length, however, that these records should be kept often varies state by state as each state has different limitations on the period of time in which a lawsuit can be brought. Therefore, before purging old records, it may be beneficial to consult an attorney to determine the likelihood that the documents could be relevant if a loss occurs at a given location.

Service and inspection records are typically the only records that show exactly what a sweep or hearth professional

did on a certain job. If that job is subsequently called into question following a fire or other loss, these records may be the only information available about the nature and extent of work completed at the site. Further, witness memories often fade with time.

Therefore, asking a sweep to recount work he or she did at a property many years before without the ability to consult work records is often fruitless.

space and purge old records, when doing so, be mindful of the potential implications if certain records are lost forever.

Eugene M. LaFlamme is a partner at McCoy Leavitt Laskey LLC, a national defense firm specializing in fire and explosion cases. Eugene’s practice focuses on the defense of companies involved in the hearth and chimney industries.

He can be contacted at elaflamme@ MLLlaw.com or (262) 522-7000.

Also, the prospect of keeping records for such a long period of time is becoming easier and easier as more and more companies move toward electronic filings. Electronic records, of course, do not over burden a company by taking up vast amounts of physical space in the office. Therefore, while it is often necessary to clear

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September 2015

S W E E P I N G

Progressive

Perks Debbie Cornelius

Membership Development Coordinator

Trademark Infringement – It’s a big deal!

A

trademark is a word, symbol, slogan or device (logo design) that identifies the goods and services of one party and distinguishes them from those of another. In some instances, it is also a mark that projects reliability, security and credibility which many look for when in need of a service.

The NCSG and CSIA rely on fellow sweeps and homeowners to report trademark violations in their areas. Everyday there are those in the industry who are content to unlawfully profit from the good name and reputation of the National Chimney Sweep Guild and NCSG members.

Upon notification of a trademark violation, each offender is required to sign a Cease and Desist form stating that they will remove all trademarks until such time that they have met the trademark use requirements. In the case of those who continue to violate the trademark use, the violator could be fined and subject to a 2-year restriction for membership in the NCSG or the opportunity

Energy Savings and Safety for a

26 S W E E P I N G

Smarter Home Fireplace

SAFETY

DESIGN

EFFICIENCY

Although funding is not available to take legal action in each and every trademark violation, there have been some cases where continued misuse of the mark has warranted such action.

Procedures for filing an NCSG trademark violation can be found by going to www.ncsg. org website and accessing the Code of Ethics link or for a CSIA trademark violation by going to the www.csia. org website and accessing the Code of Ethics link. In order to process a trademark violation, it is important that complete contact information is provided with the violation complaint form along with a copy of advertising showing the use of the trademark.

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• Chimney is closed when the fireplace is not used • The draft is never excessive which saves fuel • Perfect operating conditions eliminate unnecessary emissions.

For more information on how to save money and make your fireplace safer, please visit www.chimneyfans.com or call 800.255.2923

September 2015

to hold CSIA credentials.

Call for Nominations: Board of Directors When you serve on the NCSG Board of Directors, you help lead the chimney industry into the future and can develop leadership, management and communication skills that will serve you in your business and personal life. You can make an immediate difference in the chimney service industry by helping to determine the organizations’ strategic plan and annual budget.

NCSG board members are responsible for: • Attending four board meetings each year: Two of the meetings are held at the CSIA Technology Center in Indianapolis (Spring- typically held for three days, Summer- typically held for two days), the November meeting is usually held online via and via teleconference and the fourth is held immediately before the NCSG convention at the host city. Travel and lodging expenses are reimbursed for board members attending, with the exception of the convention meeting only.

• Participating in the NCSG members-only and board of directors’ electronic discussion lists.

• Welcoming new and reinstated members to the organization via phone calls and email • Connecting members to regional legislation affecting the industry

And NCSG board members receive: • Complimentary NCSG National Convention registration for you and your spouse while you serve on the board.

• One free CSIA class per year for

NCSG board members.

• Networking opportunities at board meetings which help develop life-long friendships with business associations from across the country.

The NCSG Governance Committee is now accepting nominations for the following positions.

Region 2: 2 year term

The newly elected directors will be seated at the February 23, 2016 board of directors meeting in Orlando, FL. If you would like additional information, please feel free to contact NCSG Governance Chair Jay Walker at TallahasseeSweep@aol.comor or NCSG Executive Director Frances Kelly at fkelly@ncsg.org.

Represents: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania

Region 3: 2 year term Represents: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

Region 4: 2 year term Represents: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio

Region 6: 2 year term

27

Represents: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

S W E E P I N G

At Large Director #2: 2 year term Represents: National Membership Nomination Deadline October 26, 2015

September 2015

Dates and

Events

28 S W E E P I N G

August 31 - September 6, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org September 7-13, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org September 14-20, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org September 18, 2015 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Atlantic City, NJ For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org September 21-27, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org September 28 – October 4, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel

September 2015

For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org September 28 – October 3, 2015 CSIA National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center- Plainfield, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org October 5-11, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org October 12-18, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org October 15-16, 2015 CSIA Inspection and Report Writing CSIA Technology Center- Plainfield, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org October 16, 2015 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Albany, NY For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org October 19-25, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org October 26 - November 1, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics

- CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org November 2-8, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org November 5-6, 2015 CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® Review & Exams CSIA Technology Center- Plainfield, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org November 9-15, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review

- CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org November 13, 2015 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams CSIA Technology Center- Plainfield, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org November 16-22, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org November 23-29, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org November 30 – December 6, 2015 CSIA (online) - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - CSIA eLearning - Health & Safety Multi-User Courses - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

September 2015

29 S W E E P I N G

CSIA Update SEPTEMBER 2015 REPORT

www.CSIA.org

Knowledge heats up A photo gallery of CSIA education in July and August - in Plainfield and beyond

TOP ROW: A Certified Chimney Sweep Review & Exam in Plainfield, Indiana (above), with testers guided by CSIA Instructor Ashley Eldridge.

EXPERT MASON Chris Prior (above) led CSIA’s two-day masonry repair workshop in mid-August in Plainfield, Indiana. Among the skills (middle) taught was how to corbel. Meanwhile, VETERAN INSTRUCTOR Mike Van Buren taught a CSIA chimney physics double-header: In Plainfield Aug. 10-11 (lower right picture) followed by a trip to Fredericksburg, Virginia to teach Aug. 12-13 in an event sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Chimney Association. [Photo courtesy of Jim Bostaph.]

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SEPTEMBER 2015 REPORT

www.CSIA.org

Congrats to 1,600 CCS and counting!

New CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps

Robert Mitchell | Master Chimney Sweepers | Natick

Rhode Island

Kevin Demaio | Boston’s Best Chimney | Waltham

George Muller | Frontier Stove & Supply | Woonsocket

Arkansas

Keith Jenkins | Affordable Chimney Sweeps | Peabody

Seth Guy | Frontier Stove & Supply | Woonsocket

Kenny Gerts | Mountain Home Chimney & Flame | Midway

James Walling, Jr. | Firesafe Chimney Service | Ware

California

Minnesota

Matthew Murphy | A Traditional Sweep | Portsmouth

David Robles | A to Z Chimney Sweeps | Lincoln

Anton Buelt | Jack Pixley Sweeps | Andover

Colorado

Matthias Strawn | 2nd Generation Chimneys | Blaine

Riley Aiello | Ashes Away | Durango Connecticut Andrew Karsen | Northeastern Chimney | West Hartford

Ron Ruckman | RLR Masonry | St. Louis New Hampshire Keith Richardson | Soot Solutions Chimney Services | Concord

Illinois

Nathan Emery and Nathan Brusseau | Fireside Hearth & Leisure | Lisbon

Nathaniel Schaefer | Jamison’s Chimney Service | Carbondale Indiana Kevin Tackett and Zach Seaton | Chimney & Masonry Outfitters | Indianapolis Kentucky Neil Flanigan and James Tabor | Barnhill Chimney Co | Lexington Maine Jessica Daigle | A Merrie Sweepe Chimney Service | Greenland

Eddie Stuckey | Hansen and Sons Chimney Service | Madison

CSIA Board Member Bo Tasso, who heads up our CEU committee, says online classes offered by CSIA are great way to recertify. See him in a new CSIA video.

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps That Renewed With CEUs

Missouri

Chris McGovern | ECC Chimney Services | North Grosvenordale Owen Dougal , Bryan Smith, Dan Untiedt, and Zac Wiskerchen | Lindemann Chimney | Lake Bluff

Wisconsin

California Clay Thompson | Ryan Brothers Chimney Sweeping | Sacramento Illinois Caleb Martinez | Leonard & Sons Bldg. Service Inc. | Algonquin

Jason Gautreau | Admiralty Chimney | Nashua

Patrick Simms | Superior Chimney Services Corp. | Lombard

New York

Kentucky

Erin Dawson and David Miller | Lindemann Chimney | Latham

Graham Wilder| Graham Wilder Chimney Sweep | Berea

Ohio

T.J. Davis | Clean Sweep of Anne Arundel County | Millersville

Brandon May , Ben Simmons and Jeremy Woods | Chimney Works and Rocky Mountain Stoves and Fireplaces | Harrison Ryan Reed | Blackburn’s Chimney Sweeps | Columbus Jeffrey D. Evers | Village Hardware & Home Center | Leipsic

Maryland

Scott Stephens | Fireplaces N Charles D. Gardner | Magic Broom Fixin’s | Martins Ferry Chimney Sweeps | Waldorf Pennsylvania Massachusetts Matthew Dickens | Dickens

Daniel Webster, Jr. | A-Z Chimney Chimney Restoration | Unionville Sweeps & Repairs | Danvers ADVERTISEMENT

Maryland

Missouri Todd Noltkamper | A+ Chimney Services | Rolla New York Jeramie Hoehn | Sootbusters LLC | Tupper Lake Jon Kane | McNamara Fireplace & Stove | Pearl River Virginia William Danzeisen and Thomas Raycroft | Rooftop Chimney Sweeps | Alexandria Vermont Bob Fish | Chimney Consultants, LLC | Londonderry Jacob Loeffler | Brickliners | Williston

SEPTEMBER 2015 REPORT President’s Report

MEDIA ON OUR MIND! Greetings! CSIA’s most recognized perk of certification, from a marketing perspective, is the referrals that our credentialed professionals receive from csia.

Mark A. Stoner org, the No. 1 website in the industry.

Well, CSIA -- as a nonprofit -- is also uniquely positioned to speak as the recognized authority in the chimney industry to the nation’s media. We’re working hard to ensure that all journalists know the difference between a CSIA credentialed professional versus someone they might hire off a coupon or out of the yellow pages. We’re reaching out to major media during the month of September to let them know of the resources they have at their disposal. So when it’s time to write (or broadcast a report) about fireplace safety or if there’s been a chimney fire in their coverage area, they will know who to turn to for a comment and the best expertise. In the past year, more and more influential publications are finding out about our organization and using us as a resource. We’ve appeared (or are appearing) in HGTV Magazine, among other high-profile publications. We’ll be in Oil & Energy, too, and in November, will be filming a segment aimed at kids for Indiana PBS stations. That’s just the tip of the iceberg! Positioning you this way is just another reason why it’s imperative that sweeps get CSIA certified, and stay CSIA certified.

Make sure you are checking out CSIA’s tips on dealing with the media, which are listed on the log-in list of resources on the CSIA.org portal for

www.CSIA.org Education class spotlight Inspection and Report Writing

Oct. 15-16 | Plainfield, IN [CSIA Technology Center] This is a fast-paced two-day program designed to enhance your inspection process. During this session, our instructors will concentrate on helping you create systems for doing inspections so all members of your company will be able to do the same level of inspection as the owner would do. Using the NFPA 211 and the Successful Chimney Sweeping manual (chapter 14 - levels of inspection) as a backbone, the course will expand this nationally-recognized recommendation and apply it to every sweeping job that you do. The session will teach you how to look at photos from the field, address defects through systematic, not problematic, language into your professional narrative report. CSIA CEUs: 12 [4-T,

4-CS, 4-CL]

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exam September 18 | Atlantic City, NJ October 16 | Albany, NY November 13 | CSIA Technology Center, Plainfield, IN [LAST CCS for 2015!]

CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® 2-Day Workshop/Exam November 5-6 | Plainfield, IN [CSIA Technology Center]

National Chimney Sweep Training School September 28-October 3 | Plainfield, IN [CSIA Technology Center]

Complete calendar: csia.org/education certified sweeps.

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SAFETY WEEK IS SEPT. 27-OCT. 3 Our theme is, “Every family enjoys a safe, warm home.” The early forecasts suggest that the 2015-16 burning season will be the third straight Winter where much of the country is in the grip of snowier, colder conditions. Again, the 2010-2012 average for chimneyrelated fires was 22,700. That’s too many. Hopefully, more outreach for us and our CSIA credential professionals will improve public safety.

DOING GOOD In the month of September, you’ll be likely hearing about a fundraiser that CSIA is involved with that will ADVERTISEMENT

focus on sweeps helping to aid in the fight against breast cancer. I want to thank a fellow Tennessee sweep, Tommy Nelms, for coming up with the plan. We will keep you posted on details. It’s about giving back.

JUST A FEW CCS REVIEWS LEFT Sweeps, make sure and keep on top of your annual payment due date or your 3-year anniversary.

If you are to expire, please retest!

Note that only a few in-person CCS review/exams remain in 2015, but you can complete the online review and test at your convenience! We have over 200 more CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps than when I took over as president in March 2014, and we need to keep it up!

Dateline: Nashville, TN

SEPTEMBER 2015 REPORT dryersafety.org

CSIA drilling home benefits of C-DET

Fired up!

opportunities at a firefighter conference in Atlanta Aug. 2729, as well as the NADCA Fall Chimney Safety Institute of America Conference in St. Louis Sept. marketing staff continues to work 17-19 ... We designed a special to strengthen the value of CSIA’s ‘smashlight’ giveaway as a C-DET Certified Dryer Exhaust promotional product in support Technician credential. We held of the C-DET program. We also a two-day workshop in Plainfield launched dryersafety.org in in July in which every participant April that is designed to give that took the exam passed, to earn consumers more information the credential. Our instructors, about clothes dryer exhaust including CSIA Director of Education dangers! Thank you to CSIA Ashley Eldridge, have gathered Instructors Tim Reiher and extensive footage of the C-DET John Bently for your passion class and examples of dryer exhaust and support of C-DET! Sign up inspection, cleaning, and even repair online or join us in November work. CSIA was scheduled to travel for a 2-day workshop. Email to Atlanta, Georgia to promote the certification@csia.org C-DET credential & career -Tom Spalding

New CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technicians

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California

Kansas

Jon Staats | Black Beauty Chimney | Chico

Robert Gehring | Home Safe Hearth & Chimney | Wichita

Indiana Art Schlangen | Rescue Duct | Greenwood

Robert Berry | Full Service Chimney | Olathe

Zach Seaton | Chimney & Masonry Outfitters | Indianapolis

Rhode Island

Florida Jason R. Smith | Chesapeake Restoration Group | Naples

Matthew Murphy | A Traditional Sweep | Portsmouth Vermont Chad Newton | David Newton’s Chimney Sweep | Chesterfield

Around the

Tech

Center Frances Kelly

Executive Director It’s been another busy month around the tech center. We hosted a masonry class to a group of sweeps eager for some hands on training from one of the best in the business, Chris Pryor. In their break time, they fired up the pizza oven and enjoyed some homemade pizza.

34 S W E E P I N G September 2015

The staff also enjoyed a day of training from a company called Growth Guiders.

In the process I think we all grew (pun intended) and learned some things about each other and those we serve.

Last we celebrated a birthday. Wish I could have skipped that one.

Classifieds Gotta chimney question?

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35 S W E E P I N G September 2015

Darwin

Award “Little old lady let Lowes contractors fix her roof and while they were at it went ahead and knocked her stone chimney down to the roofline and “fixed” it for her.

Wow.” - Mark Stoner, Ashbusters Chimney Service Inc., Smyrna, Tenn.

Have you snapped a photo of a peculiar chimney in your area that made you shake your head in disbelief?

Send it to editor Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@ ncsg.org. for publication in Sweeping. Or, mail it to NCSG, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. Include a few words about the scene and location.

Ad Index

36 S W E E P I N G

Ahrens Chimney Technique Chim Cap Corp Copperfield Copperfield CVC Coaching M&G DuraVent ENERVEX Firesafe Industries, Inc. ICP Lindemann Chimney Company Lyemance National Chimney Olympia Chimney Supply Sand Hill Wholesale SaverSystems, Inc Smoktite SWEEPS America

September 2015

800-582-1392 ahrenschimney@qwestoffice.net 800-262-9622 www.chimcapcorp.com 800-247-3305 www.copperfield.com 800-247-3305 www.copperfield.com 704-425-0217 www.cvccoaching.com 800-835-4429 www.duravent.com 770-587-3238 www.chimneyfans.com 800-545-6607 www.firesafeinc.com 508-695-7000 www.chimneycaps.com 800-722-7230 www.lindemannchimney.com 800-334-2154 www.gllchimneyproducts.com 800-897-8481 www.nationalchimney.com 800-569-1425 www.olympiachimney.com 800-258-5496 www.sandhillwholesale.com 800-860-6327 www.saversystems.com 207-439-0069 www.smoktite.com 866-880-3473 info@sweepsamerica.com

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, PROTECT TREES FORESTS AND OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE THREAT OF INVASIVE SPECIES

New infestations of insects and diseases can start if you take firewood with you when you travel.

Keep your trees safe by following these tips: · Don’t take firewood with you when you go camping, hiking or traveling. · Buy locally harvested firewood. · Tell your friends not to move firewood.

Facebook.com/DontMoveFirewood Twitter.com/DntMoveFirewood

.org

Youtube.com/DontMoveFirewood

National Chimney Sweep Guild 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168

1408

Flexible & Effortless.

Mastering Its Craft.

Strong & Durable.

Relines Chimneys in a Single Bound.

No Memory.

Even When Tying a String to the Liner.

The Nation’s Leading Supplier of Chimney And Hearth Products.

800.247.3305 • www.copperfield.com

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