Sweeping July 2015 VOLUME 39 #6
The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology
Sweeps Week 2015 What Do Happy Employees Have To Do With Marketing?
Creating Happy
Professional Services Exclusion
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
Departments President’s Letter 3 Editor’s Letter 5 Coach’s Corner 10 Technical Q&A 14 Progressive Perks 20 History Project 22 Sweeps Advantage 26 New Members 27 Date and Events 28 Around The Tech Center 34 Classifieds 35 Darwin Award 36
Table of Contents Sweeping July 2015 Volume 39 Issue 6
Features What Do Happy Employees Have To Do With Marketing?
Creating Happy
The Professional Services Exclusion.
On the Cover: The Technology Center’s completed Chris Prior designed wood fired oven with PriorFire Fireplace. The facing on the fireplace was completed during Sweeps Week 2015 and features garnet studded granite as well as a beautiful set of top hat bricks that originally belonged to late NCSG member Pete Luter.
Sweeps Week
6 10 16 18
July 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
July 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
Region 6 Bob Ferrari (530) 941-5818 bob@flueseason.com
Vice President, Region 5 Jasper Drengler (715) 304-8934 drengler01@gmail.com
Secretary, At Large Director Gregg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net
Treasurer, Region 3 Ron Rust (803) 730-5858 tophatswp@aol.com
At-Large Director Fred Joy (785) 986-6432 joyfredm@live.com
Region 1 Mike Elliott (508) 987-6348 sootguy@aol.com
At-Large Director Dennis Dobbs (256) 845- 9814 info@fireplaceservicecenter. 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 4 Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com
Supplier Representative Chris Datillo-Wiles (678) 290-8200 chris@usfireplaceproducts. 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 randy@rooftopchimneysweeps. com
NFPA 211 Representative Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com
Governance Jay Walker (850) 562-4692 sweepingJ@aol.com Government Affairs Mike Elliot (508) 987-6348 sootguy@aol.com International Relations John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com Long Range Planning Jeremy Biswell (913) 236-7141 fluesbrothers@yahoo.com
NFPA 31 Representative John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com NFPA 54 Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com Technical Advisory Council Michael Segerstrom (908) 253-9190 chimneysweeps@optonline.net Scholarship Committee Fred Joy (784) 986-6432 joyfredm@live.com
ADVERTISING RATES for Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology may be obtained by contacting Malisa Minetree at (317) 815-4688 or sweepingads@me.com Layout and design by David Bruce, Red2 Design Bureau NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases and articles to editor Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@ncsg.org. Submissions should contain items of interest or importance to the chimney and venting industry. Submissions should not contain direct solicitations, prices, or a call to action on the part of our readers. Submissions may contain images or artwork attached in a .jpg format. In all cases, NCSG reserves the right to edit submissions to fit space limitations, keep the release and publish at a later date, or refuse to publish the release for any reason. Neither publishing, nor refusing to publish the submission should be considered a statement of NCSG’s opinion regarding the release. NCSG further reserves the right to reject at any time any advertising determined not to be in keeping with the publication’s standards. Acceptance of advertising by Sweeping magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. NCSG does not make any effort to review or substantiate claims made by advertisers. © 2014 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 837-1500
This is a common question I have been hearing at board planning meetings for years now. Typically, this question is asked by an older, more seasoned member of our guild. We all know it’s also frequently asked by non-members that refuse to join the association. Many feel that all one needs is either a vast amount of experience or an education credential instead of an entire association or guild to be part of. The word association is defined as: a group of people organized for a joint purpose. Well, that definitely defines the National Chimney Sweep Guild. One huge passion our members have is joint purpose: to educate people on safe chimney practices. Associations exist for many reasons. Trade associations, like ours, are established by individual industries for the sole purpose of allowing businesses in the same industry to connect to and benefit from one another. I, for one, have benefited greatly from the connections our Guild has to offer. I have been told our members are some of the most insightful, sharing, and passionate individuals that they have ever experienced. That is a statement we should all be proud of. Associations offer many benefits to their members that are quite valuable. Those benefits can include, products, services, information, and discounts. The top benefits I see that our Guild offers are networking, a sense of community and joint purpose, and even volunteer opportunities to help our organization be better. Volunteerism makes you feel
good about yourself. Several opportunities to volunteer are: Board membership, committees, showing up and participating at Sweeps Week, teaching or presenting a class at convention, or even just helping at convention! I am always proud of our members offering their time as industry advocates. Not only does this happen on a national level, but also on an international level. Representatives from our Guild attend international events like ESCHFOE gatherings. Associations and their advocates exert influence and representation that supports the work of their members. The NCSG makes sure that we have adequate representation, thanks to our member volunteers, to provide specialized and technical information for influencing bodies, like NFPA committees. Some are often confused about discounts the Guild offers. While we still offer discount coupons for vendors, membership in our Guild offers a discount on CSIA certification and classes. This gives members the opportunity to take courses either online or in person. We are also working to offer more free business education on a regular basis for our members. This is delivered not only in this publication magazine (Sweeping) that you are reading right now, but will also be delivered via eNewslink emails and podcast offerings sent via email as well.
President’s
Letter Jeremy Biswell
President
Why Does The National Chimney Sweep Guild Exist? Why Does Any Association Exist?
We are also always working to expand our online offerings via the members’ portal on our website www.ncsg.org. We will
July 2015
3 S W E E P I N G
be expanding business information, research information, our fireplace owner’s manual library, videos, and other helpful resources. When was the last time you logged in?
Does your customer’s wood stove smoke look like this?
After an initial start-up of a 5-10 minute burn, there should be no noticeable smoke. Woodstove particulate matter emissions is the largest pollute by volume, ten times the volume over a traditional oil furnace.* *Source: http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/energyefficiency.html
The Biomass Controls team is here to help. Introducing the WOHLER SM500 Particulate Analyzer, a portable tester that provides measurements of particulate levels in flue gas, O2, CO, draft and stack temperature.
4 S W E E P I N G
biomass controls For more information contact: Office: (860) 237-8245 info@biomasscontrols.com www.biomasscontrols.com
July 2015
We still have our famous members discussion form, but with many people reaching out on social media platforms, so we are starting a Facebook forum as well. Facebook has gained a huge amount of popularity with our members. This forum offers easier opportunities to communicate pictures, links, and information quickly and on a more user friendly manner. Many members, including myself, communicate more frequently on Facebook than on our own NCSG discussion list! Convention is still probably our most opportunistic way for members to interact and share ideas. It is exciting to travel to areas we may not normally travel to. Many of us know that the classes we attend at convention and the conversations that are had after hours have impacted our business lives beyond comparison. All in all, our association provides numerous resources and benefits for members and affiliates alike. I am so happy associations like the National Chimney Sweep Guild exist! I am so happy to be affiliated with wonderful people like you! Jeremy Biswell, President NCSG
H
appy July Everyone! I hope your summers are going well. Here at the Tech Center the staff and I have gone from one event to another. This June we held a wonderfully busy Sweeps Week followed almost immediately by CSIA’s National Chimney Sweep Training School.
this year. You can check out the photo on the front cover along with more coverage and photos on page 18.
This year’s Sweeps Week we had more than 30 volunteers in total come through the Tech Center. I spent the week working alongside them as we moved all of the furniture in the marketing out in order to paint and hang shelves. By the end of the week I was covered in 4 types of paint but our office looks great. A huge thank you to everyone who helped paint, hang shelves, and move furniture!
Fittingly for an issue that comes out in the middle of the sunshiny days of summer two of our contributors wrote on the theme of happiness this month. Check out “What do Happy Employees Have to Do with Marketing?” on page 6 and “Creating Happy” on page 10 then head outside to enjoy the weather.
Editor’s
At the end of June I was also able to sit in on part of CSIA’s training school. It was great to spend a day studying chimneys and learning more about what all of you do on a daily basis.
Letter Darcy Marlett Editor
Cheers,
Sweeps Week volunteers also completed the bake oven project
CrownGuard
Severe weather crown repair & protection Centering system for metal chimney liners.
FireGuard
®
The most advanced chimney liner in the world
Ceramic mortar joint & resurfacing system
Patented
“Thanks again for both you and Dan following up with me about the training I received at your facility. Dan and Steve were great teachers and they were both very knowledgeable about the products that you sell. We looked at many different resurfacing products that are out in the market, and I did not find anything that I was excited about until I heard about your product FireGuard. It hands down blows the competition away. The ease of use, corporate technical support and the unbelievable quality of the product itself truly sets it apart form the rest! It is a game changer for our business. Please keep up the good work and I look forward to working with you and your staff for a long time.” Tommy Nelms Sweeps & Ladders
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION call: 800-545-6607 info@firesafeinc.com
www.firesafeinc.com
July 2015
5 S W E E P I N G
What Do Happy Employees Have To Do With Marketing? Taylor Hill
Spark Marketer bout 6 weeks ago, Spring started to show itself in Nashville, Tennessee, and my wife and I were excited to start our annual planting ritual. As usual this time of year, we got up, got some chores done, and headed out the door for the local plant shop, a quick trip to Home Depot, and a salad lunch at one of our favorite chains -- all before heading back home to plant away. However, there was a problem.
A
6 S W E E P I N G
It’s Only Lunch We stopped in at Rafferty’s for our favorite Buffalo Chicken Salad, and sat outside to enjoy this beautiful day. Unfortunately, the young man that waited on us was noticeably out of sorts. He was rude, mouthy to customers and other employees, and took 10 minutes to bring us water! We waited another 5 minutes for him to come back and take our order before finally getting up and walking out -- but not without stopping at the front to speak with the young lady that seated us.
July 2015
I simply said, “Someone needs to speak to that young man about his attitude because we’re leaving”. She responded to me, “You would understand if you worked here. Do you want to speak to a manager?” “You have said enough. We won’t be back”, was my final statement, and we won’t. Whose Fault Is An Unhappy Employee? One thing we, as employers, seem to forget is that our employees aren’t much different than us and are affected by what happens outside of work. It became very apparent to me last fall when, within a 6 week period, 4 people in our office had deaths in their immediate families. As you can imagine, the mood in the office was not as upbeat as usual. I lost an uncle and my mother within a week of each other so I was right there with our other employees, and Carter was sympathetic,
as he lost his dad a few years ago. You realize really quickly that these are people with real problems, just like you, and they need room to deal with them, just like you. There are times when our workplace happiness is affected by outside sources we cannot control. Other times, our mood is a direct result of what is happening in our company, day in and day out.
“The Profit” There is a TV show called “The Profit” on CNBC, where Marcus Lemonis goes into failing or dysfunctional businesses and puts up his own money for a piece of the company. He attempts to help get the businesses out of debt if they are salvageable, or to get the owner(s) to start thinking like a businessman or woman and quit letting emotion guide them. And while they focus on the owner(s), what comes through loud and clear is the effect that the bickering, the mistrust, the bad blood, and the mismanagement has on the employees. I’ve seen how the owner’s actions (or lack thereof) have played a very important role in the development of the employees in nearly every episode. Many times, it’s the employees that are holding the business together despite the owners! Watch a couple of episodes and you can plainly see that happiness or the lack thereof comes right from the top.
What To Do While not all companies are equal and can offer everything they may want to, there are a
few things, if possible, that can make for a much happier staff. Here is a list of some things that many CEOs with proven happy workplace track records use, according to an article by James Parsons on Entrepreneur.com:
FIREPLACE, WOOD AND GAS HEATING PRODUCTS
Allow Individual dress code (could be for office staff) Provide Tools for Success (leadership, management, money help) Have Training and Learning Available to Everyone (hire a trainer, have books available for staff) Thank Employees for Good Work or Working Hard (“thank you” goes a long way) Customize Rewards to the Employee (It’s not always money that matters most) Be Open and Available to Employees (walk among them, don’t hole up in an office) Provide some Workplace Flexibility (banking, sick kids, doctor appointments, etc.) Don’t Assign, Instead Offer Responsibility (offer positions, can they train the new guy, etc.)
Back to Marketing I really like that Buffalo Chicken Salad, but no matter what Rafferty’s does, whether they put a great ad on TV or
It's Not Too Late For
Fall Dating! Zero Down With No Monthly Payments!
Place Your Qualified Order* Of $800 or more And Your Total Payment Is Not Due Until
November 1, 2015 Also get
FREE FREIGHT
anywhere in the continental U.S. with a Fall Dating order over $1500 *To receive this offer, mention this ad at time of order. Subject to credit approval. Good for qualified orders through September 30, 2015.
Same day shipping for orders placed before 3:00PM Eastern Time. Your NEW 2015-2016 Sand Hill Wholesale Catalog is coming soon!
Call for your free copy 1-888-SAND-HILL or fax your request to
1-800-958-5497 Visit us on the web @ www.sandhillwholesale.com
send me personal post cards or money off on my next purchase - I will not eat there again. Why? Because the employees shared with me a culture that I find insulting, and when I go to lunch or dinner with my wife, the last thing I want to do is be in an insulting environment. Their marketing money is lost on me. I will find another company that offers an inviting and fun place to have a meal with my wife. How many people feel this way about you, your employees, or your company? Answer that honestly, because the life of your company just might depend on it.
employees the same grace you would expect, because they are like you in more ways than you might think. 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. Taylor is the perfect combination of frank and funny, and manages to lead the motley, yet brilliant crew of creatives at Spark Marketer to get the job done right. He is passionate about helping service business owners navigate the Internet oceans filled with sharks and unsavory pirates. @sparkmarketer, facebook. com/sparkmarketer, @taylorkhill
The good news is: you can change anything for the better, but no one can do it for you. You must lead the way to happiness and give your
There is NO competition that will even come close to They may imitate but can NEVER duplicate the original.
8
With Smoktite you get the true product, there is nothing imitation about it.
S W E E P I N G
It is the ONLY spray process on the market that is manufactured specifically for Smoke Chambers. This simple process does not require trowling or removal of dampers, and provides a smooth seal to your smoke chamber. Start using Smoktite and NEVER remove another damper to trowel again.
Call to get started today! (207) 439-0069 Toll Free (866) 439-0069 www.smoktite.com
July 2015
Coach’s
Corner Greg Polakow
I
Creating Happy
’m going to talk about creating enthused customers, who they are, why they are so important, and how you can create them.
10 S W E E P I N G
Enthused customers are those guys that are not just satisfied with your services, not just willing to use you again, but are so enthusiastic about you they will tow banners over the Super Bowl proclaiming your greatness. Or, at the very least, convey their love of you to friends and acquaintances so ardently they may stop getting invited to parties. Okay, perhaps I’m overstating a bit here, but it’s just to make a point. The fact remains, what your customers say about you is more precious to your business than anything else you can do. The presence of the internet only serves to magnify the power of word of mouth. However, even the internet is not as trusted as when a friend says to you face to face, “you have to try my
July 2015
guys. They are simply the best.” Furthermore, word of mouth advertising costs you nothing. Yep, the most powerful and convincing advertising you can do is totally free. With this knowledge in hand, and keeping in mind the ever increasing pressure from competition, I wonder if you have been giving a some serious thought to what the heck the key is to getting those all precious, business building, profit boosting, reputation enhancing, new customer creating, love spreaders we call enthused customers. Because you’ve got to admit, whatever the key is, it is well worth knowing. Here’s the thing, and you just have to face it, if you leave the development of these precious kinds of customers to chance, i.e. you have no real plan for creating them, it is highly unlikely you will never have any. Yep, they do not occur naturally any more than a perfect rose. They must be cultivated. So, yes, I’m suggesting here that if you want enthused customers, it is up to you, and I mean totally up to you and your team to create them. I know, I know, that is likely to require some extra effort, some extra time, some extra planning and certainly some extra training for you and your team. I know your life is already filled to the brim with stuff you have to do. I get that. I really do. I’m just saying that perhaps many of the things you spend your time doing now will magically disappear when you take the time to do this. I am suggesting that your life will
become much easier in direct proportion to your ability to create enthused customers. Why? Because you will spend less time and money on customer service issues, call backs, problem solving, and maybe even marketing than you are now. Equally important, a customer who feels this way about you is far more likely to buy those expensive repairs his chimney may need...not from someone else, but from you. As an extra bonus, you just might find at the end of every day you get to go home feeling more satisfied and less stressed. You might discover that when you make your customers happy enough to sing your praises to others, a whole big bunch of that comes right back to you and your whole team. Like what? You are wondering. Well for one thing, more and more new customers to replace the roughly 92 percent from last year that somehow disappeared. Yep, that’s about the average percentage of your customers that don’t return the following year. That’s the percentage of customers you have to spend time and resources to replace each year. Imagine this. Let’s say you see 1200 customers a year. And, with thought, planning, training, and practice you were able to turn as few as 400 into enthused customers. (I think you can do better, but that would be a good start.) And let’s say each of them spoke to only three friends about how great you were, how professional, how thorough, how easy to deal with, how reliable, etc. And, let’s assume that only one out of those three friends
becomes a customer for you. That’s 400 new customers you obtained by doing nothing but impressing your current customers with superb service, attitude, follow up, and appreciation. That’s 400 hundred new customers that cost you virtually nothing to get. Do you think that might be worth really putting some creative thought into what you might have to do to cultivate those perfect roses we call enthused customers? Here are just a few clues about the process. 1) It begins when you take their first call. Wow! I can’t even express how important this first contact is. I can’t begin to say how crucial those first words are and the tone and attitude
that goes with them. This call sets the stage for all that follows. The impression you create during this call, for good or bad, will reside in those customers going forward. And, considering how much you are paying in marketing costs for each of those precious calls, if the ball is fumbled here…well, you get my point. You’ve just squandered an opportunity. So, is it worth really strategizing, and training, and practicing to make sure this call is answered perfectly each and every time? You bet it is. And no matter how well you think you are doing this now, if it isn’t perfect it’s not good enough. When this call is done perfectly you’ve set the stage that leaves the customer feeling, ‘this is amazing. They really seemed to care about me and my chimney
issues. They actually listened to me. They were so patient and thoughtful. It was like I was the only person they spoke to today. No other business has ever treated me so well. Heck, my own doctor doesn’t treat me that well.’ You have made a perfect start. And, this impression absolutely must be nurtured and renewed with each successive contact. 2) Your service team arrives at the customer’s house, this customer that you’ve already warmed up to preenthused customer status by hitting a home run on their very first call. Here is where that initial impression can be cemented in place. I have to ask you a question at this point. Have you trained your service teams extensively
Authorized Distributor for:
6
Gordonville, PA. Proudly serving the community since 1978 For a free catalogue, call or email: 888-768-1088 davejr@dsofpa.com
BVENT
We stock liners for: Coal Wood Gas Pellet
100 FT. OF LINER
Choose from any combination of FOREVER FLEX and/or HYBRID equalling 100 ft. n Regular or Pre-Insulated n TRANSFERABLE Forever Warranty n FREE Shipping n Can not be combined with any other offers
THE CAN’T MISS SEMINAR ...for those chimney problems you can’t miss. TITLE: Professional Chimney Inspection INSTRUCTORS: Michael Segerstrom and Bill Ryan
WWW.OLYMPIACHIMNEY.COM PHONE: 1-800-569-1425 TECHNICAL & OTHER NEEDS CALL: 1-800-335-2534 Effective 7/1/15 - 8/31/15
LOCATIONS: Pennsylvania, August 5th and 6th Indiana, August 12th and 13th Massachusetts, August 26th and 27th REGISTER TODAY: OLYMPIACHIMNEY.COM or Call 570-504-7177
and thoroughly on how to make the most of this unique and special moment when your customer allows you into their home? Do they know how to look, how to act, how and what to communicate to this customer? Do they know exactly how you want them to introduce themselves? Do they know exactly how to tell the customer what they will be doing? Do they know what assurances to give the customer before they remove a single tool from their truck? Did you go over this in detail with them? Have they practiced it? Are they comfortable with it? 3) The introduction phase is over and your guys begin their work. Does everything they do convey respect for the customer’s home, pets, children, furnishings, floors, gardens, carpets, and serenity? Do they know how to communicate with each other during the work so the customer is never alarmed, never put off, never offended? Do they work together as a team and does the work seem to flow in a coordinated, well thought out way? Can they do this so much better than any service professional that has ever visited this home it makes a deep impression in the customer’s mind?
teams use a checklist to make certain every detail is seen to: all the tools are returned to the truck, all the tarps have been removed, all the areas have been thoroughly cleaned, all the furniture is back exactly as it was when you arrived? Do your teams know to reconnect with the customer before they leave to review what was done and what they found, even if everything was ok? Do they know exactly how those findings are to be presented so the customer understands them perfectly? Does your team know how to present what, if any, work needs to be scheduled for repairs and how much that will cost? Believe me, nothing will go unnoticed. Everything will be judged. And when your team leaves, although your
customer may have no way to judge the quality of the work that was done, they will definitely remember how your service guys made them feel. Well, we’ve really barely scratched the surface here. I just wanted to offer some initial, cursory insight on the intricate process that needs to be addressed for you to create customers who love you. It won’t happen by chance. It won’t happen because you and your team are all good people. It won’t happen because your dog likes you. But, when you have created a well-trained team that understands the need to do this and has the tools and training and commitment to do this, it can and will happen. Continued on page 15
13
4) The work phase is now complete, what comes next is the cleanup. This is as important as anything that has preceded it. This is where you can really shine. This is how you show your customer how committed you are to their total comfort and satisfaction. Do you have a procedure for this that everyone follows? Do your
S W E E P I N G July 2015
Technical
Q&A
Micheal Segerstrom
NCSG Technical Advisory Chair
Question: How do I get the plumbers and HVAC contractors in my area to use my company’s services?
Answer: By informing and educating them. Many plumbers and HVAC contractors do their own chimney liners, or simply ignore the condition of the chimney, often telling the homeowner that everything looks fine. There are several reasons why they might not use a chimney professional for chimney work. Sometimes they just don’t know how important it is that the chimney or venting system is in good condition. They don’t understand how much it can affect appliance venting and operation, or the safety of both. They look up with a mirror, and see that it’s not blocked, so everything must be good enough. And we’ve all heard this before, that there were no chimney problems for the old appliance; it’s worked great for years, so it will work fine for the new appliance. Some of these contractors will know the chimney is not in great shape so they will install a liner themselves. In this case, they usually don’t sweep the chimney first or check other things that chimney professionals do. Like is it the right height, does it need exterior work, or are there open thimbles somewhere in the flue? Those contractors that install their own liners, often don’t realize the requirements of the chimney or liner when relining it. Unintentionally they can void the warranty and even create hazardous conditions.
14 S W E E P I N G
Sometimes, the plumber or HVAC contractor just hasn’t found us. That sounds amazing, but some of these contractors know little or nothing about our trade.
July 2015
So reaching out to plumbers, HVAC contractors, even certain renovation contractors that work around Chimneys, is a great opportunity for us. And it starts with giving them a good education and good information. One of the best things to do is to contact these contractors, and try to set up a meeting. Initially and also depending on the size of the company, it’s best to start with talking to an owner, or a manager. But let them know that they can have anyone present from the company that they would like. Tell them that you would like to give them some free information about chimneys, let them know about your company and the services you offer, and how you can help them. We should look and act professional for this meeting and bring something to leave behind. A folder with our name on it, business cards, printed materials, informational brochures, sample reports, even pictures of some of the things we find are all things that may be included. Easy to read and understand information that they can look at it after we are gone. We should stress the importance of chimney inspection, the importance of a proper chimney and venting system, and stress the quality of our company and the services we offer. Explain to them our standards, and how we will work in their clients’ homes. We should give them our phone number to let them know that they can call us if they have any questions. Some contractors may only send us the hard jobs, others might
not use us at all, but there’s a good chance that many will be interested and use us in the future. A short time after the meeting, we can also follow up with them and thank them for the opportunity, and ask if they need any additional information. Both a phone call and something in writing is best for follow up. When they meet us in person, and we give a good presentation, it might be the start of a long and beneficial relationship!
Quality & Strength The Superior Features You Expect From Gelco: Embossed or cross-braced lid for more strength & stability.
Continued from page 13
And your competitors will wonder why so many people are talking about YOU and not them. My advice? Get on this today. Begin the process. And understand, like all changes in behavior, it will take time to get it perfectly right. It will take training, it will require repetition, and it will need practice. But if you don’t move to this level of performance, then tell me, how are you any different from all the other guys who want this homeowner’s business?
Multi-Flue
•
Swing tabs allow for an inside/outside mount Reinforced & hemmed lid.
NEW Reinforced hinges for easier assembly on knock-down versions.
Cross-braced for more strength & stability.
So, go ahead, create some happy, it will pay dividends you can’t even imagine, dividends for your customers, for your team members, for your business, and for you. It’s well worth the time to get this right. 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
Single-Flue
Deep double channel base for superior durability.
15 Custom
All hinges & screens run the full height to add stability & eliminate gaps between lid & mesh.
Call your favorite Gelco distributor today!
Ultra-protection chimney caps
14 July Gelco SNEWS.indd 1
July 2015 4/24/14
S W E E P I II N G 1:57 PM
What Do You Mean My Insurance Doesn’t Cover This? The Professional Services Exclusion. Eugene M. LaFlamme
16 S W E E P I N G
I
have written many times on the importance of securing proper liability coverage. One of the primary goals when selecting coverage is to minimize your coverage gaps as much as possible. Many sweeps are surprised to learn that their liability policy may not cover claims arising from an alleged improper inspection. The reason for this potential gap is the professional services/professional liability exclusion. The standard commercial general liability (“CGL”) policy typically does not cover liability arising from professional services. That, of course, begs the question: what are professional services and
July 2015
how do they differ from the type of acts covered in a standard CGL policy? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not always simple or clear cut. The definition of professional services will typically hinge on how it is defined in the liability policy. Often times, however, the definition in the policy does not provide much clarity. Generally, most courts agree that “professional services” include those services that involve: (1) specialized education, knowledge, experience, or judgment; and (2) are primarily mental or intellectual in nature as opposed to physical. Using this definition, if a sweep only completes an inspection at a property, that act can qualify as a professional service since an inspection, in and of itself, requires specialized knowledge and is primarily a mental judgment. Consequently, if a sweep conducts a Level I inspection and does
not perform any cleaning or other physical activities, that situation would likely qualify as a professional service subject to the professional services exclusion. In such a situation, for example, a sweep may find itself without liability coverage if a chimney fire subsequently occurs and the sweep is sued under a negligent inspection theory. Inversely, however, if a sweep cleans the chimney or replaces certain components as part of the inspection process, those activities are primarily physical and do not qualify as professional services. Hence, any property damage or bodily injury claims that arise from such work would likely be covered under the standard CGL policy irrespective of any professional services exclusion
that may be included therein. Given the above, it is imperative that sweeps work with their insurance brokers to ensure that they are covered for the type of professional services they offer. This may require adding a professional services rider to their existing CGL policy, buying supplemental professional services coverage or purchasing an industry tailored CGL policy that includes the necessary professional services coverage. Such proactive involvement in the selection of your insurance coverage will hopefully alleviate the risk that a claim could fall within a coverage gap.
in the hearth and chimney industries. He can be contacted at elaflamme@ MLLlaw.com or (262) 522-7000.
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
17 S W E E P I N G July 2015
Sweeps
Week
18 S W E E P I N G
S
weeps Week 2015 was an all around success. More than 30 volunteers came through the Technology Center over the course of 5 days to work on projects. This year’s projects including doing maintenance on the Technology Center sign, waterproofing the center’s iconic triple twist chimney, painting the marketing office, and finishing the facing on the pizza oven. The facing received a very special touch with the addition
July 2015
of a set of bricks with a top hat that were originally Pete Luter’s. The brick set was given to Blume, from The Merry Sweep in South Carolina, by Luter in 2007. Blume put them in the Sweep Week silent auction at the 2015 National Convention in Lancaster, PA with the intention that whoever won the auction would get to place them at the Technology Center during Sweeps Week. A very special thanks to Thomas Rhines for your winning donation. Of course no Sweeps Week
would be complete without pounds and pounds of food. This year’s menu included bacon wrapped scallops, German brats, steak, biscuits and gravy, ribs, and lots and lots of wood oven pizza. A huge thanks to everyone who made it to the Technology Center this year to help out! If you missed this year’s festivities make plans to join us next year 13-17 for food, festivities, and CEUs.
19 S W E E P I N G July 2015
Progressive
Perks Debbie Cornelius
Membership Development Coordinator
Reach Out, Connect And Recruit!
20 S W E E P I N G July 2015
E
very time you recruit a new member you benefit. More members mean more networking opportunities, more resources and better ways to advance the profession.
All you need to do is make sure they place your name on Item #2 Who referred you to the NCSG of the NCSG membership application form so you will receive credit for:
The Member-Get-A-Member program is a way to get new members and give you, the referring sweep a reward too and it is easy to do. Reaching out to potential new members when you interact at meetings and events is a great time to tell them why you joined the NCSG, why you continue to be a member of the NCSG, and how the contacts you’ve made through NCSG have influenced you personally and professionally. Give NCSG your endorsement and invite them to join!
• $50.00 off membership dues for each 2 – 4* new members • FREE membership dues (equal to 1 year) 5+* new members Prefer to refer? Just send contact information to Debbie Cornelius at dcornelius@ ncsg.org and she will take the next step and make sure you receive credit when they join. *New Member – has not been a member of the NCSG for at least two (2) years.
Sale on Our Lightweight Yet Durable Premier Flex Lite Liner!
20% OFF
Premier Flex Lite Liner Now through Sept. 30th
Premier Flex Lite “PRL” is a lighter weight liner but still has the durability and warranty you come to expect from the Premier Product line. ★ Available in 304 and 316L Stainless Steel Alloy
21
★ Diameters range from 3” to 12”; lengths range from 5’ to 50’ ★ Stands up to winching when needed for tight/difficult installs ★ Suitable for All Fuels—including low-efficiency gas installations ★ Standard round liner can be formed to rectangle or oval shapes
Hurry, this Offer Only Runs Through
September 30th! Mention the Code
“SweepLite9-30”
when calling 800.897.8481.
www.nationalchimney.com
July 2015
S W E E P I N G
History
Project By Claire Rutledge
A
few months ago Darcy and I received a series of emails from Steve Snyder of Big Steve’s Chimney Service with scans of seventeen new sweep cards he had acquired. Although the scans are not part of the official History Project Collection, they are a very interesting and wonderful visual representation of our trade.
Austria
Hungary
22 S W E E P I N G
Belgium
July 2015
Italy
England
Estonia Russia
23 S W E E P I N G July 2015
Germany Germany
Sweeden
24 S W E E P I N G
Croatia July 2015
Milwaukee, Wis.
Romainia
The premier chimney cap for keeping smoke out of living spaces. • 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. • Sizes available from 3” to 30”+; custom and oversize available. Air cooled and non-air cooled. Model VSA-TDW for air cooled chimney
the authentic Available from leading distributors nationwide.
• Standard construction is 100% austenitic stainless steel; also available in other alloys including copper and Type 316 for marine/coal appliances. Improved Consumer Products, Inc. PO Box B Attleboro Falls, MA 02763 (508) 695-7000 Fax: (508) 695-4209
www.chimneycaps.com
Although there have been
many attempts to copy it over the last 40+ years, there is only one Vacu-Stack®.
Always ask for it by name and look for
the seal of authenticity on top of the cap.
100% made in USA July 2015
Sweeps
A dvantage Program
The 2015 – 2016 complete offers are available in the “Members Only” section of the NCSG website at www. NCSG.org. These coupons will be good until June 30, 2015 unless otherwise noted. These are just a few of the many offers available to you as a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild. Visit www.NCSG.org “Members Only” to learn the complete details of each coupon and how to redeem. Add your company name to the list of participating supplier members.
26 S W E E P I N G
Contact Debbie Cornelius, Membership Development Coordinator at dcornelius@ ncsg.org.
A “special thanks” to those Supplier members listed below for supporting the NCSG’s 2014 – 2015 Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program! Look for the new 2015 – 2016 offers on the NCSG website and in the “Members Only” section of the website. Copperfield Chimney Supply • ENERVEX, Inc. • HY-C Company LLC • National Chimney • Olympia Chimney Supply • Royal Chimney Supply • SaverSystems • Spark Marketer • Z-Flex NCSG supplier members are invited to participate in the Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program providing a member benefit for NCSG sweep member companies. Your participation gives your company several marketing avenues and shows your continued support of the NCSG and its members where it counts the most… YOUR CUSTOMERS! There are two ways you can do this now for 2015 - 2016: 1. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr37qycWF8c& feature=youtu.be and follow the directions to enter your new offers. If you choose to use the same offers simply change the expiration date to June 30, 2016. OR 2. If you choose to use the same offers please email me at membership@ncsg.org. I’ll take care of the rest. If you have any questions regarding the 2015-2016 Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program, please do not hesitate to contact me at 317-837-1500 or dcornelius@ncsg.org. Look forward to hearing from you!
Copperfield Chimney Supply | ENERVEX, Inc. | HY-C Company LLC | National Chimney | Olympia Chimney Supply | Royal Chimney Supply | SaverSystems | Spark Marketer | Z-Flex
July 2015
New
Members
NEW YORK
VIRGINIA
OHIO
WISCONSIN
TEXAS
Scott Allen Lowry | Allen Lowry Enterprises | Fort Drum
Chris Birchall | Birchall, Chris | Glen Allen
Andrea Reedy | The Place | Medina
Taran Peltier | Design Chimneys, LLC | Sparta
CONNECTICUT
GEORGIA
INDIANA
KANSAS
Royal Pore | Top Hat Chimney Sweeps, LLC | Taylor
Ashley Kelly | Bio Mass Controls | Putnam
Jonathan Oliver | Oliver, Jonathan | Cartersville
Tim Rusnak | Chimney Pro | Carmel
Vaughn L. Juhnke | Rock & Fire LLC | Moundridge
Paul Constatinople | Vicon | East Haven
ALABAMA
NEBRASKA
Christopher King | Alabama Fresh Air | Vestavia
Steve Schwaller | The Dryer Vent Dude Inc. | Lincoln
CALIFORNIA Jeff Witten | Witten’s Chimney Service | Bohnert Park
6
REGION
Stephen Antonino | Scarlett Chimney & Construction | Attleboro
REGION
REGION
Derek Hannah | Firesafe Chimney Services Inc. | Ware
REGION
54 65 MASSACHUSETTS
REGION
REGION REGION REGION
REGION
REGION REGION REGION
REGION REGION
REGION REGION
2 14 34 245 5 356
27 S W E E P I N G July 2015
Dates and
Events
28 S W E E P I N G
July 6-12 , 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 July 9, 2015 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Manchester, NH (Sponsored by Lindemann Chimney) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org July 13-19, 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 July 20-26, 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 July 20-24, 2015 CSIA Installing & Troubleshooting Gas Appliance CSIA Technology Center- Plainfield, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org July 23-26, 2015 NYSCSG Annual Summer Workshop -Engaging hands on seminars with CEU’s -Large trade show tent -Gigantic Auction -Golf outing on Thursday -Fun activities for the whole family -Plenty of onsite camping and lots of food For more information, please call (518) 882-6091 or visit
July 2015
nychimneysweepguild.org July 27-August 2, 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 July 29-30, 2015 CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Workshop & Exam CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org June 29-July 5, 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 July 31, 2015 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org August 3-9, 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 August 7, 2015 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Richmond, VA For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org August 10-11, 2015 CSIA Chimney Physics CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org August 10-16, 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 August 12-13, 2015 CSIA Chimney Physics Fredericksburg, VA (Sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Chimney Association) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org August 13, 2015 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Alpharetta, GA (Sponsored by Chimney Solutions) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org August 13-14, 2015 CSIA Masonry Repair for Chimney Professionals CSIA Technology Center- Plainfield, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org August 17-23, 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 August 24-29, 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 August 24-30, 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 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 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
July 2015
29 S W E E P I N G
CSIA Update JULY 2015 REPORT
www.CSIA.org
Putting on our best face
“Pete’s Bricks” on our outdoor fireplace/bake oven honors the late CSIA instructor Pete Luter
To any visitor to the Chimney Safety Institute of America Technology Center over the past 13 months, it’s been no surprise what material would be used to put the finishing touches on the “face” of CSIA’s new outdoor pizza oven/fireplace. It was no surprise because the rectangleand-square-shaped pieces of New York granite, imported to Plainfield, Indiana by mason Chris Prior, had been stacked in our backyard patio, waiting for this year’s Sweeps Week, June 8-12. But you’ll be surprised at the finished product. Our sweep masons-in-training didn’t simply just place the stones on the front and glue them in place. Over the course of 5 days, each stone was studied, measured, handchiseled, sliced and trimmed with a wet saw, when needed, fit against an arch mold to ensure mathematical precision, then mortared into place. The same steps were followed over and over again. So what a visitor now sees is a 40-piece gem. “Our goal was to make this beautiful and meaningful,” said Prior, the ace mason from Adirondack Chimney Company of Middle Grove, N.Y. Prior has been leading work on our oven/fireplace since construction began at Sweeps Week 2012.
“It’s taken a lot of work, but it was worth it.” This was the fourth year in a row that the oven was a featured part of Sweeps Week. Besides finishing the face, sweeps and volunteers also poured and set a crown on four sides The front of the outdoor fireplace at CSIA’s backyard patio is comprised of (protecting the stone, with an 8-brick inset of a sweep’s hat. It was faced June 8-13. bake oven side that it be incorporated into the that was completed in 2013), plus design. The red clay bricks are they added a personal touch that encased in a “shadow box” with will be talked about for decades four of the pieces of granite to come. It’s an 8-brick set that forming the edges. The top stone has a relief, or raised black was designed, thanks to another surface, that forms the shape inspirational idea from Indiana of the quintessential sweep’s sweep Jim Pritchett, to look like a hat. It had been commissioned parachute, again in honor of Luter. by the late CSIA instructor One unique part of the granite Pete Luter, who passed away is that it contains red ruby-like during a skydiving accident in flecks of garnet. “The school 2010. Blume, a South Carolina(has become) everything Pete based chimney sweep, obtained envisioned it to be,” said Renee it and donated it to a recent Brigman, a South Carolina sweep CSIA auction with the implicit who runs Sweeps Week with her instruction that whoever won spouse, Ron. “A piece of Pete the brick had to donate it back to will be here forever, and that’s CSIA. That would be Michiganperfect.” based sweep Thomas Rhines, “It’s a fitting tribute,” added who obliged Blume and made Ashley Eldridge, CSIA Director of the contribution, recommending Education. ADVERTISEMENT
JULY 2015 REPORT
www.CSIA.org
1,900 have a CSIA credential CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps, That Renewed With CEUs
New Hampshire
Indiana
Brian Gilmartin | Gilmartin Chimney & Vent | Epping
Michael Clements | The Cinder Box | Indianapolis
California
Robert Harris | Top Hat & Tails | Belleville
Sally McKnight | The Irish Sweep | Alameda Colorado Lauren Pilger | Chimney Doctors | Bailey Delaware Tim Christ | Byler’s Stove Shoppe Inc | Dover Florida Robert Meehan | 5 Star Clean | Ocoee Illinois Derrek Hedge | Superior Chimney Service, Corp. | Lombard Nick Wagner | Aelite Chimney Specialties | Lakemoor Indiana Stuart Karanovich | SaverSystems | Richmond
James Pritchett | Certified Sweeps | Brookston Gabe Robinson and Tim Robinson | T.J.’s Chimney Sweep | Greenfield Michael Stiles | Hoosier Chimney Sweep | Paoli Barry Waninger | Gray Cat Chimney Service | Huntingburg Kansas Jeremy Biswell | The Fluesbrothers Chimney Service | Kansas City Curtis Criswell & Aaron Dennett | Chimney & Stone Specialists | McPherson Kentucky Douglas Hetsch | All American Chimney | Louisville
Philip Mitchell | The Seacoast Sweep | Massachusetts Newmarket Stan Baron | Sweepnman, Inc. | North New Jersey Reading
Jeremy Meadows | Flue Tech, Inc. | Norwood New York Jim George | Dansville Town & Country Agway | Dansville Jonathan Myers | A Ace of Hearths Chimney Service, LLC | Westfield Pennsylvania Michael Evanick, Jr. | E &E Chimney Sweeps | Fairless Hills Vermont Christopher Stoughton | Friends of the Sun, Ltd. | Brattleboro Justin Turner | Brickliners Corp. | Williston
New CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps
Minnesota Michael Vanhoever | The Chimney Pros | Woodbury Montana Chase Thomas | Big Sky Chimney | Gallatin Gateway New Jersey Jeff La Manna | Hearth & Home | Ledgewood Christopher Miller | ABC Chimney Sweep | Augusta New Mexico Michael Gonzales | CBS Chimney Sweepers | Albuquerque New York Michael O’Donnell | Expert Chimney Services Inc. | Syracuse Lisa Duffy | Hudson Valley Chimney Service | Poughkeepsie North Carolina Tony Delgado and Joseph Garlowich | Owens Chimney Systems | Charlotte Pennsylvania
Connecticut Nathan Aube | Armstrong Chimney and Stoves, LLC | Taftville Georgia
Carlos Corona | Alliance Chimney and Energy, Inc. | Ardmore Sean Flanigan and Matthew Webb | E & E Chimney Sweeps | Fairless Hills
Ethan Corbett | Advanced Chimneys, Inc. | Marietta
Kyle Kozlansky | Chimney Man, Inc. | Mayfield
Illinois
Richard Wolfe | Above All Chimney & Masonry | Feasterville
Scott Thornton | Lindemann Chimney | Lake Bluff Daniel Colon | Fireplace & Chimney Authority | Elmhurst James Sarnes | Certified Chimney Services | West Peoria
ADVERTISEMENT
Virginia Chip Schweitzer | Rooftop Chimney Sweeps, LLC | Alexandria
JULY 2015 REPORT President’s Report
REPRESENTING CSIA IN EUROPE As many of you know, CSIA has long been the unofficial U.S. representative as a non-voting member of ESCHFOE, the European Federation of Chimney Sweeps. Mark A. Stoner Our overseas friends hold a meeting annually. CSIA attends every other year, for the technical session, and that’s the situation for 2015. From Aug. 26 to 30 in Bavaria, Germany it’ll be myself, NCSG and CSIA International Relations Committee chairman John Pilger (also CSIA past president), CSIA Education Director Ashley Eldridge, and CSIA-NCSG Executive Director Frances Kelly. Some of us will also stay for The International Gathering of Chimney Sweeps in Santa Maria Maggiore, Italy, as well as the Spazzacamini 34th International Chimney Sweep Gathering, Sept. 4-6. John Pilger “Our ESCHFOE friends, in many ways, have plenty to teach us Americans about technological advances,” says Pilger. “Conversely, Americans can teach them about how we market our businesses in a competitive environment, and why we strongly believe in education.” Hands-on seminars, measuring of heating appliances that run on solid fuels, are just part of the itinerary. We’re proud to represent sweeps in the U.S.
www.CSIA.org Education class spotlight Chimney Physics TWO UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES! Aug. 10-11 in Plainfield & Aug. 12-13 in Fredericksburg, VA[sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Chimney Association].
Resolution of chimney performance issues, solving air pressure problems, identifying the symptoms of indoor air pollutants, determining combustion air requirements for vented appliances. CSIA CEUs: 3-T, 3-CS, 3-HS, 3-CL | NFI CEUs: 4-E
CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exam July 9 | Manchester, NH [sponsored by Lindemann Chimney] July 31 | Plainfield, IN [CSIA Technology Center] August 13 | Alpharetta, GA [sponsored by Chimney Solutions]
CSIA CEUs: 1.50-T, 1.50-CS, 1.50-HS, 1.50-CL NFI CEUS: 6-T
CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® 2-Day Workshop/ Exam July 29-30 | Plainfield, IN [CSIA Technology Center]
Masonry Repair for Chimney Professionals [2-Day] August 13-14 | Plainfield, IN [CSIA Technology Center]
Installing and Troubleshooting Gas Hearth Appliances July 20-24 | Plainfield, IN [CSIA Technology Center]
Complete calendar: csia.org/education
held at our Technology Center in Plainfield, Indiana. Olympia Chimney Supply, Lindemann Chimney, Regional Chimney, Master Chimney Sweepers, and Chimney Solutions all stepped up to sponsor CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review/Exams from Scranton, Pennsylvania all the THANKS FOR THE SPONSORSHIP way to Alpharetta, Georgia, while Mid-Atlantic Chimney Association On behalf of Vendor Marketing is sponsoring a can’t miss two-day Committee Chairman Chuck Hall, Chimney Physics class Aug. 12-13 I want to personally thank those in Fredericksburg, Virginia. We companies that have stepped up scheduled these remote events to support CSIA education not in response to chimney sweep ADVERTISEMENT
demand, including from Facebook!
ONLINE DISCOUNT - DON’T MISS IT As you are considering
certifications, do not forget the promotional coupon being offered by several companies that discounts the cost of CSIA CCS an C-DET online reviews -- just $150 versus the regular price of $199! This promotion, meant for new CCS sweeps or those whose certifications lapsed six months or longer, runs through the end of September. I urge you to take advantage! Contact CSIA today.
Dateline: Nashville, TN Chimney academy reboots
JULY 2015 REPORT
Online learning isn't just a fad in education - the technology is here to stay. Chimney Safety Institute of America is keeping up with it, and we've upgraded the best chimney industry digital instruction by hosting our e-courses on a new platform that works on virtually any web browser and any device. The enhanced Chimney Academy offers an improved learning user experience, with more handouts
and multimedia/video to enhance the user’s understanding of the subject matter. Quizzes are easier to understand and to answer (you’ ll get three tries and see the correct answer if three questions go unanswered. You can easily click out and pick up where you left off. Contact CRutledge@csia.org for more information on how to sign up for over 65 digital courses!
CSIA teams up with duct cleaners on C-DET
CSIA C-DET instructor John Bently, of New Richland, Minnesota, holds up a copy of the C-DET manual during his presentation “Clothes Dryers can be deceiving and dangerous”at NADCA annual trade show and convention in Marco Island, Florida, in late April.
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association, or NADCA, has again decided not to offer a competing certification for its members and affiliates interested in a clothes dryer exhaust certification. The New Jersey-based association and CSIA have signed a 1-year agreement that carries forward a relationship that began in 2014. The agreement means special pricing for the manual, review, and test used for the C-DET course. “This is an exciting time for our dryer credential training program,” said John Bently, a CSIA
instructor who heads up CSIA’s C-DET committee on behalf of the CSIA board of
California Logan Johnston | Chimney Doctor | San Luis Obispo Oregon Adam Reich | American
directors. John also spoke at NADCA’s annual conference in southwest Florida in April. Did you know C-DET launched in 2000, so this is its 15th anniversary year? CSIA has put a lot of effort into a new consumer-themed website, dryersafety.org.
Hands on, just like you Join us: CSIA’s two-day C-DET workshop & exam: July 29-30 or Nov. 5-6 Hands-on instruction involving clothes dryers, accessories, and tools, including the vane anemometer and magnahelic used in the diagnosis before and after the actual cleaning. You’ll learn from instructors like Tim Reiher (right) such as how to drill through brick and drywall structures, how to reroute damaged or unusable duct, how to locate problem areas, and how to use equipment to inspect and clean. It’s an unbeatable opportunity, and the credential is being supported like never before. Contact the office at 317-837-5362 today. ADVERTISEMENT
New CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technicians
Chimney & Masonry | Portland Pennsylvania Dave Curley | Lou Curley’s Chimney Service | Drexel Hill
Around the
Tech
Center Frances Kelly
Executive Director
S
weeps Week is more than just a wonderful educational opportunity. The week also means making connections, seeing smiles and visiting with friends and family. Some of us realized that we really don’t know squat about pizza dough, but we learned. We also had time to reflect on new and old connections and meet family members of sweeps and staff. We are already looking forward to next year.
34 S W E E P I N G July 2015
Classifieds Gotta chimney question? Sizing? Codes? Call Royal Edwards! Make Royal your tech department. CALL NOW 813-982-0219 for on-call tech support. Continuing Education special bonus – ask how you can get the Friday morning E-Blast for FREE. CALL NOW 813-982-0219
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. Established full service chimney business for sale in Northern New Mexico, turn key operation, 2-3 service vehicles plus stove shop if desired. Ski, camp, raft, hunt, bike. Live the dream. www. terryschimney.com, 575-758-1825 Reduced price for quick sale.
35 S W E E P I N G July 2015
Darwin
Award 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.
“What could go wrong with this? Unless you fall off the ladder loading the furnace some night.” - Terry Dearborn and Lee Auberry Valley Chimney Sweep & Restoration, Yorkville, IL
Ad Index
36 S W E E P I N G
Ahrens Chimney Technique Biomass Controls CVC Coaching DS Machine LLC Firesafe Industries, Inc. Gelco, Lyemance, Lock-Top ICP Lindemann Chimney Company National Chimney Olympia Chimney Supply Sand Hill Wholesale SaverSystems, Inc Smoktite
July 2015
800-582-1392 ahrenschimney@qwestoffice.net 860-377-5156 www.biomasscontrols.com 705-425-0217 cvccoaching.com 717-768-3853 davejr@dsofpa.com 800-545-6607 www.firesafeinc.com 800-334-2154 www.gllchimneyproducts.com 508-695-7000 www.chimneycaps.com 800-722-7230 www.lindemannchimney.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
13 4 20 11 5 15 25 9 21 12 7 17 8
, 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