Sweeping Magazine- April/May 2018

Sweeping April/May 2018 VOLUME 42 #4

The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology

Meet a Member: Ken and Kenny Robinson Google Local Services — What You Need to Know

50 Reasons I’m glad I attended HPBA EXPO

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Departments President’s Letter 3 Editor’s Letter 5 Coach’s Corner 14 Technical Q&A 22 Dates and Events 26 New Members 28 Progressive Perks 29 Around the Tech Center 34 Classifieds 35 Darwin Award 36

Table of Contents

On the cover: Father and son CSIA Master Sweep team Ken and Kenny Robinson of Coppertown Services in Memphis, TN.

Sweeping April/May 2018 Volume 42 Issue 4

Features

Google Local Services — What You Meet a Need to Know Member

50 Reasons I’m glad I attended HPBA EXPO

6 18 23 April/May 2018

Smoke Chambers and Cast in Place Liner Installation (866) 283-8667 Ext. 706

Factory Built Fireplace Installation and Replacement (866) 283-8667 Ext. 701

Dryer Vents (866) 283-8667 Ext. 707

Gas Appliance Venting, Gas Logs and NFPA 54 (866) 283-8667 Ext. 702 Oil Appliance Venting and NFPA 31 (866) 283-8667 Ext. 703 Chimney Inspection, Documentation and NFPA 211 (Levels of Inspection) (866) 283-8667 Ext. 704

Installation and Venting of Pellet Stoves (866) 283-8667 Ext. 708 IRC and NFPA 211 (Code Questions) (866) 283-8667 Ext. 709 Customer Service and Customer Communication (866) 283-8667 Ext. 710 General Sweeping and Repair (866) 283-8667 Ext. 711

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2017-2018

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

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

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

Be advised that advice given by NCSG’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC) reflects best practices of the chimney sweeping industry. However, we are unable to account for any particular type of situation since regional variations in construction practices and additional environmental, physical and geographical factors necessarily vary the level of service appropriate for a particular fireplace and/or chimney.

Additionally, local laws and ordinances may govern and/ or supersede the information and any recommendations provided. Final determinations are the responsibility of a local professional with firsthand knowledge of the situation, and the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Neither NCSG nor any member of TAC will be held liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from the use of or reliance on information provided by anyone associated with TAC. By your use of this member benefit you acknowledge acceptance of these terms.

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STAFF

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

Megan McMahon Association Manager mmcmahon@ncsg.org

Donna Lee Kasmer CSIA Certification Coordinator dkasmer@csia.org

Darcy Marlett Director of Communications and Marketing dmarlett@ncsg.org

Penny Seals Program Coordinator pseals@ncsg.org

Zach Zagar CSIA Marketing Director zzagar@csia.org

Sara Sichting Systems and Records Coordinator ssichting@ncsg.org

Russell Dimmitt Education Director rdimmitt@ncsg.org

Annemarie Stockton Membership Coordinator astockton@ncsg.org

Charissa Benge Mahaffey Office Coordinator cmahaffey@ncsg.org

April/May 2018

Region 4 Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com

Vice President, At-Large Director Dennis Dobbs (256) 996-9999 fireplaceservicecenter@gmail. com

Region 6 Bob Ferrari (530) 941-5818 bob@flueseason.com

Treasurer, Region 3 Ron Rust (803) 730-5858 tophatswp@aol.com Region 1 Matt Mair (603) 525-7905 matt@blackmoosechimney. com Region 2 Ed Ridgeway (856) 241-7999 masons@chimney-duct.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS and TASK FORCES 2017 – 2018

To contact any member of the Technical Advisory Council, please call (866) 283-8667 and select the extension for the person who is best qualified to answer your question:

President, Region 5 Jasper Drengler (715) 304-8934 drengler01@gmail.com

Secretary, At-Large Director Tom Hunkele (641) 774-8056 topnotchchimney@gmail.com At-Large Director Gregg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net At-Large Director Jeff Peterson (703) 444-5155 jeff@potomacservices.net Supplier Representative Stuart Karanovich (765) 966-5084 stuartk@saversystems.com

Bylaws Dennis Dobbs (256) 996-9999 fireplaceservicecenter@gmail.com

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

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

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

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

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

Government Affairs Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com

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

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

Scholarship Committee Greg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net

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

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

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

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

Acceptance of advertising by Sweeping magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. NCSG does not make any effort to review or substantiate claims made by advertisers. © 2018 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 837-1500

I

love to travel and when time allows I'll search out the local hearth store or chimney sweep. I often will see a sweep truck rolling down the highway and try to buy them lunch or dinner in exchange for some conversation. I meet sweeps at my kids’ go-cart races, at football games and this one time sitting at an ice rink on a cruise ship just off of Haiti (where my wife was a one-person stimulus package for the island). I had spent the day laying block for a home destroyed by the recent hurricane on the island of Saint Martin. The man next to my wife was talking my wife’s ear off since they both work in the medical profession.

The gentleman asked if I was a doctor and after a little laugh she replied that I build fireplaces and play with cars.

His eyes grew very large as he happened to be traveling with Mr. Cox who is one of only two sweeps in Scotland who

are allowed to do historical relining. I of course invited him to the National Chimney Sweep Guild convention and have very much enjoyed photos of his work. Being located in Northern Wisconsin the oldest buildings I normally get to work on are usually around 125 years old. This sweep lives in a home where the foundation was laid in the 1500s! If you would like, check out his company's Facebook page. Old Mill Chimney in Scotland.

President’s

Letter Jasper Drengler

President

I can't wait to see all of you in Portland!

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Meeting Sweeps

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appy Convention Month Sweeps!

As this issue lands in your mailboxes the rest of the staff and I will be boxing up the office and heading to Portland, OR. We’re all so excited to see friends and meet new faces!

Meeting people and trying new things became the accidental theme of this issue. NCSG President Jasper Drengler wrote about meeting a Scottish chimney sweep in an unlikely place, Spark Marketer wrote about getting to know Google’s new features, and Jerry Isenhour brings you an article about getting your new team members off to a great start. We also are excited to bring you a very special “Meet

a Member” with father and son CSIA Master Sweeps Ken and Kenny Robinson. Plus, if you’ve ever been curious about attending the HPBA Expo, Justin Bailey brings you a dispatch on his experiences from his own unique perspective.

Editor’s

Letter Darcy Marlett Editor

I hope you’re spring is off to a great start and I hope to see you in Oregon!

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Google Local Services — What You Need to Know

Taylor Hill

Spark Marketer

6 S W E E P I N G

If you’re online, you already know that Google makes the rules, and the game is already largely pay-to-play. But back in 2015, Google started coming after the 400 billion-dollar home service industry with the introduction of Google Home Services. Now called Google Local Services, this pay-to-play program is out in nearly 20 cities across the nation, and includes the following home service verticals: • • • • •

Locksmiths Plumbers Electricians HVAC Garage Door Services

April/May 2018

While we’re not sure when Google Local Services will break into the chimney and venting industry, when it does start rolling out, it’ll be in the areas already offering other services through the program. Currently, those areas are: • • • • • • • • • •

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In other words, it’s here and coming, and it’s something that, as a business owner, you need to keep an eye on. We don’t yet know how successful or how impactful Google Local Services will be, but here’s what you need to know.

What Is Google Local Services?

Google Local Services is essentially an advertising program that you can sign up to participate in if you’re a home or local service business in one of the categories and locations offered. During the application process, you (the owner or manager) will need to pass a background check, as will any of your employees who serve customers in their homes.

You’ll also need to verify that you hold general liability insurance and any required state or local licenses. Pending approval, you’ll become a “Google guaranteed” business.

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What Does It Mean to Be “Google Guaranteed”?

“Google guaranteed” simply means that Google will vouch for you and will cover any claims (up to the job invoice amount, with a lifetime cap of $2,000) if a customer finds your company through the program and is dissatisfied with work quality. Add-on services, future projects not booked through Google Local Services, and damages to property are not

April/May 2018

covered, nor is anything related to price, responsiveness of the business owner, or cancellation.

Claims must be made within 30 days of service completion.

Once you’re a “Google guaranteed” business, you’re given a business profile page, a “Google guaranteed” badge, and your ad is shown at the top of search results when the services you offer are searched for. Potential customers will see your business name, your review score, your location, your hours, and your trusty

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“Google guaranteed” badge. On desktop, potential customers can either click to see your reviews or click to expand the results, if possible. On mobile, they’ll be able to either click to call or message your business or to expand the search results.

How Are Ads Ranked in Google Local Services?

While Google’s not provided a direct answer on how ads are ranked, we do know that ratings, reviews, responsiveness, and proximity to searcher are all taken into consideration. We also know that responsiveness can affect how customers can interact with your business through the program. For example, if you don’t respond promptly to messages (or if you stop responding to messages altogether), the “message business” feature will be removed from your ad altogether and you’ll be ranked lower.

How Do You Track & Manage Leads Brought in Through Google Local Services?

When you enroll in the program, you can download the Google Local Services app, which allows you to accept bookings, respond to customer questions and messages, manage budget and leads, and track conversions. You’ll also be able to turn ads on or off from within the app.

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what they know “about cost of jobs and overall demand,” the job type, and the location. You simply set your average weekly budget based on how many leads you’d like to receive and your ad is shown until that budget is spent. If, for some reason you go over your weekly budget, it’ll simply come out of your monthly budget, and if you go over your monthly budget somehow, Google will credit that money back to you.

What Are the Benefits Of Becoming A “Google Guaranteed” Business?

Let’s hear from Google on the benefits: • You’ll be seen at the top of Google • You’ll be able to connect with your customers right when you’re looking for you and ready to commit • You’ll have your own personalized profile and an app that makes it easy to manage everything from one place • You’ll gain trust before you’ve even done business with a potential customer because of your “Google guaranteed” badge • Leads will be more qualified because they’ll have chosen you out of a host of “Google guaranteed” businesses

How Are You Charged & What Qualifies as A Lead?

• You’ll only pay for leads that are verified

As a “Google guaranteed” business, you’re charged per lead. A lead can be a text, email, voicemail, or call from a potential customer. When you return a missed call and speak to the customer or receive a text or email back after leaving them a message, that’s also considered a lead.

Google Local Services is still relatively new, but when it does roll out into the chimney and venting industry in your area, you’ll need to decide whether or not it makes sense for you to become a “Google guaranteed” business.

Here are a couple of questions you may want to consider before making your decision:

Not all leads are considered valid leads though.

Google safeguards business owners from paying for solicitations, spam calls, and leads that are either outside of your service area or looking for services that you don’t provide. If you think you may have been charged for an invalid lead, you are able to dispute the charge, although there’s no Google guarantee (ha, see what we did there?) that your money will be credited back to you.

So how much will each lead cost you? That depends. If you’ve ever done any advertising with Google AdWords, you’re likely used to a bidding process, but Google Local Services is different. Each lead is priced by Google based on

April/May 2018

What Should You Consider Before Opting in?

• Are you comfortable with Google being a liaison between you and your customers?

• Are you comfortable with Google determining (for you) which leads are qualified leads and which ones aren’t?

• Are you comfortable with Google determining how much you’re charged per lead, without any real transparency?

While we know how the program works in theory, there’s still a lot we don’t know about how it will help or harm businesses in the real world.

What happens once the lifetime coverage value of $2,000 is met? What happens if a business

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receives multiple complaints or a lot of negative feedback?

Do they lose their place in the program or do they have to pay more to continue in the program? Will it really benefit businesses to be involved if all of their competitors are involved as well? We don’t know the answers to these questions yet, but time will tell.

So what’s the moral here?

Things are always changing and, as business owners, we need to keep our eyes on the horizon for things like Google Local Services, which may have the potential to disrupt or boost business.

If Google Local Services does roll out in your area and you choose to get involved, we’d love to know what you think and what your experience is. Just shoot us an email at taylor@sparkmarketer.com!

Taylor Hill is co-founder and crew chief of Spark Marketer, a local online marketing company that specializes in marketing service businesses across the US. He’s passionate about helping service business owners navigate the Internet oceans filled with sharks and unsavory pirates.

He’s also co-host of the Blue Collar Proud (BCP) Show, the podcast that’s all about having and living the blue collar dream, and co-author of Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles For Building A Kickass Business You Love. @sparkmarketer, facebook.com/sparkmarketer, facebook.com/bcpshow/, facebook. com/groups/bluecollarproudnation/, @taylorkhill @bcpshow

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L Corner Coach’s Jerry Isenhour

The Onboarding Process

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ast month, I wrote about how Day 1 is likely the most important day in the career of anyone who will ever join your team. This month I want to delve deeper into Day 1 and expand on the Onboarding Process.

In my job role as a coach and consultant one of the tasks I do with many companies is conduct SWOT meetings, and from these, it is derived that all so often most of the issues fall under several headings, they are (1) Communication (2) Understanding (3) Actions.

In my role as a coach, this is the basis for the success, mediocrity or failure of many in the world of the business.

It is also the source of much frustration on the part of the managers and their team members also. This is often why the first day is such an important day in the life of any new hire, and it will often set the stage for their success, their failure and their mediocrity.

The important part of the onboarding Process is that instead of your new team members gaining an understanding of your company's rules, regulations, processes and all other functions of the company, they come from a person who not only understands these but also knows how to properly communicate these. If his process is not done, then the new team members hear them from his co-workers, and in this conversation, they get the view of the team members explaining it to them, often with an opinionated view of the rules, processes, and regulations.

What do we do during the onboarding process? Let's put together a process, you may decide to add to this process to

fit your model, but for this to work you need a process that works and works well for you. In this, you will note we will use tools such as company manuals, standard operating procedures, and others, without these you are not prepared to build a successful member of the team! #1 Who will the new employee meet first on their first day on the job, this should have already been made clear to the new hire, and the person charged with onboarding must be properly prepared. The initial greeting should be pleasant, and it should be done with friendship, but it also should be done where the new hire sees that this is a serious business with serious objectives but that it is delivered with the culture of the company. #2 Introduction of the new hire to the other members of the team, they should be prepared to welcome the new hire with a look and sense of friendship, after all, they will depend on each other as members of the team. #3 Time to get down to the process next, the new hire should now be seated with the person who will do the onboarding process. #4 Any required paperwork if not already filled out should now be gone over. It is imperative that the new hire being onboarded understand all the paperwork and what they are signing. There should be steps to ensure there is an understanding on the part of the new hire as to what all he is signing and filling out. #5 A review of the company manual is now done, and each segment reviewed. Now if you do not have this manual, this will be an issue as your company rules have not been explained

and they will be learning this as they go, a dangerous process and one ripe for misunderstanding. #6 The new hire should fully understand what the rate of pay is when payroll is issued, what are your holidays, what is your attendance policy, what holidays are observed, how vacation pay accrues and how all benefits they will receive are administered. #7 A review of your expectations of the new hire, do you have a training strategy you plan for them to follow. Remember the new hire must understand what your expectations of them are, leaving this unsaid is leaving it to chance as to the success. #8 A review of the Standard Operating Procedures under which the new hire will be expected to operate to and under which he will be held accountable to. If you do not have these, then you are

not going to be able to share your expectations, processes, and procedures. During this segment, you should also review the safety rules, regulations, and procedures as to what you are operating to. #9 How are your team members held accountable for following the rules, processes, and procedures for the company. Your accountability system must be properly detailed and explained. #10 What is your organizational chart, they need to know this and along with this where do they fall in your chart? #11 The final part is asking the new hire if there are any questions, any areas of concern or confusion. A part of the process it to let the new hire know who to speak to if they have ay future questions, all too often they may ask another

member of the team and this is an invitation to a slighted view.

My advice is that all the above process be thoroughly documented and that your new hire signs off on all these items. If there is a later required termination or disciplinary action, have this all properly documented could be crucial in the event you have to take disciplinary action.

Here you may be thinking, this is a time-consuming process, and you are right. You may be thinking, I don't have the time to do all of this, my advice find the time! So why is the so important, here are some reasons: #1 Likely you have already invested time (and resources) into the marketing process to find the new hire you are onboarding, the time and expense of the interview process and if you are ahead of the

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curve, time and expense of pre-employment testing to ensure you are hiring the right person. #2 You are getting ready to invest heavily in this person; the cost of a new hire can easily be a 15K to 20K expenditure and at times much higher. #3 People often fail simply due to the fact no one has shared with them in a way they can understand it what the expectations of the job are; they are not held accountable when small things start that later develop into big things.

For insight, think back, do you remember your first day at school, your first teacher had the responsibility of molding you and the influence they exerted likely was what set the course for you throughout your formative years as a student as you progressed through grade school and into high school and even followed you are you left the school system. That initial influence was what formed your ways of learning. That first teacher likely had to teach you how to play well with others, how to adhere to the rules of society and had to lay out your expectations. But they also had to do more, they had to offer discipline, and they had to hold you accountable for your work assignments. My friend Greg Polakow often shared with me that by the 5th grade he majority of students had their course set for life with their learning styles and their learning habits and that after the 5th-grade change became difficult for those in the world of teaching.

So, it is for you, that most important day, that first day and their performance after the first day will often fall back to the way we did this initial onboarding.

It is up to you to decide, it is after all your company, but if success with your new hires when they progress to experienced members of the team will often go back to the first day.

And if they are subjected to bad influences, in this case, team members who do not believe and live the culture you have set, failure just may be the result. I can promise that frustration will often be a result.

So, is the first-day investment worth it, I think so?

With that my best to each of you, let me know how we can help you reach your business dreams.

About the Author: Jerry Isenhour is an industry consultant, educator, and coach who authors a monthly article in Sweeping as a service to the industry. For more information about Jerry and how his team can assist you individually and your business in your quest for success and your ascent to the next level, look at his website www.cvccoaching.com He can be contacted at jerry@cvccoaching.com or by phone at (704) 4250217. You can also obtain great business tips from his Facebook page CVC Coaching and YouTube channel CVCCoaching.

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Meet a Member

By Darcy Marlett

For this special edition of Meet a Member we spoke with the father and son team Ken and Kenny Robinson of Coopertown Services. Ken and Kenny have the distinction of the being the only father and son pair to both receive their CSIA Master Sweep designation.

18 S W E E P I N G

[Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and condensed.]

Names: Ken Robinson, Kenny Robinson Company: Coopertown Services in Memphis, TN What question do you get asked most about being a chimney sweep and chimney sweeping?

Ken: The question I’m asked most is “What exactly do you do?” People still think that

April/May 2018

maybe you’re just limited to sweeping a chimney. They ask “What can you really do?” and “Can you stay busy all year long doing that?" I have to explain that there are many different things that we do.

Kenny: “How did you get involved?” and “How long have you been doing it?”

How did you get into the industry?

Ken: Back in the last month of 1976 A friend of mine had started a chimney sweeping company and wanted to know if I’d work for him. I thought it was a joke, I didn’t think it was a real job. He said you have a truck, you have some ladders and you’ll be perfect since you already know how to climb.

So I went over to see what he was doing and he put me in the truck with his brother who had swept a total of 50 chimneys in his whole life. They took me out in a truck and we swept two chimney’s between 8:30 that morning and 12 o’clock noon and at 12 o’clock he said “you

know everything I know now, you’re a trained chimney sweep.” The next day I was in a truck by myself and I knew absolutely nothing.

They told me you have to wear your top hat, you have to wear your tails and the biggest part of your job is to get on the roof and let them take a photograph of you because that’s what they’re really calling you for.

I did that for a couple months and then I started to complain that I didn’t know what I was doing. People were asking me questions I didn’t know the answer to. That started a year and a half dialogue between the owner and me. I was constantly saying we need to learn how to lay bricks, we need to be installing gas logs and he kept saying, “no you can’t do that you will burn somebody’s house down you don’t know what you’re doing.” And I said, “well then we need to learn.” After a year and a half of me fussing at him he said, “Why don’t you buy this company?” When I said I don’t have any money and he agreed to let me run it and give me a percentage for a while. So I bought the company in 1980.

Kenny: I was around the industry since I was little and became more aware of it when I was about 9 or 10 years old. In the summertime over break I was able to go out a few times on jobs. At the customer’s house they’d always offer lunch and let me watch their television while my father was working. This turned into a more regular thing as I got older and I got more and more involved. I got CSIA certified around the age of 15 and I just hung onto it.

It became a way of life for me and I really enjoyed the work.

What advice would you give to new sweeps?

Ken: Education. That’s the big thing, you have to know what you’re doing.

The second thing is to realize what a tremendous liability you are assuming.

People are not really paying you to sweep their chimney or inspect their chimney. They are paying you to have confidence that their house is not going to burn down.

You need to develop relationships with an attorney. You do not want to have to go looking for an attorney after something bad happens.

The other thing you really need to do is network. When you join the NCSG and become certified it will bring you into a network where you can get to know people.

Then when you start to build that stone chimney, or you’re building that first firebox, or you’re trying to set a damper somebody’s name will pop in your head and you’ll think “Oh Bob lives in Ohio and he said if I was ever trying to do this to give him a call.”

The education and networking with other chimney sweeps is absolutely the key to success in this business.

Kenny: Education for sure number one, the more the better.

Secondly spend more than six months or a year to think about if you want to stay in the chimney sweeping industry. Give it more time than that to really experience what is out here, what’s involved with this industry.

Third, learn how to climb well, get comfortable on how to climb and tackle each situation. It only takes one time to fall.

Have you ever had to make your own tool to solve a particular problem, and if so what was that?

Ken: There are so many I wouldn’t know where to start. One of my comrades in this industry was Pete Luter and he was known as being an inventor and the two of us would sit there and talk about all these tools that we had thought of and occasionally we would bring them to life.

Kenny: Weekly, if not daily. It’s very important to learn to make due with what you have and have some essentials on the truck before leaving the shop like duct tape, a sharpie and a roll of wire. There’s many different things you can do with those.

I’ve done things like duct tape the cap of a sharpie marker onto a wire to reach through a cap to grab something.

April/May 2018

19 S W E E P I N G

What was your favorite class you’ve ever taken and you’re biggest takeaway from it?

Ken: I attended the original Diagnosis and Documentation class years ago and when I heard it was not yet in it’s entirety, it was kind of a two-hour thing. I was really impressed with it. I started talking to Ashley Eldridge right away and Jerry Isenhour got involved with it. As this thing grew Jerry and I took it and ran with it and it became a whole day then, then two days, then three days. We taught that class for about 10 years and every

20 S W E E P I N G

time we would teach it we would say things that would spark interest in the audience and they would say things that would change the course. Jerry and I modified that course probably every time we taught it. We would change a few slides, add some more information into it.

I learned more from teaching that class than anything we ever did because we taught it so long and it seemed to spark the imagination of those taking it and I would learn from the students.

Kenny: My favorite class was Installing and Troubleshooting Gas Hearth Appliances I took with Jim Brewer at the Tech Center in Indiana.

I also learned a lot from the “Claims, Pains & Arbitration” class I took at the 2016 NCSG

April/May 2018

Convention taught by Chris Van Leeuwen and Eugene LaFlamme about managing and being responsible for what you see and how you document it.

What made you want to go for your CSIA Master Sweep designation?

Ken: I had wanted there to be a certification like this for a long time. It’s a difficult thing to get, not everyone can get it. I was very proud to receive my Master Sweep Certification and once I received mine I started talking to Kenny about it. I said, “Wouldn’t it be great for you to go get that, you only need a few more things. Once you get it we will probably be the only father and son Master Sweeps and maybe the only company that has two Master Sweeps working for them.” I also thought it would be a great thing for us to accomplish before I retired.

Kenny: I felt that I owed it to the industry that if there was a higher certification that I should be involved.

That was one of the reasons I wanted to meet the requirements. Number two if there’s a challenge out there in the industry I feel I should rise to that challenge. Lastly, if I was missing something I felt that I should fill that skills gap.

What is in your opinion the most valuable part of being a member of the NCSG? Ken: The most valuable part is the networking you can do with the members. The members of the NCSG are by and large outstanding people. People who really want to do their best and excel at everything.

A close second to that is you get Sweeping Magazine that reminds you about goings on in the industry and upcoming events.

Kenny: To me the NCSG is the body of

our industry, the group of people who help organize and keep everyone in the industry going and keeping them aware of industry information.

Favorite convention memory?

Ken: My favorite convention memory was the year that Pete Luter brought a baby pig to the convention. We were in this nice high-rise hotel and he smuggled it into the hotel in a suitcase and was keeping in the bathtub. At the auction Pete came out in full chimney sweep attire and walking the pig on a leash and auctioned off the pig.

Someone bought the pig at the auction for like 500 bucks but they didn’t really want to take it so they ended up auctioning it off for Pete to take it back. Earning the organization another 3 or 4 hundred dollars.

Kenny: My favorite convention memory is simple and too the point but I couldn’t imagine choosing another story. The year the convention was in Hershey, PA the entire family traveled to the convention because we had always wanted to go to Hershey and that turned out to be the year dad was awarded the President’s Award at that banquet.

Have you ever had a famous customer?

Ken: Cybill Shepherd and Nascar Drive Mark Martin Kenny: I’m sure I have but I’m usually too focused on the job to discuss with the customers what they do for a living Weirdest thing you’ve ever found in a chimney?

Ken: Where do I start? I’ll go with something that’s tame. I was in downtown Memphis and there was a big old house that was completely being renovated. Once you got on top of the roof their were several chimneys. I looked down in one of the chimneys and saw something in there and hooked it to pull it out. When I got it out I thought it was a toy, it looked like a pair of children’s binoculars so I just threw them in a bag. A few days later I pulled them out of the bag and realized they were real binoculars and I started to clean

them up and they were solid brass and on the side and said 1865.

They actually worked a little bit, evidently someone would go up on this roof and look around because that’s right on the river and evidently they set them on the side of the chimney and knocked them down in the chimney.

I took them to a local museum and they told me that they were binoculars that were owned by a confederate soldier.

Kenny: I've had two or three decent finds.

Number one was removing a mantel and finding parts of a newspaper that had fallen behind that was dated around 1915. It was an advertisement for Sears.

Number two, during the inspection of a vacant home whose owner had recently passed I found a coffee can of coins that been hidden up there behind the damper.

The last thing was I was in a one hundred year old home; the daughter was having the house renovated after her father passed away. I went down into the basement where the old coal furnace used to be. When they were hooking up the new modern natural gas furnace they took out the cast iron clean out which is a metal fixture that fits into the base of the chimney so you could clean the coal ash out. Someone had knocked that back into the chimney and cemented over it. So while I was working I ran into this huge 10 or 15 pound cast iron thing that had 1908 stamped in it with the manufacturer’s name. I took it home and had it sand blasted and powder coated and set into my house.

April/May 2018

21 S W E E P I N G

Technical

QA &

Michael Segerstrom

NCSG Technical Advisory Chair

Question

I've heard that recent changes in the IRC now allow fasteners to penetrate the inside of dryer vent/ duct. Is this true, and is it a good idea?

Answer: Yes, it's in the IRC. The 2015 edition of the IRC has language that states: M1502.4.2 "Exhaust duct joints shall be sealed in accordance with section and 1601. 4.1 and shall be mechanically fastened. Ducts shall not be joined with screws or similar fasteners that protrude more than 1/8" into the inside of the duct.

If we are going to consider this, we have to check with our local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) to confirm if they enforce the IRC for the NFPA 211 for dryer vents, as the NFPA 211 still prohibits screws and fasteners from penetrating the pipe. The local AHJs may also be unaware of this change so if we are going to do it, we may want to have a friendly conversation with them about it pointing out the code change. And whether or not they are aware of the change we're support it, they do have the authority to still prohibit the use of screws or rivets.

So is it a good idea? Dryer vent service technicians throughout the country have seen where long screws catch lint and create obstructions and clogs, and hazardous dryer venting conditions. Will 1/8" penetrations cause the same problems? They may, and there are several factors to consider.

22 S W E E P I N G April/May 2018

In a short dryer vent run with air moving at high speeds, there is less likelihood that lint could get caught and build up on a 1/8" screw penetration. A part of that will also depend on frequency of dryer use and frequency of dryer vent cleaning. A longer dryer vent run, with at times significantly lower air flows near

the outlet, could be more prone to catching lint on short screws near the exhaust end.

If the vent serves an older dryer, or there is a lack of maintenance and frequency of use issue, even 1/8" penetrations could potentially cause a problem. It could start as a small amount of lint caught on the fastener, and over time it could become larger.

There are variables to consider and though 1/8" penetrations are now permitted, clamping systems at the pipe joints are the best practice. Dryer duct and vent systems are also now available, that come equipped with gaskets and clamps.

However, we connect pipe sections, annual dryer vent maintenance will increase the performance of the venting system and reduce the risk of fire or damage.

50 Reasons I’m glad I attended HPBA EXPO (in 2016 and again in 2018)

By Justin Bailey

The last time I went to HPBA was two years ago, in New Orleans. I’ll admit the trade show was an excuse to: (1) Take a tax deductible trip.

And (2) eat food- oysters, cajun, things that had been “blackened”, etc.

And of course there were (3) amazing musicians and (4) bands down on Frenchman street, (5) dixieland, (6) jazz, (7) fusion, (8) blues, and (9) buskers in the streets. And going to New Orleans wouldn’t be complete without at least one evening to (10) watch extremely drunk people do really stupid stuff on Bourbon Street.

Which all added up to another reason, for me (I’m from New Mexico, which is a very different part of the world) to go to the Southeastern US, which is almost like going to different country: (11) Experience a different culture, a different region, a different (southern) accent.

Back in 2016 I wasn’t registered for HPBA but I had a connection through NCSG. I found myself in a secret room in the convention center, looking at a bunch of badges on a table.

“Who do you want to be?” asked the important person in the secret back room.

I looked at the badges, reading the names. I realized I was going to get to (12) pretend to be somebody else.

But not just anybody. I got to pretend to...

(13) Be Mark Stoner because I saw Mark Stoner’s name on one of the badges and picked it up. Hung it around my neck. It said I was with Ashbusters Chimney Service, from Nashville, TN. So I also got to...

(14) Pretend to be from somewhere else. Not only were people calling me Mark, they were asking about the weather in Nashville. Which made me...

(15) Smile a lot. There was no need to tell them my real name. It was before Mark Stoner was as famous as he is now, so only a few people caught on.

(16) Fess up and admit what you did: Until I ran into the real Mark Stoner, who was teaching a class on Barbeque technique. I found him on purpose, showed him his badge hanging from a string around my neck.

(17) Explain why: “They asked me who I wanted to be,” I said.

He just laughed. At the time he was the president of the CSIA but he still hadn’t written his book, Blue Collar Gold; he still hadn’t been featured on the TV show, Blue Collar Millionaire; and he still hadn’t started his Blue Collar University. Or the SirVent chimney service franchise, or (18) Surefire Chimney Academy, an online training curriculum for chimney companies.

In 2016 I was the owner of a chimney business that was growing fast, but I hadn’t (19) opened my stove showroom; I hadn’t opened my warehouse space in Santa Fe yet; I still hadn’t even gotten my business

April/May 2018

23 S W E E P I N G

24 S W E E P I N G

office out of the spare bedroom in the house where it was located back then. (I’m still not sure if opening the showroom was the right move, but it’s the best excuse to come to HPBA EXPO 2018 in Nashville.)

So, here we are in 2018, Nashville, TN. Plane lands.

“Music City,” they call it. Kind of like New Orleans, except the music is a little different. It’s (20) country music, and (21) Rock n’ Roll down on Broadway in downtown Nashville. But I haven’t even gone anywhere yet, so the first bar I went into was called the Bootlegger’s Inn, which had some really great songwriters playing original tunes.

But before the bar, first things first. I step out of the airport, get on my phone, pull up the LYFT app, and catch a car to (22) Visit Ashbusters. Ashbusters is Mark Stoner’s multimillion dollar chimney service company.

Stoner wasn’t there when I arrived - but his production manager, Chris, greeted me and gave me a tour of the warehouse. Chris, it turns out, used to be the bass player in the same band with Stoner, back when Ashbusters was a one-truck chimney business that paid the bills when Mark Stoner was a drummer in a country band.

Chris has been with Ashbusters since its early days. And so I started asking questions about the old days and I got to...

(23) Hear a story about Mark Stoner: “When we used to be on the road,” Chris said, “We’d have to stop at a payphone and wait while Mark checked his messages for the chimney business and returned the calls and put people on the schedule. We’d all be sitting there waiting for an hour while he called everybody and scheduled all the chimney jobs.” He shared that story while we were standing in a stairwell, with two large walls covered with a mural of the Ashbusters staff, so I got to (24) See a mural about chimney sweeps in Nashville, in top-hats and tails, doing chimney work all over the Nashville skyline. Each chimney sweep in the mural was a past or current employee at Ashbusters. Looking around, I remembered the impact Mark Stoner had on my life, so I got to: (25) Tell a story about Mark Stoner, I told Chris about how Stoner’s term as president of the CSIA began when I went to my first NCSG conference, in Columbus, Ohio in 2014. His message inspired me to change my business in fundamental ways. My business has multiplied in size and revenue in the last four years.

Chris left me to do some work on my laptop at a table in the reception area, and it wasn’t long before Stoner himself walked through the front door. He introduced me to the office staff and the new chief operating officer at Ashbusters, so I got to:

April/May 2018

(26) Meet new people.

Mark also filled me in on the latest innovations for the sales and hiring processes at Ashbusters which, brings me to the next reason: (27) Get valuable information. It quickly occurred to me that what he just shared with me, if I put it to good use, would potentially pay my expenses of attending HPBA a hundred times over. Which brings me to the next reason, the reason to go to any and all trade shows and conferences: (28) Get inspired. Hearing him talk about the changes and improvements his business goes through got my wheels turning, and I started asking myself how can I do better with my own business. Which made me...

(29) Reflect on how far I’ve come since I attended my first NCSG convention in 2014; and as my business gets better, and bigger, my life also gets better, and bigger. So now, with a showroom, I have to find more stuff to put in it. I was ostensibly at HPBA to: (30) Find product lines and build relationships with their sales reps to get good stuff for the store. There were three specific product lines I was interested in, and I connected with all three companies within the first two days of the show. I found two by going to their booths; the other one I accidentally ran into at the Dunkin Donuts.

I also got to (31) take classes and get CEUs for my NFI and CSIA certifications, though I had to pay a fee to get a pass to get into the classes. Some of the classes were not included in the education pass, so if I wanted to (31) Get NFI certified in wood, gas, pellet or hearth design I would have to pay for those courses, test fees, and manuals separately. I’m already NFI gas certified so my priority this trip was to get CEUs so I don’t have to take that test ever again.

So, I (32) got Safety/Health/Liability CEU credits for standing out in the freezing cold for Werner Ladder class on ladder safety and fall protection. I (33) got technical CEUs for a class by (34) Russ Dimmit. As the convention wore on, I also took classes on insurance subrogation, masonry heaters, hiring, and a specific manufacturer training for one of the appliance lines I picked up. And was able to get (35) HPBA manuals on hearth design and (36) hiring and retaining exceptional employees.

Plus I (37) ran into friends from the industry at the (38) parties and the tradeshow floor and at the parties I got to hang out with (39) CSIA president Chuck Hall who told me all about himself and his chimney business. I reconnected with colleagues and mentors from (40) Masonry Heater Association, the (41) National Chimney Sweep’s Guild and the (42) CSIA. But this time, I didn’t want to pretend to be somebody

else.

That’s why I had volunteered to (43) be the staff reporter for Sweeping Magazine and now I get to read my article in a glossy magazine with national distribution. I got my own badge, with my own name on it.

On the last evening of the show the (44) Vesta Awards are given out, at which (45) Richard C. Wright, the editor of Hearth and Home Magazine informed the crowd of the latest developments on the NSPS regulations.

But there was lots of (46) wine and beer in the hallway before the Vespa Awards event, probably to lure attendees in, and by (47) SHEER GOOD LUCK I ended up sitting next to (48) Stan Hays, the CEO and cofounder of an organization called (49) Operation BBQ relief, which has served more than 1.7 million meals at disaster scenes since 2011 (and 1.1 million of those meals were served in the last two years) for hurricane victims and first responders.

Technical difficulties prevented the video about Operation BBQ Relief from playing, but Hays got up on the stage and fought back tears while he talked about after Hurricane Harvey, when the Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called him and said they needed him to feed thousands of first responders, who’d been working 24/7, and hadn’t had a hot meal or slept in days. He talked about how one day they served 30,000 hot meals, and the next day even more, and on and on like that until they were serving over 50,000 hot meals a day.

I’ll take this (50) opportunity to ask that you visit operationbbqrelief.org, the official charity of HPBA to make a donation or sign up to volunteer at one of their fundraising events or at the next natural disaster that comes along.

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S W E E P I N G

Dates and

Events April 2018

26 S W E E P I N G

April 2-8, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon March 30th - 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 April 9-15, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon April 6th - 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 April 13-25, 2018 NCSG & CSIA Office will be closed April 12-26, 2018 CSIA (Online Education) NO ONLINE EXAMS – DUE TO NCSG CONVENTION April 16-22, 2018 CSIA (Online Education) NO ONLINE CLASSES – DUE TO NCSG CONVENTION April 17, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams DoubleTree-Portland, OR (NCSG Convention) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org April 17, 2018 CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® Review & Exams DoubleTree-Portland, OR (NCSG Convention) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org April 17, 2018 NCSG Board of Directors Meeting DoubleTree-Portland, OR (NCSG Convention) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit http://www.ncsgconvention.org

April/May 2018

April 17, 2018 CSIA Board of Directors Meeting DoubleTree-Portland, OR (NCSG Convention) For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit http://www.ncsgconvention.org April 18-21, 2018 NCSG Annual Convention DoubleTree – Portland, OR For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit http://www.ncsgconvention.org April 23-29, 2018 CSIA (Online Education) NO ONLINE CLASSES – DUE TO NCSG CONVENTION

May 2018 April 30-May 6, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered

by Noon April 27th - 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 May 7-13, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon May 4th - 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 May 7-12, 2018 CSIA National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 14-20, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon May 11th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

May 16-17, 2018 2 Day Masonry Richmond, IN For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 18, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams Scranton, PA For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 21-22, 2018 Ropes Safety Class Houston, TX For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 21-27, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon May 18th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org May 28-June 3, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered

by Noon May 25th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org June 1, 2018 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams CSIA Technology Center

For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit

June 2018 www.CSIA.org June 4-8, 2018 Installing & Troubleshooting Gas Hearth Appliances w/ NFI Exam CSIA Technology Center For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org June 4-10, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon June 1st - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org June 11-17, 2018 CSIA (online) – Must be registered by Noon June 8th - Chimney Physics - CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review - CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician Review - Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

27 S W E E P I N G April/May 2018

New

Members

NEW YORK Genesee Valley Chimney Sweep | Christopher Banker| Avon

PENNSYLVANIA Estates Chimney & Fireplace, LLC | Scott Dengler | Holland

GEORGIA Oliver Sweep, LLC | Jonathan Oliver | Cartersville

NORTH CAROLINA Queen City Sweeps LLC | Robert (David) Hixson | Huntersville Window Ninjas | Gabe Salinas | Wilmington

ILLINOIS Cardinal Chimney Services LLC | Justin Fehl | Greenville Home & Leisure Lifestyles, LLC | Tom Vice | Highland INDIANA Mite-E-Ducts | Vickie Mario | Zionsville Wellman Exteriors | Chris Wellman | Indianapolis

ARKANSAS ABC Chimney Sweep Company | Jason Ward | Little Rock

IOWA Ashes Away Chimney Sweep | Greg Bargman | Waterloo

CALIFORNIA Ashtree AC & Chimney | Robert Ornelas | Fresno Enders, Mark | Mark Enders | Visalia Northcoast Chimney Sweep | Loren Gerard | McKinleyville

April/May 2018

REGION

S W E E P I N G

VIRGINIA Wammoth Services | William Watson | Woodbridge

REGION

28

REGION REGION

REGION

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4 54 5 65 6 6 TENNESSEE Abbey Road Chimney Sweep Co | Doug Ault | Memphis Direct Connect Solutions | April DeRossett | Nashville

NEW MEXICO Terry’s Chimney Service | Terry Polis | Taos TEXAS Guardian Services | Jeremy Berg | Fort Worth

OREGON Masters Touch | Douglas Raley | Bend WASHINGTON Ace Chimney Sweep & Dryer Duct | Jeff Hollenbeak | Battle Ground Bridgetown Chimney and Masonry | David Steinbacher | Brush Prairie Chimney Techniques Inc. | Ryann Blake | Aberdeen

REGION

MASSACHUSETTS Dave’s Chimney Service | Dave Leavitt | Methuen Rimkus Consulting Group Inc | Scott Popovich | Hopkinton

REGION REGION REGION REGION

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1 21424325435365

R

ecently I’ve been receiving lots of inquiries about health insurance and what benefits NCSG can offer for our members. Whether you’re looking for a fresh plan or you’re reevaluating your needs, it’s important to be aware of your options. Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants, Inc. (MMIC) offers an exclusive deal to NCSG Members. As you’re researching all of your options for 2018, Ed Sterczek, President of MMIC, has some updates on plans available to NCSG Members.

Health Insurance Plan Options for NCSG Members in 2018

By Ed Sterczek We are providing you with the opportunity to obtain a free no obligation Health Insurance quote. We are outlining the 3 options available.

Consider the following options:

Individual Health Policy Plans The Open Enrollment for 2018 ended December 15, 2017. You can only apply for an Individual policy if you have a Qualifying Event.

1. Marriage/divorce/death of spouse 2. Birth or adoption of a child/no longer a dependent 3. Loss health coverage (job termination, COBRA benefits exhausted).

4. Move to another state

60 days of the qualifying event.

Group Health Policy Plans If your company has 2 or more full time employees, you are eligible to apply for Group Insurance. This will be your best option, if eligible, since you can enroll at any time throughout the year. Secondly, you will have more options to choose from including PPO plans (usually not available for Individual policies) which offer access to more doctors and hospitals.

Coverage is guaranteed and Deductibles and Co-insurance satisfied under your current plan will be transferred to your new plan. Lastly, you can terminate a group plan at any time.

Progressive

Perks

By Annemarie Stockton

Short Term Medical This is a flexible health care solution if you have not decided on a permanent health insurance plan. You can apply at any time throughout the year.

These plans offer coverage for a period of one to three months and you have the opportunity to reapply for another 3 months.

If you have any questions on the 3 options or wish to obtain a quote, please email us at mmic@ mmicinsurance.com or call tollfree at 1-800-349-1039.

29

Please note that the above 3 plan insurance options may not be available in all states.

S W E E P I N G

For questions on this and other Member Benefits, contact me at astockton@ncsg.org.

5. Return from active military duty 6. Release from incarceration Enrollment will be guaranteed if application is submitted within

April/May 2018

CSIA UPDATE April 2018 Report

www.CSIA.org

Get Certified. Stay Certified. Anywhere.

Information is at our fingertips.

•

Who played the third knight in that movie in 1983? imdb.com.

•

How many ounces are in a pound? google.com.

•

How do I hire a chimney sweep? csia.org

You can hire a sweep online, but can you train to become one? Yes. Get Certified Where You Are CSIA has invested and continues to invest in online learning for chimney and venting professionals.

Content and technical aptitude aside, it is now easier than ever to earn and keep your Certified Chimney Sweep® (CCS) and Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® (C-DET) certifications.

With access to the required CCS

Online Review and the optional C-DET Online Review, aspiring technicians are able to, once the books have been studied, prepare for an exam and test their skill.

required to avoid re-testing for your certification over the three-year certificaiton period, particularly when you consider NFI online courses as a suppliment.

Combined with the new ProctorU (www.csia.org/proctoru) partnership, the tests can now even be taken online.

In addition to being in your shop or at your kitchen table, online training is also more affordable. While it may never replace seeing a chimney fire at the CSIA Technology Center during School, it certainly is a viable (and affordable) alternative that earns the same CCS badge for you and all of your technicians.

No More Excuses While the National Chimney Sweep Training School is the best way to get expert in-person sweep training, CSIA realizes that finances and geography can be barriers for some to enroll.

The same can be said for earning CEU’s for in-person courses to stay certified. Thanks to CSIA eLearning, it is entirely possible to hit the 48 CEU’s ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe, Save, Learn, Earn Now, thanks to the subscription option (first month = $1; $249/ month for 3 users after first month), it is even more affordable to keep learning and earning. Sign-up today at www.csia.org/elearning.

April 2018 Report blame you).

All of this is a long-written way of saying - check up on your referrals from CSIA (and NCSG) by logging into your account.

As you’ll see from the example the left, which was from a very competittive market, you and your sweeps are being seen, clicked, and called from CSIA’s referral system.

CSIA (and NCSG) Referrals: Value in your Certification While the main focus of CSIA’s message is home safety - in training venting professionals to keep homes safe, but also in educating homeowners at large - we also promote the financial value of being a Certified Chimney Sweep® to the industry.

There is the obvious value in presenting your company and your technicians as skilled professionals who have been trained and certified by a nationally recognized organization like CSIA. Customers, in a variety of industries, look for that reassurance.

When used properly, it is without a doubt, a great way to set yourself apart from your competition.

Another added value of your certification is the work CSIA does behind the scenes to raise it’s profile.

In one year, this sweep’s company appeared roughly 30,000 times in the directory search.

The individual sweep themselves was clicked 1,671 of those times. This doesn’t even account for phone calls from the search results. How many of those views need to become sales to pay your certification fee each year? How about for another CSIA class?

One of the ways it does is to ensure homeowners are coming to CSIA to find information, and more importantly, a chimney and venting professional.

CSIA invests in keeping our page near the top of searches for relevant terms (like “chimney inspection”) so that homeowners are coming to our site to find information and professionals.

To the credit of you and many of your fellow sweeps, local companies are going punchfor-punch with CSIA’s efforts to bump your company up the search results (and we don’t ADVERTISEMENT

Homeowners also see your name associated with CSIA and all the certifications and icons for the courses you’ve taken with CSIA. What business owner wouldn’t want eyes on their business, particuarly when it’s accompanied by the experience and knowledge CSIA is certifying your training?

Check your referrals right now by logging into CSIA.org’s “CCS/CDET Login.”

www.CSIA.org Delaware

New Certifications New Mexico -Patrick Rael -John Sauter Bailey’s Chimney Cleaning & Repair, El Prado South Carolina Colorado -Lorris Smith Chimney Doctors, Bailey Illinois -Erich Braun -Jason Huysman Lindemann Chimney, Lake Bluff

-Stacey Penix Ashbusters Chimney Service, Ladson Virginia -Adam Bell Coastal Chimney and Contracting, Virginia Beach Wisconsin -Tyler Jerome -Brian Magee -Craig Pieper Chimney Mechanix, Shawano

Indiana

-Justin Higgins Ablaze Technologies, Neenah

-Brent Richard Chimney & Masonry Outfitters, Indianapolis

-Bryan Stoller Hansen & Sons Chimney & Fireplace, Madison

-Shawn Summey RonJon Chimney Sweep, Natick

CERTIFIED

DRYER EXHAUST

TECHNICIAN

Minnesota -Chad Jurgens The Air Duct and Dryer Vent Specialty Cleaners, Annandale

Missouri -Gary Yates Chimney Sweep.

Saint Joseph New Jersey -Glen Zisko -Greg Zisko -Anthony Venturelli East Coast Fireplace, Manalapan Virginia

-Rocky Insixiengmay -Guy Timbs Fireplace & Chimney Authority, Elmhurst

Massachusetts

-John Zeron Swift Services, New Castle

Alabama

-David Lassiter Dryer Vent Cleaning Services, Williamsburgh

MASTER

No new CSIA Master Sweeps this month.

Requirements for application can be found at: www.csia.org/mastersweep.

-Dustin Burroughs Top Hat Chimney Sweeps, Opelika ADVERTISEMENT

April 2018 Report

Upcoming Classes & Events

2018 Education Calendar National Chimney Sweep Training School CSIA Technology Center | May 7–12, Jul 9–14, Aug 6–11 & Sept 17–22

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exam CSIA Technology Center (Plainfield, IN) | June 1, Aug 24, Oct 12 Portland, OR | Apr 17 (NCSG Convention) Scranton, PA | May 18 Richmond, VA | Aug 10 Atlantic City, NJ | Sep 14 Albany, NY | Oct 19

Roof System Specific Rope Access Training Montgomery, TX | May 21-22

Sweeps Week 2018 CSIA Technology Center | June 11–15

Chimney Physics CSIA Technology Center | Aug 22-23

Installing and Troubleshooting Gas Hearth Appliances CSIA Technology Center | June 4–8

Masonry Repair for Chimney Professionals Richmond, IN | May 16–17 & Aug 13–14 (SaverSystems)

Advanced Masonry Repair Richmond, IN | August 15–17 (SaverSystems)

CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® CSIA Technology Center | Oct 10-11* (incl. hands-on instruction) Portland, OR | April 17 (NCSG Convention)

Contact Us: Mailing Address 2155 Commercial Drive

NFI Review/Exams at the CSIA Tech Center NFI Gas Review/Exam | July 23–24 NFI Wood Review/Exam | July 25-26 NFI Pellet Review/Exam | July 27-28

Plainfield, IN 46168 Telephone (317) 837-5362 MASTER

Email: Office@CSIA.org

TECHNICIAN

Twitter: @Chimney_Safety Facebook: /ChimneySafety

CERTIFIED

DRYER EXHAUST

For additional course details, please visit www.csia.org/education.

ADVERTISEMENT

Around the

Tech Center.

Megan McMahon Association Manager

34 S W E E P I N G April/May 2018

Wow, April already? I hope everyone had a wonderful and prosperous busy season!

Last month, I showed you all the wonderful changes to the classroom that have been taking place over the last few months. What I didn’t show you were these gorgeous display cases that were custom made for the Tech Center to display our CSIA Accepted Products and other wonderful items that have been generously donated to us. Over the next few weeks, we will be working on getting these cases filled!

If any of our industry suppliers have a product they are interested in submitting an application for the

CSIA Accepted Product program, please contact me at mmcmahon@ csia.org for more information.

If any of our readers have an item they are interested in having displayed in our classroom or another area in the Tech Center, please contact me at mmcmahon@ csia.org for more information.

The staff and I love learning about the items that have been given to the Tech Center over the years and the stories behind them and we know the students will as well.

GasVent Software for Sizing Chimneys only $195 Call 1-800-648-9523 for more info and visit www.elitesoft.com to download a free trial version.

Work for a Growing Company!

Chimney Solutions, based in Atlanta, GA, is looking for Salespeople and Installers with the desire to move up within our company. A $1000-$2000 signing bonus is available, depending on certifications. Pay will be commensurate with experience. Relocation is available for the individual that meets our needs and qualifications. Send resumes to dpace@ chimneysolutions.com or visit our website at www.chimneysolutions.com.

CHIMNEYS.COM Website is for Sale CHIMNEYS.COM website if for sale. Buy the domain and the content, or just the domain and re-design it for your business. Premium domain name.

Great organic traffic. More homeowner traffic for your business, means

Classifieds35

more customers. Buyer will be reputable manufacturer, distributor, or sweep company. To inquire further email ron@teamfound.com or call 802-4480177.

CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERS Members can run one 35-word classified free each year! Regular classified ads are $2/word or $1/word for NCSG members. Classified ads are non-commissionable and must be pre-paid. To place a classified as, please contact Sara Sichting at ssichting@ncsg.org or 317-8371500.

April/May 2018

S W E E P I N G

Darwin

Award

They just spent $60,000 on the building, and not nearly enough on the chimney install!

-Spotted in Connecticut by Ted Fuini

Send it to editor Darcy Marlett at dmarlett@ ncsg.org for publication in Sweeping. Include a few words about the scene and location.

Ad Index 36 S W E E P I N G

Copperfield 800-247-3305 www.copperfield.com 7 Duct Cleaners' Supply 800-634-2822 www.ductcleanerssupply.com 8 Firesafe Industries, Inc. 800-545-6607 www.firesafeinc.com 5 Gelco www.gllchimneyproducts.com 25 ICP 508-695-7000 www.chimneycaps.com 15 Lindemann Chimney Company 866-629-8006 www.lindemannsupply.com 9 Lyemance www.gllchimneyproducts.com 16 National Chimney 800-897-8481 www.nationalchimney.com Inside front cover New England Chimney Supply 888-900-8106 www.newenglandchimneysupply.com 17 Olympia Chimney Supply 800-569-1425 www.olympiachimney.com 11 Roydhouse Effect Inc 410-863-0157 www.roydhouseeffect.com 27 Sand Hill Wholesale & Mfg., Inc 800-258-5496 www.sandhillwholesale.com 12 SaverSystems, Inc 800-860-6327 www.saversystems.com 4 Ventech Industries 866-439-0069 www.chimneyspray.com 13 Z-Flex 800-654-5600 sales@z-flex.com 3

April/May 2018

FIREWOOD FOR HOME HEATING 419 bundles of

57%

firewood were purchased in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Live insects emerged from

of all homeowners have some type of fireplace in their home.

47% of firewood

bundles over 18 months.

37%

use firewood for camping

FIREWOOD ISN’T DEAD

1045 pieces of firewood

were surrendered at a bridge quarantining the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Scientist found live wood

23%

38%

of boring beetles in firewood pieces and another

41% had evidence of

use a fireplace or a chiminea at home

previous infestation.

OUTREACH WORKS MILE

2

With proactive outreach and education, firewood sources for home heating in Wisconsin went from averaging 55 miles away in 2006 to

22 miles in 2014 38% 96%

YOU CAN HELP

BUY LOCAL FIREWOOD

Properly covered and seasoned moisture content can drop to

On average, 38% of people are aware that invasive insects could move in firewood.

With consistent outreach, that number jumps to 96%.

BUY IT WHERE YOU BURN IT

17%

When first cut down, live trees have a

45-55%

moisture content

LEARN MORE AT

Jacobi 2012, HPBA.org, Haack 2010, The Nature Conservancy 2010, Diss-Torrance 2015, EPA.gov/burnwise For complete sources, visit: dontmovefirewood.org/homeheatinginfographic

JOIN US HERE Registration is now open to join the NCSG in beautiful Portland, Oregon April 18-21, 2018!

Find out more and register at: www.ncsgconvention.org