Sweeping- November 2013

NCSG Innovation 2014 March 19-22 • Columbus, Ohio Whether you take away one tip or dozens, attending the National Chimney Sweep Guild Innovation 2014 Convention and Trade Show in Columbus will revolutionize the way you do business.

Join us for:  









Non-stop networking opportunities Over 30 hours of business and tech breakout sessions Trade Show featuring more than 80 booths Opening Night Event at COSI Science and Industry Museum Chimney Safety Institute of America Benefit Auction 2014 NCSG Banquet and Awards Ceremony … and much more!

Register now for early bird prices! www.NCSG.org/innovation or (317) 837-1500

November 2013 Volume 37 #10

Table of Contents Features 14 The Age of the Blog: Why It Matters P.14

21 Save Money, Promote Your Business

Departments 3 President’s Report 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Industry Watch 10 The Coach’s Corner 12 Technical Q&A P.12

16 16 New NCSG Members 22 Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program 21 Progressive Perks

Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology (ISSN# 10416692) is published 11 times annually, by the National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168.

Annual dues to the National Chimney Sweep Guild are $459 for Voting Member Companies and $689 for Supplier Member Companies, of which $80 goes toward a subscription to Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology. Additional annual subscriptions are available for $80 by contacting the National Chimney Sweep Guild at the office of publication (NCSG, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168).

24 Dates & Events 25 Perspective 27 Darwin Awards

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology National Chimney Sweep Guild 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168 NOVEMBER 13 SWEEPING 1

ResourcePage

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD

Committee Chairs and Task Forces for 2013-2014 Bylaws Jeremy Biswell (913) 236-7141 fluesbrothers@yahoo.com

Government Affairs Phil Mitchell (603) 659-7776 sootski@aol.com

NFPA 211 Representative Randy Brooks (805) 646-8961 hearthhunter@aol.com

Convention Site Selection Diane Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneygal@aol.com

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

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

Ethics Mark Stoner (615) 459-2546 ashbusters@aol.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rich Martinez Dryer Vents or Masonry (317) 203-0088 x: * Rich Rua General Sweeping or Relining (317) 203-0088 x: 0

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.

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 Design by Laura Houser Design • laurahouser.com • (317) 213-7497 NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press release and articles to interim editor Cindy Dashnaw at cdashnaw@bohlsengroup.com. 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. © 2013 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 837-1500

2 SWEEPING NOVEMBER 13

NCSG BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013-2014 President, At-Large Diane Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneygal@aol.com Vice President, At-Large Jeremy Biswell (913) 236-7141 fluesbrothers@yahoo.com Treasurer, Region 2 Bob Fleer (410) 544-7600 bobfleer@aol.com Secretary, At-Large Fred Joy (785) 986-6432 joyfredm@live.com Region 1 Phil Mitchell (603) 659-7776 sootski@aol.com Region 3 Ron Rust (803) 730-5858 tophatswp@aol.com Region 4 Ken Hoelscher (937) 833-0505 ken@abbeyroadchimneysweeps.com Region 5 Jasper Drengler (715) 304-8934 drengler01@gmail.com Region 6 Bob Ferrari (530) 941-5818 bob@flueseason.com At-Large Director Gregg Boss (636) 391-2226 englishsweep@att.net Supplier Representative Edmund Poplawski (570) 504-7107 epoplawski@olympiachimney.com

STAFF 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500 Fax: (317) 837-5365 Frances Kelly Excecutive Director fkelly@ncsg.org Candice Bradbury Director of Finance cbradbury@ncsg.org Megan McMahon Office Manager 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

President’s Report

DIANE PILGER NCSG PRESIDENT

T

he NCSG has gone through some major staff changes this past year. We are now fully staffed, and a big thank you goes to Frances Kelly, NCSG executive director. She stepped in and quickly found new staff members to replace the outgoing program coordinator and director of communications and marketing.

I would like to welcome Darcy Marlett as director of communications and marketing. Darcy previously was public affairs assistant at Camp Atterbury - Muscatatuck. She has a bachelor of arts in journalism with a second major in communication and culture from Indiana University. She is involved with the Junior League of Indianapolis, is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and volunteers for the Indianapolis International Film Festival and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. Darcy has skills working with digital photography and editing, social media strategy and database management.

I feel she will be a good fit for the NCSG as we move forward into the future. Her skill set will be required and put to use, as much of today’s communication is done through social media. Darcy will take over eNewslink and Sweeping magazine in the future.

with 21 years of combined media experience and a passion for helping clients deliver news in all its form. He has strong skills in social media, media relations, crisis communication, speechwriting, internal communication and web publishing, to name a few. I would like to welcome Tom to our industry.

Just want to remind everyone that registration is underway for the NCSG Innovation 2014 Convention and Tradeshow at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, OH, March 19 - 22. Find registration details at NCSG.org and keep checking back for program updates. Based on your feedback, we’re offering new and innovative programs this year, trying to give you the best program possible.

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I would also like to welcome Claire Rutledge as program coordinator. She has a bachelor’s degree in history from Butler University and has worked with Clowes Memorial Hall. She also was an intern with the Indiana State Museum and studied abroad at the University College Cork in Cork, Ireland.

The CSIA also has a new staff member.

Tom Spaulding, the CSIA’s new marketing director, holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kentucky. He is a leader NOVEMBER 13 SWEEPING 3

Please take time to complete a survey after each seminar. Your opinion and experience are what directs future programs.

We hope you’ll join us at this year’s offsite welcome event at COSI, the Center of Science and Industry Museum. It’s called “Ohio’s most unique and versatile attraction” for a reason! For just $15 per person, you’ll enjoy museum admission and a seeyour-friends pizza party that includes transportation to and from the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Register now at NCSG.org to get the early-bird rates (and mark it off your bucket list).

I wish each of you a very safe, successful and prosperous year.

Sincerely,

You’ll start to see things in a new way when you attend NCSG Innovation 2014.

Over 30 hours of business education and technical training, the nation’s largest tradeshow focused on chimney service and non-stop networking opportunities await you!

Diane Pilger NCSG President

March 19-22, 2014 at the NCSG Innovation 2014 Convention & Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio! www.NCSG.org/innovation

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Managing the Details to Improve Sales in Your Organization

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Clearing the Smoke: Why Brochures are so Confusing

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LOCATIONS Valley Forge, PA

Plainfield, IN

Alexandria, VA

January 8th & 9th

February 5th & 6th

February 19th & 20th

Radisson & Valley Forge Casino Resort 1160 First Ave Valley Forge, PA 19406 610-768-3204 $99/night

Seminar Held at CSIA Technology Center Plainfield IN, 46168

Holiday Inn 2460 Eisenhower Ave Alexandria, VA 22314 703-960-3400 $109/night

Lakewood, CO January 15th & 16th Hampton Inn 137 Union Blvd.

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Sturbridge, MA January 21st & 22 Publick House 277 Main St Sturbridge, MA 01566 508-347-3313 $99/night Main Inn $79/night CML

Holiday Inn 6296 Cambridge Way Plainfield, IN, 46168 317-839-9000 $69/night ask for CSIA Rate Hampton Inn 2244 E. Perry Rd Plainfield, IN, 46168 317-839-9993 $79/night ask for CSIA Rate

Monroe, NC February 26th &27th Seminar Held at Olympia Chimney Supply’s NC facility 505 Cuthbert Son St Monroe, NC 28110

February 12th & 13th

Hampton Inn Monroe 2368 Roland Drive Monroe, NC 28110 704-220-2200 $104/night

Madison Marriott West 1313 John Q Hammons Dr Middleton, WI,53562 608-831-2000 $119/night

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COST: $179.00/person (1st registrant of the company) $149.00/person (if registered before 11/30/2013) $99.00/person (For every additional registrant from the same company)

CEU’s: Approximately 8-9 Register Online Today at www.olympiachimney.com PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. ON SITE REGISTRATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! Registration is NOT open to manufacturers or distributors.

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Editor’s Letter

CINDY DASHNAW INTERIM EDITOR

Help Yourself by Increasing Consumer Awareness What factors are inhibiting your company’s ability to grow and be more profitable?

Last year, more than half of you said that lack of homeowner awareness of the need for regular chimney maintenance is the greatest factor working against your growth and profitability.

(NCSG Member Survey, 2012) The NCSG and CSIA work on your behalf to educate the public about this issue. But let me ask you: What are you doing to educate the homeowners in your service area?

Plenty of you advertise online, so congratulations. The Internet is where your customers are going to find you – whether it’s through a Google search or a recommendation from friends on Facebook.

But what does your advertising say?

Does it show your features, such as “bonded and insured,” or does it tell of the benefits to the client, such as, “You can sleep at night, knowing your family is safe”?

Don’t misunderstand me; it’s important to be bonded and insured.

But advertising needs to make an emotional connection to a potential customer.

The best example of features vs. benefits I’ve ever heard has to do with batteries. A feature is that “With this toy, batteries are included.” Another feature, though many claim it to be a benefit,

is, “Batteries are included, which is convenient for you – you don’t have to worry about buying them.” Here’s the true benefit, though: “When your child opens this toy, you won’t have to face his disappointed look because you forgot to buy batteries to make it work.”

At the same time, always be on the lookout for ways to tell the story of your company’s benefits through earned media (press coverage, which is free and highly credible). Every time you see a homeowner issue, it’s a chance to write up a press release and send it to the local newspaper: “ABC Chimney recommends caps to keep out spring birds’ nests.” “XYZ Chimney warns of danger homemade fireplaces pose to children.”

Hopefully, your company has a Facebook page where you’re sharing benefits and information homeowners can use and, more importantly to your business’ growth, share with friends. And, as Kristen Chapman Gibbons of Spark Marketer writes in this issue of Sweeping (“The Age of the Blog, page 14), blog posts allow you to share even more benefits with potential clients.

Don’t get overwhelmed. In the marketing business, we keep our sanity by repurposing materials: press releases get fleshed out and turned into blog posts; bits and pieces from blogs get posted to Facebook; etc. So it’s not as bad as it seems at first glance.

The key is to keep focused on your customer, rather than on you.

The benefits this approach will bring back to you are increased word-of-mouth promotion, more clients and better profitability.

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Billing itself as the nation’s leading site to compare, connect and save on home services, WhiteFence.com recommends hiring a certified chimney technician since consumers do not have the tools to complete a full inspection.

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Industry Watch Policy NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases to Cindy Dashnaw, Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology interim editor, via email at cdashnaw@bohlsengroup.com. 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.

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The

Coach’s Corner

BY JERRY ISENHOUR OF CHIMNEY & VENTING CONSULTANTS IN CONCORD, NC

Is ROI in Your Business Model?

R

OI, short for return on investment, is an essential aspect of any successful for-profit business. And I assume you are in business to make a profit! As you well know, however, having that intention and actually realizing it can be two vastly different things – especially if you aren’t monitoring ROI. So often, ROI is a forgotten part of a business financial strategy. Or, all too often, the ROI is considered nothing more than the salary of the business owner. Even a non-profit entity, if operating properly, will set a percentage of each year’s income as a reserve in its budget plan to cover any number of unexpected scenarios. For instance, the budget of the NCSG is assembled with a reserve percentage.

In considering ROI, the first mistake is to seek the lowest cost or the newest offering without regard for what this decision will bring. Many times, a business owner won’t even contemplate a purchase or service from a breakeven or what should be viewed as a great ROI viewpoint.

The business that knows its ROI is the business that is operating with a solid, realistic operating plan.

But you operate a business to make a profit. A business that operates in a for-profit mode will plan both its income and its expenses. From this computation at year’s end – income minus expenses – will come the anticipated and projected profit for the fiscal year.

What role does ROI play here?

ROI is relevant to every single purchase, expense, tool, staff member and fixed expense. With that in mind, remember that the game is not necessarily to find the lowest cost; rather, it is to locate the tools, goods, services and employees that provide the highest ROI for the business.

The business that knows its ROI is the business that is operating with a solid, realistic operating plan. The business that does not know its numbers is usually operating from a shotgun approach. That’s not unlike flying blind, and it may well spell disaster at some point. The world of business is one that can go from smooth sailing to rocky in the blink of an eye.

10 SWEEPING NOVEMBER 13

The first rule of so many successful business owners is that they absolutely, positively, always must know their numbers.

This can be referred to as the shiny tool concept. It’s when we simply have to have the greatest and latest, just to say we have it. This is great for the nice car you want or the motorcycle, boat or other toy you have dreamed of owning. But your business is not a toy. It is a living entity, and the purpose of the business is to deliver your dreams.

Many companies build their market on providing the latest and greatest. A common example that comes to me is the rollout of a new iPhone. It was actually kind of funny to see folks waiting in line for days to be the first to grab the latest version. This is an example of the shiny tool need: the ROI was not there, unless it possessed the ability to make you more productive and profitable.

Another example I often see is the selection of video scanning equipment, likely one of the best ROI items ever to hit our industry. So often, we make our choice based on what equipment we can get at the lowest cost. But what we should look at is: • Ease of set up • Quality of results • How we transmit and receive the information • Durability • Service and turnaround on service

In our business, documenting the interior of the chimney is vitally important to our work. So the selection of the right equipment for doing the job professionally and efficiently over a long period of time should be the most important factor in your decision on what to buy. The proper chimney scanning equipment lets you provide the service your (paying) clients demand – and thus has a high ROI. A poor choice, then, can cut into ROI in ways you can’t predict.

Another example is our tendency to refuse what may be a potent form of marketing/advertising because of expense. In reality, the cheap stuff is simply a waste of money that has little or no ROI.

To break out of what I call this Groundhog Day cycle, you must conduct a more in-depth examination of your actual business numbers. The more often you look at the numbers objectively and honestly, the more likely the business model you develop will deliver your goals, achieve your mission and, of course, result in ROI! A successful business sets its budget in anticipation of spike months and months of low revenue. Frankly, budgeting is a daunting task, one that takes hours and hours and days and days that likely will stretch into weeks. You undoubtedly simply do not have the time, and, to be honest, most accountants don’t even have this ability to take the financial realities of the past and turn them into a strategy for future growth.

It breaks down to a simple matter of economics: • What is the percentage of profit you want to make from your business (profit and salary are two different things)? Look for a minimum of 6% - 10%. (If less, is your business really the investment you set it up to be?)

• What is the salary that you (or you and your partners) want to draw from the business? You should be adequately compensated for the work and effort you put in. Being aware now of a well-conceived ROI strategy can keep you from regretting lost opportunity in your golden years.

• You must establish an income budget, a pie with the various expenses set as pieces of the whole (your total income for the year).

• The pie must be balanced and obtainable.

This pie will contain all set costs of doing business: operating costs, rents, payments, utilities, etc. Another piece will cover administrative costs, another marketing costs, and another the cost of goods for resale. A piece of the pie will cover the cost of field staff.

Research your past year’s expenditures. Which were in and out of line? What needs to increase? What worked and what didn’t?

The goal of the pie is to set up a financial system for operating your business in a realistic and profitable way, where each and every action of the business produces revenue in a manner that delivers a true return on your investment. The budget will become your report card as well as your vehicle for proper forecasting.

You will likely face the fact that your business produces most of its revenue over a four-month “busy season.” This model forces us to use busy-season profits to pay back debts accrued during off-season. At the end of the year, we realize we made an OK salary, but not what we and our employees deserve. Then we start all over again the next year. Does this describe your life?

To get started, you may need to enlist an expert’s help. There are some good folks in the U.S. that can make swift work of setting this up. Ah, you’re thinking, that sounds expensive! But remember what we’ve been talking about: ROI. Is it smarter devote yourself to a task you are not qualified to do, (all the while losing income due to your concentration on this), or is it better to hire an expert? Outsourcing this task can have an enormous ROI. Of course, you can always get the training to do this yourself.

It’s an even bigger time commitment, but the ROI might be worth it in the long run.

My goal is to open eyes and make the members of this industry more successful in every way. You are working right now in order to one day live a retirement without worries. You may be working to build a business you can sell one day and reap the benefits for years to come. But you won’t get the price you envision for your business without a measured growth in ROI over the years preceding the sale.

My ultimate goal is that every day for you be a holiday because running your business, meeting and exceeding your goals, and delivering your dreams is so much fun that you never “work” another day in your life.

If I can be a small part of getting you there, then I have fulfilled my mission for you!

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, visit www.cvccoaching. com or contact him at jerry@cvccoaching.com or (704) 4250217. You can also obtain great business tips from him on Facebook, CVC Coaching.

NOVEMBER 13 SWEEPING 11

Technical Q&A

Q

BY MICHAEL SEGERSTROM, NCSG TECHNICAL ADVISORY CHAIR

How do I keep soot out of a home when sweeping a masonry fireplace with a powerful downdraft?

A

The simplest fan to consider is a battery-operated model. Several tool brands sold at big home-center stores offer a fan in their 18-volt battery product line.

Such a fan is lightweight, powerful enough and doesn’t require extension cords.

The other option is an electric model, whether a tabletop box fan or a heavy-duty fan such as the type we sometimes install on fireplace systems. When choosing, remember that not all small box fans are suitable for outdoor use, and the motors in some aren’t protected from soot.

For some, this may be an established procedure with an obvious answer. Others have faced years of not knowing a practical method for working around downdrafts during a fireplace sweep.

Heavy-duty fans can be quite expensive, but if your service areas have a lot of similarly built homes that experience downdrafts, it may be worth the investment. Our company has used the same heavyduty fan for nine years, so it’s been well worth it!

(See the Coach’s Corner for wise words about ROI.)

I used to be one of these. I worked for another company for many years before starting my own, and we didn’t have a practical solution. In fact, it wasn’t until I talked to another member of the NCSG that I learned about a simple and easy way to solve this problem.

Whichever type of fan you choose, remember to secure it to the chimney, always. And whether you sweep from the top or the bottom, using a fan to stabilize or reverse a downdraft – even in a factory-built fireplace – can save time and prevent a costly soot cleanup.

I had tried many things over time that worked only sometimes.

I tried opening a door or window and leaving the damper open, waiting for the downdraft to reverse, or lighting some newspaper at the damper to establish draft.

A few final thoughts:

I even tried reversing the hose on the vacuum and putting it above the damper. (This I do not recommend!) A powerful vacuum can control most of the soot, but some downdrafts on very sooty fireplaces can be almost impossible to contain. And even if the flue can be swept from the top with the damper closed, the smoke chamber, smoke shelf, throat and firebox will still require service, which can stir up a lot of soot.

• If the firebox is fairly full of ashes, empty it first; the fan can pull a lot of fly ash into the flue, making it look unswept.

• A fan can stir up ash or soot that’s on a smoke shelf and leave a layer in the flue. Make a final pass with the brush through the chamber and flue after servicing the firebox and/or smoke shelf.

Finally, a fellow NCSG member gave me the solution. Just put a fan on the top the flue! This also works great on flues that are not down drafting, but are just exceptionally sooty.

• Check to see which way the soot will go when it comes out the top to avoid problems with an open window, outdoor furniture, swimming pools or cars in the driveway. In some cases, unfortunately, using a fan just might not be practical.

You can use various types of fans; it will come down to personal preference and/or company policies. Regardless of the type of fan, though, always secure your fan to the chimney to prevent it from falling off and being damaged – or causing damage to the home.

Using a fan is not the only method to use when sweeping a fireplace that downdrafts. Talking to and networking with other NCSG members is a great way to learn them, along with many other tips and tricks of our trade!

12 SWEEPING NOVEMBER 13

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KRISTEN CHAPMAN GIBBONS, SPARK MARKETER

The Age of the Blog: Why It Matters

A

ccording to Shelly Kramer, a leader in the digital marketing field, two things matter in the digital age: Search and Friends.

This closely mirrors my own experience writing blog posts for small-business clients. Here’s the thing: Your customers are looking for what you offer, and you have two questions to answer: 1. Can current and potential customers find you?

2. Are you worth recommending?

One way to answer those questions with “yes” is to have a blog on your company’s website.

Blogs can boost your visibility and provide useful information to customers. Both increase goodwill and up the chances customer will “share” your business via social media.

Where We Are Let’s talk about becoming visible and how regular blog posts help in this effort. In traditional marketing, your company developed a logo, a tagline, a message and a preferred medium (radio, TV) to get out there in front of potential clients. Then, you ran your business and waited for a response.

In the new paradigm, everyone must become a medium, everything must become part of the message and “out there” has become everywhere – all the time. How can a working person manage this?

14 SWEEPING NOVEMBER 13

Blogs.

Being Heard in the Noise Blogs accomplish a few essential marketing objectives. Instead of a one-time, repeated blast of your brand, you are regularly posting content (which you are then using social media to push) and leaving permanent trails all over the Internet. This means that each blog post, if optimized for SEO (search engine optimization) and leveraged properly, increases your overall visibility.

Because posts don’t run like newspaper ads, this content lives on to attract potential customers long after you’ve forgotten about it.

If your content is useful, funny or interesting, other people will do your marketing for you by sharing and retweeting.

What’s Your Story?

What about content? Here’s what works: instructional or educational posts about your industry or services, content that reveals more about the people behind the logo, and pictures/ video/podcasts.

None of these types of blog posts have to be a “certain way.” The truth is, they should increase the confidence a potential customer has in your business and give them a peek into whether or not they will enjoy doing business with you. Customers want to feel a connection to your content.

A word of caution: You can publish amazing content all day long, but posts without optimization just launch into the void. You must create content regularly, optimize it smartly and leverage as many different social media channels as fit your brand.

Amplify In All Directions Social media is the spotlight that gets eyeballs to your content. Each social media platform reaches a different kind of audience.

You may know this from your own social media use, but Facebook creates networks of people you know and friends of friends. This is a rich network for businesses. However, Facebook posts that don’t link back to your company’s website are not as effective. Creating a blog post on your website and then exporting it to Facebook is optimal.

We Want To

Thanks For Giving Say

Us Your Support!

LinkedIn is similar, in that you aren’t often attracting complete strangers. With Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr, you are most successful by branching outside of your known circles.

New reach equals new customers, all being directed back to your blog posts.

Getting the Right People Talking Your ideal marketing situation is when a customer, impressed with some aspect of your business, recommends you to someone they know. People tend to trust the recommendations of friends.

By blogging, we can regularly remind our friends – old and new – that we’re here and ready to engage. Blogging, and the social media platforms you use to share links to blog posts, also emphasizes your website again and again. Each post that builds your credibility, increases shared information or promotes your business is a win.

Give Them a Reason to Talk The most effective blog posts are well written, engaging and tagged in order to increase SEO. This means making your content linkable and easy for Google to recognize.

Think in terms of utilizing key words, concepts and tags/hashtags.

Be bite-sized. Remember, people are more likely to engage, share and recommend if they get what you’re trying to say and aren’t overburdened by too many words. Make it simple for your customers to promote you by being consistent and relevant to their lives. And never forget that images are good. Audio/video is good.

And funny – appropriate funny – is good.

Keep Them Talking Blogging matters because it creates an everlasting presence that, when properly optimized, leads potential customers to your website.

Each post creates a wave of additional content that never really stops building. Information can crest and settle and crest again.

People crave new information. They ask friends daily about who they use for such-and-such. Blog posts amplified by social media give you an opportunity to reinforce your brand and start a conversation. All you have to do is listen.

And keep blogging.

Kristen Chapman Gibbons is in charge of ongoing blog content creation for Spark Marketer’s many chimney service business clients. She also is working diligently to become the Queen of Social Media for all of Tennessee. Spark Marketer is a strategic online marketing firm in Nashville, TN, helping businesses everywhere make their web presence profitable. You can find the company blog and a list of social profiles at SparkMarketer.com.

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NOVEMBER 13 SWEEPING 15

NewNCSG Members

NCSG REGIONS

REGION 1 NEW YORK Bob Breen • R.L. Breen Chimney Cleaning & Relining • Savannah PENNSYLVANIA Gino C. Barbati • Gino C. Barbati Chimney Sweep • Downingtown

REGION 2 NEW JERSEY Bill Ryan • Ryan & Son Chimney Contractors LLC • Landing

REGION 3 ALABAMA Craig Nelson • CT & Company Chimney & Venting • Fosters

REGION 4 MICHIGAN Thomas Trefzer • Safe Flue Chimney Service, LLC • Grosse Point Parke

NCSG Charter Members Paul Bourque, Huntsville, AL

Dale Meisinger, N. Augusta, SC

Don Leavitt, San Diego, CA

Alan Hisey, St. Louis, MO

David Harris, Broken Arrow, OK

Eva B. Horton, Greenwich, CT

Dan Wheeler, Santa Rosa, CA

Harry Richart, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

John Cline, Menlo Park, CA

What can we do for you?

Bring your NCSG benefits to your fingertips with the NCSG mobile app. Download it at http://m.ncsg.org.

While you’re at it, get the CSIA mobile app for members at http://m.csia.org/.

16 SWEEPING NOVEMBER 13

REGION 1 Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire

REGION 2 Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania

REGION 3 Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

REGION 4 Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio

REGION 5 Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin

REGION 6 Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

CSIA Update Publication for CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep®s

Congratulations to Our New CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps

www.CSIA.org

New Mexico Theodore Trautman • Bailey’s Chimney Cleaning & Repair. • El Prado

Pennsylvania Alabama Barry Adair • Clean Sweep Chimney Service • Hayden

California Jason Allen and Martin Hardison • Midtown Sweeps • Lancaster

Colorado Kade Parry • Chimney Sweeps of America • Littleton

Connecticut Justin Hayes • Northeastern Chimney LLC • West Hartford

Georgia Chip Carruth, Chris Cox, John Fidati, Charles Garrett, Wesley Howard and Quinton Reilly • Chimney Solutions • Alpharetta

Indiana Neil Woodward • Old Smokey’s Fireplace and Chimney, Inc. • Ashley

Maryland Kenny Bowden and Neil Crandell • Chesapeake Chimney Sweeps • Prince Frederick Bobby Cooksey • Magic Broom Chimney Sweeps • Waldorf Elliott Horner • Old Line Chimney Sweeps • Pasadena

New Hampshire Kevin Ingalls • Saf Fire ‘N’ Stone • Gilford

Raymond Bogardus Jr. and Gary D. Hewitt • Chester County Hearth + Home • Elverson Mason Fine • Champion Chimney + Masonry Service • Southampton H. Richard Garten • Above All Chimney + Masonry • Feasterville Joseph Grim • Wells & Sons Chimney Service • Gilbertsville Benjamin Holler • Glenn Holler Chimney

Sweep • Middleburg Paul C. Long • Complete Chimney Care • Altoona Mark Wellener • Estates Chimney Sweep, Inc. • Chalfont

Virginia Kenny D. Morales • Winston’s of Northern Virginia • Arlington Josiah VanNote • Magic Sweep Corp. • Chesapeake

Washington Andrew Wilt • Pristine Sweeps LLC • Seattle

What makes the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® credential the industry standard?

• Governed by a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization with an all-volunteer board of directors.

• Mission includes homeowner and affiliated trade safety education (CSIA regularly presents to oil service technicians and home inspectors - always recommending a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep).

• Go-to resource for accurate chimney safety information for Angie’s List, NBC’s Today Show, Consumer Reports, Popular Mechanics and many more.

Learn more about how to earn the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep credential at www.CSIA.org/CCS or check us out on Facebook to see what we’re all about!

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Throughout history, fire has been crucial to human existence. Primitive people relied on fire to cook their food, to keep them warm and to provide light. Although we no longer depend on fire in quite the same way, images of children around campfires and holiday gatherings around an open fireplace abound. Our use of fire has changed over the centuries, so too have fireplaces and heating appliances that contain the fire and make it useful. Classical Greek and Roman homes contained simple fire pits. In Medieval Europe, simple masonry fireplaces that developed. In the 1800’s a nobleman, Count Rumford improved masonry fireplace design.

As in the past, masonry fireplace and chimneys are constructed on site as the house is built. The performance of the fireplace was often dependent upon proper construction. Today, there are factory-built fireplaces which are manufactured according to an engineered design.

Proper installation, however, is still a critical factor in the safe operation of these units.

Q. What is a factory-built fireplace?

Unlike traditional site-built masonry fireplaces, most factory-built fireplaces are made of metal and may use a combination of insulated walls, glass doors, air-cooled pipe and blowers to circulate the heat produced by the fire. The factory-built fireplace and chimney are a complete system engineered to work safely and efficiently together. Both units (fireplace and chimney) undergo testing together and are then are listed specifically for use with one another. In other words, a factory-built fireplace has a specific chimney that is appropriate for use with that specific fireplace.

Although models vary, factory-built fireplaces generally generate heat for the house in one of two ways. With the standard radiant heat method, the heat produced by the fire radiates from the fireplace into the room.

This system is limited as to the amount of heat it will return to the house. The circulating air method uses louvers and at least one blower to force air along the hot walls, picking up heat and forcing it back into the living space.

Q. How is a factory-built fireplace different from a traditional fireplace?

Because factory-built units are so much lighter than masonry fireplaces, these fireplaces do not require the concrete foundation necessary for masonry. The insulation and/or cooling spaces built into these systems allow the back of the fireplace to be placed closer to combustible materials than their masonry counterparts. Although most units are metal, pre-manufactured, modular, masonry fireplaces are also available. These masonry models incorporate special engineering techniques that are not used in most fieldconstructed fireplaces, including a listed venting system.

Like metal factory-built fireplaces, pre-manufactured masonry fireplaces reduce the clearance to combustibles and increase the amount of heat produced by the fireplace.

These advantages, coupled with the lasting nature of masonry, make pre-cast refractory fireplaces and other modular masonry fireplace systems an attractive, but somewhat more expensive, alternative to the relatively inexpensive materials and construction of the massproduced factory-built fireplace.

Q. What’s the safest way to use a factory-built fireplace?

Proper use is critical to safe and efficient operation of factory-built fireplaces. When you light a fire, keep in mind the following considerations:

• The damper must be fully open before starting a fire and left open until the fire is out. If a source for outside combustion air exists, be sure that it is open before you light the fire.

• Don’t overload the fireplace. If you do, burning logs could roll out. Never use wet or green wood.

• Be sure to close the screen to prevent sparks from flying out into your living room. Close the glass doors to reduce heat loss from the room into the chimney only when your fire is almost out.

• Glass doors on a factory- built fireplace must be tested and listed for that particular fireplace. It can be dangerous to use the wrong set of glass doors on • Never start a fire with liquid fire starters, i.e. gasoline, kerosene, etc.

•Do not burn Christmas trees or a lot of paper in your fireplace. This type of fire, which gets very hot very quickly, can cause the joints of the chimney to separate or the metal to warp.

Do not install a wood stove - whether freestanding or insert style - into a factory-built fireplace and chimney system, unless the insert you are using has been tested and listed for use with the fireplace and approved by the manufacturer of the chimney system (not the stove manufacturer alone).

Installing an insert into a fireplace system that is not designed for either the weight of the unit or the intense heat the insert or stove produces could result in a house fire and will also void any warranty issued by the fireplace manufacturer.

• Annual inspection (and sweeping when necessary) of your fireplace and chimney is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association and the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

Public Safety Brochures A factory-built unit will reach the endCSIA of its useful life when from repair of the unit is no longer possible, particularly if the

Q. How long will a factory-built fireplace last?

Factory-built fireplaces are decorative heating appliances.

They are engineered with specific components that, when properly installed, will give you years of enjoyable use.

Regular service and maintenance will help owners keep a step ahead of potential problems.

components that are necessary to maintain the listing are no longer available.

Help yourself by

Q. How can I be sure the factory-built fireplace is installed educating your correctly?

clients. An informed customer makes better decisions.

As always, reputable chimney professionals shouldbe used Call (317) 837-5362 when these units are purchased and installed. Local codes and the manufacturer’s installation instructions should be to get a free sample followed to the letter.

of each of CSIA’s

Visit the Chimney Safety Institute of America’ s website 13 public safety (www.csia.org) to find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep in your area. brochures for

The Chimney Safetyhomeowners!

Institute of America (CSIA) is a non-profit educational institute that has established the most widely-recognized national certification program for chimney sweeps in the United States. The program was developed in keeping with the CSIA’s commitment to the safety and efficiency of chimney and venting systems and to the elimination of residential chimney

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Instead, send your employee to the most popular, cost-effective chimney sweep training in North America: CSIA’s National Chimney Sweep Training School. In less than a week, we’ll create an employee that you’ll be proud to send on a call – and happy to count toward your bottom line.

Budget now to send your staff in 2014!

During this six-day hands-on course, attendees will learn: How to inspect and service chimney systems serving any fuel burning appliance.

About residential heating appliances, including wood stoves, pellet stoves, inserts, factory-built fireplaces, central heaters and furnaces.

NFPA 211 standards.

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Register at csia.org or call us at (317) 837-5362.

BY DEBBIE CORNELIUS MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Progressive Perks

Save Money, Promote Your Business with Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program You’re losing money on products you use in your daily business if you don’t take advantage of the Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program available through the National Chimney Sweep Guild!

Check this section often – new suppliers and new offers come on board throughout the year. Sweeping magazine also contains a current list and featured coupons each month.

By participating in the Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program, supplier members of the NCSG give you the chance to try out a new supplier and save money, too.

If you’re an NCSG supplier member not yet participating in the Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program, now’s the time to join. In its 9th year, the program is a great way to get your company in front of NCSG chimney sweeps and prospective members.

Simply go to the “Members Only” section of ncsg.org to download coupon offers and find out how to redeem them.

NOVEMBER 13 SWEEPING 21

SWEEPS ADVANTAGE COUPON PROGRAM Featured Coupons Of The Month The 2013 – 2014 offers are available in the “Members Only” section of the NCSG website at www.NCSG.org.

These coupons will be good until June 30, 2014, unless otherwise noted.

Copperfield Chimney Supply • Canterbury Enterprises • ENERVEX, Inc. • Firesafe Industries Inc. • HearthMasters, Inc.• HY-C Company • Lindemann Chimney Supply • Marge Padgitt • Meyer Machine and Equipment • National Chimney Supply • Olympia Chimney Supply • RLH Industries Inc. • Royal Chimney Supply • SaverSystems • Spark Marketer • Ventech Industries Inc./Thermocrete/Smoktite • Wohler USA Inc. • Z-Flex Remember, these are just a few of the many offers available to you as a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild.

Visit NCSG.org to learn more and to start saving!

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10% off a Precision Built Custom Chase Pan

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10% off a Homestyle Energy Top Plus Damper

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10% off Paint-N-Peel Cleaner from ChimneySaver

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Keep Clean Special: #91400 six-pack head covers, REN05232 box 100 disposable, #83120 5 lbs. chimney sweep soap, #91000 sweeps gloves

Is your company name missing? As a supplier member of the NCSG we encourage you to participate in the Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program. Call or email Debbie Cornelius at (317) 837-1500 or dcornelius@ncsg.org.

22 SWEEPING NOVEMBER 13

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NOVEMBER 13 SWEEPING 23 13 NOV_UP.indd 1

9/24/13 1:45 PM

Dates & Events November 15, 2013 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® Review & Exams CSIA Technology Center

For more information on any item listed, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit CSIA.org Weekly (M-F) 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

December 7-12, 2013 AHIT Home Inspection Training Course CSIA Technology Center

Plan now to attend!

NCSG Innovation 2014 March 19-22, 2014 NCSG.org/innovation

Please send notice of your events for NCSG Dates & Events listings at mmcmahon@ncsg.org for inclusion here, in weekly posts to the discussion list and online at www.NCSG.org/dates. The event must be considered educational or informative for the industry (sales events and open houses will not be listed).

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Perspective

BY FRANCES KELLY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Meet Our New Staff in Columbus

G

reetings from Plainfield, IN! It has finally started to turn chilly here and really feels like fall. I’m fast approaching having two months under my belt as your executive director. The time has gone immensely fast.

What I have observed is that you are an association of talented and dedicated men and women who are passionate about your trade. You are an industry with a rich and proud history. You have a volunteer leadership that is committed to establishing a Guild focused on providing the best possible advantages of membership. And you have a professional team fanatical about making that mission a reality. I am committed to working with the leadership and staff to make your affiliation with NCSG one of your most valued assets.

Speaking of professional team, I’m pleased to announce three new members.

Darcy Marlett is the new director of marketing for NCSG. Tom Spalding joins us in a new capacity as director of marketing for

CSIA and is dedicated to the mission of promoting education and technical training and fostering public awareness of chimney and venting safety. Claire Rutledge has replaced Sharon Anderson as program coordinator and will handle event planning and conference registrations. All three started with us on October 7 and hit the ground running. We all look forward to meeting you at convention in March!

Save the date for convention in Columbus, OH, March 19-22.

Registration and hotel information are available now at NCSG.org. Hotel space will fill up fast, so plan ahead and make your reservations now. This year promises new technical programs and a good dose of fun, too! Personally, I’m a native Buckeye and looking forward to returning to the area. For those not familiar with Columbus, look for the wonderful German Village and Brewery District. A stop at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus for the sausage buffet and a cream puff is a must, and the Brewery District offers … well, you guessed it, a lot of different brews and great live music, too.

See you in Columbus!

NOVEMBER 13 SWEEPING 25

The Measure of Technology

Connect Locally Your state and local chimney sweep guilds and associations can be additional resources for your business and your employees. The NCSG maintains a list of these organizations at NCSG. org (under the Chimney Sweeps tab) for your convenience.

Please note that the organizations listed are not formally affiliated with the NCSG and are listed for resource purposes only. As with all research, check your sources carefully before making important decisions.

Does your state’s listing need to be updated? Let Debbie Cornelius know at dcornelius@ncsg.org.

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26 SWEEPING NOVEMBER 13

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

Send it to interim editor Cindy Dashnaw at cdashnaw@ bohlsengroup.com for publication in Sweeping. Or, mail it to NCSG, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168.

Include a few words about the scene and location.

You’re seeing a homemade suspended fireplace that’s welded into a well drilling sleeve. What’s worse, the sleeve is serving not only as the flue and chimney, but also as the standpipe for a spiral staircase. Yikes!

-Terry’s Chimney Service, Taos, NM The photo was taken in Red River, New Mexico.

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Advertiser

Phone

Email or Website Address

3

Smoktite

(866) 439-0069

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4

ICP (Improved Consumer Products)

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5

Olympia Chimney

(800) 569-1425

olympiachimney.com

6

Enervex

(800) 255-2923

intellidraft.com

7

National Chimney

(800) 897-8481

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8

Lindemann Chimney Co.

(800) 722-7230

lindemannchimney.com

9

Trans Continental Equipment Ltd.

(800) 825-9145

tce.ca

13

Ventech Industries Inc.

(866) 439-0069

ventechindustries.com

15

Sand Hill Wholesale

(888) SAND-HILL

sandhillwholesale.com

17-20

Chimney Safety Institute of America

(317) 837-5362

csia.org

21

ChimneySaver

(800) 860-6327

chimneysaver.com

23

Chim-Pro

(800) 582-1392

chim-proliner.com

23

Copperfield

(800) 247-3305

copperfield.com

24

Meyer Machine

(800) 728-3828

meyermachine.com

26

Wohler

(978) 750-9876

wohlerusa.com

28

Firesafe Industries

(800) 545-6607

firesafeinc.com

NOVEMBER 13 SWEEPING 27

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.

CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERS Members can run one 35-word classified free each year! Regular classified ads are $2/word or $1/word for NCSG members. Classified ads are noncommissionable and must be pre-paid. To place a classified ad, please contact Megan McMahon at mmcmahon@ncsg.org or (317) 837-1500.

Protect your certification and trademark’s integrity Companies with multiple service technicians are granted a royalty-free limited license to use the Certified Chimney Sweep Chimney Safety Institute of America logo, provided that at least one individual who is currently a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and who has signed the CSIA Code of Ethics is on the job site performing and/or supervising the sweeping and/or inspection.

If a work order or equivalent document is provided to the customer, the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep must sign the document and clearly print his or her certification number next to the signature.

CrownGuard

Severe weather crown repair & protection

Centering system for metal chimney liners.

®

The most advanced chimney liner in the world

FireGuard Ceramic mortar joint & resurfacing system

Patented

“My company uses most products available to chimney contractors, but Firesafe’s products and systems are hands-down the very best, and the most profitable. Great technical support and their constant improvements make the products even better, which makes my company stand out over my competition.”

Kevin Knight, Chadds Ford Chimney Sweeps, PA

TO order call: 800-545-6607 info@firesafeinc.com 28 SWEEPING NOVEMBER 13

www.firesafeinc.com

National Chimney Sweep Guild 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168

1310

BUY 2 LINER KITs aNd GET 1 fREE! Offer valid from November 1st through December 31st. Catalog prices only.

Kits for oil, wood, gas, pellet and coal appliances Each kit can be customized for your customers Fully stocked and ready to ship on time, every time Fully covered Lifetime warranty

order YoUr LINer KIT TodAY!

877.234.PIPE www.LifetimeChimneySupply.com

LINerS

CoNNeCTorS

CAPS

ToP PLATeS