August 2012

OR

AUG12_SWEEPMAG_COV.indd 2 7/27/12 3:10 PM

NCSG Innovation 2013 Convention and Trade Show Hotel reservations are now being accepted for NCSG Innovation 2013 at Chateau on the Lake in Branson, MO, April 4-7, 2013. Just call 1-888-333-LAKE (5253) and mention that you’re with the National Chimney Sweep Guild to lock in rates starting at $129 for a mountain view and $134 for a lake view.

Get ready for some R&R. You’re earned it!

AUGUST 12 SWEEPING 1

Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology (ISSN# 1041-6692) 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).

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting TechnologyNational Chimney Sweep Guild2155 Commercial DrivePlainfield, IN 46168

August 2012 Volume 36 #7

Features

Table of Contents

Departments

P.29

P.17

P.10

3 Moving Forward

6 Editor’s Letter

8 Chimney Sense

10 Industry Watch

12 Coach’s Corner

16 Technical Q&A

26 New NCSG Members

27 Progressive Perks

28 Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program

29 Perspective

31 Darwin Awards

31 Display Ad Index

32 Dates & Events

32 Classifieds

14 Plan… To Keep Your Profits

17 Pellet Stove and Insert Servicing

2 SWEEPING AUGUST 12

ResourcePage

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

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

Randy Brooks IRC, NFPA 211 or Customer Communications

317-203-0088 x: 5

Bart Ogden Stainless Steel Lining, Video Scanning and Narrative

Report Writing 317-203-0088 x: 6

Fred Joy Installation and Venting of Pellet Stoves

317-203-0088 x: 7

Jay Walker Dryer Vents

317-203-0088 x: 8

Rett RasmussenVented and Vent Free Gas Logs and Controls

317-203-0088 x: 9

Rich Martinez Dryer Vents or Masonry

317-203-0088 x: *

Rich Rua General Sweeping or Relining

317-203-0088 x: 0

Committee Chairs and Task Forces for 2012-2013Bylaws

Diane Pilger(631) 863-2460

[email protected]

Convention Site SelectionDiane Pilger

(631) [email protected]

Discussion ListBo Tasso


EthicsMark Stoner


FinanceMark Maynard(920) 830-1920

[email protected]

GovernanceRandy Brooks(805) 646-8961

[email protected]

Government AffairsPhil Mitchell


International RelationsSteve Pietila


Long Range PlanningDiane Pilger


MembershipBob Ferrari


NFPA 211 RepresentativeRandy Brooks(805) 646-8961

[email protected]

NFPA 31 RepresentativeJohn Pilger


NFPA 54 RepresentativeJim Brewer


Technical Advisory CouncilDennis Dobbs(256) 845-9814

[email protected]

Public Awareness Task ForceRob Lindemann(847) 918-7994

[email protected]

ADVERTISING RATES for Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology may be obtained by contacting Malisa Minetree at (317) 815-4688 or [email protected]

Design by Laura Houser Design • laurahouser.com • (317) 213-7497

President, Region 3Jay Walker

(850) 562-4692 • [email protected]

Vice PresidentAt-Large

Diane Pilger(631) 863-2460 • [email protected]

Treasurer, Region 5Mark Maynard


SecretaryJeremy Biswell


Region 1Phil Mitchell


Region 2Bob Fleer


Region 4Ken Hoelscher


Region 6Bob Ferrari


At-Large DirectorsDennis Dobbs


Fred Joy(785) 986-6432 • [email protected]

Supplier RepresentativeEdmund Poplawski


NCSG BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2011-2012

Melissa Heeke, CAE Director of Communications &

Marketing [email protected]

Ashley Eldridge, COI, CPP Director of Education

[email protected]

Candice Bradbury Director of Finance

[email protected]

Megan McMahon Office Manager

[email protected]

Debbie Cornelius Membership Development

Coordinator [email protected]

Donna Lee Kasmer Program Coordinator [email protected]

STAFF

2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168

(317) 837-1500 Fax: (317) 837-5365

Mark McSweeney, CAE Executive Director

[email protected]

NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press release and articles to Melissa Heeke, Sweeping Editor at [email protected]. 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 publications’ 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.

© 2012 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD

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 first-hand 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.

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:

Dennis Dobbs Technical Advisory Council Chair

Installation or Service of Direct Vent Gas Appliances 317-203-0088 x: 1


JAY WALKERNCSG PRESIDENT Forward

Moving

y second favorite holiday is July 4th ! It’s a time to remember our nation’s past and celebrate the freedom we have today while paying tribute to those forethinkers that

risked everything for what we have today. Personally, it’s also a time each year to spend time with friends and family at my Dad’s lake house. Slow-smoked BBQ provides the aroma for the day. Kids and adults alike play in the lake water to cool off and our boat pulls tubers, skiers and gives relaxing rides. Then later in the evening, after the annual decorated boat parade, we sit with full stomachs, to watch the celebration of lights display once again (fireworks).

Since Independence Day landed on a Wednesday this year, I awoke early to drive back to my office, to do work as usual. Once the work day was over, I sit to write this message, reflecting on so much to be grateful.

Since my last message, I was able to join fellow directors Diane Pilger and Phil Mitchell in the Northeast at Sweepfest. My trip from Florida to New Hampshire was a journey. I drove to the Delta hub at the Jacksonville, FL airport to get a much less costly flight than that compared to my regular departure point in Tallahassee. When I left Tallahassee that early Thursday morning, and it was a humid 90 degrees. On my arrival to the Manchester, NH airport, the temperature gauge soared to 97 degrees. On my drive toward Newmarket, NH, I kept a watchful eye out for a Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse or another department store that may carry some Triple X tee-shirts and big man shorts, as I had packed long sleeves and long pants for the duration of my stay. Having not seen any, upon my arrival to the Mitchell’s, I sought advice from him for the next day.

That evening, Phil and Sharon Mitchell welcomed me into their abode with open arms regardless of my attire. We ate grilled burgers from the grill and they had Florida State University baseball on the tube for me to enjoy (too bad we lost though – maybe one day we’ll win at Omaha).

Early, the next morning, I got directions to the local sportsman’s trading post, and was greeted by a privatized sportsman’s store. Each department had a representative standing in front wearing uniform attire and speaking in positive upbeat language to impress this business owner. After being directed to the big and tall section of the store, a rep helped me find what I needed. Shorts and Triple X Columbia shirts were a treat to see. At the

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cash register, I could see two employees smile when I spoke, and I quickly realized they must have heard my Southern accent. So I asked them if they knew Jeff Foxworthy. They laughed and asked me if I was up here in Maine today to enjoy the cooler weather. I felt right at home and enjoyed the light sarcasm humor that I often use myself from time to time.

My experience at the store reminded me of my own business structure and the systems I have in place. Like most of you, I like to look at other business models often and compare them to my own. Every experience I had was a positive one, from when I walked in initially, until I left their good natured kidding around and laughter. Believe it or not, I will make the same trip again next week to a MIX group meeting. If time, I plan to visit that store again. And this time I will check a bag to bring more home. Perhaps next time the temperature may be in the 60s – but I serious doubt I’ll get that lucky. (Note to self: Check internet for weather forecast before packing.)

After a quick drive to Maine to Ventech’s open house and a seminar by Royal Edwards, I was able to visit with sweeps from the area. It was a pleasure to visit with some familiar faces and meet new colleagues as well. We were graciously provided with a free Maine lobster lunch by Mike Varney. Then after a quick technical hands on seminar, I took a quick drive to see the NE coastal Atlantic Ocean and close by harbors. Upon arriving back to the Mitchell Homestead, I was able to help some veteran

camping Sweepsfestees erect their tents for their weekend stay. The first day of Sweepsfest began with State Guild meetings and I was welcomed to listen and be abreast to their upcoming agendas. Then, after lunch, seminars began and the packed agenda started its course to provide ongoing education for the next two days. On Saturday, after I personally spent quite a bit of money at the silent auction, we had barbecue and ice cream. Then the Sootprints band relaxed the group. After joining a few sweeps around the barn fire and sipping some soothing elixirs, I laid down my head only to awake at 3:30am to start my journey back to the cooler weather in Sunny Florida. While this had been on my “bucket list” for some time, this was my first trip to an event in the Northeast What’s on your bucket list?

During this year’s annual planning meeting, your board of directors set some committees in place to continue with our ever-changing strategic plan. We saw the need to offer more business-type classes in the future, new membership promotion ideas, historic preservation of our past and much more.

I hope that each one of you were able to celebrate or at least reflect for a moment on our freedom which most of us take for granted. Until next time, sweeps luck to you and your family. God bless.

Jay WalkerNCSG President

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MELISSA HEEKE, CAENCSG DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Editor’sLetter

ellets! We have pellets! Are you servicing pellet

stoves? If you aren’t, you might be missing an

outstanding opportunity. This month, we’re

focusing on pellets with a fantastic article from NCSG

Technical Advisory Council member Bart Ogden of Home Safe

Hearth & Chimney in Wichita, KS. He provides us with some

background information on the popularity of pellet fuels and

the work processes to consider when deciding to service these

appliances. Another NCSG Technical Advisory Council member,

Fed Joy of Top Hat Chimney Sweep in Hoyt, KS offers his input

on sizing vent pipe for pellet stoves in this month’s Technical

Q&A.

Are you ready for the heating season? It’s right around the

corner waiting for you! Take some time now to get your trucks,

your office and your mental state ready for the incoming calls.

What will you do differently this season than you did in past

seasons? Does your “last season self” have any advice for your

“this season self”? Now is the time to implement those changes

that you’ve been meaning to before the silly season really

begins.

Until next time, I wish you all the best!

P


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TheTools, Tidbits and Techniques

E arlier in my career as a chimney sweep I had spent many years as a one man, one truck operation only utilizing available help when doing relines and installs, usually the heavy and dangerous jobs. Here are a few

useful tips that seemed to make life easier for me:

•Useatopmountedfanwhenremovingdeadanimalsfromthe chimney; this will pull the bad odors out of the home and away from your nose. Top mounted fans are also useful for sweeping on hot days and especially when cleaning out third degree creosote which emits a pungent odor that can infiltrate the home when pulled in by your powerful chimney vac.

•Ifyouhaveadamperplatethatcannotberemovedandifyouhave hard time getting debris out from behind it, try visiting your local automotive exhaust expert and have them bend a piece of exhaust pipe sized to fit your vacuum hose into a J-shape.

•Whentryingtopreventdustingfromoccurringwhilecleaningan open fireplace, an easy way to keep your block off cloth over the opening is to secure it with strong magnets. Put your material between the magnets and the lintel plate.

•Agoodwaytoavoidcustomercomplaintsistotakealegalpad and write down your customer’s initial concerns before beginning your work.

•Nevertalkaboutonecustomertoanothercustomer,theymaybe related!

•Alwaysberespectfultoyourcustomer’schildrenandpets.

I would urge those who read this to comment on the NCSG Members Discussion List about your own tools and techniques.

Sweeps luck,

Dennis Dobbs

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Wohler Helps Veterans Find Industry Jobs

Wohler USA recently teamed up with VetsBuild Long Island, a United Way program that trains veterans in green construction and helps them network with those who are already in the industry.

The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans is 9.2%. With the help of sponsors like Wohler USA, VetsBuild Long Island plans to connect these veterans with the growing green construction industry. VetsBuild Long Island will provide them with free career counseling, job training, and job placement assistance. The program also offers a hands-on energy boot camp with training in weatherization, home-efficiency upgrades, and the safe installation of high-efficiency boilers.

“We are honored to assist veterans as they transition into the civilian workforce,” says Peter Cullen, Chief Operating Officer of Wohler USA. “This program not only helps veterans and their families, but it also supports our industry, making it a win-win for all involved.”

Visit http://tinyurl.com/wohler-VetsBuild to view video coverage of the event, www.wohlerusa.com to learn more about Wohler USA and http://www.uvbh.com/vetsbuild.htm to learn more about VetsBuild Long Island.

Bob Wise joins Chimney And Venting Consultants Staff

Chimney And Venting Consultants (CVC) is pleased to announce the addition of Bob Wise to the staff. Bob fills the role of Director of Education for the technical training for the hearth industry with a specialization in training of sales, installation,

Sweeping MagazineAugust 2012 issue - POSITION ON RIGHT PAGE PLEASEFull page, 4 color

Dura-Ventkaren josephson, contact

[email protected]


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Engineered Excellence® M&G DuraVent is a member of the M&G Group. © Copyright 2011 Made in the USA 800-835-4429 www.duravent.com

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Engineered for excellence and aesthetically pleasing, PelletVent Pro is the proven choice for safely venting pellet stoves. DuraVent’s joint research with OMNI Environmental Services discovered that commonly used metals for pellet stove venting show early signs of corrosion when exposed to biofuel acids in tests. One super-ferritic metal that substantially resisted corrosion is now built into the inner of all PelletVent Pro for biofuels. In the event of a chimney � re, DuraVent’s patented encapsulated o-ring provides a pressurized secondary seal to the primary metal-to-metal, ensuring double safety. Backed by a lifetime warranty.

PelletVent Pro below grade venting.PelletVent Pro Below Grade

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PelletVent Pro horizontal venting.PelletVent Pro Air Intake System

DuraVent’s energy e� cient Combustion Air System for PelletVent Pro pre-heats combustion air from the outside, eliminating the use of conditioned inside air. Minimize down-drafts in below grade installations with an adjustable air channel that delivers combustion air to pellet stoves with a patent-pending wall thimble- simplifying installations with only one wall penetration.

IndustryWatch

Industry Watch PolicyNCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases to Melissa Heeke, Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology editor, via email at [email protected]. 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.

and maintenance staff in the areas off gas, wood, pellet, and bio fuel. Bob brings a tremendous background in training with previous service to the following industry leaders:

•ApplianceClinicTraining(SouthernCaliforniaGasCo)•QualityAssuranceManager(SoCalGas)•EnergyTheftInspectorsManager(SoCalGas)•ManagerofTechnicalServices(FireplaceManufacturersInc.)•ManagerofTraining(ServicePartners/Masco)•PresidentoftheBoardofGovernorsforHEARTH(NFI)•ContractedTrainerforMonessenandDesa

Throughout Bob’s over 25 year tenure as a trainer in the industry he has also served as President of HEARTH / NFI and was instrumental in the development of the industry recognized certifications under the National Fireplace Institute.

Bob will be developing and presenting classes to fill a void in the industry with real world training. The training as offered by Bob will be offered in the CVC training facility in Concord, NC. Additionally will be offered as an on-line interactive training and presented at the client’s location if desired. The training will be designed with CEUs from both NFI and CSIA and will be geared to the needs of the industry and the clients of Chimney and Venting Consultants.

Please review our web site at www.chimneyandventingconsultants.com for more information on Bob and also on the classes that will be presented.

Sweeping MagazineAugust 2012 issue - POSITION ON RIGHT PAGE PLEASEFull page, 4 color


[email protected]


[email protected]

Engineered Excellence® M&G DuraVent is a member of the M&G Group. © Copyright 2011 Made in the USA 800-835-4429 www.duravent.com

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. INN

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URA

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LLY TESTED.

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t Pro®

Engineered for excellence and aesthetically pleasing, PelletVent Pro is the proven choice for safely venting pellet stoves. DuraVent’s joint research with OMNI Environmental Services discovered that commonly used metals for pellet stove venting show early signs of corrosion when exposed to biofuel acids in tests. One super-ferritic metal that substantially resisted corrosion is now built into the inner of all PelletVent Pro for biofuels. In the event of a chimney � re, DuraVent’s patented encapsulated o-ring provides a pressurized secondary seal to the primary metal-to-metal, ensuring double safety. Backed by a lifetime warranty.

PelletVent Pro below grade venting.PelletVent Pro Below Grade

Air Intake System

PelletVent Pro horizontal venting.PelletVent Pro Air Intake System

DuraVent’s energy e� cient Combustion Air System for PelletVent Pro pre-heats combustion air from the outside, eliminating the use of conditioned inside air. Minimize down-drafts in below grade installations with an adjustable air channel that delivers combustion air to pellet stoves with a patent-pending wall thimble- simplifying installations with only one wall penetration.


ome years back at Cincinnati, the first MIX group meeting in the industry was held. Clay Lamb who was functioning as the moderator for the group asked a question that, at the time, did not hit me as it did in later years. Clay asked: “What is your war plan?”

Neither Clay nor myself knew at the time that over the coming years this would be a question that would prompt us each to diligently search for an answer for. In business things often go wrong. It can be from a client complaint, or it can be extremely debilitating to the company and even more of a bad day for the business owner. When “bad things happen” is a phrase coined many years ago in a Diagnosis &Documentation seminar when I asked an attendee what would be the course of events when a certain scenario occurred. His response was that now familiar phrase in this industry… “Bad things will happen.”

Now as business owners, we must realize that the tide can turn at any time. It could be any number of issues. Just think, you are the CEO of FedEx and one of your delivery folks caught on video throwing a computer monitor over a fence into the person’s yard. Not only was it videotaped, it went viral on YouTube. FedEx was faced with a choice, deny it or deal with it. The way FedEx dealt with it turned a bad scenario into an excellent case with a great public relations release.

FedEx is not the only company to have to deal with things like this; Jet Blue hit the headlines due to the actions of a flight attendant. Recently American Airlines also had one of their flight attendants cause another bad day and bad things to happen. When things like this happen in the national level, it naturally depends on the news of the day if the news will go viral But it is the very nature of the American news system that we hear more bad news than good news. Quite simply, bad news sells!

These are things that each business owner can look at and learn from, or we can simply look the other way and not learn from the mistakes of others. One of the things I try to teach every client is to watch the efforts that large corporations make in so many ways and then take the ideas they present and turn them into the ideas that they as small business owners can run with. This goes from marketing to total operations of the company. This is a very low cost tuition for a business owner, that can pay bigger dividends than the cost of a college education at Harvard or Yale. This may even be referred to as the school of hard knocks.

I was once asked if I had a degree in business. I replied that I did not have a degree from a college, rather I had undergone extensive training in the very real world. And even though the education had been costly in many ways, perhaps it better prepared me for business than a college education might have. . The battles I had to face likely best prepared me for the battles that many of my clients face.

In doing research for this article, I spoke with a close friend of mine who has a degree in communications and now runs and operates a restoration business. I asked him what in his college education prepared him for owning and operating his own business. He said that quite honestly it had not; most of what he used today to make his business successful was the ability to listen and to implement what he learned. He said that business and the clients change too frequently.

I also his thoughts on “Crisis Management” and again he said that nothing in the communication degree would have prepared him to deal with this public relations nightmare. I asked him what the overriding lesson from his college education, his time as an employee for a major corporation doing business worldwide, and then as an owner of a small business would be.

BY JERRY ISENHOUR OF CHIMNEY & VENTING

CONSULTANTS IN CONCORD, NCCoach’s Corner

The

What is your War Plan?Crisis Management

S


He said that the number one thing was a plan, a plan to deal with whatever arose. In other words he referred to what so many preach…. The need for systems.

So as mentioned earlier, as business owners we have to prepare our war plans and know our crisis management procedures. We do this by listening to what the experts do. How often do we see where politicians could learn this simple process so many political issues would not be nightmares. Maybe President Clinton could have turned his situation into a positive if he had dealt with it properly, professionally and honestly from the start.

A part of business management, no matter how well we run our business, no matter how well our systems are set up and adhered to, the true leader in business will learn how to deal with the issue of crisis management. Today it is all too easy for a client to take things viral, maybe not to the extent of a FedEx issue, or not hitting the news like the airlines flight attendant going berserk. But the consumer/client can still do massive damage. A simple stroke of a key, a bad review, bad press on Yelp, bad news on any review can wreak havoc. And this is an ability that the vast majority of the consumers have; they do not even have to have a computer, now they can simply do it with their smart phone.

In this day and time, the business cannot win in the argument, and all too often the business can pay the price over and over from a lack of a proper response. If one researches the famous

McDonald’s hot coffee episode, quick and effective management could have prevented this public relations issue. Look at McDonald’s right now, the press is out on the low nutritional value of their hamburgers. McDonald’s pulled out half the fries and inserted apple slices. Now they are able to publicize that they are now the good guys, who recognize the issue and are doing their part to make your kiddies healthy. They turned a negative into a positive. Would you be able to do the same?

So examine your own “war plan” when you have an issue arise. Put the temper aside, use reason, think like the consumer and DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY. This is the animal you have sought. This is the consumer of 2012, and with the consumer of 2012 you only win if you play the game by the rules.

My closing question is WHAT IS YOUR WAR PLAN MY FRIEND?

About the Author: Jerry Isenhour is an industry consultant and coach who authors a monthly article in Sweeping as a service to the industry. For more information about Jerry and how he can assist you individually, and your business in your quest for success and your rise to the next level, take a look at his web site www.chimneyandventingconsultants.com He can be contacted at [email protected] or by phone at (704) 425-0217. You can also obtain great business tips from his Facebook page Chimney & Venting Consultants.

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’d be willing to bet if you add up all the time, fuel and energy you waste during any given season because of lack of vehicle preparation, it would equal the profit on at least one reline job. And if you’re running more than one truck, lack of preparation can cause the dent in your profits to go

up faster than the space shuttle.

I’d also be willing to bet that losing hard won profits because of lack of planning and organization is not something that’s likely to put a smile on your face. Let’s see what really simple steps can be taken to keep you smiling.For the purposes of our lack of preparation discussion, we’ll consider the following to be in that category:

1. Arriving at a job site without the proper tools.2. Arriving at a job site missing parts or pieces.3. Spending excessive time trying to locate a tool you need. 4. Having a tool fail or break.5. Getting lost on the way.6. Having your vehicle breakdown on the way to or from a job.

7. Running out of gas.

Not only does each of these “inconveniences” cost you money, they are downright embarrassing. I mean what would you think if your plumber had to go back to the shop for parts he should have had? Or, called to say he couldn’t make his appointment today because his truck broke down? How likely would you be to call the same guy again or recommend him to others? My point is, lack of preparation cannot only cost you time on the job, it can cost you repeat business.

Fortunately, most of these issues can be avoided by spending even a little more time in vehicle stocking and preparation. But planning to plan is not the same thing as actually creating a plan to address these issues. If it were, none of the above would ever happen. Right?

Here is an important point to consider: if something is everyone’s responsibility, it ends up being no one’s responsibility. This is especially true about basic vehicle

Plan…To Keep Your Profits

I

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Sweeping News (Snews)_Smoothcore_Z-Max_no booth_HR_March 29, 2012.pdf 1 12-03-30 2:12 PM


preparation and maintenance.

Suggestion: Give a specific person the responsibility to make sure each vehicle is in running condition each day, each week and each season. Then, put a gripe sheet in every truck so whoever is using the truck on any given day can register a concern about some lack of functionality, or a behavior or sound that might be an indication something is getting ready to fail. Be sure to emphasize nothing is too trivial to report, even outside mirrors that are not operating correctly, or a directional signal that is not working or an interior light that has failed should be reported promptly.

Whoever you appoint to be the truck maintenance guru must also be on top of routine maintenance like oil changes, air filters, tire pressures, coolant, etc. And that person might also be the one to make certain the proper registration and insurance information is in each vehicle.

You can be sure as soot, any maintenance item you ignore will come back to bite you at the most inconvenient time. That’s a simple law of the Universe.

Sure, sometimes you’re just too busy to take care of everything promptly, but anything you’ve put off during the season needs to be addressed after the season at the very latest. That means someone has to be keeping track.

The truck maintenance person should have a tool maintenance counterpart, and, yes, there should be gripe sheets for suspect or dysfunctional tools, too. Just like with the trucks, a specific person needs to take responsibility for addressing issues around faulty or missing tools. And everyone who uses the tools must take the responsibility and time to fill out the gripe sheets when needed.

Well, you’ve probably guessed by now, someone must have the responsibility to see to it that each truck is stocked with everything it needs for the next day’s work…and I mean everything. Missing the smallest part is as bad as forgetting to put the liner in the truck.

Suggestion: No truck ever leaves your office without completing a checklist. Pilots use checklists for everything. Why? Because check lists keep them from overlooking something simple but crucial. They will work for you, too.

As for getting lost, hey, invest in a GPS. It will pay for itself very quickly.

Your customers may never appreciate your genius as a technician, or the enormous amount of knowledge and experience you bring to a job. It’s not their thing. But they will always note if you are on time, well organized, efficient and friendly.


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TechnicalQ&A

BY FRED JOY TOP HAT CHIMNEY SWEEP, INC., HOYT, KS

NCSG TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

A

QI have a customer that wants a pellet stove installed. What size vent pipe should I use? Connection on the back of the stove is 3 inch. Should I stay with 3 inch or switch to larger size?

To determine whether to use 3 or 4 inch vent pipe, first calculate the Equivalent Vent Length (EVL). If you have over 15 feet of EVL, it is recommended you use 4

inch pipe (which is the largest you should ever use).

To calculate EVL use the following conversions:

• 90degreeelbowortee=5equivalentfeet

• 45degreeelbow=3equivalentfeet• Horizontalpiperun=1footperactual

foot • Verticalpiperun=.5feetperactualfoot

At altitudes of above 3000 ft., it is suggested to use 4 inch diameter vent at an EVL of 7 feet.


hether you love them or hate them, pellet stoves are a part of the hearth business most of us have to deal with in

one capacity or another.

Retailers have been particularly entrenched in a roller coaster ride of emotions with pellet appliances, depending on which region of the country they sell in and the current state of regional and national energy prices. Having ridden the huge surge in popularity in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina and then bottoming out over the last couple of years it’s difficult to tell just exactly where the pellet industry is going to land.

According to Jack Goldman, President of the HPBA, recent rumblings from the EPA on revised efficiency and particulate standards suggest that it is entirely plausible that no pellet appliance currently on the market in 2012 would pass upcoming potential new standards. This leaves great uncertainty in the retailer’s mind as to the future viability of the pellet appliance industry.

Service technicians, on the other hand, have several issues they must deal with when it comes to pellet appliances. Most notably, is that of understanding the three basic systems at work in pellet appliances. Those systems are 1) electricity, 2) pressure and flow and 3) temperature.

Once the certified service technician can grasp the interrelationships of these systems, and the basic path of service, he or she will be better prepared to approach and complete the service call successfully.

It is my opinion that if you choose to service pellet hearth appliances you should not only carry the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep credential, but you should also carry an NFI Pellet Appliance Specialist credential. In my area of the country, it is REQUIRED that you carry the NFI Pellet Appliance Specialist credential to service, repair or install ANY pellet appliance. Neither of these credentials is easy to obtain and to successfully

complete the exams you will need several weeks, if not months, of focused study. Rest assured, however, that once you hold both the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep certification and the NFI Pellet Appliance Specialist designation, you will be well on your way to mastering pellet hearth appliance servicing.

Additionally, I would highly recommend that you work closely with manufacturers of pellet appliances to obtain factory training. If you are somehow involved in the retail side of the hearth industry, you likely will have access to at least one brand of pellet appliance. If you are only involved in the service side of the hearth industry, try to work with a local retailer to obtain some factory training. If working with a local hearth retailer is not possible, do some internet research and contact some retailers who are not in your local service area and see if you can partner and coordinate with them to attend training with their particular manufacturer(s).

Pellet Stove and Insert Servicing

BY BART OGDENHOME SAFE HEARTH & CHIMNEY, INC., WICHITA, KS

NCSG TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

W

When a pellet appliance malfunctions, the author’s technicians usually ask the client to leave it in its malfunctioning state so they can examine it as it malfunctioned.


Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance Many times when you are called out to repair a pellet appliance, you’ll find that the number one issue that caused the stove to start operating poorly, malfunction or to quit operating completely is the lack of servicing. In addition to the periodic maintenance/cleaning the homeowner/operator is to perform on a weekly or biweekly basis, pellet appliances should be serviced professionally and thoroughly after each season when at least one ton of pellets has been used. If more than two tons of pellet fuel has been used in a season, it is a NECESSITY that the system be thoroughly serviced. We’ve observed over the past several years, that the variance in today’s pellet fuel, even for a premium grade pellet has led to more and more ash accumulation in systems.

3 Basic Systems at Work Three basic systems at work in a pellet appliance system are 1) electricity, 2) pressure and flow, and 3) temperature. These systems are so interwoven that the constraints of this article will not allow more than a basic discussion of their principles.

1. Electricity. Very simply, without electricity a pellet appliance will not operate. Electricity powers the control board, which distributes electrical power throughout the system. Numerous safety switches and sensors throughout the system are all electrical-dependent as well.

2. Pressure and Flow. Pellet appliances require the correct amount of airflow travelling through the system to start and sustain combustion. If something is partially or wholly obstructing flow through the system, a pressure-activated safety switch will shut the flow of fuel off in the unit.

3. Temperature. Temperature is measured in the unit in several different areas from thermocouples to fan and limit switches. Some of these limit switches are self-resetting, while others are a manual-rest type. Temperature must be maintained within a certain range for proper, safe operation of a pellet appliance.

The Basic Components of a Pellet Appliance System Any pellet appliance can be considered an air pump with a heat exchanger. This is important to realize as all pellet hearth appliances have several things in common. Each has a “path” of air flow. On every pellet appliance there will be an air intake, a combustion air fan system, a firebox, a heat exchanger, ash traps and a flue system.

Also present on any pellet system is a convection fan system to move the air through the heat exchanger(s) and into the room.

Common electrical components include a power supply cord, limit switches, fan switches, a pressure switch, an auger motor, a combustion air fan, a convection air fan and a control board, which coordinates the function of all the electrical components in the system. Potentially, there can also be remote controls or wall switches, battery backup systems, a thermocouple and a draft assist fan as well.

Pellet appliances run the gamut of being very simply engineered to, in my opinion, incredibly over-engineered to the point where the simple testing of components is not even possible anymore and they are either a “go” or a “no-go” part.

The Right Tools for the Job As with any hearth appliance, it’s imperative that you have the proper equipment to complete the service call. The first piece of equipment you should ALWAYS have prior to servicing any pellet appliances is the installation/owner’s manual for the model you will be servicing.

If, for some reason, your client doesn’t have it, you can generally find current and archived manuals on the manufacturer’s website, providing they are still in business.

HINT: When your intake information is captured, ALWAYS ask the client to identify the make, model and serial number of the unit. If the client can’t tell you what make, model and serial number is specific to their unit, be very wary of servicing the unit. You’ll often end up making a second call on a unit

These two photos are of the same pellet stove with a gasket leaking issue. Note how the symptom presents itself differently by backlighting the glass.


like this because you didn’t have the correct information to be properly prepared for the service call in the first place.

Physical equipment you’ll need will include, but is not necessarily limited to, a HEPA filtration vacuum system, electrical testing tools, an assortment of wrenches and nut drivers, a digital pressure gauge, several different styles of wire “jumpers” for electrical testing, a non-contact infrared digital thermometer and, of course, flexible pellet rods and 3” and 4” round brushes with leader spring. We typically use the same “inside box” for servicing pellet appliances as we do for servicing a masonry fireplace system or a factory-built fireplace system.

It should go without saying, but I’ll mention it here for reference, that you should place clean canvas runners and drop cloths from the front entry to and over your work area.

The Work Process The absolute first thing the certified technician should ask the client is “Did you have any issues with this system or is this simply your annual maintenance and service?” Then carry it a step further. If they responded “Yes, this is just our regular annual maintenance and service”, say this – “OK, so this is your regular annual maintenance and service and you didn’t have any issues with the system last year, correct?” You will be AMAZED how many times your client will follow this question up with something like “Yeah, except for…”. Try this approach – you’ll

find that it ferrets out clues for you to look for something happening with the system. I’ve had clients tell me in one breath that there’s nothing wrong with the system and it’s just annual maintenance, then in the next breath they’ll tell me that the system quit running near the end of the system and they haven’t used it since. It’s YOUR JOB to be the detective and interview your client before starting on ANY hearth-related service call.

After you’ve interview your client, if there are issues, go to your troubleshooting charts and follow them to the letter to quickly diagnose issues with the system. Once the issue has been identified and verified, a full service to the system should be performed using a logical progression through the system.

When training our technicians to service a pellet appliance, we teach the “AIRPORT” method of servicing. Remember, lack of maintenance is the number one reason a service call is triggered.

SAFETY FIRST: Before ANY service or repair is attempted, always DISCONNECT THE POWER to the appliance.

A: Air Enters the Appliance; Determine where the system pulls air into the system. This might be simply from the room, but more and more manufacturers are recommending, or even requiring, an outside combustion air system.


Perform a visual check to ensure that the air inlet and passageway is completely clear of any debris. Many times “mud dauber” or “dirt dauber” wasps will build their nests inside the combustion air inlet tubes, which will lead to a partial or a complete blockage of outside combustion air to the appliance.

There “typically” will also be some sort of adjustability in the combustion air system in the form of a sliding mechanism that will partially close off the air travelling into the appliance. IMPORTANT: Make a note of the position this mechanism is in BEFORE you move it. You’ll want to re-set it to position you found it in after fully servicing the unit and prior to re-firing the unit. Check this mechanism for proper, free and full-range operation.

I: Ignition Occurs; The air inlet on the pellet appliance will lead you to the firebox and where ignition occurs. You’ll want to have a stiff putty knife handy to scrape and clean the firepot thoroughly. Carefully and thoroughly vacuum around

the igniter mechanism to remove any residual fly ash that might be trapped around the igniter. It’s critical that this area be clean so air can flow freely around the igniter and through the holes in the firepot. From this point downstream in the system, if you find anything besides fly ash in the system, there is typically an issue.

If you find creosote in the system, it is not operating correctly – troubleshoot and diagnose the cause. Second only to lack of maintenance causing malfunctions of a pellet appliance would be poor fuel quality. Some pellets recently entering the supply stream, even though they have supposedly been tested and certified as a “premium” pellet have been observed to leave large amounts of ash and, in some cases, creosote in the pellet appliance system.

MOST units will have a heat exchanger scraper to clean the majority of ashes off the heat exchanger tubes, but I have seen a few units which are not equipped with a heat exchanger scraper. A small “chip” brush works well to get into the area above the heat exchanging tubes to get the ash that sticks to the inner stove walls.

This area must be thoroughly serviced as ash is a very good insulator. A very small amount of fly ash will significantly impact the heat transfer from the fire chamber to the living space. When you service the heat exchanger, go to the back of the unit and clean the convection fan assembly check it for noise, and lubricate if needed/required.

P: Places Ashes Get Trapped; Everywhere the air path changes downstream of the fire chamber, y ou will find that fly ash will collect.

Typically, pellet appliance manufacturers will utilize small removable flaps or panels to allow the technician access to remove the fly ash from the system. These areas must be thoroughly serviced to prevent them from filling up during a long burning season.

O: Outside it Goes; Most pellet stoves will use a combustion fan downstream of the fire chamber to create negative pressure in the firebox and positive pressure in the piping system.

Check for fly ash residue being pressurize out of the venting system from this point downstream to the termination. It’s important to remove the motor and impeller from the fan housing to insure that the impeller blades are clean, the fan housing is not full of fly ash and the area upstream of the combustion fan is cleared as well.

On some units, there can be a LARGE area to collect fly ash immediately upstream of the combustion fan housing assembly. Be very careful when removing the motor and impeller assembly from the fan housing – sometimes you can re-use the gasket. If the gasket is damaged or defective when you remove the motor and impeller assembly, you will need to replace it.

REPEAT HINT: When your intake information is captured, ALWAYS ask the client to identify the make, model and serial number of the unit. Find a source for this gasket and order half a dozen or so for stock in your materials area and on your truck(s). If the client can’t tell you what make, model and serial number is specific to their unit, be very wary of servicing the unit. You’ll typically end up making a second call on a unit like this because you didn’t have the correct information to be properly prepared for the service call in the first place.

R: Run of Pipe; Past the combustion fan, you’ll be dealing with the venting system. Depending on the flue system layout, sometimes you can service the venting system from the stove/insert area inside the building. If service from the interior is possible, use your vacuum to contain the flyash from the system.

(Continued on page 25)

A significant amount of fly ash accumulation was discovered behind the combustion blower of a pellet stove. The company that had been servicing this pellet appliance previously had not been removing the combustion blower so the appliance eventually just shut down due to this build up.

CSIA Update www.CSIA.org

Publication for CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep®s

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I fully acknowledge that certification

by the Chimney Safety Institute of

America (CSIA) carries with it certain

responsibilities and obligations which

may hold me to a higher standard of

performance and professional behavior

than applicable laws, rules or regulations.

In this regard, I pledge:

1. To learn and utilize all chimney and

venting safety practices and techniques

that are promoted by CSIA.

2. To render my services in an honest and

fair manner and to refrain from engaging

in unfair or deceptive practices or making

any unfair or deceptive statements

including but not limited to with regard to

use of the CSIA logos.

3. To comply with all applicable building

codes in the areas I service, with the

manufacturer’s installation instructions for

the products I install, and with recognized

chimney and venting practices.

4. To promote and educate consumers

about safe chimney and venting practices.

5. To strive to continually update my

knowledge, skills, and technique with

regard to currently accepted chimney and

venting safety practices.

6. To conduct myself in a decent,

respectful, and professional manner when

serving in my capacity as a chimney

sweep, or when attending a function or

event of an organization in the chimney or

hearth products industry.

7. To comply with the proper usage of the

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Trademark

as defined in the CSIA Trademark Use

Guidelines document.

I agree to accept and abide by the CSIA

Code of Ethics as a standard in rendering

services as a CSIA Certified Chimney

Sweep© or CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust

Technician©. By agreeing to this Code

of Ethics, I understand that it is my

responsibility to remain abreast of any

changes to the Code of Ethics, that my

actions may be reviewed by a committee

of my peers, and that failure to abide by

these ethical obligations is a violation of

CSIA policy and, in accordance with the

CSIA Code of Ethics Violation Procedure,

may result in disciplinary action by the

CSIA or its delegated committee. I agree

to hold harmless CSIA and its committees

from any and all liability resulting from any

disciplinary action taken against me.

When renewing a credential earned after September 1, 2009, a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® is required to:

• Submitaminimumof9CEUsearned

within the preceeding 3 years (in any

category) before testing. NOTE: This

requirement will not apply to CSIA

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holding the credential on September 1,

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• Passaone-hourexambasedon

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and NFPA 211 (2010)

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CSIA CODE OF ETHICS

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Top 10 Woodburning Tips from the Chimney Safety Institute of America

To aid in the prevention of chimney fires and carbon monoxide intrusion and to help keep heating appliances and fireplaces functioning properly, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) offers the following safety tips:

1. Get an annual chimney check. Have chimneys inspected annually, and cleaned as necessary, by a qualified professional chimney service technician. This reduces the risk of fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote buildup or obstructions in the chimneys.

2. Keep it clear. Keep tree branches and leaves at least 15 feet away from the top of the chimney.

3. Install a chimney cap to keep debris and animals out of the chimney.

4. Choose the right fuel. For burning firewood in wood stoves or fireplaces, choose wellseasoned wood that has been split for a minimum of six months - one year and stored in a covered and elevated location. Never burn Christmas trees or treated wood in your fireplace or wood stove.

5. Build it right. Place firewood or firelogs at the rear of the fireplace on a supporting grate. To start the fire, use kindling or a commercial firelighter. Never use flammable liquids.

6. Keep the hearth area clear. Combustible material too close to the fireplace, or to a wood stove, could easily catch fire. Keep furniture at least 36” away from the hearth.

7. Use a fireplace screen. Use metal mesh or a screen in front of the fireplace to catch flying sparks that could ignite or burn holes in the carpet or flooring.

8. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Place detectors throughout the house and check batteries in the spring and fall.

When you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time, remember to check your batteries.

9. Never leave a fire unattended. Before turning in for the evening, be sure that the fire is fully

extinguished. Supervise children and pets closely around wood stoves and fireplaces.

10. The CSIA recommends annual inspections performed by CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps. These chimney sweeps have earned the industry’s most respected credential by passing an intensive examination based on fire codes, clearances and standards for the construction and maintenance of chimney and venting systems. The National Fire Protection Association also recommends that all chimneys are inspected on an annual basis.

For more chimney and fireplace safety tips, visit the Chimney Safety Institute of America online at www.CSIA.org.

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To aid in the prevention of chimney fires and carbon monoxide intrusion and to help keep heating appliances and fireplaces functioning properly, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) offers the following safety tips:

1. Get an annual chimney check. Have chimneys inspected annually, and cleaned as necessary, by a qualified professional chimney service technician. This reduces the risk of fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote buildup or obstructions in the chimneys.

2. Keep it clear. Keep tree branches and leaves at least 15 feet away from the top of the chimney.

3. Install a chimney cap to keep debris and animals out of the chimney.

4. Choose the right fuel. For burning firewood in wood stoves or fireplaces, choose wellseasoned wood that has been split for a minimum of six months - one year and stored in a covered and elevated location. Never burn Christmas trees or treated wood in your fireplace or wood stove.

5. Build it right. Place firewood or firelogs at the rear of the fireplace on a supporting grate. To start the fire, use kindling or a commercial firelighter. Never use flammable liquids.

6. Keep the hearth area clear. Combustible material too close to the fireplace, or to a wood stove, could easily catch fire. Keep furniture at least 36” away from the hearth.

7. Use a fireplace screen. Use metal mesh or a screen in front of the fireplace to catch flying sparks that could ignite or burn holes in the carpet or flooring.

8. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Place detectors throughout the house and check batteries in the spring and fall.

When you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time, remember to check your batteries.

9. Never leave a fire unattended. Before turning in for the evening, be sure that the fire is fully

extinguished. Supervise children and pets closely around wood stoves and fireplaces.

10. The CSIA recommends annual inspections performed by CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps. These chimney sweeps have earned the industry’s most respected credential by passing an intensive examination based on fire codes, clearances and standards for the construction and maintenance of chimney and venting systems. The National Fire Protection Association also recommends that all chimneys are inspected on an annual basis.

For more chimney and fireplace safety tips, visit the Chimney Safety Institute of America online at www.CSIA.org.

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Class size is limited to ensure a ratio of no more than eight students per instructor. This small class size means that students have the opportunity for individual attention from the school’s experienced instructors, and ample opportunities for hands-on training. Because class size is limited, it is important to apply early to reserve your place.

The online CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep review provides exam candidates with a convenient and affordable guided learning experience.

The online Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician (CDET) review provides exam candidates with a convenient and affordable guided learning experience designed to help you pass the CDET exam.

Take advantage of these other CSIA educational offerings that can build your business:

Send us your greenhorn.

and we’ll send you back a pro.

in 6 days, Classes fill quickly, so register now!

2012 DATeS: April 2–7June 4–9August 6–11September 24–29

April 2-7June 11-16August 6-11September 24-29


If service from the interior is not possible, you’ll need to go outside to service the venting system from the exterior to the interior. When servicing from the exterior, you should be in your full protective gear including a tyvek-type protective suit with hood, a full-faced respirator with proper cartridges, and gloves.

There is typically a TREMENDOUS amount of fly ash that will come out of a pellet appliance system when servicing it from the outside and the technician will be right in the middle of this dust cloud.

We set up all our equipment outside, then will go inside and turn the unit to “on” momentarily, then back to off. On most units, this will give you about 10 – 15 minutes that the combustion fan will operate. If you work quickly, you can sweep the entire flue system in this time frame.

IMPORTANT NOTE 1: When pushing brushes into the system, be careful to not run your brush assembly into the combustion fan impeller assembly as damage can result. (I’ve personally done over a thousand service calls like this and have never had an issue with this happening, but be forewarned that it IS possible to damage the fan doing this.)

IMPORTANT NOTE 2: When pushing brushes into the system, do it SLOWLY so you don’t dislodge too much fly ash at once, this can block the flow of air out of the system. If a blockage occurs, you’ll need to clear it. (In the last 5 years, this has happened to me twice. It’s not a frequent occurrence, but it can and does occasionally happen.) When you’ve completed cleaning the venting system, don’t forget the termination. Clean it thoroughly. Many times you’ll find that the flyash has become very hard and crusty on the cap assembly and you’ll need a stiff putty knife and/or a wire brush to service the cap.

T: Test and Verify; After thoroughly servicing the entire system, it is very important that the appliance be started up and be allowed to run through the startup sequence normally, then allowed to continue to run until the unit is in a normal running mode with the convection fan(s) running. At this point, you should have control over the system through the control board. Test the operation of all components and features including varying the speed of any components that might have that function. This can include, but might not be limited to, the convection fan speed, the auger feed speed, and/or the length of the auger feed timing cycle and, in some rare instances, the speed of the combustion fan.

Following the “AIRPORT” method will lead you through the servicing part of the unit in a logical manner of following the path of air through the unit. It’s an efficient way for you and your technicians to quickly move through the unit and system as a whole

Troubleshooting Charts When troubleshooting a pellet appliance, it is essential that the technician become extremely proficient using troubleshooting charts.

Engineers at the factory level spend a great deal of time designing troubleshooting charts specific to their brand.

Troubleshooting charts are designed to take the fewest number of steps to isolate and identify the problem with the appliance. You must resist the impulse/urge common of the very new and the veteran technician to skip ahead of the process.

Stick to the flowchart of the troubleshooting charts and you will be working at peak efficiency.

Summary This article is a simple look into a pellet stove service and some of the things a technician will encounter. It is highly recommended that prior to servicing or repairing any pellet appliance system you earn the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep certification and the NFI Pellet Appliance Specialist credential.

Pellet appliance servicing can be a profit center in your business, much like any other service segment you choose to engage in. The key to successful pellet appliance servicing is to be able to work through the process efficiently and to be priced appropriately (profitably) for the amount of time involved in the service and/or the repair aspect of the service call. That pricing strategy will be different for each and every company in the industry.

Information on earning the CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep credential can be found at www.csia.org.

Information on earing the NFI Pellet Appliance Specialist credential can be found at www.nficertified.org.

Information on pellet fuels can be found at the Pellet Fuels Institute, a non-profit association that serves the pellet industry, which is comprised of pellet mills, pellet appliance manufacturers, and industry suppliers. Their website is www.pelletheat.org.

About the Author: Bart Ogden is President and Co-Owner of Home Safe Hearth and Chimney, Inc. in Wichita, KS. He holds current certifications as a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep (#2653), a CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician (#10), and a NFI Master Hearth Professional. The NFI MHP designation is for industry professionals who have earned the Gas Specialist, Pellet Specialist and Wood Specialist credentials. Bart has been involved in the hearth industry since 1979, is a past executive board member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild and the Chimney Safety Institute of America and is a current member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild Technical Advisory Council or NCSG TAC. He is a volunteer expert on AllExperts.com regarding hearth appliance systems. Bart served on the White House Chimney Sweeping Team in 2011.

(Continued from page 20)

Pellet Stove and Insert Servicing

You can spend weeks trying to get a new employee up to speed. In the process, you’ll have used up your valuable time, your patience, and more money than you would like to admit.

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.

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

At the 6-day hands-on Training School, your employee will learn:

How to inspect and service chimney systems serving any fuel burning appliance.

How to be safe, with the latest health and safety equipment and methods.

How to work with residential heating appliances, including wood stoves, pellet stoves, inserts, factory-built fireplaces, central heaters and furnaces.

How to diagnose chimney performance problems: understanding draft and flow, diagnosing down drafts, flow reversals, inadequate flow, stack effects, updrafts, pressure effects and gauges.

How to navigate the International Residential Codes. How to follow the NFPA 211 standards.

Class size is limited to ensure a ratio of no more than eight students per instructor. This small class size means that students have the opportunity for individual attention from the school’s experienced instructors, and ample opportunities for hands-on training. Because class size is limited, it is important to apply early to reserve your place.

The online CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep review provides exam candidates with a convenient and affordable guided learning experience.

The online Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician (CDET) review provides exam candidates with a convenient and affordable guided learning experience designed to help you pass the CDET exam.

Take advantage of these other CSIA educational offerings that can build your business:

Send us your greenhorn.

and we’ll send you back a pro.

in 6 days, Classes fill quickly, so register now!

2012 DATeS: April 2–7June 4–9August 6–11September 24–29

April 2-7June 11-16August 6-11September 24-29


REGION 6

NCSG Charter Members

Paul Bourque Huntsville, AL

Don Leavitt San Diego, CA

David Harris Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Dan Wheeler Santa Rosa, CA

John Cline, Menlo Park, CA

Dale Meisinger, N. Augusta, SC

Alan Hisey, St. Louis, MO

Eva B. Horton, Greenwich, CT

Harry Richart, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

NewNCSGMembers

NCSG REGIONS

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

WASHINGTON

PaulRees•Paul’sChimneyServices•Centrailia

CALIFORNIA

KennyHarrison•TheHeatSource•Tehachapi

LorenGerard•NorthcoastChimneySweep•McKinleyville

Put your mark on history!

NCSG is currently working on a history project to help the

organization capture our shared history since the organization’s

beginning. If you have interesting information, fun photos or

official Guild communications that may be of interest, please

scan and email them to [email protected]. Please note: Not

all material will make it onto the Guild’s timeline but may be

included in another area of the history project.


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Below is an overview of some of the products and services you can take advantage of through NCSG’s shipping program. It’s free to enroll and there are no minimum shipping requirements to take advantage of your member discounts.

FedEx Express®:•Forfast,reliabledeliveryofyourtime-criticalshipments.•Shipandmanageyourshippingatfedex.com.

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A very special thanks goes out to the NCSG Supplier members who participated in

the 2011 – 2012 Sweeps Advantage Coupon Program!

AHRENSChimneyTechnique•AirJet,DivisionofContinentalIndustries•AlphaAmericanCompanyBACSales,Inc.•CondarCompany•CopperfieldChimneySupply•DuctCleaners’Supply•DynacoteLLC•EarthcoreIndustries,LLC•Enervex,Inc.(formerlyExhausto)•FiresafeIndustries•FiresideDistributors,Inc.•HearthClassics•HighStepper,LLC•HY-CCompany,Inc.•LifetimeChimneySupply•LindemannChimneySupply•LongleafLighterCompany•MattersoftheHearth•MeyerMachine&Equipment•NationalChimneySupply•NeuexHearthProducts•NewEnglandChimneySupply•OlympiaChimneySupply•SaverSystems•SmoktiteLLC•SNEWS-TheChimneySweepNews•VentechIndustries,Inc.•WakefieldBrush•Whitecaps•WohlerUSA,Inc.•Z-Flex.

The 2012 – 2013 offers are being added daily in the “Members Only” section of the NCSG website at www.NCSG.org. So start checking for these new offers each week. These coupons will be good until June 30, 2013.

2012 – 2013 SWEEPS ADVANTAGE COUPON PROGRAM

Featured Coupons of the Month

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n 1983 the first commercial cell phone hit the market. The Motorola DynaTac measured roughly a sleek 9” tall (plus a 4” antenna), 3.5” deep and 1.75” wide. It weighed more than 2 lbs, had a 30 minute talk time, took 10 hours to re-charge, could store a whopping 30 phone numbers, and cost the

Gordon Gekko’s of the world a modest $3,995.

By comparison, today’s current model iPhone is 4.5” tall, .37” deep and 2.31” side. It weighs a paltry 4.9oz, has 8 hours of talk time, re-charges in about an hour, and the “low end” 16GB model stores roughly 5,000 songs (who knows how many phone numbers?); all for less than $400 at the high end.

And that’s just a comparison of the phone itself. I recently saw data that indicated as of 2011 there were 5.6 billion mobile phones in use. In the United States alone, there were more mobile phones in use than the US population itself (103%). Of those billions of cell phone users, how many of us actually use our phones merely as phones? It has been estimated that by 2014, mobile internet access is expected to take over desktop internet access, representing almost a 400% increase in mobile internet usage since 2007 alone. Almost ½ of all local searches for products, services and general information are performed on mobile devices.

Depending on your perspective, the statistics about all of this technology and the way the world communicates today range from staggering to bizarre. Well in excess of 1 billion of the mobile phones in use are smartphones, and with relative few

exceptions almost all of the remaining phones are SMS enabled.

And here’s something to consider…I’ve seen it estimated that on average, Americans spend almost 3 hours per day socializing on their mobile devices. That’s over twice the amount of time most spend eating, and more than 1/3 of the time we spend sleeping every day.

So what’s the point? As author Scott Friedman put it, “If you don’t make a commitment to technology today, you’ve made a commitment to retire.” The constantly evolving face of technology and its impact on the way we live and subsequently do business is at the core of everything the world is becoming.

An article last month in The New York Times indicated that Facebook is now up to more than 900 million users. That’s more than 3 times the U.S. population, and we’ve all likely heard quip that if Facebook were a country it would be the 3rd largest in the world. That same article noted that nearly half of all Facebook users log in on their tablets or mobile phones.

One year ago, Time Magazine reported that the social media platform Twitter had 360 million accounts with 460,000 new sign-ups per day. Similarly I have seen reports that LinkedIn surpassed the 120 million user mark last fall.

How often do we hear someone talking about how the world is changing? How often do we hear about “kids these days” or how today’s generation just doesn’t “get it”? Well if you haven’t figured

BY MARK MCSWEENEY, CAEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Perspective

Are You Keeping Up?“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” -Albert Einstein

I


it out by now, today’s generation has it, and their not about to slow down and wait for the rest of us to catch up to it. By the time this article moves from my computer to the magazine and into your mailbox, I can only imagine what new technologies and media will have either surfaced or begun a short curve research and development phase that further impact our daily lives over just the next 12 months.

Think back merely 15 years. That’s not all that long ago all things considered, but it’s multiple lifetimes in technology terms. How has the world changed just in that amount of time? 15 years ago, how many of you used email and the internet with any degree of regularity? If you wrote a letter to someone, what was a reasonable response time? By contrast, if you send an email today, how quickly do you expect a response from someone? And forget email; 15 years ago how many of you knew what text messaging was, let alone were actually using it? 15 years ago, video conferencing was an expensive and cumbersome proposition. Today, Skype and FaceTime are not only free international communication tools, but one or the other is preloaded on just about every new computer or smartphone out there.

The world is changing! The world has always been changing, but it is certainly doing so at a more rapid pace today.

You may not personally be on Facebook. You may not get a kick out of being among the more than 230 million tweets sent per day or care to follow others on Twitter. You may still think

You Tube is some awkward video invasion of someone’s personal space. None-the-less, the fact is that these are merely three strategic marketing platforms that successful businesses of all trades are increasingly realizing are a necessity for their survival.

So, is this a generational thing? Sure it is. But we’re wasting our energies if we try to place blame on generational labels. The fact is that for the first time in our economic history, we have 4 generations working, living and competing side by side. The youngest generations may be pushing the technology, and they do represent the future longevity of all of our businesses, but it’s a mistake to assume that the more seasoned generations are not embracing much of the technology as well.

According to Nielsen, the research company, during the second quarter of 2011 the second largest growth sector of tablet owners was the 55+ year old demographic, while the largest growth sector for smartphone owners was the 45+ year old demographic.

Go-Globe.com reports that in 60 seconds there are:• Over370,000callsonSkype• Over98,000tweets• Over100newLinkedInaccountsestablished• Over6,600newpicturesuploadedonflickr• Over695,000statusupdates,over79,000wallposts,andover

510,000 comments on Facebook• Over100questionsaskedonAnswers.com• Over600newvideosuploadedtoYouTube• Over13,000iPhoneappsdownloaded

And that’s just a small sampling of the online media activity the world is using every minute of every day. If you are not taking advantage of that traffic somewhere, it’s amazing the potential opportunities that are being missed.

In an article I wrote a few years ago about the changes we are seeing, I wrote: “My old typewriter and my new laptop may both be wireless, but that’s about where any similarity ends. Personally, I’m glad. I don’t miss the manual ping and messy Whiteout. I’m in awe at the global resources my children have available to them and can only imagine the next level of technology that they will consider to be common-place before I know it.” This is becoming a stronger truth every day.

I hope you’re keeping up.

Until next time, I continue to wish you every success!

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

Send it to Melissa Heeke at [email protected] for publication in Sweeping. Or, mail it to NCSG, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168.

Page # Advertiser Phone Email or Website Address

30 Ahrens Chimney Technique 800-582-1392 [email protected]

21-24 Chimney Safety Institute of America 317-837-5362 www.csia.org

15 Cobra Chimney Caps 888-463-0636 [email protected]

19 Copperfield/Flame 800-247-3305 www.flame-intl.com

13 Firesafe Industries, Inc. 800-545-6607 www.firesafeinc.com

8 ICP 508-695-7000 www.chimneycaps.com

BC Lifetime Chimney Supply LLC 877-234-7473 www.lifetimechimneysupply.com

7 Lindemann Chimney Company 800-722-7230 www.lindemannchimney.com

11 M & G Duravent 800-835-4429 www.duravent.com

9 Meyer Machine & Equipment 800-728-3828 www.meyermachine.com

6 National Chimney Supply 800-897-8481 www.nationalchimneysupply.com

5 Olympia Chimney Supply 800-569-1425 www.olympiachimney.com

27 Orion Safety Products 800-637-7807 www.chimfex.us

16 Sand Hill Wholesale 800-258-5496 www.sandhillwholesale.com

4 SaverSystems, Inc 800-860-6327 www.chimneysaver.com

32 Smoktite 866-439-0069 www.smoktite.com

3 Whitecaps 800-335-2534 www.whitecaps.com

14 Z-Flex 800-654-5600 www.z-flex.com

Maybe the mason was afraid of heights?

- Submitted by by David Faux of Fireplace Gallery in Noxen, PA

August 13-17, 2012Online CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org August 13-17, 2012Online CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician ReviewFor more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

August 17, 2012Madison, WICSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review and ExamFor more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

August 20-24, 2012CSIA (online) Health and Safety WeekFor more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org/safetyweek

August 24, 2012CSIA Technology Center Masonry Heater Association’s Heater Mason’s Education and Development (HMED) ClassFor more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

August 27-31, 2012CSIA (online) Chimney Physics For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

Dates & Events August 27-31, 2012

CSIA (online) Lining Masonry Chimneys with Stainless Steel For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

August 27-31, 2012Online CSIA eLearning For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org

August 30-31, 2012Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference CenterNew England Chimney Supply Science & Systems SeminarFor more information, please contact Mike Simard at [email protected]

September 4-7, 2012CSIA (online) Codes and Standards Quizzes For more information, please call (317) 837-5362 or visit www.CSIA.org/quiz

Please send notice of your events for NCSG Dates & Events listings at [email protected] 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).


ClassifiedsGotta 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

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CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERSMembers can run one 35 word classified free each year! Regularly 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 ad, please contact Megan McMahon at [email protected] or (317) 837-1500.m

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NCSG Innovation 2013 Convention and Trade Show Hotel reservations are now being accepted for NCSG Innovation 2013 at Chateau on the Lake in Branson, MO, April 4-7, 2013. Just call 1-888-333-LAKE (5253) and mention that you’re with the National Chimney Sweep Guild to lock in rates starting at $129 for a mountain view and $134 for a lake view.

Get ready for some R&R. You’re earned it!

Order Your FREEAnnual Maintenance Reminder Postcards

A great way to remind homeowners to schedule their annual maintenance check up.

Each card has space available for your business information.

Use them as reminders for your existing clients, or send them to generate new business.

To order postcards and other free Burn Wise products, contact:

Leigh [email protected]

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Follow us on:

Wood-Burning Safety

Starts with You!

Have you scheduled your

annual inspection?

The National Fire Protection Association estimates

that 25 percent of home heating fires are caused

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Make your home healthier and safer. A properly

installed and maintained appliance burns more

efficiently and saves you money. Contact your local

certified chimney sweep to schedule an annual

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Before You Burn

The right wayThe right way is hot and bright.

In the right applianceThe right appliance is an EPA-approved appliance, inspected annually by a certified chimney sweep.

Burn the right woodBurn only dry, well-seasoned wood that has been split and stored properly.

www.epa.gov/burnwise

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National Chimney Sweep Guild2155 Commercial DrivePlainfield, IN 46168

1207

OR

August 2012

Documents

journal of chimney

venting of pellet stoves

venting technology issn

bylawsdiane pilger631

representativejohn pilger631

lake view

rich rua general sweeping

jim brewer gas venting