A clean sweep
Published Saturday September 19th, 2009
Chimney sweeps trained to recognize chimney problems inside and out
Patrick Cormier owns and operates Master Chimney Sweep here in Moncton.
If you ever see someone on top of a house in top hat and tails; it's probably him.
"I have been doing this for 29 years," Patrick says. "I started as an apprentice. I had been travelling, working, and lost my car and job, and a friend said he could get a job working the business. I have never looked back."
There are a few things the professional chimney sweeps of Metro Moncton want you to know. First and foremost, though, is that there are professional chimney sweeps.
"The most important thing is that they are WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) certified," says George LeBlanc, general manager of A1 Chimney Sweeps Ltd.
You want to hire a trained professional, and you want to avoid the scams that seem to come with the cold weather season," he says.
Metro residents may recall last year's "chimney sweep bandit" who was using the job to get inside people's houses.
A certified chimney sweep will have a WEPP photo ID, which they are proud to show you.
Patrick is he a WETT-certified master chimney sweep and a master solid fuel technician, he is also an instructor for the WETT national certification program, the past president of the national WETT organization as well as WETT NB, the provincial affiliate.
Wood energy technical training courses provide classroom training, for chimney sweeps and technicians, people who inspect, and who install wood stoves and chimney works. They learn the ins and outs of the business and the products in order to make sure you get the help you need.
"By hiring someone WETT certified, you hire someone trained in recognizing the problems and risks of build up and cracked liners," George says. "Someone who knows where problems are going to develop."
In Canada, solid fuel technology, such as wood stove and chimney installation is not licensed. It is the only type of fireplace an amateur can install. If you are doing anything with oil or gas, you must be licensed.
As for being a chimney sweep, "you would be required to undergo six days of intense classroom training, and provide a declaration of 80 weeks in the field of experience...in order to get certified," says Patrick.
James Matthews does not have the certification, but has been working as a chimney sweep for 50 years.
"I started with my father when I was 15," he says. "We went from working on chimneys that burned coal, through oil and wood...The stoves have changed, the chimneys have changed."
And he has seen some interesting things in chimneys, from birds and bats right through to racoons making their nests and raising their babies in the fireplace over the summer.
But no matter how much the technology changes, the problems with chimneys remain the same: they get built up.
"Some chimneys are so blocked you cannot even get the brush down," says James. "That's mostly from burning wet wood.
"It's a dirty job," he admits, "but I like it!"
Patrick loves his job, too. Every morning he dons top hat and tails, gets in his truck, and starts to sing one of the verses from the Chimney Sweep Song from Mary Poppins: "Now as the ladder of life 'as been strung, you may think a sweep's on the bottommost rung. Though I spends me time in the ashes and soot, in this 'ole wide world, there's no 'appier bloke." The story behind the top hat and tails is interesting.
"That goes back to the old English chimney sweeps," laughs Patrick, "when they were traditionally very poor people.
"Clothing was a real issue with them. They could hardly afford anything and it was always getting dirty, so they went to the undertakers and got the old suits, that the dead people were no longer using."
Homeowners are advised to get chimneys inspected at least every year, and cleaned whenever there is build up, sometimes more than once a year.
What you can expect is that the sweep will clean the flu liner in the chimney, service the appliance and clean the flu pipes that connect the appliance to the chimney. Then a good thorough check of the appliance itself and a top to bottom look at the system to determine how it is holding up according to the standards of the national building code.
"We recommend that the very best time to get your chimney swept is late spring," says George.
That way it gives the chimney the whole summer to dry before you have to use it again. It also allows you to avoid the rush and take advantage of more competitive pricing.
"And if the sweep finds that a repair is needed, it is much better to do it in the off time and be ready for the heating season," George points out.
There are some things you could be doing at home as well. First off, you should "burn smart" which means smaller and hotter fires when the outside temperature is above -5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit). Also make sure to burn only seasoned wood, which has been air dried for at least six months.
"But the most important thing is upgrading your wood stove," says George.
Make sure you own one that is certified by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Certified stoves burn less wood and are going to be anywhere from 25-50 per cent more efficient.
"I just love my job," says Patrick. "Honestly, I have never have a better job in my life. When I get in my truck in the morning, I am so happy, I always put on a little performance for every client, I meet all kinds of people.. it's a great job."
More Home & Garden
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
