When you think about it, owning a chimney is a big responsibility. When you operate your chimney, you are burning fuel at high heats. You need to be sure that every component of your chimney is being maintained and in tip-top shape, otherwise, you may be putting your family at risk of fire, falling bricks, or exposure to toxic gas. When you schedule your annual chimney and fireplace inspection, you want to be sure that the person working on it is qualified to do the job, while at the same time conducting business fairly and ethically. That’s why we here at Leonard & Sons have every one of our chimney sweeps become certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).
What does CSIA certification mean?
The CSIA emphasizes the importance of safety and education in the chimney and ventilation industry. In addition to this, they also believe that every chimney sweep should take an oath of to only perform ethical business practices. The process of becoming certified takes three steps. First, sweeps must complete a training course related to chimney and ventilation maintenance and repair. Second, sweeps must take another training course related to chimney and ventilation safety. Once both of these training course are completed, sweeps must take a rigorous exam related to both training courses.
The final step of the certification process is related to ethics. The CSIA has each sweep create a code of ethics and conduct. This code of ethics must be developed with the consumer’s well being in mind. The code must state that a sweep will perform their work to the best of their ability without cutting corners or misleading their clients. Once their code has been developed, each sweep must swear to uphold their code, performing work with integrity and professionalism. Once all steps are completed, sweeps are eligible for certification.
However, the certification process isn’t done after initial certification. Because technology is always changing, sweeps need to stay current with their knowledge of chimney maintenance and safety. That’s why the CSIA requires all sweeps to be re-certified every three years. Re-certification is achieved through more training and testing.
We don’t get CSIA certified for our benefit, but for our customer’s. The safety of your family is the hallmark of our business and we cherish it above anything else. Acquire peace of mind by scheduling an annual checkup today with one of our CSIA certified chimney technicians by calling Leonard & Sons at 847-658-7659 or scheduling an appointment online.
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