To the Editor:
I had a serious sense of déjà vu reading your Christmas and New Year’s issues, for both featured one-sourced articles on the same local chimney sweep. Apparently your reporter had year-end fatigue and couldn’t make more than one phone call to gather his information.
In the second of two articles, your reporter and the local chimney sweep gave the impression that the alleged estimate done at a senior citizen’s home for Maine State Housing Authority was done by a chimney sweep. Impossible, given that the reporter says the company in question cleaned the heating system, replaced a nozzle and checked for oil leaks.
Chimney sweeps are not licensed to make repairs to oil or gas burning systems. Only technicians licensed by the Maine Oil and Solid Fuel Board can perform such work. Apparently the facts got in the way of a good story.
In any event, I would like to point out that any homeowner who wants to be assured that their chimneys, wood stoves, pellet stoves or furnace connectors are being serviced at a top-notch level should visit the Web site of the Chimney Safety Association of America (CSIA) at www.csia.org to see whether a chimney company is certified to do the work.
This organization is the broadly recognized authority in the country on chimney safety for homeowners and industry professionals. CSIA-certified sweeps need to pass a rigorous exam every three years and maintain CEUs (continuing education units) to stay on top of NFPA fire code changes and other issues.
Anyone looking for a local CSIA-certified sweep can look on the home page of the Web site, put in their zip code, and find a certified sweep in the area. In my opinion, a chimney service company that is not CSIA-certified is not intent on providing knowledgeable quality service.
My company, Maine Coast Chimney, is the only experienced CSIA-certified one in Lincoln County. I am also a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG), regularly attend chimney conferences around the region and country to stay abreast of industry innovations and carry $1 million worth of liability insurance.
In other words, I take my job and the safety and well being of my customers very seriously. I have more than 600 customers in Lincoln County who I am sure would attest to that. Anyone who would like to learn more about our credentials or services can visit www.mainecoastchimney.com or call 350-5495.
Robert Conlin
Proprietor, Maine Coast Chimney
Boothbay
