In today’s ever changing business climate it’s easy to look back with fond memories on what worked in years past when life was much slower and business was predictable. Enter the age of flux. From mobile phones, to Coca-Cola, to chimney sweeping, it is all about change.

It’s natural to keep doing things that are familiar. In today’s day and age of flux what worked for you in the past is no longer viable. Take for instance, the way you used to market your business. Yellow Page ads were one of the most widely used forms of advertising. Add in newspaper ads, cold call telemarketing and radio ads and you likely had your bases covered.

In today’s world the Yellow Pages have been all but replace by Angie’s List and other “rating system” type websites. Newspaper ads are electronic and cold call telemarketing is often done by chimney/home repair scam businesses. Radio ads are not as effective now that online radio and satellite radio stations are available.

Take heart though. There are a lot of free marketing/advertising venues available. Through Facebook that baseball team you sponsored with your company name is now being circulated throughout your community by parents commenting on their children’s games. You can become connected with numerous people you never knew existed in your community. And the cost? Your time.

Through your website you likely have a onetime creation fee and then it’s a matter of having it updated from time to time. The best part is that you have control over how often you post changes or blogs to your website. Tie this in with Facebook or Twitter and you now have tripled the exposure for your one-time effort of a blog.

Change is constant. Change is painful. “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” Winston Churchill

At Lindemann Chimney Supply we care the best products for your chimney sweeping and chimney repair business. One of our most products is ChimneySaver which was the first waterproofing product developed specifically for chimneys. It's been successfully used  by chimney professionals for over 20 years to stop leaky chimneys and prevent damage to the masonry.

ChimneySaver reduces water penetration into the masonry by over 99.9% according to ASTM tests conducted at the University of Wyoming. It’s 100% vapor permeable so it won’t trap moisture in the chimney. It lets moisture wick to the outside. Some "waterproofing" agents seal the pores of the masonry actually causing more chimney damage due to freeze/thaw conditions.

Water-based ChimneySaver is VOC compliant and is the most popular formula. However, if a water repellent has previously been applied to the masonry, we recommend the solvent-based formula or the new VOC Compliant Solvent-Based ChimneySaver available in 1-gallon containers. The average coverage rate for most chimneys is about 125 square feet per gallon. A 5-gallon pail of ChimneySaver treats about 2-5 chimneys, depending on the size and porosity of the masonry.

We are offering a special on ChimneySaver Water-Base. When you order a 5-gallon container we will actually ship you a 6-gallon container, but only charge you for 5 gallons. This means you get an extra gallon free! This special will apply as long as we have quantities of 6-gallon containers.

Today's chimney sweeping and hearth businesses have greater opportunities than our predecessors had in the '70s during the "oil crisis". Predecessors being previous businesses, family or even our youthful selves that started up our businesses based on a brush, rods, a top hat and metal SootSweeper I Vac.

Today's world is in flux. The only constant is change. This gives every business in America the opportunity to outgrow its competitors. The key to growth in today's fast-paced business environment is vision. Take Netflix and Redbox for example. With Blockbuster having infiltrated every big city and town, who would have imagined that someone could watch a movie over the internet. Or rent a movie from a vending machine outside a MacDonald's or just inside a Wal-Mart? If you think back to the late '90s and early 00's that would sound crazy – right?

The world is becoming ruled by visionaries and innovative thinkers. What's true of yesterday in marketing is becoming obscured by today's constant flux and opportunities. If you aren't on Facebook you are already years behind your competition. Not on Twitter? Same thing. Check out the new site Pinterest. Can't? That's because it's by invitation only. Opportunities are BOUNDLESS in today's mobile world.

If you're not blogging in your business you are missing the boat. No YouTube videos? This is one of the greatest opportunities for promoting your company. In today's day and age of reality TV, today's America loves to see real people at work. Take, for example, today's hottest shows: Swamp People, Dog the Bounty Hunter and Billy the Exterminator. Jack the Chimney Sweep? Bring it on! You don't have to be perfect or have perfect filming. Just be yourself! A word of advice – be yourself if you were in front of your Grandmother, Minister, parents, children, etc....

A business that ignores these opportunities does so at its own jeopardy. One thing is clear. There is no "road map" to help you determine the best course of action in this ever changing world we live in. Use your vision. Be innovative. And don't be afraid to try.

At Lindemann Chimney Supply we believe in education for the betterment of our industry. That's why we are sponsoring two educational classes by the imney Safety Institute of America (CSIA): Certified Sweep Review and Exam and Chimney Physics.

The CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep Review and Exam will be on March 21 in the Northern Chicago area. This credential is acknowledged by our industry, most insurance underwriters, local, state and federal agencies as the measure of a chimney sweep’s knowledge about the evaluation and maintenance of chimney and venting systems. 

Don't pass up the opportunity of attending the Chimney Physics class March 22-23 in Northern Chicago. It includes information about stack effect, adverse pressures and how they are created, as well as indoor air quality solutions. It includes draft issues and other solutions for problems related to fireplaces, furnaces and hearth products of all fuels.

We feel so strongly about the importance of these classes that we will have many of our sweeps in attendance. To register for the classes call 317-837-5362 or click here.

At Lindemann Chimney Co., one of our most popular products is CrownCoat by SaverSystems. This popular product seals crowns to prevent chimney leaking through the crown.

CrownCoat is a premixed, ready to use, "quick dry" crown protection coating. It can be used wherever a lasting waterproof membrane is needed. Just fill larger cracks and voids with patching cement or high quality caulk, then apply two coats of CrownCoat using a 3" or 4" paint brush (not included). First apply a thin coat, then follow with a heavier top coat. It cures completely in 2 – 4 hours and covers about 40 square feet per gallon. It may be colored using standard mortar dye.

It's that time of the year when customers call about a leaky chimney. Lindemann Chimney Co., likes to keep our chimney sweep and hearth retail customers up-to-date on the latest products and educational opportunities. One of the best products for fixing leaking chimneys is ChimneySaver Water Repellent.

ChimneySaver was the first waterproofing product developed specifically for chimneys. It's been successfully used by chimney professionals for over 20 years. It reduces water penetration into the masonry by over 99.9%, according to ASTM tests conducted at the University of Wyoming. It's 100% vapor permeable so it won't trap moisture in the chimney. It lets moisture wick to the outside.

Water-based ChimneySaver is VOC compliant and is the most popular formula. However, if a water repellent has previously been applied to the masonry, we recommend the Solvent-Based ChimneySaver formula or the new VOC Compliant Solvent-Based ChimneySaver.

New this year is ChimneySaver Water-Base for Block Chimneys. It is specially formulated to bond with the minerals in block and CMU's (concrete masonry units). Also new this year is ChimneySaver Water-Base with Stainblocker. It forms an invisible barrier that blocks the return of stains yet doesn't change the appearance of the surface.

The average coverage rate for most chimneys is about 125 square feet-per-gallon, depending on the porosity of the material. The denser the material the less ChimneySaver is used, while a soft or spongy brick or masonry material may only cover 80 square feet-per-gallon because it soaks up more material. A 5-gallon pail of ChimneySaver treats about 2-5 chimneys, depending on the size and porosity of the masonry.

Sales aids include Demo Bricks (five treated and five untreated), brochures and a Bubbler. The Demo Bubbler visually demonstrates how ChimneySaver repels water yet allows the masonry to breath. Pour an inch of water on the treated ceramic dish and blow into the plastic tube to show how ChimneySaver is 100% vapor permeable.

For application, we recommend the Sorbent Pads to protect adjacent roofing surface and a quality sprayer, preferably with a straight and flat fan spray. The Backpack Sprayer makes applying ChimneySaver quick and easy.

Lindemann Chimney Supply is happy to be one of the sponsors for the Chimney Physics Course put on by the New York State Chimney Sweep Guild and the Chimney Safety Institute of America 

Don't pass up this opportunity to learn more about stack effect, adverse pressures and how they are created, as well as indoor air quality solutions. It includes draft issues and other solutions for problems related to fireplaces, furnaces and hearth products of all fuels.

Where: Ramada Plaza/3 Watervliet Avenue Extension/Albany, NY 12206/518-438-8431. Lodging available at $69/night + state and hotel tax.

Cost: Early Bird price = $299 ($100 discount for all NY Guild Sweeps if registered before March 2nd. After March 2nd it's $325).

To register click here or call 317-837-5362.

While you are in the area, please plan on stopping by our warehouse in Latham, NY to visit us! For directions contact William Dawson. 

 At Lindemann Chimney Supply we love to help you promote your hearth and chimney sweeping business. How hard is it for your customers to find your business online? Is your website effective? Are you on Facebook and Twitter? Do you publish helpful homeowner oriented videos on YouTube?

These are just some of the ways to get your company noticed and promoted on a local level. When you combine Facebook and Twitter posts as well as YouTube videos with links back to your company website then you multiply the exposure your company receives.

Another very valuable way to promote your company online is through press releases. If you can provide a few links to different pages on your company website this will again help to multiply your message. Here are some of the top online press release services in the USA: PR Web; PR Newswire; Business Wire, Marketwire and Prime Newswire.

You have a wealth of knowledge that you can share on a press release, Facebook, Twitter and as a blog on your computer. Some ideas are new products, new hires, promotions, safety tips, how to start a fire in a fireplace/woodstove, decorating trends (ties in with new products) and company news.

If you haven't taken advantage of these avenues to promote your business I'll bet that your competition has. The longer you wait the farther you get behind.

Part 4 of Chimney Liners and UL Listings employees some tongue in cheek humor. Remember Part 1 that started as "You may be an unlisted system if" reminds me of the "You may be a redneck" lines of the Jeff Foxworthy jokes? If you have missed parts 1 - 3 you can read them by clicking here.

We all see liner installations that would make the honorary Foxworthy "unlisted" hall of fame. So as you read the following keep in mind that we are substituting "unlisted" for "a redneck".

• You might be unlisted if you are a stainless steel liner venting a woodburning a fireplace - bare, without insulation.
• You might be unlisted if you are venting a woodburning system and have no tee.
• You might be unlisted if you are bent through the thimble and attached directly to a free-standing woodstove.
• You might be unlisted if you have dry insulation mix poured around you.
• You might be unlisted if you have no rain cap.
• You might be unlisted if you don't have a top plate to seal out the weather and provide support.
• You might be unlisted if you are kinked at a 180 degree angle (courtesy of the installer).
• You might be unlisted if you get in a fight with the installer or shipper.
• You might be unlisted if you're too small for the fireplace/woodstove you're venting.
• You might be unlisted if squirrels and birds are still welcome on a regular basis via no rain cap.
• You might be unlisted if you are installed in a dirty flue.
• You might be unlisted if you are installed in a chimney that the brother-in-law built.
• You might be unlisted if the chimney sits on wooden supports.
• You might be unlisted if the chimney hangs from the ceiling.
• You might be unlisted if the chimney is missing bricks or mortar joints.
• You might be unlisted if the chimney has a lot of vertical cracks.
• You might be unlisted if the chimney moved and the ground didn't.
• You might be unlisted if the chimney only has three sides.
• You might be unlisted if the installer used duct tape to secure the pipe joints.

 You get the idea. Installing an unlisted system can set you up for a whole lot of problems. And that's no joke.

This blog is part III of Chimney Liners and UL Listings. It involves the perspective of what a UL Listed chimney liner means from a customer's point of view. Part I of this series is what a UL Listing means to the chimney liner manufacturer. Part II is what it means to the liner installer

When a customer purchases a UL Listed product they are buying assurance. UL has been around since 1894. They are not only well recognized and respected in the USA, but they have a global presence that is staggering. By hiring you to provide them with a UL Listed system, your customer trusts you to give them a UL Listed product. They purchase Christmas lights, lamps, smoke alarms and many other home products that are UL Listed. Having this listing gives them a sense of security. They believe that if a product is UL Listed that it has passed UL's safety test and is one of the best products they can put in their home. 

Giving your customer a UL Listed chimney liner system means using all of the required components. One little component that's left out or substituted means voiding the listing unless that liner has been tested with that particular component. Some installers want to cut corners and leave the liner insulation out for woodburining applications. This voids the UL Listing. Some installers may want to leave dirty creosote-laden tiles in the flue. This also voids the UL Listing because the liner instructions were not followed (remember, they are part of the listing!). If a homeowner finds out what they thought was a UL Listed system really wasn't installed according to the listing then they can pursue the installer because they did not get the product that they paid for.

To be continued...