At Lindemann Chimney Supply we like to pass along tips to chimney sweeps and hearth professionals. A friend of mine decided to check his gutters because of the recent heavy rains we've had. He has an office job and his knowledge with ladders is somewhat limited. To make a long story short, he took a tumble off of a step ladder last night and spent three hours in the emergency room. Fortunately he didn't break his leg but ended up with a puncture wound in his leg and numberous cuts. He's off work for a few days as he recuperates. Here are some reminder tips for working with ladders.

• Never put a ladder on soft ground. Only on solid stable ground.
• Just because a ladder boasts a "premium" label doesn't mean it's the right ladder. Check the label for classifications and weight restrictions.
• Never climb too high on a step ladder. Remember that the higher you get, the less there is to hold on to or grab if you start to fall.
• Always use the correct ladder. A step ladder is not an ideal ladder to inspect gutters. Use a properly classed extension ladder.
• Always watch for power lines and power sources, particularly with aluminum ladders.
• If it's windy, watch your ladder for a few minutes before ascending. Make sure nothing could blow into you or your ladder like electrical wires, tree branches, etc.
• If it's windy, secure your ladder to a solid surface so it doesn't blow over. Many people have been left perched on the roof at the mercy of the next passerby or homeowner.
• A ladder is only as secure as what you set it on. Don't use stepping stones, sticks, yard ornaments, boards, etc., to level or stabilize your ladder.
• Make sure pets are put up. An excited pet can knock the ladder down, make it hard to get down off the ladder or may even try to climb the ladder.
• Keep children away from the ladder. They tend to be curious and all kinds of accidents can happen.
• Never throw equipment or anything down off a ladder.
• Always make sure your ladder is locked into position. In fact, always double check before using the ladder.
• Use caution if your feet or the ladder are wet
• Clean off your shoes or boot before starting up a ladder, particularly if your feet are muddy.
• Never wear slippers, flipflops, crocs or similar wear when using a ladder. Wear appropriate footwear for traction and feet protection in case of a fall.
• Never crawl up on the roof or use a ladder when electrical storms are forecast. Lightning can strike ahead of the storms and a metal ladder creates a high risk.
• Always use caution even when folding or retracting a ladder. Some ladders are heavy and can cause smashed fingers or damage.
• Let someone know when you are using a ladder (the man above didn't do this - his wife was on the phone and didn't hear him - he had to crawl to the door).
• Always keep up with OSHA rules for ladder safety and implement a company wide stadard operating procedure.

Even though you may have heard this before, I figure it's a good reminder. It's always the unexpected things that happen to catch a person off guard. What should have been a fifteen minute gutter inspection turned into a couple of days worth of recuperation time, expense and could have been much worse.

Posted by Karen Lamansky, Director of Marketing.

Roswell, Ga., June 13, 2011 - Keith O’Brien has joined the ENERVEX team as the National Sales Manager for the residential market. O’Brien’s role with the company will focus on building the fireplace and stove market within the residential market.
O’Brien’s previous experience includes serving as Territory Sales Manager at the MSA Group for more than five years. He was responsible for increasing sales and adding new clients during an economic downturn.
O’Brien boasts more than 10 years of experience as National Account Manager for INTERMATIC Inc. He was able to increase the business by 25% and was held responsible for managing the relationship with The Home Depot.
O’Brien comes highly recommended from previous colleagues and ENERVEX is eager to have him join the team as sales manager.
ENERVEX is a global leader in the design and supply of demand-controlled mechanical draft and exhaust systems focusing on innovation, design and environmental sustainability in residential and commercial markets. ENERVEX operates in a number of countries emphasizing the USA, Canada, Central America and the Middle East.
To contact Keith O’Brien, he can be reached by phone (770)587-3238 or by e-mail keitho@enervex.com.

At Lindemann Chimney Supply we like to pass along products that we have used with success. The best product we found for removing the tarry, gooey creosote is Cre-Away. It works to dry it out making it easier to remove. It is also good for other types of build-up including severe third-degree creosote. It modifies the third-degree creosote glaze by converting it into a more brittle state that has a different expansion/contraction rate than the flue. During heating and cooling cycles, the creosote starts to lose its adhesive properties making it easier to remove by chimney sweeping. First, a reactive agent neutralizes the creosote making it less corrosive to metal components and less flammable. Second, a dehydrator absorbs the oils and moisture contained in some forms of creosote. Third, a combustion inhibitor helps reduce the chance of chimney fires. Finally, a magnesium catalyst helps break down third degree creosote when the flue is heated by normal use. Cre-Away is effective on all types of creosote. Not recommended for catalytic stoves.

Here's a photo showing how Cre-Away works. The top flue is the glazed flue. Moving down, the second flue has just been coated with Cre-Away. The next flue shows how Cre-Away as broken down and loosened the creosote. The bottom flue shows how well the Cre-Away worked.

For professional application, use Cre-Away Pro. By using a small compressor you can make a comprehensive application, making sure to get all the nooks and crannies. Then leave a small bottle of Cre-Away with your customer to use daily. Cre-Away Pro is sold in a 25-pound pail. Make sure you invest in the Cre-Away Applicator.

Posted by Karen Lamansky, Director of Marketing.

At Lindemann Chimney Supply we like to pass along tips to our customers who are installing stainless steel chimney liners. Here are some tips, below, for attaching insert boots and connecting the stainless steel chimney liner:

• Some installers use stove gasket cement to glue stove gasket to the bottom of the insert boot to create a better seal.
• Some boots such as the ICO Adjustable Boot, above, has a clamping system that attaches it through the insert collar.
• For insert boots that have to be attached to the insert a cobalt drill bit will do a quicker job.
• To secure the insert boot you can either use bolts and nuts. Another way is to pick up a tap and die kit. After drilling the correct size hole (as mentioned in the tap and die kit) then use the kit to thread the holes and attach the boot with screws.
• Stove and gasket cement can be used to seal where the insert boot meets the stove and where the pipe enters the collar. However, this will make future removal more challenging because it sets up hard.
• Never use silicone sealant to seal an insert boot. It won’t withstand the temperatures.
• If you are attaching the boot to the insert first then don't forget to predrill the holes in the liner so that when you pull the liner down into the boot all you have to do is line up the holes and attach.
• If you are attaching the boot to the liner ahead of time make sure you have room to push the liner up a little to clear the insert when it's pushed back into the opening.
• If you attach the liner to the boot ahead of time make sure you predrill the holes into the insert so you can line everything up and attach the screws or bolts and nuts.
• We provide boot dimensions in our catalog so you can anticipate whether the boot will clear the lintel in situations where you attach the boot ahead of time.

Oval Adjustable Boot (ICO) and Round Boot

When it comes to installing black stovepipe whether it's for a chimney relining or a new stove installation Lindemann Chimney Supply wants to provide you with a few tips:

• Use self-tapping stovepipe screws for quicker installation.
• Stovepipe must have a minimum of three opposing screws at each joing.
• Single wall black stovepipe has a minimum of 18" clearance to combustibles.
• Double wall stovepipe clearances depend on the UL Listing.
• Some stovepipe paint may lightly smoke and/or have an odor when the stove is first fired.
• Plan on “curing” new stovepipe. The homeowner should open the windows when the paint cures.
• Even after curing stovepipe will sometimes smell when it reaches higher temperatures in the winter months.
• Stovepipe is never to be used as anything other than a connector from the stove to the chimney.
• Never pass stovepipe through a combustible wall unless you have a UL Listed thimble.
• Stovepipe should always have a male/crimped end down connection into the stove.
• Use black stovepipe only on woodstoves or coal stoves (coal stoves are hard on black pipe and it will need to be changed out more frequently).
• We stock four stovepipes: HeatFab Saf-T Pipe, DuraBlack, Snap-Lock and Dura-Vent Double Wall DVL stovepipes.

When fall rolls around and the kids are back in school they are often asked to write a paper on what they did that summer. How would you want your paper to read?

A Time for Learning...

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of educational opportunities as well as networking with fellow sweeps and business owners. The price of education is immeasureable. It's like a sling-shot that puts you way ahead of your competition. Instead think of one paragraph topic as "I learned about a new service and implemented it to my business. It will add $1000 a month to the bottom line".

A Time to Plan...

Is your maintenance on your truck and tools completed? Do you have extra motor brushes for your vac? Have you ever changed them? (If not they most likely need changed). There's no time to plan in the fall so make your busy season life easier right now and plan to take care of all preventative maintenance and office reorganization right now. Think of this paragraph as "I jumped ahead of my competition because I planned and executed measures to prepare me way ahead of anyone else".

A Time to Teach...

How prepared are your office staff to handle problems? Have you empowered your sweep team/assistants/office personel to handle issues so some of those little "pressure bombs" are taken off of your shoulders during the busy season? "I taught and if felt good - people love being empowered"...

A Time to Evaluate...

What are your goals for fall? Where were you last year? Where do you want to be? Involve your staff in this process. If they don't know where you are going how will the help you get there? "We are all targeted to pursue our goal to take our business to the next level".

A Time to Play...

Take a really nice vacation with your family. It will sustain you in the months ahead. It doesn't have to be an exotic location. Particularly with children. Waterparks, camping, adventure parks, just any where that you can get your mind off your business and connect with your family. "I had a really nice time connecting with my spouse and children. We set mini goals to reconnect even in the busy season".

When next fall rolls around your paper could look like this: "I learned about a new service and implemented it to my business. It adds $1000 a month fo the bottom line. I jumped ahead of my competition with the planning and executed measure that prepared me to far surpass my competition. I taught my employees and they feel good about themselves and their work. It's a relief to know that I won't have a lot of unexpected unpleasant surprises next fall. Everyone is on board and targeted to take our business to the next level. Most importantly, I had a great time with my family. We made some great memories that will help sustain me through the busy days of autumn. To maintain this strong bond we will continue to have "mini" vacations and days where we devote the entire time to each other."

What will your answer be when someone asks what you did last summer?

Posted by Karen Lamansky, Director of Marketing

At Lindemann Chimney Supply we know that leaky Chimneys really show themselves in the spring with the increased rainfall amounts. In fact they even carry a guarantee.

Chimney Caps/Top Sealing Dampers are a great way to seal out rain, snow and other types of moisture. A chimney without a cap is like a very large open rain gauge. Caps and chimney top dampers also minimize the intrusion of animals, entry of debris and may have the option of controlling sparks. A chimney top damper, like the Energy Top Plus, also seals in "paid" heated air and air-conditioning that may otherwise escape up your customer's fireplace flue.

Energy Top Plus

FlashSeal is an effective flashing system that prevents the entry of moisture around leaking flashing. This can prevevnt the removal and repair of the existing flashing saving your customer hundreds.

CrownSeal, CrownCoat and CrownSaver are all effective solutions in sealing the chimney crown. Which product you use depends on the severity of the damage. CrownCoat is an excellent coating when there are hairline cracks or a flexible waterproof membrane is desired. CrownSeal is for thicker cracks and is again a flexible waterproof membrane.CrownSaver is for larger damage areas. It also includes FormFoil which can be applied previous to the CrownSaver to provide a bond break. It also provides waterproof coverage.

ChimneySaver and Brick After Application

ChimnneySaver is an excellent solution to chimneys with soft mortar and/or soft brick. It penetrates about 1/4" and while it prevents water entry it still allows the chimney to breathe. It is much more cost-effective than repairing the damage caused by freeze/thaw and damaged walls, framing, etc., in the long run.

Ventinox Chimney Liner

One last situation where a chimney may have appeared to leak is when white efflourescence stains the side/area of the chimney where a gas appliance is venting. This is common with "orphaned" water heaters (after installation of a mecahnical vented furnace the water heater is left to vent out the flue by itself) or when a new furnace is vented into the flue but no liner was provided. Every cubic foot of gas burned produces about a cubic foot of water vapor. If this cools too quickly before exiting the flue it can cause damaged wall paper, framing, leaks in the ceiling, white efflourescence stains on the chimney and damage to the chimney. A properly sized chimney liner would be the solution to this problem.

Whatever the problems or syptoms your customer has we can help you with the cure! Click here to contact us or feel free to call us at one of the following numbers: Albany, NY:  877-722-7230 ; Atlanta, GA: 866-450-3111 ; Chicago, IL: 800-722-7230.

Lindemann Chimney Supply would like to introduce you to an American success story - our leading chimney cap manufacturer, industry innovators, long-time friends and vendor, HY-C Company. Alan Hisey founded HY-C COMPANY in 1947 in Saint Louis, Missouri. Their first product was an aluminum chimney cover manufactured in Mr. Hisey’s garage. HY-C is still owned by the family; currently the third and fourth generations are working in the business. Today the facilities have expanded from the garage to an entire city block just north of downtown Saint Louis, plus an auxiliary warehouse in south Saint Louis.

HY-C's Custom Copper Cap

HY-C’s first customers were homeowners serviced by Mr.Hisey’s contracting business. They needed chimney repairs and were sold a chimney cover to prevent or postpone future expenses. HY-C continued to make and sell several models of knocked-down aluminum chimney covers until 1980. At that time the market was changing and consumers were demanding assembled covers that were more substantial. In 1980 the company manufactured its first assembled, black-painted, galvanized chimney cover. A few years later HY-C added the same covers made out of stainless steel. Today they have the capabilities of producing several custom-made covers designed to fit unique or unusual situations. Over time several items were added to the chimney cover line as demand grew, but the company manufactured just one product line - chimney covers.

HY-C's Innovative Animal Screen

In the late 1990s HY-C made the decision to diversify into other product lines to help grow the business. In 1998 they began manufacturing a line of tubular log racks. In the spring of 1999, HY-C purchased the stoveboard product line from GSW/Jackes-Evans. At the beginning of 2001, they purchased the assets of Liberty Foundry, which added cast iron fireplace grates and other accessories such as andirons and steamer kettles. HY-C is a market leader in all the product lines that they manufacture. They take pride in the quality of their products and the breadth of selection within their product lines.

HY-C's Grey Tile Stoveboard

Mr. Hisey was a Charter member of and a vital financial resource in the founding of the National Chimney Sweep Guild. HY-C has been a member of the Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association since 1980 and the American Hardware Manufacturers Association since 1983. HY-C is a member of several state and local business organizations. The company is also involved with local not for profit community service organizations.

At Lindemann Chimney Supply we like to keep you informed of interesting industry related events. I recently came across this link where the queen bee flew down a fireplace flue and into the house. Of course the hive followed her.

An Energy Top Damper would have prevented a situation like this. Here's just another reason for your customer to purchase an Energy Top from you. Click here to see this article and video.