Let’s play alphabet soup. DIY. FYI. CSIA. NMAC. FRACAS.
What do these acronyms or initialisms stand for? Do it yourself. For your information. Chimney Safety Institute of America. Northeastern Masonry & Chimney. Failure reporting, analysis, and corrective action system. (We learned that last one decades ago on a government proposal. Who could forget it?)
Despite appearances to the contrary, this is not a post about acronyms. Well, it is about one of them.
DIY.
When it comes to chimneys and fireplaces, we suggest you skip the DIY role.
Why?
Safety and efficiency, in two words.
On the most basic level, we do not want to see our customers or prospects risking life or limb on a roof. Don’t DIY. Don’t do it yourself.
Depend on certified professionals, for the same two reasons: safety and efficiency.
What You Can Do
Make Northeastern Masonry & Chimney your DIWP resource. DIWP? Do it with professionals.
“We’re certifiable” — and proud of it. Being certified and certifiable sets us apart from those who lack rigorous training credentials. You often hear words like “qualified,” “trained,” and “expert.” The customer has every right to ask: “What does that mean?” and “What is the value of these terms?”
What sorts of professional certifications exist in our industry? Most notably, the CSIA certifies technicians so that they have the skills and tools to inspect or clean your chimney properly.
Northeastern Masonry & Chimney employs CSIA-certified professionals. CSIA certification involves compliance with a set of rigorous industry standards that yield quality to our customers. The CSIA is a non-profit organization, thereby safeguarding itself from bias or commercial conflict.
How does this help you as a homeowner? It protects you because any CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep found in violation of the code of ethics runs the risk of having CSIA certification revoked. In other words, the ethics code has some teeth in it.
While not necessarily certifications per se, other types of training include National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) standards, education in and compliance with NFPA-211 codes and recommendations, and best practices gleaned from our own experience with customers like you.
We Do More
Another certification body is the National Fireplace Institute. The NFI is the certification arm of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Education Foundation (HPBEF), a nonprofit educational organization for the hearth industry. As with any certification entity, the NFI assesses its industry and devices standards of information, knowledge, training and compliance.
(You can add NCSG, NFPA, NFI, and HPBEF to your list of acronyms.)
Our certifiable work practices and methods reinforce quality. Reserve your appointment today with Northeastern Masonry & Chimney. Call Northeastern Masonry & Chimney at 518-767-9315 or make an appointment online.
Since 1993 (and more than 17,000 customers later), Northeastern Masonry & Chimney has been DIYing for you, so you don’t have to DIY yourself. Go with us as your DIWP (do it with professionals) experts. You won’t regret it.