Double Take -- by Shane Clements

I swore when I agreed to write this story that I wouldn't break down to the obvious joke: Mary Poppins. So don't even ask. When I talked with Rick at Calgary Chimney Service and Repairs there was no singing or dancing or discussions of good luck with flying babysitters.

However, he's enthusiastic and says he really enjoys the work; "Every day is different, it's not like working in a factory where you do the same thing everyday. Each fireplace is built differently so each one is a challenge to clean and repair."

Rick likes to have fun with the job, but stresses he takes his work seriously. "You have to know at the end of the day that the people's house you just left is safe. That's a big responsibility."

The day starts at 8:00 AM in order to meet with customers. There are a variety: "We work with lots of ventilation systems: pizza ovens, paint booths and private homes -- you name it. Most of the time, a customer contacts us because there's a problem. We clean the system first and then identify any problems there might be," Rick says cleaning takes about 45 minutes to an hour and sweeps usually work with a partner. Depending on the day, there might be eight cleanings throughout the city. There's usually a lot of driving from one job to the next.

Rick got his start as a Furnace Repairer with the gas company but when he was laid off, he started chimney sweeping. Over time he started his own company and picked up the many skills needed to do repairs. He found he enjoyed learning a variety of trades like roofing, masonry, carpentry and metal work.

New workers get their start as sweeps and almost all the training is on-the-job. During this training period, they earn about $10/hr. Sweeps over time learn skills for installation, repairs and safety inspections. After a few months of experience many workers can get certifications which increase the amount of work they are able to do. While these courses aren't required for someone to work as a chimney sweep, they are sought after by employers and customers as assurances of safety and quality. Sweeps who are experienced and certified can earn between $15 - $18/hr. If you are looking for details about certifications check out these links:

Basic three day course:
WETT Certification

After that you can certify as a Sweep:
WETT certification Chimney Sweeping.

Sweeps can then specialize in inspections:
WETT certification Basic Inspection.

Or installation and repair:
WETT certification Technician/Advisor

I went to meet with a couple of sweeps that work for Rick. They both agreed with Rick that sweeping was fun. "You are always driving to a new job, faced with a new situation."

The actual sweeping is done by getting up on the roof via a ladder and then getting into a safety harness. After that, a brush (yes, just like the movie... don't even start) is forced down the chimney. Additional handles are attached to the end, depending on how long the chimney is. At the end, there is a pretty big mess of soot to clean up. As the work progresses, it is carefully removed to keep the house clean.

Both of the sweeps I talked to said that the biggest hazard was potentially falling off the house. "Some of the roofs are so steep, it's difficult to stay on in good weather." The day I visited it had snowed. The roof looked treacherous and the crew decided it was too risky to proceed. "Sometimes we have to tell a customer that we have to come back on a drier day. Everybody wants their chimney's cleaned for Christmas, though," said one.

Rick suggested that the people who get the most out of the job are those who enjoy climbing, who aren't afraid of heights and are generally "handy". A construction trade background is very helpful as well. Both sweeps I talked to had roofing and general construction experience.

If you already have some construction experience and are interested in work where climbing, working at a variety of sites and learning a variety of trades sounds interesting, chimney sweeping could be a job for you.

If you prefer singing and dancing, check out the entertainment issue of nextsteps.org.

Related info:

Who's Mary Poppins?
and what's a
Chim-Chimney? (listen to the song from reelclassics.com)