|
The OREGON CHIMNEY SWEEPS ASSOCIATION, Inc., a non-profit organization, was formed in the fall of 1978 for the following purposes:
To promote the interest of all persons in preserving life, limb, and property from loss due to chimney fires.
To promote professionalism by establishing operational standards for the industry in Oregon. To promote fire safety in the home.
To establish a liaison with the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office and with the Oregon State Building Codes office.
To conduct advertising of an educational nature.
To discourage the fixing of prices or setting territorial limits.
To promote, organize, and support fund raising for the American Cancer Society.
To provide a standard of excellence by which all Chimney Sweeps may be judged.
A Chimney Sweep attired in black clothes and top hat may bring to mind the happy-go-lucky Mary Poppins characters. He is much more than that. He is a civic-minded small businessman. His main concerns are Fire Safety and Energy Conservation within his community.
When a Chimney Sweep cleans a chimney, he uses brushes to remove all the build-up of soot and creosote from the flue system. These deposits of soot and creosote are responsible for chimney fire damage that totaled an estimated $4.7 million in Oregon during 1986. This fact is provided by the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office.
Chimney Sweeps are helping reduce that figure by confronting the causes; dirty chimneys, improper wood heater installations AND unsafe chimney conditions. The Chimney Sweep is part of the energy conservation movement. He is involved directly because he knows that a clean oil flue allows the furnace to burn hotter and cleaner, using less oil and saving fuel dollars.
Chimney Sweeps also encourage the use of wood for heating fuel because it is a "renewable resource." Wood is an efficient and economical energy source with an increasingly important role to play in the future of the Northwest United States.
Member Sweeps of the OREGON CHIMNEY SWEEPS ASSOCIATION, Inc. are professionals. You can look to member sweeps for competent assistance in keeping your chimney flues clean and answering related questions. Whether you are enjoying a log fire in the evening or heating your whole home with a wood heat stove, this can mean peace of mind for you and your family.
|
