National chimney sweep guild
Encyclopedia
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
for chimney sweeps and chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
and venting
Venting
Venting is the debut album and sole studio album by the post-grunge/hard rock music group Five.Bolt.Main. It was released on September 13, 2005 via Rock Ridge Music. Three singles were released from the album: "Pathetic" , "The Gift" , and "Seem to Be Fine"...
manufacturers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Based in Plainfield, Indiana
Plainfield, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,396 people, 7,051 households, and 4,914 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,023.1 people per square mile . There were 7,449 housing units at an average density of 414.3 per square mile...
, it has approximately 1,100 member companies. Member companies range in size from the owner-operator
Owner-operator
In the United States and Canada, an owner-operator is any small business owned by the same person who is running day-to-day operations. Owner operators are found in many business models and franchising companies in many different industries like restaurant chains, health care, logistics,...
sole proprietor
Sole proprietorship
A sole proprietorship, also known as the sole trader or simply a proprietorship, is a type of business entity that is owned and run by one individual and in which there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business. The owner receives all profits and has unlimited responsibility for...
chimney sweep companies to those with 15+ vehicle crews and manufacturers with hundreds of employees.
NCSG was founded in 1977 as a result of increased woodstove use due to the oil embargo crisis of the early to mid-1970s
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
. It is the only national trade association representing chimney professionals
Chimney sweep
A chimney sweep is a worker who clears ash and soot from chimneys. The chimney uses the pressure difference caused by a hot column of gas to create a draught and draw air over the hot coals or wood enabling continued combustion. Chimneys may be straight or contain many changes of direction. During...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
The stated mission of the NCSG is "to promote the success of its members by providing progressive services, encouraging professionalism and ethical accountability
Accountability
Accountability is a concept in ethics and governance with several meanings. It is often used synonymously with such concepts as responsibility, answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and other terms associated with the expectation of account-giving...
and advancing the chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
and venting industry through public awareness of the trade." Membership is open to any chimney-related company, be it manufacturer, supplier, distributor or service company. The NCSG is governed by an elected board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
made up of representatives from eight geographic regions within North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, one supplier representative and four at-large directors.
In 1986, NCSG published the first edition of Successful Chimney Sweeping, the first manual
Owners manual
An owner's manual is an instructional book or booklet that is supplied with almost all technologically advanced consumer products such as vehicles, home appliances and computer peripherals....
to set a standard for chimney service practices ever written.
The NCSG supports regional and state chimney sweep guilds and associations and is a member of the European Federation of Chimney Sweeps (ESCHFOE) and regularly participates in international technical and business meetings. Eleven times each year, the National Chimney Sweep Guild publishes its trade journal
Trade journal
A trade magazine, also called a professional magazine, is a magazine published with the intention of target marketing to a specific industry or type of trade. The collective term for this area of publishing is the trade press....
, Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology.