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We created this video in 1989 to help our chimney sweep customers educate homeowners about the dangers of chimney fires. Thirty-five years ago, making this video cost us $10,000 (equivalent to $25,618 today). We sold a few for a nominal fee. It was an investment we were willing to make in the chimney industry. Forty-one years later, we still offer training. We manufacture, repair, and upgrade Chim-Scan® chimney camera inspection systems. It is part of our daily life. This is what we do. It is what we believe in.
Little Factoid: You may wonder how the J3D got its name. Initially, the camera was named The Janis after the 2 faced Roman god (because it could look in multiple directions). 3D is because over 90% of the camera is 3-D printed in our Iowa facility. We have built commercial-grade equipment for professional chimney technicians for 40+ years. We repair what we sell and upgrade, too! All of our work is done in Fairfield, Iowa, where we are family-owned and operated, just like our customers’ businesses.
![]() One of the many features of living in the Midwest is sunrises and sunsets. The convenience of seeing them also precludes that in order to see someone, you’re going to spend some time in a car traveling. In most cases, it’s not worth the inconvenience of flying, so 6-8-hour trips have become common to us. Well, the story begins on one of these road trips. It seemed we had done several in the last few months, so Esther and I were beginning to think the world was endless highway miles, high speeds, and too much fast food. So, somewhere on the trip, about 2-3 hours out, both of us were beginning to get hungry. We both agreed that burgers & fries were not going to fit our hunger, so Esther said, “Hey, let's go to Wendy’s and get a baked potato and salad.” Sounded like a plan, but the next Wendy’s was at least an hour away. So, we had time and miles to think of a properly baked potato with our dreams of toppings that grew stronger as we traveled. Somewhere in one of the “I” STATES, Illinois or Indiana, did our dream come true. It was almost 5:00 on a Friday when this event happened. We parked the car, shook off some of the stiffness from the travel, and proceeded into Wendy’s. It wasn’t too busy yet, so we were second in line for the order. Standing behind Esther, I saw the whole thing unravel. Esther was looking up at the screen above the counter, and said to the girl, “I’ll have a baked potato with cheese & broccoli and,” when the girl behind the counter said, “I’m sorry, but we're out of baked potatoes.” There was a second or two of silence when Esther decided to lay on the counter and holler, “I can’t believe you’re out of baked potatoes; it’s only 5 o’clock”! The whole restaurant stopped. With everyone stunned by her outburst, she turned to me in horror, and I said, “Let’s try for a salad.” She lowered her head, apologized to the Wendy’s staff, and ordered salads. As the girl took our credit card, Esther tried to explain the reason behind her reaction, but I don’t think the staff was buying it. We went to the furthest seat or bench, ate the salads, and went out the door. As I turned to look at the counter, they were still looking quite scared. Maybe a burger might have been a better choice. Anyway, sometimes there are too many miles and not enough smiles. Life on the road.
It won’t leave these walls.
Why should that make anyone nervous? After all, we are only a chimney camera manufacturer. ![]() While walking into our local farm store the other day, it reminded me of an event that happened three years ago. My wife and I were there in another farm store to pick up some chickens to raise. The store was not accustomed to having someone buy 40 chicks at a time, so they boxed them into groups of 6. Being handed and jostled around, chicks can make a lot of noise, especially in steel buildings. As we made our way to the checkout counter, my only thought was to get them out of the store as soon as possible. We were met by a young lady who was going to check us out. Surprised by the number of chicks and the noise they were making, the girl began to explain how to take care of them. We’ve raised chicks before, so I was a bit put off by the detail she was explaining. A short time into the conversation I began to notice that she had a disability on the autism spectrum. She constructed her sentences with such care, wrapping each word with love and I began to feel her love and understanding. After she completed the instructions, I asked her if I could repeat them to be sure we got it right. I could see from her eyes the delight she felt as someone who had listened to her. After I completed the instructions, she smiled from ear to ear and wished us luck in raising the chicks. So today when I entered the farm store, the chicks were making their usual noise, only this time I remembered the young lady’s smile. I think I got the better end of the conversation. So, take time and listen, my friends. You never know where you will find a beautiful nugget of love and truth. Have a great day! Tom Urban This is a portion of a Chimney Scanning Video that our founder, Tom Urban, created for the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) School a few years ago. Tom spent several years teaching for CSIA and volunteered extensively for the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG). The video says it all. Our cameras have survived fires, drops, being run over, and other hazards. Accidents happen. Extreme Conditions. We started as chimney sweeps. We get it. That's why our cameras are built to last. This is why we just celebrated 40 years in business! We build them. We can repair them. Made in Iowa. Please watch our video. |
AuthorTom Urban has worked in the Chimney and Hearth industry for 45 years. He's been an inventor and manufacturer for 40+ of those years. Archives
March 2025
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