​Are all of your employees on the same page? Is there a discrepancy in terms or procedures? Does your office staff understand what your chimney technicians are trying to tell them? Does it take a long time to train new employees? These problems can be solved with the Chim-Scan® Factory Training (CSFT) class.

This class/book follows a video scanning and inspection process. Each of the five modules takes the technician from one transition point to the next. It provides an up-close view within the structure.  There is also a 17-page glossary with terms and images. The book includes over 400 photos that explain what you will see in the flue. 

How can your team be aligned if your technicians don’t agree on terms or the procedure? Is this causing confusion with your office staff? If each employee who trains a new technician uses their own terms and unique processes, this confuses the technicians and office support staff! Having streamlined training is essential to having a staff that works together. 
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Do your technicians understand what is happening in the flue? A cracked chimney does not always mean a chimney fire has occurred. A crack may indicate one of these causes: overfiring, chimney fire, or a seismic event. This book focuses in depth on the symptoms to look for other than cracks. There is other evidence to gather, images to capture, and analysis of how this may affect the structure. 

Highlights for the CSFT book and training:
• What is an Ideal Chimney? How does it stand up to IRC and NFPA 211?
• When do I use IRC, NFPA 211, or the appliance manufacturer’s installation instructions?
• Understanding the Levels of Inspection and Chimney Scanning
• Cracks in the flue, Thermal Stress, and Thermal Shock
• Best viewing angles for scanning – the best angle to use by defect for the best images
• The Four Pathways to Deterioration, with examples and images
• Best Access Points for scanning
• What you might find in a chimney (animals, types of soot, etc.).
• Equipment check
• Scanning patterns

Once technicians become familiar with the content in the book, they can take the Chim-Scan® Factory Trained Technician Test to achieve this designation. They will earn a certificate and a patch. A copy of the logo is also available for their use now. This will put them light years ahead of their competition and make them a source of knowledge for homeowners.

Spring is slowly turning into summer. The days are getting warmer and longer. Forward-scheduled work such as chimney repairs, waterproofing, and chimney relining becomes the norm. During this change in pace, take some time to perform some maintenance on your Chim-Scan® System.
50-foot Cable 
Cables get dirty and take a lot of abuse. They need weekly cleaning, which also helps reduce the cable's drying and cracking, preventing it from becoming a soot mummy. Pull the cable out until you see the tape, and wipe or clean it with a damp paper towel. Grab the cable and rewind it as it runs through the cleaning cloth in your hand. This cleaning method should remove corrosive soot and prevent the outer casing from drying out. It also addresses nicks or peel-offs. (If you see a bare wire or a nick, wrap it with three layers of electrical tape and keep an eye on it.) If the cable is stretched, twisted, or kinked, now is a good time to send it back to us for repairs or replacement. 
Unit Maintenance
The controller and case tend to be areas prone to catching soot and soil. You can use canned or compressed air to blow out the case. Ray, who details units at our shop, finds it helpful to run the vacuum simultaneously. Whatever is loosened with the compressed air is picked up with the vacuum. 
Use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe the controller. It should pick up a lot of soot and soil. If there is dust behind the monitor protector, carefully remove the acorn nuts and wipe the monitor with a fresh, clean microfiber cloth designed for monitors. Don’t forget to put the monitor protector back in place. Also, clean the debris from the grooves in the case so it shuts completely.
You can also remove the reeler to clean even more dirt from the case. Having the reeler removed makes cleaning the cable easier. 
Specialized brushes and tools used to reach small areas, like for car detailing, can help loosen some soot within the case. Cleaning the case exterior usually takes a lot of scrubbing and patience. This is important because your customer sees you bringing it into their home.
The Camera
When it comes to the camera, use a soft, clean microfiber cloth to clean the camera. You can replace the colored electrical tape at the top and bottom of the lens protector if you have a Lighthouse™, Lighthouse Tilt™, J3D™, or Combo Camera. If the lens cover is scratched badly, you can scan the QR code below, to the right, to see how to change this lens cover. When replacing the lens cover, we use canned air to blow out the camera housing.
Keyboard Care
Blow out the keyboard with compressed air to remove debris that may fall into it. Don't set anything on top of the keyboard. We stock replacement keyboards, or you can use any USB Keyboard other than Bluetooth. If you want to add a keyboard, we need your controller to make specific changes to accept the keyboard.  
In summary
If you don’t want to do the cleaning yourself, you can send it to us and we will clean it. In the past forty years, we’ve experimented with various products to find cleaners that pull the soot out. We use industrial, commercial, and residential cleaning products, and have the proper tools and equipment to make your unit look brand new!
If we notice wear & tear or damage that could lead to problems, we will contact you first with an estimate. Otherwise, we will complete the cleaning and make your unit bright and shiny, all for $190. Note: shipping is not included.

​1. All new cameras and units will have the new connectors.
2. 2. Starting June 1st, any whole unit that needs a new connector will be changed to the new style.
3. We have a small stash of old connectors, so we intend to use them only for repairs.
4. The new connectors are cheaper, but the durability is top quality.
5. *Starting May 1st, all cameras with Y-blocks must be upgraded to J3D Cameras. We will put old connectors on them as long as we have the old connectors available.
6. Please ask if you’d like an adaptor cable from the old to the new connector.
7. Payment plans are available for people who ask. It’s ½ down, and the balance is financed over 3 months. No interest.
We know there will be some confusion and snafu’s, so please share this information with everyone in your company who deals with your Chim-Scan®!
*There’s no discount or coupon.
For those who own multiple units, you may want to think about sending units in to be switched over before fall.
To obtain a price Quote
Please send us a picture of your camera and your unit. You can text photos to 641-472-7643 or send them to [email protected]. Please let us know if you would like an upgrade, require repair, want it refurbished, or just cleaned. Please fill out the repair form before sending it in for repair and enclose a copy in the box. 
We will call you if we have questions and send you a  quote. The work doesn’t start until we get your approval.
Financing 
In a bit of a pinch? Whether you want to purchase a new unit or need upgrades, we have a payment plan if this project is a little more than you planned. We still require ½ down, but the remaining balance can be spread out over 3 monthly payments.
Thank you for your business!!

Cleaning dryer vents is an essential service for your customers and is usually required to maintain a dryer’s warranty. Our Chim-Scan® Dryer Vent Plus System makes scanning dryer vent interiors easy! Scanning the dryer vent before cleaning is essential. You can check for blockages, disconnected joints, overuse of elbows, nests, correct termination to the exterior, and that the proper materials were used when the dryer vent was installed.

According to an NFPA 211 report created in 2020 by Marty Ahrens, an estimated 13,820 residential dryer fires happen each year, with an estimated 7 deaths, 344 injuries, and $233 million in property damage annually. Failure to clean was the leading factor contributing to the fire.
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One of the most critical indicators of a problem is when the dryer takes longer to dry clothes. Another indicator is when they have to keep replacing heating elements, sensors, or dryers. This is where our Dryer Vent Plus System becomes invaluable. You can use this tool to scan the dryer vent before cleaning. Every homeowner is a candidate for dryer vent inspections and cleaning. 

Our hi-res Dryer Vent Camera includes 9 dimmable lights. The 1.5-inch diameter camera is stabilized and centered using the 4 wheels, which provide the camera the freedom and stability to maneuver around offsets.
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​The camera is wired directly to the 30’ flexible wired rod, which easily pushes the camera around offsets in the dryer vent. The rod is stored in a built-in spool within the case. 

The protective case has a generous opening for easy access to the camera and rod. The case includes a handle and a cable connector to connect to any Chim-Scan® Units manufactured after 2015. If your unit was made before 2015, or if you are in doubt, please contact us. 

​To see how the camera works, scan or click on the QR Code at right. 
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1. Commercial-grade imaging equipment. There’s a difference between our products and disposable consumer electronics.

2. We fix what we sell. Chim-Scans® are made by hand here in Iowa.

3. We offer upgrades on older equipment. 

4. Two reference guides: Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guide and Interior Chimney Scanning.
5. Chim-Scan® Factory-Trained Technician Program™. 

6. The Flue & Hearth Notes™ for documentation and reporting.

7. Easy-to-understand product manual with a quick-start guide.

8. A book targeted specifically for realtors.

9. We promote our customers by providing your name and contact information to the American public when asked.

10. We provide an active website with information, videos, and the latest innovations.
11. When you call, the phone is answered by a live person. 

12. We offer 40 years of experience in equipment building, 110 years of combined industry experience in-house, and reliable equipment that 8 people in Iowa build. 
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​In the early 90s, the only rods available were the fine thread screw-together fiberglass and the Euro-type thick threaded rods. We soon found that the camera's weight and the scanning method (people were turning the rods in multiple directions) caused the rods to unscrew and the rods and the camera to tumble down the chimney. We devised a locking rod at about the same time as the Button-Lok™ rods. We became the first two locking chimney rods on the market.

Our Kwick-Lock™ rods are based on an air hose fitting that many people are familiar with. We made 5 ft rods just like everybody else until late 1999 when Tom was invited to scan a chimney in Japan after a structural fire. The previous year, he had gone with his family on a sister cities trip, and the people remembered him and what we did. 

The problem was that you couldn't fly with 5-foot rods, and they realized that everything had to fit in a single suitcase since flying to Japan was not cheap. Tom figured out that if he could cut the rods down to 30 inches, they would fit perfectly inside the bottom of his suitcase, and he could fly without any problems (TSA loved him!). 
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When he arrived at the house, he brought his rods, unpacked them, and started connecting them. He realizes he is not fighting with the rods as much as he's used to. While trying to figure it out, he scans and explains his findings to the Japanese via a translator. He then realizes he's not fighting with the rods because they're shorter. The distance from where his hand was holding the rod from the firebox floor to the smoke chamber is approximately 30 inches, give or take a few.   He came back home to Iowa and started with his fireplace and some friend's fireplace to figure out if 30 inches was still good. After testing, sending sample rods to industry friends, and asking for feedback, “Is it just me?”  He soon found out it wasn't just him. When people started using the rods, they found that they weren't having the same struggle they had with the longer rods. There wasn't as much pressure on their shoulders, and they weren't beating up their camera as much. Life became much easier when scanning and using the rods to clean chimneys, all because Tom had to fit a whole set of chimney rods into a suitcase. 

​The Screen-Shooter™ is a simple way to take interior chimney photos and upload them to your preferred storage without needing special apps, FTP, or Wi-Fi. Over the past year, we asked our customers how they took chimney inspection photos. Most said they were taking pictures with their phones and using the SD as a backup. The most common problem they encountered was glare, which ruined a great image, and being unsteady while taking the photo. So, we updated the concept of our original Screen-Shooter™ to adapt to today’s conditions.  

The Screen-Shooter® creates a “blackout” condition for the phone’s camera, allowing it to focus on the screen and giving you the perfect shot. 
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Each Screen-Shooter™ is 3D printed in our shop, so you never know what color you'll receive, but it'll look fabulous! (Don’t worry. We won’t let Shelley use pink, purple, or pastels).

Features:

• Phones easily slide into place
• Adjustable Knobs fit most Smart Phones
• Screen-Shooter™ easily connects to monitor
• The phone panel easily flips up to provide a direct view of the monitor.
• The 100 includes a bracket for tilting the unit back for proper viewing while on the hearth extension or floor.
• 211 has a built-in monitor/controller tilt adjustment feature that also allows the monitor to lay flat when scanning thimbles. 

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PRICING:
The Series 100 Screen-Shooter™ is $150 (Includes case bracket)
The Series 211 Screen-Shooter™ is $154.

If you want the Screen-Shooter™ added to your Controller/Monitor, you can send it back, and we will add the bracket (and remove the screen protector).

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