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 Esther Urban cleaned chimneys, often by herself when she and Tom were chimney sweeps before they invented the first camera for chimney inspections - the Chim-Scan®. More pictures below this article. She started sweeping chimneys in 1979 after she and her husband returned from a year in the Peace Corps in Swaziland. Crawling up tall ladders, hauling in a vacuum, and getting all sooty was just another adventure for this woman who grew up on a dairy farm and had previously worked as a milk tester. After all, how many women in 1978 would get married and spend the first year of marriage in Africa, 8304 miles from home? For those of you who aren’t familiar with sweeping chimneys, it is a dirty and dangerous job. Back in the day, sweeping equipment was heavy and awkward. The sweep had to unload this equipment from a truck or van. The vac was the size of a 50-gallon drum and had to be wheeled into the home along with a bunch of awkward rods and brushes. The drum of the vacuums was metal and heavier than today’s versions. Often, the sweep would lay down tarps, get the vacuum going (to minimize any soot), and then climb a ladder to the roof. Once at the roof, they had to maneuver onto what could be a steep slope and make their way to the chimney. Once at the chimney, it was time to sweep. Soot dust usually came up in those days, but sometimes residue or chunks would fall into the firebox. So, after maintaining balance on the roof and navigating back and down the ladder, they would have to clean up debris in the firebox. The homeowner asked her and her husband if they got everything and if it was safe. Questions like this made them both uncomfortable because they could only see so much. They discussed the need to be able to see into the flue. Literally. They asked around at a National Chimney Sweep Guild Convention in 1983, and no one had answers. For the next year, when her husband spent a lot of time researching and developing this idea, she would sweep during the day and listen to his findings or help him at night. This was also while she took care of the office work. Esther had her hands full marketing and getting the message across about the need for chimney cleaning by a professional. In the eighties, people didn’t think they needed to have their chimneys swept. After all, a chimney was built of masonry. So, how could a chimney fire destroy a masonry chimney or a house? Chimney fires happened, and the word spread, like the fires, that a chimney fire could ignite the home. Still, homeowners felt they could clean a chimney just as well as a sweep and didn’t want to pay for the cleaning. Then, when her husband finished up on the chimney camera after a year of research and engineering it himself, they scanned their first chimney. What an amazing view! Even in black and white, it was apparent there was a whole different world inside of the chimney. Defects such as hidden breechings, flue cracks, and other types of damage, which weren’t identifiable with the naked eye and a flashlight, became visible. As more chimneys were scanned, they began to realize the risks that America’s homeowners faced. Unknowingly, they became the first man and woman in the entire world to scan a chimney! In 1984, they introduced the Chim-Scan® Internal Chimney Evaluation System at the NCSG Trade Show in Washington, D.C. It was described as “the showstopper of the convention – High-tech meets chimneys!” and CNN interviewed her husband. Initial orders proved disappointing. After all, this was the first chimney camera anyone had seen, and sweeps thought they could see everything necessary in the flue. Word started getting around once they started working with insurance adjusters doing fire investigations. Esther Urban continued to sweep chimneys occasionally and manage the responsibilities of an office. Most of their customers were happy repeat customers. Sales of the cameras started taking off, and her husband Tom was offered a job as Director of Technical Advisory Services in Fairfield, Iowa, working for a distributor named Copperfield. They sold their sweeping business and moved. She continued to manage the day-to-day operations of the Chim-Scan® business and the Chim-Scan® cameras, and the Urbans changed the chimney cleaning industry into a chimney inspection and repair industry. Anyone who was around “back in the day” that became a successful sweep due to their hard work has to agree we wouldn’t be where we are without the Urbans and their Chim-Scan® Cameras. Some may argue this point, but as one who lived through this time and was heavily involved as a technical consultant and innovator for the largest supplier in the industry, I’m happy to argue this point with you. Without chimney cameras, would the industry have grown like it has? Sure, it might have come along eventually, but perhaps chimney sweeping would have retained its “top hat run a brush down the flue because he has nothing better to do” job? Instead, with the help of Tom and Esther Urban, the diagnostics of what was found in chimneys was born with the Chim-Scan®. It is said that we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors or predecessors. Whether it's those who settled and built this fine country we take for granted or a couple who “took it to the limit” (and beyond), it's time to appreciate them and give them the accolades they deserve. Esther Urban literally climbed beyond the accepted female norms of the day. She was the first woman to scan a chimney in the U.S. She helped create an industry and a better place for women, and that’s enough to put her (and Tom) on a pedestal for all they have contributed to our chimney industry. Forty years have passed since the inception of Estoban, the manufacturer of Chim-Scan® Internal Evaluation Systems. Thinking about where the next 40 years will take this industry is exciting. Guest Blog by Karen Foreman Author of Design Ideas for Fireplaces, former industry technical consultant, marketing director, product specialist, innovator, and writer. ©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC.
©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC.
 These chimney flue tiles were exposed to a severe chimney fire. National Fire Prevention Week is just around the corner. Are you ready to promote your business? After all, as a chimney inspection business, you are already part of a fire prevention team, which is the chimney and hearth industries. According to the U.S. EPA, the leading factor contributing to home heating fires was failure to clean, principally creosote from solid-fueled heating equipment, primarily in chimneys (NFPA). How can you advertise your business while educating your customers and the public? Here are some ideas: Bring it “online”! – what to do during a chimney fire! Most customers have no idea what a chimney fire is. They don’t know how to watch for an increase in the draft, the clinking sound of breaking clay tiles, the creosote falling into the firebox or oozing into the appliance, and the loud whirring sound as the draft increases. They need to understand that while their chimney may be constructed of masonry or a prefab system, these are designed to vent combustion products and not necessarily the high temperatures and effects of a chimney fire. Post this information on your website and use social media to spread the message. Show your Chim-Scan® Camera in use and the pictures it produces. They may have heard about it on TV or at another venue, but not everyone understands the needs and steps they should take to protect their home and family. Show it off! - Your van parked in strategic spots, employee uniforms, etc. During fire protection week, there will be news with fire statistics, firemen (and women), fire stations, and more. Park your vehicle in a public place. At lunch, it might be a fast-food business. Park it where people driving by can see it. Consider putting a QR Code on your van so they can quickly scan your site while waiting for the traffic light or before heading back to work. Leave it out to advertise in other secure locations when you or a team member is off work. Teach it! - Kids, civic groups, etc. Civic groups and kids’ groups are always looking for speakers to put on a presentation. Does public speaking make you feel uncomfortable? You must remember that you are providing a service that has helped reduce the number of chimney fires and likely saved lives. Pass out coloring books or flyers to the attendees. The National Fire Protection Association has a wealth of informational brochures, games, and coloring pages on its website. Go to www.nfpa.org, then to Events, and click National Fire Prevention Week. Own it! - Newspapers, radio talk shows, TV Stations, etc. Offer to demonstrate your Chim-Scan® chimney imaging camera. TV shows and newspapers love to have local news during this event and filming a chimney inspection adds interest. Radio talk shows are another great venue for spreading the word this week. Most homeowners don’t know the difference between types of creosote. They likely don’t understand that an all-night burn isn’t always a good idea. You own the information; share it! Give it your all! - Drawings for smoke extinguishers, smoke alarms, CO Alarms, etc. During Fire Prevention Week, run daily drawings on your social media accounts. If they “like” your posts, put them in the hat for a drawing for a free fire extinguisher, smoke alarm, and/or CO alarm package. National Fire Prevention Week is one of our industry's busiest times. This year’s theme from the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) is “Smoke alarms: make them work for you!™” During this time, fire prevention is on people’s minds, and some fire departments may talk about chimney or heater fires. It is a great chance to tell your story and share some of the knowledge you’ve gleaned as part of the chimney fire prevention team.
 Esther Urban joined this industry when she started selling firewood, then became co-owner of a chimney sweep and repair business in 1978. She swept chimneys, helped with bids and managed the office. Then she became co-owner of Estoban® with the invention of the Chim-Scan© Inspection System. Esther currently manages the office at Estoban and continues to share in the inventive process as part of the Innovation Team. She also builds cameras and provides creative input. Esther has been in the industry for 43 years and has been in the chimney and hearth industry for 38 years. She previously spent time in the Peace Corps in Swaziland, Africa as a volunteer in the 1970’s. She is involved in community service as a volunteer and has made numerous memory blankets and tee shirt blankets, donated to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) Auction. She is recently finished another chimney sweep baby blanket for The Gathering, sponsored by the South Carolina Chimney Sweep Guild. ©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC.
 Esther and Tom Urban Caricature. Driving down a little highway amidst the rolling fields of corn and soybeans outside of Fairfield, Iowa, you might think of the movie “Field of Dreams.” You might be surprised to learn that a specialized, high-tech manufacturing facility is nestled amidst some pine trees with cows grazing in the fields just off the highway. What looks like a fancy, big red machine shed houses the manufacturing operation that built the first chimney camera in the world. As you move around the corner, you see a building attached to it that houses the office, with many lovely windows and an inviting porch. Next to it sits the home of the first man and the first woman to scan a chimney with a camera worldwide. But let’s start at the beginning. Tom Urban met his wife Esther while he was working on a dairy farm in 1975, and they were married a year later, in 1976, after Tom graduated from college with a degree in Dairy Sciences. Being an adventurous couple, they set off to Swaziland, Africa, for a stint in the Peace Corps (who does that?). When they returned, they saw an ad and decided to open a chimney-sweeping business. They swept chimneys and encountered glazed flues and flues damaged by chimney fires. They searched for a source of chimney liner pipe and began relining the damaged flues. “There weren’t any commercial liners available for chimney sweeps,” notes Esther. “We had to go to Chicago to buy liner!” Tom learned about wrapping a liner with a ceramic blanket from the Chicago Manufacturer, although it was not used for chimney liner applications. “I brought the concept of wrapping stainless liner with a ceramic blanket to our industry,” Tom states proudly. Tom partnered up with an insurance adjustor with a masonry background and began to see the need for a better way to observe chimney interiors. In 1983, at the National Chimney Sweep Guild Show, he talked to other sweeps about his concern that they may not see all interior flue defects with a flashlight, but most sweeps thought they were catching everything. Tom recalls, “I’m thinking, I’ve got 20-20 vision, but I know I’m missing things! Coming out of the convention, crossing the bridge out of St. Louis, I vowed to have a chimney camera system before the next convention!” After a year of research, Tom finalized a black-and-white chimney camera and monitor system. With the technology of the times, a system the size of a footlocker with wheels was required to move it in and out of the customer's home. In 1984, at the NCSG convention in Washington DC – Chim-Scan® was shown for the first time to a national audience. It was pronounced a showstopper by CNN News Channel, and many thought Tom was nuts for sticking a camera in a chimney, but time has shown he's an innovator. Estoban stays current on new technology, but with the rise of disposable technology, they have become even pickier about what they put in their equipment. They only buy and work with commercial electronics, which tend to move slightly slower than consumer electronics. They use Commercial because it has to workday after day, with the option of repair. Shelley explained, "One would never trust a sewer company if they showed up with a teeny tiny camera hooked up to their phone. That stuff is cool and cheap but cannot withstand everyday abuse." For those who might not know, Estoban repairs and upgrades Chim-Scan® Units as long as the parts are available. Currently, they can upgrade most units built since 2010. When you look at a Chim-Scan®, you are looking at a controller that Alicia or Shelley wired, a Case that Tom or other staff built, a reeler that Esther or Therese wired, and a camera that Tom or another employee built. Alicia and Shelley are small component assemblers who help keep the rest going. In 2016, a new addition, or backroom, was added. The latest addition starts with a 9 ft ceiling and then jumps to a 16 ft ceiling, allowing us to build a mezzanine. The Back half of the 'Backroom' is Tom's Chimney Lab. There is a masonry fireplace, prefab insert, and a masonry thimble chimney; the mezzanine allows roof access to these chimneys just by climbing a set of stairs. Watching their videos, you'll see the Lab; they use it daily to test repairs, new units, and new products. New technology has been implemented into the manufacturing operation, such as 3D printers, which are now used to print the stabilizers for the cameras, freeing up the CNC machines. This also allows continual parts improvements, and there is no waiting on parts, which some manufacturers had to do in 2020 and 2021. Shelly creates the 3D drawings and designs all 3D printed parts on her computer. Tom's favorite tools are his four CNC machines; they have sped up production 100-fold. Parts are constructed in-house for the Chim-Scan® Units. Tom shares these tasks with other employees. As stated before, Estoban also repairs the equipment it builds; this involves the oldest employee, Marvin, who does 80% of the repairs and many of the upgrades. Ray is the shipping and receiving guy. Every package that comes in gets unpacked and photographed by Ray, who then cleans it within an inch of its life and hands it over to Marvin. Esther, Alicia, and Tom pick up the other 20%. Once a Repair or Upgrade is complete, it gets reviewed, tested, and tested again by Ray or whoever is free. It is then cleaned again (as fine soot is worse than glitter to get rid of), photographed, boxed up, and shipped out. Once new units are complete, they 'sit' for 8 hours, being turned on and off, running for a few minutes to hours, are taken to the Lab, and run up the chimneys to test every part of the unit. They are then photographed, packed, and shipped so we can see what they're talking about when a customer calls. Some may ask, with the listed jobs above, who answers the phone? Shelley and Esther are the voices of Estoban; they cover customer service, sales, and tech support. Estoban also has the benefit of being a pet-friendly workplace. If you stop by for a visit, you receive a greeting by the little booming voice of Bella the Wheaten terrier, and the dismissive glance of Binx, the cat, aka Inspector 12. Solomon and Bella oversee internal security, employee well-being, and occasional photo shoots. Max oversees everyone's work, sending random emails (touch screen computers) and the rare photoshoot. Speaking of the past, you may ask, What about the future? Shelley will run Estoban if Tom and Esther retire. She has grown up in the business and currently wears a lot of hats:
 Tom, Esther, and Shelley Urban ©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC.
©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC.
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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
June 2025
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