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The Chim-Scan® Story

11/13/2024

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​40 years of innovation in Chimney Camera Inspection Systems
Over twenty years ago, Jim Gillam of SNEWs wrote a great article about Estoban Corporation, the manufacturer of Chim-Scan® Chimney Camera Systems for internal chimney inspections. Another article was featured in Blue Collar Magazine in 2021. Now, it is time to bring you up to date in 2024.

Many assume that Estoban's location is in some big glass building with a giant loading dock. This mental image could not be farther from the truth; 99.5% of people driving by Estoban do not even know we are here. We are located outside a small town called Fairfield in southeast Iowa. If you google Fairfield, Iowa, you'll get some fun articles, videos, and even an Oprah visit.
​
Estoban isn't a spelling error; it's the combination of Owners' names. E stands for Esther, S stands for Shelley, TO stands for Tom, and BAN stands for Urban. Mom and Pop, who revolutionized the industry, still run the business. Jim's article is a great way to know how Estoban started. So, here's a link to Jim's article; please read it. 

In a brief overview, Tom and Esther started as chimney sweeps in the late '70s; as time passed, Tom's curiosity and concern for his customers' homes got the better of him. Like all sweeps, customers asked him, 'Is the chimney safe?' He couldn't wholeheartedly answer because he knew he didn't see everything.
​
Tom started tinkering. He traveled to Cornell University to search the library's optics section of Thomas Registers. A year later, Tom built the Footlocker Camera, which was lovingly named because it was the size of a footlocker with a lens.

In 1984, at the National Chimney Sweep Guild convention in Washington, D.C., Chim-Scan® was shown for the first time to a national audience. CNN News Channel pronounced it a showstopper, and many thought Tom was nuts for sticking a camera in a chimney, but time has shown he's an innovator.

So, in the early 2000s, Chim-Scan® built units that connect to computers, which was AWESOME. Then the World experienced the 'wonderful' (please note sarcasm) jump in Windows Operating systems of XP>Vista>Windows 7>Windows 8> and finally 10. During this jump, they learned the hard way of working with 3rd party parts and programs: one day, they are here, and the next, they're gone.This great inconvenience led them to look for other recording abilities. They have used Polaroid, VHS, Floppy disks, CF burners, PDAs, Computers, DVD recorders, and four versions of SD recorders - all done by 2010.
​
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 work day 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."
​
Back in 2000, when Jim's article came out, Estoban had just added on the schoolroom (where Shelley was homeschooled until high school), a big new office, and the machine room. A total of about 2,000 sq ft: they quickly outgrew that by 2008, they added on Electron row, which now serves as a hallway with 3-D printers, and the 'shipping room,' now the office, added another 800 sq ft. The schoolroom was transformed into Marvin's repair room, bathroom, and commissary. For anyone wondering, Marvin is their oldest employee; he's worked for Estoban for over 30 years, which is why he gets his room. The original shop was now surrounded and became half wiring, half internal highway.

In 2014, we had a record year but at a dreadful cost. From July to January 2015, the company worked seven days a week, sometimes 12 hours a day. This busy schedule was due to disappointing results from high expectations of a cheaper product that came on the market that did not fulfill the vision needs that a Chim-Scan® chimney inspection system can produce. Well, that opened a fantastic door. We heard from people we hadn't spoken to since the mid-'90s, and many jumped on the 'I want to upgrade my old unit' bandwagon.

For those who might not know, Estoban builds Chim-Scan® Units right in Iowa, and we repair, and upgrade units built since 2010. It used to be 1995; however, we had to change to 2010 as new and old technology is a little over 66 units a month, which may sound small, but that number does not include routine repairs or new units, which always work well together. Units were housed in Tom and Esther's front/living room before the busy season repairs came in mid-September. We realized during this time that we needed to expand. As of December 31, we had upgraded over 400 units. When you do that, math bumps the unit number around 800. Eight hundred may seem like a medium-sized number, but to put it into perspective, we don't physically build the monitor, SD recorder, and camera chip. Everything else is built in-house. 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 Shelley built. 

In 2016, the new addition, the backroom, was added. We had a great local team come, and the whole building was constructed, insulated, and concrete poured in 4 days. It was amazing. The Urban Family spent the next two weeks riding bicycles around the 4,000 sq ft addition, waiting for the concrete to cure.
​
The new addition starts with a 9-foot ceiling and then jumps to a 16-foot ceiling, allowing us to build a mezzanine. The back half of the 'Backroom' is Tom's Chimney Lab. They have 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. There is also a 14x30 classroom that provides space for training, Zoom meetings, and video presentations.

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.

In 2020, Estoban could stay up and running even when other businesses had to close. Tom and Esther literally walk out the door, down a short sidewalk and into the office. Staff was spaced so everyone had their own work area during the pandemic.

As stated before, Estoban also repairs the equipment it builds; this involves the oldest employee, Marvin, who performs most repairs, and Ray, the quality control, 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, who does 80% of the repairs and upgrades. Esther, Alicia, Shelley, and Tom pick up the other 10%. Once a Repair or Upgrade is complete, it gets reviewed, tested, and tested a second time 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.

Alicia wires the New Controller/Monitors, and Tom and Steve build the cases for the 211 and make modifications for the 100 Units. Esther or Therese builds the reeler, and Tom or Shelley build the cameras.

Shelley creates CAD drawings and works with 3D printers to create parts for units, which has helped the operation become more efficient.  This frees up the CNC machines to manufacture other parts.

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. You may ask, "What's with all the pictures?" Well, it serves many purposes. The primary objective is that 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. Shelley is also a webmaster and marketing department.

Estoban also has the benefit of being a pet-friendly workplace. If you stop by for a visit, you receive a greeting from Bella, the Wheaten terrier, and a dismissive glance from Binx, the cat, aka Inspector 13. Bella oversees internal security, employee well-being, and occasional photo shoots. Binx oversees everyone's work, and the rare photoshoot.

Speaking of the past, you may ask, What about the future?
Shelley plans to run Estoban if Tom and Esther ever retire; she will maintain their standard of excellence and keep growing with technology.

A man and woman stand together next to Chim-Scan® chimney inspection equipment.
Tom and Esther Urban at an early trade show where they demonstrated the Chim-Scan® Chimney Inspection Systems.
Picture
Tom, Esther, and Shelley Urban.
A man and woman dressed as chimney sweeps hold chimney sweeping equipment.
Tom and Esther Urban during their chimney sweeping days. Tom and Esther saw the need for an internal chimney camera and went on to create the Chim-Scan® Units.
A chimney camera in the shape of a lighthouse features two rows of LED lights, a side and top camera and tilt side lens.
The J3D™ Chim-Scan® Chimney Camera is today's top-of-the-line chimney camera, built to withstand scanning chimney interiors day after day. It features commercial-grade parts, and we upgrade and repair what we sell.
A large red building with white window trim is connected to a smaller building.
The latest edition to the Estoban shop where Chim-Scan® Chimney Cameras are made.
A strong protective case houses a monitor and controls. Chim-Scan® displays on the monitor.
The Chim-Scan® 211 Controller with monitor is made in Iowa. Since we manufacture it, we can repair and upgrade our equipment. Note the heavy case which we also manufacture.
A set of wide stairs leads up to a mezzanine where the top of a chimney is easily viewed.
The mezzanine is used to easily access the top of a chimney in one of the displays in our lab. These hands-on displays are used for scanning chimneys and to find defects.
A large fireplace and chimney display are used to scan the chimney with a camera.
Tom teaches a class in our lab, scanning chimneys and inspecting fireplaces.
A man with glasses stands next to another man and a lady.
Marvin (left) repairs and upgrades Chim-Scan® Systems. Ray (middle) is in charge of shipping and receiving. He also tests and inspects cameras and controllers. Shelley (right) wears multiple hats from design, marketing, building cameras, troubleshooting, and business decisions.
A lady smiles for the camera as she is holding a soldering gun.
Alicia is working on wiring the 100 Unit. All of this type of work is done in house.
A lady is smiling and holding paper towels.
Therese creates the cables and works on the reelers.
Two ladies smile.
Shelley and Esther answer the phones.
Four men stand smiling with their Chim-Scan® chimney inspection systems.
Tom, second from right, teaches hands-on classes in Fairfield Iowa. Tom has taught classes for the National Chimney Sweep Guild, the Chimney Safety Institute of America, and numerous state chimney sweep guilds.
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How Scanning Chimneys Changed the Chimney Sweeping Industry

9/20/2024

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​The chimney is a long and dark mystery that has been a part of human culture through the centuries. Because our ancestors frequently used their chimneys for heating and cooking. They were at the chimney's mercy when they became clogged. An unfortunate goose or a small child was used to attempt to dislodge blockages and sweep away the soot and grime. For centuries, humans' best efforts have led to the question, "Can I see from bottom to top?" and “Does it look OK?” Based on a poor visual view, they assumed all was good! Only in recent history can we see inside the chimney to determine whether there are defects and why the system may not be venting correctly.
Tom and Esther Urban started sweeping chimneys in 1979 after spending time in the Peace Corps. They founded their business in Pennsylvania and enjoyed interacting with customers. What bothered them was that they couldn’t see into the chimneys very well. The concept of an interior chimney camera was born.
At that time, there were no chimney cameras. Trying to lower a regular camera was not only a bad idea, but when Tom attended a security conference in New York City, the vendors asked, “You want to do WHAT with a camera?” They thought he was nuts.
Today, Tom, Esther, and their Daughter Shelley run a chimney camera manufacturing business. They design, construct, and assemble new cameras, controllers/monitors, and repairs, in addition to wearing many other hats. Their staff is well-taught, can tackle complex wiring boards and repairs, and runs diagnostic procedures on damaged units needing repair. The chimney camera equipment is manufactured just outside Fairfield, Iowa, a small town in Southeast Iowa. Their chimney cameras have been used for four decades to pinpoint defects, take images, and capture videos, making America’s homes safer.
These cameras are reliable, easy to use, repairable, and manufactured from heavy-duty commercial parts. They are designed for day-to-day use for scanning chimneys. Other uses include air duct scanning, crawl spaces, confined spaces, search and rescue, and are even installed on farm equipment. Along with the equipment, Tom provides technical support training on chimney scanning, diagnostics, and documentation. He taught for the National Chimney Sweep Guild at conventions, the Chimney Safety Institute of America, several state chimney sweep guilds, and home inspectors. He was a guest on 20/20, This Old House, CNN, and others. He served as an NCSG director, as the head of the Tech Committee, and on the CSIA Board of Directors. He received some of the industry/s highest awards, such as the President’s Award from the National Chimney Sweep Guild, the Education Award from the Chimney Safety Institute of America, and more. 
Tom and Esther Urban are holding chimney cleaning equipment.
Tom and Esther Urban started out sweeping and inspecting chimneys. They were concerned with what they couldn't see, so they created the first dedicated chimney camera in 1984.
The oranigish flue shows a scorch mark, a vertical crack and ash.
A clear Chim-Scan® image captured scorch marks, debris and a crack in the flue.
A chimney camera with orange whiskers and bright lights is in the flue.
A Chim-Scan© Lighthouse Camera is used to scan a chimney flue.
Tom Urban sits on the outer hearth holding a chimney rod and showing technicians images on the monitor.
Tom Urban trains chimney technicians on how to use the Chim-Scan© Inspection Camera and how to interpret chimney defects.
​©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC. 
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Who is Estoban? What is a Chim-Scan® Camera?

9/9/2024

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The image is Esther and Tom Urban standing next to the Gothic House.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:
  • She can build a camera and monitor system starting at zero.
  • She troubleshoots camera issues.
  • She designs all 3D printed parts on her computer and then tests and evaluates them.
  • She manages all of the marketing at Estoban, including being the webmaster.
  • She can step into any position within the company at any time to fill in as needed.
  • She is a key decision-maker along with Tom and Esther.
Shelley is set to maintain the Chim-Scan® standard of excellence and keep growing the business along with leading-edge manufacturing concepts and the latest technology. Will Tom and Esther retire? They may eventually take more time off with shortened hours to fit in more recumbent bicycle rides or time off to hit some “bucket list” items, but they will likely continue to work in the business because when you love what you do, it’s not work. It’s a passion.

Tom, Esther, and Shelley Urban are all smiling.
Tom, Esther, and Shelley Urban
​©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC. 
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Who is Tom Urban?

9/3/2024

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PictureTom and Esther Urban
​In 1983, Tom and Esther Urban had a successful chimney-sweeping business in Pennsylvania (founded in 1979). It was a great time to be a chimney sweep. As a result of the oil embargo, people couldn’t afford to heat their homes. Oil surged from $2 per barrel to $11. The price of gas soared by 40%. Gas and oil were also in short supply. Home heating prices went through the roof as homeowners struggled to purchase and install wood stoves. Factories shut down. The economy was at a low point.
With the rapidly growing demand for wood heat, manufacturers sprung up overnight with people welding and selling stoves in their garages. With the lack of design, the poorly designed stoves generated a lot of creosote, leading to a surge in chimney and home fires from poorly installed units. Most of the codes we see today weren’t written yet.
As Tom and Esther continued to clean chimneys, they worried about what they couldn’t see in the flue. Using a flashlight allowed them to see some problems, but they became convinced they needed to see the inside of the flue close up. This was when Tom conceived manufacturing a chimney camera, especially for scanning chimneys. Little did he know he would embark on a journey that strayed far from his degree in Dairy Science and resulted in becoming a chimney camera designer, manufacturer, and well-recognized expert in the field of chimneys and hearth installations.
It took Tom nine months to create and finalize his black-and-white camera system. It was the size of a footlocker and had wheels to assist in taking it in and out of the customer's home. When he first scanned a chimney he swept the previous year, he entered an entirely different world. It was simply amazing.
The property was a large farmhouse in the country. As Tom pulled up, he noticed it was pretty tall. He met the homeowner, who was a retired Navy Veteran. He had spent 23 years doing tours and was ready to kick back and enjoy his farm in northeast Pennsylvania. He had heard about Tom’s chimney camera and wanted his chimney scanned. This was the last job of the day in January. Tom had just completed three jobs with slammers, and he was cold, exhausted, and just wanted to get home.
He had looked down at the flue with a flashlight and saw the top two flue liners with vertical cracks. The others looked OK. There were 14 liners, so the flue was 28 feet tall, which meant extra time and work to scan this chimney. Since he had just seen damage at the top, he didn’t feel like dragging out the “footlocker,” the 50-pound unit, and bringing it into the house. The homeowner persisted, and this is what Tom found.
The camera showed a thimble hole covered with sheet rock. The man would have burnt his house down if he hadn't caught that. This ignited Tom’s passion for putting a chimney camera in the hands of every sweep and the need to scan every chimney, even when it visually passed muster.
Tom started scanning every chimney; he built a wealth of knowledge from scanning flues and gathering information. He also spent time with an insurance adjuster. He became privy to the homeowner interviews, documentation, and the chimney fire damage it caused. He also learned how an insurance adjuster works by traveling with him to investigate chimney fire claims. The insurance adjuster and his bosses were impressed by Tom and his invention.
As Tom continued to scan chimneys, he became like a fine tracker who picks up nuances of what has gone before, learning to read the signs in the flue. Tom became the expert. He shared his experiences as a teacher at the Chimney Safety Institute of America and the National Chimney Sweep Guild. Still, there were doubters, thinking the customer would never pay for the service and that scanning chimneys wasn’t needed.
Once sweeps started to get sued over missing defects in chimneys they labeled “safe,” they began to take an interest in scanning. What also helped is insurance adjusters were more likely to approve the installation of a stainless steel chimney liner if they saw documented proof of a hazardous condition inside the flue caused by a sudden occurrence, like a chimney fire. By then, they were aware that chimney cameras existed.
In the meantime, a national distributor took an interest in Tom and his camera, and he was offered the position of Director of Technical Advisory Services. Tom worked there for a few years, but business was picking up as Chim-Scan® Cameras took off.  Tom became more involved in industry boards such as the CSIA and the NCSG and offered his time as a teacher.
In 1997, Tom was the Technical Chair for the National Chimney Sweep Guild and was on the Task Force with five others: Ashley Eldridge, Dave Johnston, Jack Pixley, Jim Brewer, and Pete Luter. This group created the levels of Inspection known today as Chapter 15 of the National Fire Protection Association and the Annex. Until then, there were no guidelines in the NFPA 211 for chimney inspections. There was only a reference to an annual inspection and cleaning if necessary.
Tom went on to create training for the Inspection & Documentation class for the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). He has taught this class, Chimney Physics, and has taught at the CSIA National Training Academy at the Chimney Safety Institute.
Today, chimney scanning has gained acceptance with insurance adjustors and within the trades. It’s almost unheard of not scanning a chimney. Scanning finds defects; if you inspect, you’d better not miss anything. Also, how can you prove to an insurance adjuster the degree of damage that a chimney fire caused? Scanning a chimney is also required when performing a Level 2 Inspection as outlined in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 211 Standard, Chapter 15, and the Annex.
Tom was in a special feature on ABC’s 20/20 on carbon monoxide issues. Tom was in the hit TV Show “This Old House,” demonstrating a chimney inspection with the Chim-Scan Inspection System®. He has been interviewed on CNN and featured in many magazines and newspapers nationwide. Tom has been a National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) member for 40 years. Tom served as an NCSG Director, as head of the Technical Committee, and has served on the board. He was part of the NCSG Safety Team, which swept and video-scanned the chimneys at the White House in 1989. He has written articles for Blue Collar Magazine, Sweeping Magazine, and SNEWS, among other industry magazines.
Tom has received some of the industry’s highest awards, such as The President’s Award from the National Chimney Sweep Guild, the Education Award from the Chimney Safety Institute of America, and many more.
Today, Tom leads the innovation teams for Flue & Hearth Notes™ and the Chim-Scan® Inspection System businesses. He continues to construct and design cameras and is dedicated to increasing the knowledge of the chimney, hearth, and chimney inspection industries with Flue & Hearth Notes™ and teaching.
Tom has written two books – The Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guide and Interior Chimney Scanning. He continues to create educational presentations and even an inspection process using the Flue & Hearth Notes™ Checklist (Short Form), The Long Form, and the Summary Form. Urban Inspection Language™ is a model language integrated into reports and documentation. This copy has been legally reviewed.
The first man in the world to invent a chimney camera and scan a chimney laid the basis for a nationally accepted practice. Word has gotten around about the documented inspections with photos, and homeowners are disappointed if they can’t see images of the chimney interior. [The “Short Form” checklist was indoctrinated into Case Law in California.] What will Tom think of next?
The pictures show Tom with his students, simulating a chimney fire to show how flue tiles crack. The photo on the right shows a cracked flue tile. This was done at our Fairfield, Iowa location.

​©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC. 
Tom’s Accomplishments
​
In 1979, Tom & Esther Urban founded their chimney sweeping business.
Tom & Esther joined the National Chimney Sweep Guild (40+ years).
Tom became Certified Chimney Sweep number 210.
He worked with an insurance adjustor, interviewing homeowners and inspecting chimneys and fireplaces in fire damage claims.
In 1983 Tom Creates the Chim-Scan® Internal Evaluation System (chimney camera and monitor)
Tom is the first man in the world to use a chimney camera to scan a chimney.
Tom is the first man in the world to create documentation based on an internal view of the chimney with a camera. 
Tom shared his experiences and expertise at the National Chimney Sweep Guild and later taught at the Chimney Safety Institute of America when it became a separate entity.
Tom became a technical advisory director at a major supplier.
Tom was interviewed on ABC’s 20/20 show on carbon monoxide poisoning.
In the hit TV Show “This Old House,” Tom demonstrated a chimney inspection with the Chim-Scan® Inspection System.
Tom was interviewed on CNN.
Tom served as an NCSG Director
1997 - Tom was the Technical Chair for the National Chimney Sweep Guild
1997 – Tom was part of the Task Force with five others: Ashley Eldridge, Dave Johnston, Jack Pixley, Jim Brewer, and Pete Luter. This group created the levels of Inspection known today as Chapter 15 of the National Fire Protection Association and the Annex. Until then, there were no guidelines in the NFPA 211 for chimney inspections.
Tom is featured in many magazines and newspapers nationwide.
Tom was a member of the NCSG Safety Team, (which swept and video-scanned the chimneys at the White House in 1989).
Tom is author of articles written for Blue Collar Magazine, Sweeping Magazine, and SNEWS, among other industry magazines.
Tom received the National Chimney Sweep Guild’s President’s Award.
Tom received the Education Award from the Chimney Safety Institute of America.
Tom created the Flue & Hearth Notes™ chimney inspection formsand processes for the Chim-Scan® Inspection System businesses.
Tom built a lab for teaching in his shop, which includes a variety of chimney, fireplace, and appliance models.
Tom continues as an instructor for state chimney sweep guilds, home inspectors, and chimney sweeps.
Tom continues to construct and design cameras and is dedicated to increasing the knowledge of the chimney, hearth, and chimney inspection industries both with Flue & Hearth Notes™ and teaching.
Tom authored two books – The Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guide and Interior Chimney Scanning.
Tom continues to create educational presentations and an inspection process using the Flue & Hearth Notes™ Checklist (Short Form), the Long Form, and the Summary Form. 
Tom's Flue & Hearth Notes™ “Short Form” checklist was indoctrinated into Case Law in California.
Tom created the Urban Inspection Language™, a legally reviewed model language integrated into reports and documentation. 
Tom offers and Advanced Inspection Resources Training Program for chimney inspections, fireplace inspections, inspection processes, and documentation.
Tom's courses are approved for the Chimney Safety Institute of America CEUs, the National Fireplace Institute CEUs, and ASHI CEUs. 
​Tom continues to create new products and more training programs.
 
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    Author

    Tom Urban has worked in the Chimney and Hearth industry for 45 years. He's been an inventor and manufacturer for 40+ of those years.

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