​Making informed decisions is essential when it comes to your home. Your chimney is no different. Most interior flue defects are not apparent to the naked eye. This is why having your chimney swept, scanned, and inspected at least annually is so critical. We manufacture the Chim-Scan® Internal Evaluation Systems, chimney cameras for detecting and recording defects and healthy flue images. We are in the chimney inspection business!
Here's an example of why having your chimney scanned annually is so important! 
A homeowner had his chimney swept every year. The chimney sweep, in good faith, thought he was doing a great job of cleaning and inspecting the chimney. There was one catch, though. He didn't use a chimney camera. A year later, he brought a camera to the job. The camera revealed damage to the chimney's interior that might have resulted in a house fire if the conditions were right. Conditions within the chimney can change, which is why it’s so important to have your chimney cleaned, scanned, and inspected at least once annually.
We began our company as a chimney sweeps. In the early '80s, no camera would work in a chimney. We became frustrated when sweeping chimneys because we couldn’t see the flue's interior. It was quite a challenge, but we built our first chimney camera, the only dedicated one at the time. It meant long days, including hard work, all done around our sweeping business. It took over a year to build the first unit. Fast-forward to today (40 years later), where technology is abundant, and we continue to innovate, update, and educate. We’ve come a long way.  
Additionally, when educating our customers, we created the Chim-Scan® Factory-Trained Technician Program, which includes training and two books on scanning and inspecting chimneys. This educational program was written for chimney sweeps, home inspectors, and others interested in chimney scanning. We even offer classes. Our president, Tom Urban, is an industry expert and teacher. He taught at the Chimney Safety Institute of America School, National Chimney Sweep Guild Events, State Chimney Guilds, and other locations. We also provide in-house training in our lab in Fairfield, Iowa.
Tom was interviewed on 20/20, CNN, newspapers, and other sources. He was even a guest star in an episode of This Old House. We also want to help America's homeowners enjoy their fireplaces and keep them warm and toasty. So, look for more blogs or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TickTok.

​Whether performing chimney inspections or reading a chimney inspection report, one thing is clear: It is hard to argue with a high-resolution picture taken during a chimney inspection with a camera showing defects deep inside the flue. A chimney inspection done with the naked eye is no comparison to an internal chimney scanning. I used a 5’ chimney prop with hidden defects in the chimney inspections and classes I taught for 21 years. Almost 99.9% of the time, the inspectors missed an opening defect within the flue by inspecting only with a flashlight and the naked eye. These defects were only 17” from their face. 

Images and videos from scanning chimneys are one part of the equation. If you read a report with multiple pictures, can you understand what the defects are and what caused them? Here are some other questions to consider:

1. Can you identify and define “What is a defect?” within the chimney interior?"
2. Can you determine how the defect was created or the most probable way it was created?
3. Did you rule out other causes and conditions, leaving probable causes as to why the defect is there?

In my forty years in the chimney industry, I have accumulated a lot of images, videos, and knowledge regarding chimney construction and defects. I have also spoken at national and state organizations and taught at a national trade organization school for over twenty years (Chimney Safety Institute of America). 

This wealth of experience led me to envision a way to share this information with the chimney industry and anyone interested in internal chimney inspections, culminating in the following book. The Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guide.
Within this book is a brief outline:

• Where to start – Use IRC, NFPA 211, local codes, or the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
• Where to put drop cloths and prepare the area for the inspection
• How does scanning chimneys fit within the Levels of Inspection (NFPA 211)? Where do the Levels of Accessibility fit into all this?
• How do structure integrity and flue condition compare to what is the ideal chimney in the code books?
• What is happening within the flue and the chimney?
• What is the probable cause of the defect or symptom, along with an explanation?

Operating a chimney camera using the proper techniques and observation skills should produce more answers regarding the flue’s condition rather than presenting more questions. Since there are many types of installation, we segmented this book into modules to provide a step-by-step approach to chimney scanning by chimney type. The modules include:
​
• Scanning a Masonry Chimney and Fireplace
• Scanning a  Masonry Chimney and Fireplace with an Appliance (Hearth Stove & Insert)
• Scanning a Masonry Thimble Chimney Serving an Appliance(s) (Solid Fuel or Liquid Fuel(s)
• Scanning a Prefab Chimney and Fireplace
• Scanning a Prefab Chimney Serving an Appliance (Solid Fuel or Liquid Fuel(s)

Each installation type offers its unique challenges. We detail the differences between types of installations, including conditions to be alert for and the typical defects for each. The training modules listed above tell you the best access points and offer a step-by-step assessment process for home protection, defect diagnosis, and cleanup. If you would like more information about our books, click here. Otherwise, continue reading our blogs to learn about your interests.

​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.