The CSIA is the only Certification for chimney sweeps. I don't know if it
is NFPA approved. Below is an exerpt from their press room. This link
better esplains the Lyemance damper, I got it off their web site. They use
a $200 figure.

http://www.lyemance.com/lyemance_fireplace_damper.asp
-------

Chimney Sweeping Industry Boasts New National Training School

Chimney Safety Institute of America Opens Doors to CSIA Technology Center


PLAINFIELD, Ind. (January 3, 2002) - The Chimney Safety Institute of America
(CSIA) today announced the opening of the CSIA Technology Center, a 10,000
square foot educational and technological training facility for chimney
sweeps. The million-dollar facility was built with funds raised within the
chimney sweeping community.

"This is the first facility of its kind in North America," said Mark
McSweeney, executive director of the CSIA. "The CSIA now has a new
state-of-the-art school to educate, train and certify chimney sweeps."


The CSIA Technology Center was founded to ensure that all chimney
professionals are able to receive expert training in the practice of
sweeping. The educational direction of the CSIA Technology Center combines
the traditional art of chimney sweeping with current technological advances
in the home heating market.

Since 1983, the CSIA has certified more than 5,000 chimney sweeps through
both regional seminars and the annual National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG)
Convention. Today more than 1,400 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps® are
registered throughout the country. These sweeps have reached the
professional pinnacle in training and education in the sweeping industry.

In addition to offering sweeping courses, the CSIA Technology Center's
course schedule for 2002 includes classes on the relationship between home
heating, venting and indoor air quality as well as dryer vent technician
training and certification.

"Airtight homes, complex home construction, more efficient hearth products
and furnaces, as well as a greater number of home heating fuel choices, have
created a technologically challenging work environment for chimney sweeps,"
added McSweeney. "Now more than ever before, sweeps need a strong
educational and technological background to ensure their customers safety."


The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that all chimneys and
vents, including dryer vents, are inspected on an annual basis and cleaned
as necessary by a certified technician - whether a CSIA Certified Chimney
Sweep® or a Certified Dryer Exhaust Duct Technician".

For more information about the Chimney Safety Institute of America, the CSIA
Technology Center, or to locate a certified chimney sweep or certified dryer
vent technician, go to www.csia.org or call 1-800-536-0118. The CSIA
Technology Center is located at 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, Indiana
46168.

About The Chimney Safety Institute of America

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) is a non-profit educational
organization that offers the only nationally recognized certification
program for chimney sweeps in the United States. CSIA is committed to
educating chimney sweeps, fire prevention specialists, the insurance
industry, and the public on the prevention, maintenance, and correction of
chimney and venting system hazards.

About the CSIA Technology Center

The CSIA Technology Center is the premier educational and technological
training facility in the chimney and venting industry. The CSIA Technology
Center was founded to ensure that all chimney and venting professionals
receive expert training and to foster professional development. The
educational direction of the CSIA Technology Center combines the traditional
art of chimney sweeping with current technological advances in the home
heating market.

Media please contact:
Melissa Heeke, Communications Director
1-317-837-5362



Homeowners please contact:
1-800-536-0118

website at csia.org

As to the $100 savings per year.


--
John Galbreath Jr.
http://www.firelogs.com/

Irondale, Alabama
888.321.Logs



"'nuther Bob" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 12:36:44 -0500, "John Galbreath Jr."
wrote:

I would assume your chimney sweep is NOT certified. That is bad
information. Check him out on this industry site: http://www.CSIA.org.

John: I have great respect for your comments and suggestions in this
group, but is this really "industry accepted" ? It looks like someone
put together a clever business plan to develop certification for an
industry that had none. Is this certification NFPA approved, or just
NFPA "based" ?

The top sealing type damper has been tested to show it will save $100 per
year in utility bills over a throat damper that only seals about 90%.
Look
here also:

http://www.lyemance.com/lyemance_fireplace_damper.asp

I have no doubt that this design saves a tremendous amount of energy
compared to a standard damper. I have great difficulty with arbitrary
statements like "save $100 per year".

Bob