Chimney Sweeps

The U.S. Department of Labor does not make projections about the growth of jobs for the field of chimney sweeping. However, it does report that employment for "building cleaning workers, not otherwise classified" will grow as fast as the average for all careers from 2022 through 2032.

In addition, the field of chimney care and fire safety continue to be important issues to the public. The National Chimney Sweep Guild closely follows the advanced practices of European countries and actively promotes new standards to the National Fire Protection Association and other agencies. In Germany, for example, homeowners are required by law to keep their chimneys within code. It may not come to that here, with organizations such as the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Education Foundation working hard to increase awareness of the many dangers of faulty chimneys. However, some U.S. municipalities require that residential homes must pass a chimney inspection before they can be sold. Building Safety Journal reports that approximately 14,000 chimney and vent fires still occur annually in the United States, which suggests that many building owners are not properly caring for their chimneys.

With more rigid emissions testing expected in the United States, more home and business owners will call upon sweeps for chimney evaluations. Some states are beginning to require that chimney sweeps be CSIA-certified before working on commercial and apartment buildings. This will result in more sweeps becoming certified and better regulation of the industry. Along with new emissions standards, the industry will also benefit from technology in such areas as gas usage, more efficient appliances, and better water repellents.