Our Company Blog

We Are Looking for Quality Workers

As we are heading into our busiest time of the year, Atlas Chimney is looking to hire quality workers. While previous chimney experience is a plus, it is not a requirement as we have available driver and manual worker positions. If you live in the Austin area and need a job, we can help you if you love working with your hands and are in good physical condition. We are proud to offer competitive pay and flexible hours to our employees. We would like to tell you a bit more about the qualifications we are looking for as well as about the possibility of becoming a certified chimney sweep for us.

What are the requirements for working at Atlas Chimney?

As mentioned above, previous chimney experience is not required, but we are looking for applicants with experience with working on ladders and roofs. We also are in need of workers who have solid trade skills. We also require that our employees have dependable transportation and a clean driving record. If we feel you would make a good addition to our growing team, you will have to agree to both a background check and a drug screening before we can offer you employment.

How can I become a certified chimney sweep?

At Atlas Chimney, we are proud to offer chimney maintenance, repair, and installation services from technicians who have been certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). We enjoy helping our workers begin their careers as chimney sweeps with us, and we offer education and training through the CSIA. If you are interested in becoming a certified chimney sweep, the CSIA  is the industry standard for the certification process. After you purchase the necessary texts for the CSIA certification program, you will then enroll in a week-long online review session. Once you have completed the review session, you have up to one year to take the Certified Chimney Sweep exam. This exam includes a one hour exam based on two of the required texts, Successful Chimney Sweeping and the National Fire Protection Association 211, and a 90-minute exam based on the International Residential Code. After you pass this exam, you will sign the CSIA Code of Ethics and pay your annual certification fee to become a CSIA-certified chimney sweep. Once you have received this certification, Atlas Chimney will welcome you to our team of CSIA-certified sweeps.

If you are looking for a job in the Austin, Texas area, Atlas Chimney is hiring! Contact us to be considered as a new member of our growing team.

Chimney Leaks This Winter

Although we may not get a lot of snow here in the Austin area, we can get heavy amounts of rainfall. You may think your chimney can tolerate all of this rain, but, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), water can adversely affect masonry chimneys by causing expensive damage and deterioration. The bricks and mortar of your chimney are porous and easily absorb water. Once water has begun to penetrate into your chimney, you could end up with serious water leak problems. Atlas Chimney takes water very seriously, and we offer several repair and preventive methods to keep your chimney working safely and efficiently. We have years of experience in inspecting chimneys for water leaks, and we would like to tell you the most common reasons of how water gets into your chimney.

You do not have a chimney cap installed on top of your chimney.

Without a cap, your chimney is a wide open door for water from rain and melted snow. Even if you do have a chimney cap, it could be damaged if it is older, and water can easily get through any cracks or gaps. Atlas Chimney sells and installs a wide variety of chimney caps, and we can help you pick out the best type of cap for your chimney if you do not have one or your existing cap is damaged. Not only do these caps keep water out of your chimney, but they also prevent birds, squirrels, raccoons, and other wild animals from entering to nest inside your chimney.

Your chimney crown has been cracked.

Most masonry chimneys are equipped with a crown at the top, but the constant exposure to the elements of weather can damage these crowns. When the crown is cracked, water leaks into your chimney through these cracks. Atlas Chimney can repair cracked chimney crowns to prevent chimney water leaks, and we can also construct brand new crowns if your existing crown is damaged beyond repair. We know how to properly design chimney crowns so that they have a slight angle that allows water to run off instead of accumulating to cause erosion damage.

You do not have a flashing system, or your existing flashing has been damaged.

The area where your chimney meets your roof is one of the most common locations for chimney water leaks, which is why you need a flashing system to protect this vulnerable area. If your flashing is damaged, it cannot do a good job of keeping water out of your chimney. In fact, it can cause water from rain to rush into your home. Atlas Chimney can create and repair flashing systems to effectively seal out water. We take sheets of metal that have been cut according to the measurements around your chimney where it meets the roof and wrap them around your chimney in layers to prevent water penetration.

Even if you have these chimney components installed on your chimney, water can still leak inside through the bricks and mortar joints. Contact us at Atlas Chimney to schedule a water leak inspection and to find out how our waterproofing services can give even more protection to your chimney against water penetration.