Hit 500 cleanings last month and that number really hit me different

I've been sweeping chimneys in the Nashville area for about 6 years now, and I keep a log of every job I do (just a simple notebook, nothing fancy). Last month I looked back and realized I had just passed 500 cleanings total. That is a lot of soot and creosote, man. It made me think about all the different fireplaces I've seen, from fancy gas inserts to those old wood burners from the 70s that are basically a fire hazard waiting to happen. The 500 mark matters because it shows I've stuck with this trade long enough to get good at spotting problems before they turn into big calls. Maybe I do need a better record keeping system though, like a spreadsheet or something. How do you folks keep track of your job numbers over the years?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason3611mo ago

Paper logs are more reliable than some spreadsheet that could crash on you.

johnson.ryan29d ago

That 3am spreadsheet crash when you're dead tired and just trying to wrap up your day, how often has that actually happened to you? I've been using digital logs for two years and had maybe one freeze that cost me 5 minutes of re-entry. Curious if you've had a different experience or if it's more about trusting what you can hold in your hand.