Pope sweeps problems away

Pam Godwin knows her family was very fortunate. And it’s a part of her family’s history that she does not want to repeat.

John and Pam Godwin suffered what many homeowners fear - a house fire - several years ago, when their now-grown offspring were young children. It proved to be an eye-opening experience for the Godwins.

“Years ago, when our children were small, we had a creosote fire at another house,” Mrs. Godwin said as she recalled an incident that changed the family’s perception of fireplaces forever. “The house we bought had a new fireplace. The previous owner didn’t know anything about taking care of a fireplace.”

That lack of knowledge led to a near-catastrophe for the Godwins.

“There was a massive roar in the house,” Mrs. Godwin continued. “Fire was coming out of the chimney.”

A quick call to the Fire Department summoned helped. The Godwins were blessed in that the house suffered no structural damage.

“The members of the Fire Department said we were very fortunate,” Mrs. Godwin said. “We were fortunate that we suffered no damage to the house or injuries. But we were frightened by that incident.”

Mrs. Godwin says her family was taught a valuable lesson. And, when they moved into their next home just south of Dothan, she knew what was needed. She called for an expert to check everything out about the fireplace and the insert that was installed in it. She call Cleveland Pope, owner of The Chimney Sweeps LLC and a certified technician through the Chimney Safety Institute of America with credentials through Underwriters Laboratory. Pope is also a member of the National Chimney Sweeps Guild and current president of the Southern Association of Chimney Professionals (covering Ala-bama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Louisiana).

“One of my first questions for Cleveland was about how often we should have the fireplace and chimney inspected,” Mrs. Godwin said. “He recommended that it be done yearly.”
Those inspections have now been done annually for close to 20 years. The Godwin children are all grown, but some of them like to stop by, when they know “the chimney sweep” is coming.

“Over the years, Cleveland has educated us about fireplaces,” Mrs. Godwin said.

And Mrs. Godwin says she’s come to appreciate Pope’s attention to detail and for the way he goes about his work.

“In all the year’s he’s been coming, I’ve never had a speck of dust from the cleaning,” Mrs. Godwin said. “He covers everything. He’s very careful with his machines. It still amazes me how clean everything is after he’s finished cleaning the fireplace and the chimney.”

Watching Pope and his assistant, Eric Rogers, work, is a lesson in care, quality control and safety. Along the way, Pope may also entertain you with his rich baritone voice as he sings “Chim Chim Cheree” or “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from the musical, “Mary Poppins.”

While the songs and a bit of tap dancing supply entertainment, Pope’s first priority is safety.

“Fireplaces are nice,” Pope said during a break from his labors in the Godwin home. “But, to be honest, the concept of having a fire in the house doesn’t make sense. If the fireplaces are not maintained properly, they can be a problem.”

Before that first fire of the season is lit, it is recommended that a professional check out the fireplace and the chimney.

“We’re getting ready to go into the peak season,” Pope said. “The economy has people worried. People are looking for ways to save money on energy. They will use their fireplaces. But, before they do, they need to have them checked by a professional.”

Pope says it’s amazing how little the public knows about a fireplace and how it should work properly. Their main concern is that it provides heat. The veteran chimney sweeps says that should not be their only concern. Understanding how a fireplace works, Pope says, will help homeowners avoid disasters.

“The unit has to be controlled,” said Pope, who has been a chimney sweep since 1986. “Carbon, fumes and soot go up the chimney. The way to decrease the amount of soot and creosote is to burn seasoned wood. It’s important that the wood be cut in the winter when the sap is at its lowest point. The key is to cut it, split it, stack it and elevate it off the ground.
“Elevating it keeps the bottom wood from rotting.”

He also recommends covering the wood with a drape.

“That will keep the top wood dry all the time,” Pope said.

Precautions should also be taken in the home.

A burning fire is an attraction to many children, and Pope says parents should take steps to avoid accidents.

“If there are small children in the home, I recommend a glass enclosure to shut off the front of the fireplace,” Pope said. “A hearth rug in front of the fireplace is also important.

“If the screen in front of the fireplace is not closed, you need to have something in front that is fire retardant.“

Leaving a fire unattended is also not recommended.

“A lot of people like to burn fires at night,” Pope said. “By doing so, you’ve put yourself at risk. Never leave a fire unattended.”

Once the chimney and fireplace are cleaned to his satisfaction, Pope says the job is not yet complete.

“I always inform the homeowner of what we find and what needs to be done (in the way of repairs),” Pope said.

While homeowners often ask questions, Pope says he likes to pose a few to his customers.

“One of the important questions to ask is what they know or don’t know about a fireplace,” Pope said. “A lot of people don’t know anything about a fireplace. We evaluate what they know. We walk them through the process of building a fire, opening the damper.

“People often make the mistake of slow heat, slow flow. That glazes the chimney. That comes from not knowing how a chimney works.”

Pope has put the time and effort into learning all that he can about keeping chimneys safe for his customers. He says it has been a rewarding journey for him.

He was introduced to the business through a co-worker at Michelin, where he worked for more than 20 years - 17 of which overlapped his chimney sweep endeavors.

“A young man at work said he needed help sweeping fireplaces,” Pope said as he traced his career as a chimney sweep. I saw it as an opportunity to make a little money.”

Soon after he joined the business, Pope, in his early 20s at the time, was offered the opportunity to buy it.

“A lot of the guys at the plant thought I was crazy,” Pope said. “But I saw a plan for my family down the road. Sacrifices have to be made for things down the road.”
Those sacrifices have led to a career Pope loves.

“I started keeping customers’ names in a tin can,” Pope said, who can be reached at 792-SOOT (7668). “Now, I have more than 4,000 on my mailing list. The Lord has really blessed me at this point in my life. I enjoy what I do. I love meeting people. I love traveling.

“It’s not a job you can take lightly. It’s a dangerous job. But it’s a job I love.”