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Show Chimney sweep makes debut Wearing the traditional top hat, Scott McMahan, a chimney sweep from Paradox, Par-adox, Colorado, provided an interesting sight for Moab residents last week. McMahan announced that he has expanded his business to include southeastern south-eastern Utah. Previously he has worked primarily in mountain towns in Colorado. Color-ado. He explained that a chimney sweep is more than a picturesque reminder re-minder of the past. Modern chimney sweeping sweep-ing is done along scientific lines, with new and more efficient equipment being produced each year. There is even an organiza tion of chimney sweeps which circulates a newsletter news-letter and sponsors chim- ney sweep conventions each year to demonstrate new equipment and methods. meth-ods. McMahan stated that, as wood is burned in a fireplace, gases released by the flames can form layers of flammable creosote creo-sote on the walls of the flue. If allowed to remain, the creosote layers become be-come a fire hazard. McMahan said that over $23 million in damages occurred last year by fires caused by dirty chimneys. He went on to say that once a chimney has been thoroughly cleaned, the fireplace tends to bum hotter, which forces the creosote-containing gases out of the chimney before deposits can form. McMahan, along with his wife Janet, have been operating as sweeps for just over one year. He hopes to gain enough customers in the Moab area to make the town part of his regular rounds. He is presently offering a 50 percent discount to senior citizens who wish to have their fireplaces and chimneys chim-neys cleaned. Though the work is hard and frequently dirty, McMahan Mc-Mahan stated that it provides him with a unique view of the towns he visits. , ; i ;! - ;. ' . I ' " i I . A I . '' - V '- ' A XA""" A ; ; . -' k : ' J. s rnti Scott McMahan, a chimney sweep from Paradox, Colo., lowers a brush into a flue on West Center. McMahan, complete with traditional top hat, was in Moab last week. He stated that he hopes to expand his business to include customers in southeastern Utah. |
