LaBrosse Brothers Chimney & Masonry Inc.


Go To Home	The Labrosse Bros.	Your Chimney Experts	Your Masonry Experts	Our Technical Library	Related Links

Why should I hire LaBrosse Brothers?

We are your educated Chimney Professionals! Please inspect our credentials, you will discover that we are one of, if not the highest trained chimney company in the Rhode Island/Connecticut area. As of October 2007, John LaBrosse was the first in Rhode Island to become a Master Hearth Installer as certified by the National Fireplace Institute. John LaBrosse is one of only 82 master Hearth Installers in the United States, and only one of 13 Nationally Certified F.I.R.E. Inspectors in all of New England. Every employee of LaBrosse Brothers is a Nationally Certified C.S.I.A. Chimney Sweep, they are 5 of only 24 in Rhode Island. New employees are given supervised "on the job training" and are required to pass the C.S.I.A. examinations. We encourage continuing education in our staff and not just chimney related training.

Many different skills are invaluable to companies for smooth day to day operations as well as having the ability to assist our clients in a comprehensive manner. To name just a few, we currently have a Certified Oil Burner Technician, an ICC Certified Residential Energy Inspector and Plans examiner, and soon we shall have a Certified Building Inspector on staff. Many areas of expertise involve chimneys and venting systems and their varied purposes in one way or another. By gaining education in varied fields, we are better prepared to serve your needs by understanding that your home is an integrated unit.

Your home is not simply made up of individual components. These components are very interdependent upon one another. Your chimney is the heart of your home. If you have poor draft, your "heart" will not get the air it needs to operate properly. If you have clogged chimneys or furnace connector pipes, your appliances will not be able to breathe nor be able to exhaust the carbon monoxide properly. If you are not burning your fuel efficiently, the inside of your chimney will get "fat" with creosote. Improper placement of appliances, improper installations and lack of proper design techniques all affect the "heart" of your home. Regular physical examinations are as important to your home as they are to your well being. Lack of preventative maintenance is the number one cause of chimney or venting related fires and casualties. Our goal is to correctly identify your specific issue by having the knowledge and experience afforded us by continuous and comprehensive education.

In most states, including Rhode Island, there are limited requirements for Chimney Sweeps to be registered as a contractor. Anyone can open a Chimney Sweep or Masonry business. All someone needs is to claim previous experience and obtain liability insurance. There is no state examination or testing of anyone calling themselves a Sweep or a Mason. At this time, Rhode Island does not have a licensing authority and does not issue general business "licenses". A company may be registered with the Rhode Island Contractors Board, but that is no guarantee of their expertise or credibility. We urge you to check with the Rhode Island Contractors Board website to ascertain that your chosen contractor has a valid registration as well as valid insurance coverage.

Certified Sweeps, as we are, must pass rigorous examinations and continually earn educational credits to retain their certifications. CSIA Certified Sweeps are also required to sign a Code Of Business Ethics. Any infringement of this Code can and may result in revocation of certification. LaBrosse Brothers is licensed with the State of Rhode Island to install chimney liners, woodstoves as well as fireplace inserts under the Decorative Heating Appliance licensing authority. Rhode Island requires that any company installing chimney liners possess the Decorative Heating Appliance license.

The LaBrosse Brothers' first and foremost goal is to ensure that your chimney is performing to its intended functions. We will inform you of the status of your chimney and heating appliances and may provide written and photographic documentation.

Properly constructed chimneys and appliances which are allowed to perform to design intent WILL SAVE YOU MONEY. A malfunctioning heating system costs you money. Unburned fuel going up your chimney is your wasted fuel and your wasted money.

When additional work is requested, you will receive an estimate via common mail or email or fax. All of the work perfomed for you shall be of the highest quality craftsmanship and materials, conforming to NPFA Standards, State and Local Codes and Manufacturer's specifications.

If you still are not convinced, please view our Grim Reaper Photo Gallery. This is a collection of photographs taken of new and old construction. Such construction was done by contractors who either did not know the building codes or simply chose to ignore them. These chimneys were most likely permitted and approved. You must understand that most all chimney construction that we inspect every day, is NOT constructed to state and local building codes, past or present.

Keep the fire you want, from starting one you don't!