Question

Headquartered in Plainfield, Indiana is the Chimney Safety Institute of America which, among other things, certifies Chimney Sweeps. There are three steps to becoming certified: purchase (and study) $515 of books, attend an in-person or online review or six-day training school (each of which is several hundred to over a thousand dollars), and pass an exam (again, a few hundred dollars). After this, there is an annual $229 certification fee.

The website says that being certified proves “you’re one of the best,” and that certification “is the measure of a chimney sweep’s knowledge about the evaluation and maintenance of chimney and venting systems.” Presumably, the CSIA would argue that its certification protects consumers; given the information presented this week, aside from ensuring high-quality chimney sweeps, why else might existing chimney sweeps find it in their interest to protect the certification system? What side effects might the (one-time and annual) fees, training, and exam introduce into the chimney sweep market?

Please help...

Answer 1