A master chimney technician takes the hard calls: Level 2 inspections, failing liners and crowns, chimney fire damage and code questions. They also train the other technicians, so every truck in the branch finds problems the same way and fixes them right.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, building services companies · BLS, May 2025
Serve as the lead expert in chimney inspections, repairs, and code compliance to ensure safe and efficient operations within the chimney and fireplace services industry.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Conduct comprehensive chimney inspections to assess safety and code compliance.
Perform advanced chimney repairs and maintenance work to high industry standards.
Ensure all work meets current state and local building codes and regulations.
Train and mentor staff to build technical expertise and promote quality workmanship.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Perform thorough and detailed chimney inspections at customer sites.
Diagnose and troubleshoot issues to recommend appropriate repair or maintenance solutions.
Interact with customers to explain inspection findings and necessary repairs.
Document all work performed, ensuring clear records and compliance with regulations.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Customer Satisfaction Rating: >4.8 stars.
Callback Rate: <5%.
Average Repair Resolution Time: ≤2 hours per job.
Training Effectiveness: 95% of staff demonstrate proficiency post-training.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in chimney services or a related field.
Certification in chimney inspection and repair (e.g., CSIA Certified).
Strong knowledge of building codes and industry standards.
Excellent communication, customer service, and leadership skills.
6. Preferred Experience
Prior experience working for a recognized chimney or home services company.
Experience in staff training and development.
Familiarity with advanced diagnostic tools and repair technologies.
Background in related home services or construction industry roles.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs safely during routine operations.
Comfortable working in various weather conditions including outdoor environments.
Capability to work in confined spaces and on rooftops as required.
Adequate physical stamina to perform manual tasks throughout the workday.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard work hours with occasional after-hour customer calls or weekend emergencies.
Travel required to multiple job sites within the service region.
On-call responsibilities during periods of high customer demand.
Work conducted in both indoor service environments and outdoor settings.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary range: $60,000 - $80,000 USD per year, commensurate with experience.
Potential for performance-based bonuses.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance packages.
401(k) plan with company match and additional fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We foster a supportive and growth-oriented environment that champions continuous learning and professional development.
Our team values high-quality customer service, integrity, and innovation.
We provide opportunities for career advancement and skill enhancement within a dynamic, collaborative setting.
Join us to be a part of a team that celebrates excellence and shared success.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What makes a master chimney technician's job different
A senior tech in most trades fixes what others can't. In chimney work the master also decides what a chimney needs, and that call has to stand up to a fire safety standard, a local code and a homeowner's budget.
The template asks for certification
The template requires a chimney inspection and repair certification, such as CSIA's. CSIA's credentials come in steps. The Certified Chimney Sweep comes first. The Certified Chimney Specialist is for sweeps who keep studying past it. The Master Chimney Sweep is for long-time holders with a decade or more of continuing education. All three come from CSIA, a nonprofit, not a state licensing board. Source: CSIA: Certifications.
NFPA 211 and the local code can differ
NFPA 211 defines the three inspection levels sweeps work from. CSIA's procedures add that masonry chimneys should meet local code. A technician must know the local rules and where they differ from NFPA 211. The master should know which rule each finding rests on, and name it in the report. Source: CSIA standard operating procedure: Level 2 inspection of a masonry chimney.
Repairs count as construction work
OSHA counts repair as construction work, so a crown rebuild or a reline falls under its construction rules. On home jobs, workers 6 feet or more up need guardrails, safety nets or a fall arrest system. A written fall protection plan can replace them only if the company proves those systems aren't feasible or would add danger. Source: 29 CFR 1926.501: Duty to have fall protection in construction (eCFR).
Tuckpointing dust falls under the silica rule
Grinding out old mortar raises silica dust. OSHA's construction silica standard has a Table 1 entry for handheld tuckpointing grinders. It calls for a shroud and a dust collector that meet set airflow and filter specs, used as the maker directs. Workers also wear a respirator: at least APF 10 for four hours or less in a shift, APF 25 for longer. The company needs a written exposure control plan too. Source: 29 CFR 1926.1153: Respirable crystalline silica in construction (eCFR).
The team is measured, not only the master
The template grades this role partly on how well the staff perform after training. In practice that means ride-alongs, one report format and one photo standard, so two technicians looking at the same smoke chamber write up the same findings. A master who fixes everything personally but can't teach it leaves the branch short every fall.
How much master chimney technicians make
The closest BLS group for master chimney technicians is building cleaning workers. Building cleaning workers who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $21.37 an hour ($44,450 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $44,040 median for building cleaning workers in all industries. About 12,080 of the 17,210 building cleaning workers in that survey work for building services companies.
Pay in the template is a salary, with a bonus on top. BLS counts chimney sweeps in a broad group of cleaning workers with no split by experience, so its median sits well below a master's salary. A salary on its own doesn't remove the right to overtime; the FAQ explains why.
Building services companies
$44,450$44,450 median Middle half $37,440–$53,310 10th–90th $33,540–$72,340
All industries
$44,040$44,040 median Middle half $37,440–$50,410 10th–90th $32,370–$64,030
$20k$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Building services companies
$33,540
$37,440
$44,450
$53,310
$72,340
All industries
$32,370
$37,440
$44,040
$50,410
$64,030
BLS doesn’t publish pay for chimney sweeps on their own. These figures cover services to buildings and dwellings, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Runs Level 2 inspections with a camera and writes findings a homeowner and an adjuster can follow
Traces draft, water entry and liner failure from the evidence, not from habit
Rebuilds crowns, installs listed liners and repairs masonry to the maker's instructions and local code
Holds a chimney inspection and repair certification, such as CSIA's
Coaches a newer technician on the job and corrects mistakes on the spot
Recommends only the repairs the camera footage and the masonry support
Teach these on the job
Your inspection report template and photo standards
Writing repair proposals from your price book
Your silica exposure control plan and dust tools
Insurance claim paperwork after a chimney fire
Your trainee checklists and evaluation forms
Masters use the sweeping gear plus a recording chimney camera, a draft gauge, a combustion analyzer to test gas and oil appliances, masonry tools with dust collection, and stainless liner kits. Reports and repair proposals go into your field software with photos and video. If the role gets its own truck or camera rig, say so in the post.
Master chimney technician interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Refusing an unsafe install
A customer wants a wood stove insert set into their masonry fireplace, with the pipe pushed a little way up the old flue to save money. What do you tell them?
A strong answer: Explains that the insert's listing and the code your area enforces require a proper connection to the flue, usually a full liner sized to the insert, describes the draft, creosote and carbon monoxide risks, offers proper options and declines the unsafe install.
Behavioral · Training inspectors
Tell me about a technician you trained to do inspections on their own. How did you know they were ready?
A strong answer: Ride-alongs, reviewing their video and reports, having them lead while being watched, and a clear sign-off.
Read these four numbers side by side. A fast repair time means little if callbacks rise, and a training score should match what you see on ride-alongs.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Average rating on jobs this master inspected or repaired, from surveys and reviews. Look hardest at scores on inspections that ended in a large repair proposal.
Callback Rate
Repairs that needed a return visit inside your warranty window, divided by repairs completed. Tag each cause, such as a leak at the crown or a liner joint, so patterns show.
Average Repair Resolution Time
Hours on site per repair, from arrival to sign-off, taken from your job software. Sort by repair type first, since a damper swap and a crown rebuild aren't alike.
Training Effectiveness
Score each trainee on a short checklist during ride-alongs before and after training: setup, inspection steps, report quality and safety. Count who passes without coaching.
Career path
Chimney technicianSweeps and inspects on a route and handles small repairs.
Master Chimney TechnicianOwns Level 2 inspections, major repairs and trainee coaching.
What's the difference between a chimney technician and a master chimney technician?
A chimney technician sweeps, runs routine inspections and does small repairs. The master takes the jobs that need judgment: deeper inspections, chimney fire damage, relines and masonry rebuilds, and disputed findings. The template also asks the master for five or more years of experience and a certification, and makes training the rest of the staff part of the job.
How much does a master chimney technician make?
Building cleaning workers who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $21.37 an hour ($44,450 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $37,440 and $53,310 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Is a salaried master chimney technician owed overtime?
In most cases, yes. Federal rules say the white-collar exemptions don't apply to manual trade work. They name craftsmen and non-management construction and maintenance workers as nonexempt no matter how well they are paid. A master who spends the day on roofs and in fireboxes fits, salary or not. Training newer technicians on the job doesn't by itself make it a management job. Track hours, and check state law as well.
When does a chimney need a Level 2 inspection?
CSIA's Level 2 procedure recommends one when the chimney's use is changing. Examples are adding an appliance or swapping in one with a different fuel, efficiency or type. It also recommends one when a home is sold, before relining, and after a chimney fire, storm, earthquake or malfunction that may have caused damage. A Level 2 requires a video scan of the flue, and the inspector goes on the roof and into the attic and basement.
What should a master do about suspected asbestos in an old chimney?
Leave it alone and don't sample it in-house. EPA says you can't tell asbestos by looking. Sampling done wrong can be worse than leaving the material alone, so a trained and accredited professional should take samples. If a repair would disturb material that tests positive, EPA says a professional like that has to do the repair or removal. Note it on the report and tell the homeowner before any work starts.
Can a mason grow into a master chimney technician?
Often. A mason already knows crowns, brick and mortar. What they need is the venting side: how appliances draft, what each liner is listed for, how to read a flue on camera, and how to explain an inspection. Plan on a fall season beside your current master, plus the CSIA review and exam, before they lead inspections alone.
What should the ad say instead of "physical stamina"?
The template's "adequate physical stamina" line describes the worker's body rather than the work. List the tasks instead: carrying liner kits and masonry tools up a ladder, kneeling in a firebox, working on steep roofs in cold weather, and lifting up to 50 pounds. Under EEOC guidance, you may ask a candidate whether they can handle each of those tasks. Medical questions must wait until you have made a conditional offer, and then go to all new hires for that role.
