We need certification in our industry.

My friend had her masonry chimney swept this week. I offered to find a sweep for her by searching the Chimney Safety Institute of America's (CSIA) Web site for a name. But I got busy, and she opted to hire a sweep based on a coupon that came in the mail.

I was concerned that there was a problem with the cap and liner. I also noticed some water damage to the brickwork. And since I hadn't seen a full sweep on such a complex chimney, I took my lunch to watch the job.

The young contractor was enthusiastic. But I quickly had my doubts about his professionalism. I became worried when I asked him if he had been to the CSIA's class, or if he belonged to the local Sweep's Guild.

He said CSIA training was not necessary. He had been doing this job for five years and knew as much as there was to know. "Certification is a marketing gimmick," he told me. "Only the owner becomes certified, so it doesn't mean the person doing the actual work is any better than someone just coming off the street." He said he uses this as a selling point against the big firms who do poor work."

After watching how an uncertified sweep worked, I am now an even stronger proponent for professional standards for contractors. I think this sweep was extremely careful since he knew I was watching. Even so, I wasn't impressed with the final result.

But my spirits were lifted when I returned to my office to read a note from the Mason Contractors Association of America. The press release announced that six mason contractors had earned certification through the new MCAA Masonry Certification program. This is great news for an industry that needs to reprove itself each day in a very competitive marketplace,

I realize that the uncertified sweep's comments could be true. Unscrupulous contractors could try to fool the public. But the MCAA program, as well as many other local association certification efforts, is founded on a principle that is true to our industry. Quality shows.

I urge you to investigate how certification can benefit your business and our industry.