We Are Now NFI-Certified Gas Specialists
We at Chim Cheree, The Chimney Specialists, are proud to announce we now sell and install gas-fueled heating appliances and have National Fireplace Institute (NFI)-certified Gas Specialists on staff to serve all of your gas heating installation and maintenance needs. As our technicians are already NFI-certified Wood-burning Specialists, we wanted to have equal credentials for working with gas fireplaces, inserts, and stoves. We would like to tell you a bit more about the NFI and the Gas Specialist certification process to let you know why you can trust Chim Cheree to install and service your gas-fueled heating appliances.
What Is the National Fireplace Institute?
Established in 2002, the NFI is the professional certification division of the Hearth, Patio, and Barbeque Education Foundation (HPBEF), an educational non-profit organization for the hearth industry. To increase public safety, the NFI establishes credentials for professionals involved in planning and installing residential hearth appliances and venting systems. The NFI offers three certifications for different fuel types: wood-burning, gas, and pellets. The need for these certifications is to ensure public safety as hearth products involve flame, heat and venting of combustion products and require specialized knowledge and skills for planning and installing.
What Are the Benefits of Being NFI-Certified?
Because these technicians have demonstrated their commitment to professional excellence, building officials prefer to work with those who are NFI-certified. Manufacturers also prefer to work with certified installers because they can be sure their products are more likely to be correctly installed. You as a customer should feel more confident hiring certified specialists because of their knowledge and experience.
What is the NFI Certification Process?
The NFI offers three different types of certification: Wood-burning Specialist, Gas Specialist, and Pellet Specialist. To become NFI certified, one needs to study from the current NFI Reference Manual for the desired specialist certification and then pass the NFI Exam, which consists of 100 multiple choice questions.
What Is the Focus for Each Specialist Certification?
Based on fuel type, each specialist certification has its own focus:
● NFI Certified Gas Specialist — proven knowledge of gas fireplaces, log sets, and stoves as well as their venting systems
● NFI Certified Wood-burning Specialist — proven knowledge of factory-built fireplaces, fireplace inserts, wood stoves, and chimneys
● NFI Certified Pellet Specialist — proven knowledge of freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts, built-in appliances, and venting systems.
What Are the Specific Topics Covered in the Gas Specialist Exam?
25% of the exam covers fundamental knowledge, including:
● combustion
● heat and heat protection
● safety guidelines and consequences of action
● construction fundamentals.
The other 75% of the exam focuses on installation knowledge, such as:
● regulation and instructions
● fuel delivery
● appliance requirements
● draft and ventilation principles
● gas venting requirements
● post installation inspection and service.
Want to know more about our NFI Certified Gas Specialists? Contact Chim Cheree, The Chimney Specialists to find out and also discover our new selection of gas-fueled heating appliances.