Tom (light blue shirt) teaches classes at the lab in Iowa where chimney and fireplace replicas make inspecting and scanning fun.

​Our instructor is Tom Urban, President of Estoban Corporation, creator of the chimney scanning concept, and manufacturer of Chim-Scan® Cameras. Tom has dedicated his time to industry training in many avenues. He created the (Inspection and Documentation) class for scanning and interpreting chimney damage and how to provide documentation for the Hearth Industry Organizations. He is the chimney industry's recognized leader and trainer for chimney scanning and photo interpretation. Tom is also well known for writing the Urban Inspection Language (legally reviewed) used in documentation of chimneys.
Tom Urban started in the industry as a chimney sweep in 1978.
His Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) Certification Number is 210.
​He soon saw the need for interior flue inspection, aka scanning, and invented the Chim-Scan Inspection System® - the first chimney camera system dedicated solely to the chimney industry!
Here are some of Tom's credentials:

• Tom created the Inspection & Documentation training program and taught this class for the Chimney Safety Institute of America.
• Tom wrote and taught Inspection and Report Writing (IRW) at the CSIA National Training Academy at the Chimney Safety Institute.
• Tom appeared in a special feature on ABC's 20/20 on carbon monoxide issues.
• Tom also appeared in the hit TV Show "This Old House," demonstrating a chimney inspection with the Chim-Scan® Inspection System.
• Tom was interviewed on CNN and was featured in many magazines and newspapers nationwide.
• Tom has been a member of the NCSG for 39 years.
• Tom served as an NCSG Director, as the head of the Technical Committee, and on the CSIA Board.
• He was part of the NCSG Safety Team which swept, and video scanned the chimneys at the White House in 1989.
• Tom was also on the committee creating the Levels of Inspection for NFPA 211, Chapters 14-15 from 1997-2000.
• He writes for Blue Collar Magazine and writes educational articles for Sweeping Magazine and SNEWS.
• Tom has received some of the industry's highest awards, such as The President's Award from the National Chimney Sweep Guild, the Education Award from the Chimney Safety Institute of America, and many more.
• Tom provides education about scanning and documenting chimneys to Home Inspector Associations.

Today, Tom leads the innovation teams for Flue & Hearth Notes™ and the Chim-Scan Inspection System®. He continues to construct and design chimney camera systems and dedicate time to increasing knowledge in the industry, both with Flue & Hearth Notes™ and teaching. He continues to scan chimneys for the purpose of testing and creating new chimney scanning equipment.

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Tom Urban is teaching students to inspect and scan a fireplace. Having the equipment set correctly is the key to capturing great images and videos.

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