Jacob Dove and the crew at Friendship Chimney Sweep

Written by Jacob Dove, founder, owner and team leader

Why the business is called Friendship

When I started sweeping chimneys I worked for someone else, and the thing I noticed was how nervous people were when we showed up. A stranger in your living room with a bag of brushes, talking about creosote and chimney fires, is not most people’s idea of a good afternoon. I decided that if I ever ran my own company the first job would be to make that visit feel like a neighbor stopping by who happens to know a lot about chimneys. Friendship is not a slogan. It is the standard I hold the crew to: explain things plainly, show people what you found, do not sell what is not needed, and leave the place clean.

Twenty-nine years in the trade

I have been on the rods for 29 years now, all of it in and around Kankakee County. I founded Friendship Chimney Sweep here in Bourbonnais and I still lead the crew on the job. I am the owner, the team leader and, on paper, the CEO, but the title I care about is the one on the truck door. In that time I have swept and inspected thousands of chimneys, relined hundreds, and rebuilt the tops of more than I can count after Illinois winters got to them. I have seen the 1890s soft brick in downtown Kankakee, the 1960s and 70s ranch flues in Bradley and Bourbonnais, the rural farmhouse chimneys out toward Herscher and Chebanse that have never had a cap, and the prefab fireplaces in every subdivision built since.

Best chimney sweep in the region, 2023

In 2023 Friendship Chimney Sweep was named the best chimney sweep in the region. I am proud of that, and I am also clear about where it comes from: the customers who called back, told a neighbor, and left a note. An award is a nice thing to have on the wall. The reason for it is the work.

How we work

• NFPA 211 is our standard. Every sweep and inspection follows the National Fire Protection Association standard for chimneys, fireplaces, vents and solid fuel-burning appliances. Liners are installed to their UL 1777 listing. We do not treat those as paperwork; they are the difference between a chimney that is safe and one that looks safe.
• Photos before recommendations. You see what we see. If we recommend a repair, the photo of the problem is in your hands before the price is.
• No upselling. We do not sell air duct cleaning, we do not push relines on chimneys that need a crown coat, and we do not add work to a job without your approval. If something can wait a season, we say so.
• Clean work. Drop cloths, sealed openings, HEPA vacuums, and a crew that folds the cloths before they pack the truck.
• Insured & Bonded. Proof of coverage is available on request before any job.

The crew

The people on the truck have been with me for years, not weeks. They are trained on the same standard, they carry the same cameras, and they can answer the same questions. When you book with Friendship you get the company, not whoever was available that day.

Off the job

I am a father of four, which is most of the reason I care so much about fireplaces being safe before the holidays. My kids have grown up around this business, and the oldest has started riding along in the fall. I like a real wood fire more than a gas one, I split my own wood, and I have strong opinions about seasoning it, which you will hear if you ask.

Where we work

We are based at 588 William R Latham Senior Drive in Bourbonnais and serve Kankakee County and the nearby towns in Will and Iroquois County. The full list is on the service area page. Hours are 7am to 9pm, seven days a week, and the phone is answered by a person.