Business Profile: All American Chimney Sweep, Cortlandt
Photo credit: Neal Rentz
Cortlandt resident Kurt Pelaccio originally had no intention of becoming a chimney sweep.
“It wasn’t my master plan,” Pelaccio quipped during an interview last week.
Though it was not his original plan, chimney sweeping turned out to be his career. Pelaccio began his career 31 years ago working for his brother, Bob, and for the past 10 years has owned All American Chimney Sweep, which he runs out of his home.
After working during summer breaks for his brother’s company, Mad Hatter Chimney Sweep in Cortlandt, Pelaccio accepted an offer from his sibling to work full-time for his company after completing his college education.
“I found working for him was good for me. I coached a lot so I was able to do my schedule around my coaching,” Pelaccio recalled. He currently coaches a local traveling girls’ volleyball team. When his and his wife Jackie’s three daughters, Kristina, Jessica and Lindsay, were younger he coached a variety of youth sports, including softball.
Pelaccio said he chose All American for the name of his business because “people want something they can recognize with the flag” and the name would appear early in phone books. He noted he decided to create his own business because he wanted to be his own boss.
Over its first 10 years his business has built up a large regular clientele through word of mouth Pelaccio said. His clients come from several communities in Westchester and Putnam, he said. “My customers like that it’s just me. They know me. If there’s any issues, any questions, I can answer them,” Pelaccio said.
The only person, who works for him, Kelly Kertiliets of Cortlandt, is invaluable for his business in her role as secretary, Pelaccio said. “She’s the first line of defense. Everybody loves her,” Pelaccio said.
Pelaccio said he had “on the job training” as a chimney sweep. For about six months Pelaccio watched his brother work. He learned what to look out for in chimneys, including cracks and cresote, which Pelaccio described as wood residue buildup in chimneys that is “dangerous stuff that burns,” that can cause chimney fires. “Our main job really is to scrape that off, just keep the chimney safe,” Pelaccio explained.
Pelaccio said the standard is to have chimneys cleaned every two to three years.
Aside from cleaning, All American Chimney Sweep installs chimney caps on roofs which “keep out leaves, animals and rain,” Pelaccio noted.
Pelaccio said he works 12 months a year with the fall being his busiest season, with people preparing for winter use of chimneys. To spread his business throughout the year, Pelaccio offers discounts to regular customers to have their chimneys swept during the summer. About half of his regular customers have their work done over the summer, Pelaccio said.
There is something special about having a fireplace, Pelaccio said. “It just gives you a good feeling, it’s almost like the same thing a fish tank does when you walk into a room,” he said. “It just relaxes you.”
Pelaccio offered tips to consumers to avoid being scammed. “What people should look out for are these low priced guys who call on the phone,” he said. “When they get to your house they go up on your chimney, they’ll break something off, bring it down and say your chimney has to be relined. So all of a sudden your $59 cleaning has become $1,500.”
For more information about All American Chimney Sweep call 914 -739-4326 or visit AllAmericanChimneySweep.com. All American is also on Facebook and Angie’s List.
