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About Us
White Glove is a comprehensive chimney sweep service that was established in August 1977. It is owned and operated by Bob Ferrari. At White Glove, we offer a variety of services, including: installation, certified inspection, repair, and cleaning of stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys, dryer vent cleaning and repair, evaporative cooler maintenance, and fire investigation services. We also sell wood, gas, and pellet stoves.
Discover Why We Think You’ll Like Us
Record Searchlight Article on Bob Ferrari, Owner
By Paul Heath / Special to the Record Searchlight
What prompted you to start your own business?
Also, I was hoping to have a business that allowed me to leave the country once in a while to travel. It has – we have traveled in Russia, Central Asia, Georgia, Turkey, Italy, Switzerland, England, Scotland, and have been on chimneys in many of those places. I’ve been gone for as long as seven weeks from my business and it still functions at a high level.
As a company, we once went to an international gathering of chimney sweeps in northern Italy. There were 1,000 sweeps from 27 countries and we were among those representing the USA. I am so glad for this business.
How much research did you do before starting your business?
My one choice was whether I should get a contractor’s license for landscaping or chimney work. I chose chimneys because it seemed that everyone with a lawn mower was a landscaper but only one guy had a chimney installation license.
What will make your business stand out from competitors?
Bob on top of a chimney in Italy.
White Glove stands for a warm, secure, and healthy home. We are clean, safe to be with, nice, and professionally trained. Our technicians learn their job in our classroom and training center – 56 hours of training before they go out as a helper on a truck. Then ongoing continuing education throughout the year.
There is a CSIA certified sweep on every job: We like to say, “Our ‘experience’ is tested.” Our guys don’t learn their job at your home. While a lack of certification doesn’t mean a person is without knowledge – It simply means we have proven that we know at least the minimum to be a venting professional. We have done our best to make sure we are educated, skilled and still fun to be with.
We’ve also been on chimneys in Russia, the former Soviet republic of Georgia, a castle in Scotland, and in Italy – and we have great stories from these places.
We don’t take shortcuts, and we’re not trying to save someone money by cutting corners. We are honest, educated professionals. We are nice – just ask our customers. We show up on time, we are really clean in the home, and we are great communicators who speak in a language our customers understand. We are also licensed contractors.
What is your educational and career background?
My wife of 39 years, who was 5 months pregnant at the time, and I hitchhiked out of the Trinity Alps into Redding, the closest place with a doctor, in 1973 – this was the time of the first oil embargo, no jobs, no rentals. I had no job skills. But I knew how to find resources, I had hustle, and I always found work. The benefit for me was that I learned how to do a lot of different and seemingly unrelated things.
What were the most helpful sources, including websites?
Who is your target client/customer base?
We also service homes and businesses with evaporative coolers.
Our targets are homeowners who care about who comes into their home, who value great service, and who want convenience.
We work well with single women who aren’t sure who they can trust.
We serve, or are a resource for, associated businesses such as: home inspectors, realtors, firemen, news services, appliance repairmen, trade or business associations, insurance companies with their legal counsel, adjusters, investigative fire professionals, other chimney sweeps, and stove shops.
Our retail market is anyone needing a hearth product who doesn’t care about particular looks and who doesn’t want to shop – such as rental owners and real estate transactions where a hearth product needs replacing.
Meet Our Crew!
Hosh Ferrari
Phil McCarthy
Our Certifications
“Certified” means the technician has studied and gone through an examination process to prove he or she knows the industry standards, building codes, and technical information required for chimney and venting professionals in the area for which they are certified (This is in addition to White Glove’s proprietary training). We don’t pretend that our “experience” has taught us all we need to know. Our experience is tested by masters in the industry not by our own limits.
Bob has 27 years of experience and has or has held certifications in:
- CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep #1481
- FIRE Certified Inspector #FP032
- NFI Certified Gas Technician
- NFI Certified Pellet Technician
- NFI Certified Wood Technician
- Heat-Shield Installer
- Air Care Certified Air Duct Decontamination
- PTCS Air Duct Sealing Certified
- Ca. Contractor License #510706
- Toastmasters competent communicator
- Certified BPI Building Analyst
Bob has also been a presenter at national conventions and trade shows, and serves on the Ethics Committee for the National Chimney Sweep Guild.
We are the only chimney sweep business in Redding and Northern California certified by or members of the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), National Fireplace Institute (NFI), National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG), Fireplace Investigation Research & Education Service (F.I.R.E.) and Building Performance Institute (BPI).
Call around and ask other companies if our expertise is credentialed or if we are self-proclaimed “experts”.
Call us today at 530-924-3164 or click here to schedule your appointment online!
Contact the trained technicians at White Glove for prompt and professional service. You’ll be glad you did!