Two locations. Three couples. Thirty years.

Safeguard Chimney Sweep and Stoves has always been a family affair. The business is owned and operated by Glenn and Tamara “Tammie” Mason, with help from their son and daughter and their spouses.

“I try to get fired all the time,” Glenn jokes. “My kids say ‘okay - see you in the morning!’”

Originally, Glenn’s brother bought a chimney sweeping business but didn’t take to it so Glenn and Tammie took over the operation. Glenn is a Solid Fuel Space Heating Technician and Certified Chimney Sweep who has been WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) Certified since 1990. Tammie focuses on accounting and finances while managing the sales team. The head office and showroom are located in Spectacle Lakes. Less than a year ago, a second showroom opened in Brooklyn on Highway 3.

Today, the team has 13 full-time employees, with four staff members who are WETT Certified. Glenn notes that they get busier each year. Safeguard offers a variety of services to homeowners in Lunenburg and Queens Counties. These services include: chimney cleaning, inspections, stove and fireplace installations, in-home consultations, addressing chimney blockages and custom metal work like chimney caps and flashing.

Back in 2015, the Safeguard team built their main store with a loan from CBDC. This year, they secured a loan to open their new Brooklyn location. How was the experience of working with CBDC?

“Excellent!” Glenn and Tammie say in unison.

“Everybody was great,” Tammie explains. “It was a lot of work putting the paperwork together, but it was worth it. If we need renovations in future, we’ll contact them.”

Tammie and Glenn are both hoping the future of the business includes further succession planning and their retirement within the next 3-5 years. Of course they’ll always be available to answer questions and give advice on how to run the business to the next generation of the Mason family.

“I’d like to focus on home renovations,” Tammie says of their retirement plans. “Maybe travel – I’d love to explore Nova Scotia – hiking, motorcycling, boating – I’d like to walk all over.”