Lorne Barlow prepares to clean a chimney — his current
career passion.
Tom Keenan |
|
A clean sweep
After years of indecision, Lorne Barlow has found his true calling
Posted By TOM KEENAN
Posted 9 days ago
Special to The Star
BRUCE MINES — Lorne Barlow began his working life as a machinist.
And, for years, he moved around from one job to another, which eventually
took him to Guelph, Ont. After several years there, he and his wife, Merin,
moved back to the area of his birth and settled in Bruce Mines.
And, perhaps most importantly, he’s doing something he loves.
Today, Barlow is the owner of Barlow Chimney Sweeps. He is WETT (Wood,
Energy, Technology Transfer) certified and fully insured to handle
installations, inspections, repairs and cleaning of anything related to
wood-burning devices.
“You can say that I am in the type of business that I always dreamed of,”
Barlow said. “I love interacting with people and, from my starting out as a
machinist, I always had the dream of getting into another field of work where I
could meet and deal with people.”
Barlow was born in the Thessalon area in 1970, graduated from CASS in 1988
and immediately went into the workforce as a machinist.
“(Then) I found myself moving around from one place to another, looking for
new challenges,” he added.
Barlow tagged his love of interacting with people as what took him away from
his trade.
“It didn’t take me long to realize that you have nobody to talk to when you
are working on machines. . . . And that started getting to me after a while.”
After moving to Guelph, Barlow began managing an industrial paint store, “a
monstrous operation but, more importantly, I was finally dealing with people and
this interaction was what I had always been looking for.”
Continued
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But Lorne and Merin found themselves returning to Algoma more
and more to spend time at a camp lot they owned on Garden Bay Road.
“We made the decision to move back to the area we loved,” Barlow said.
“And, in 2004, we arrived. And for my first year back, I didn’t do much of
anything except cut and sell some firewood and refamiliarize myself with the
area.”
Barlow got a job at Home Hardware in Bruce Station and, although “happy”
there, decided to strike out on his own, working as a chimney sweep.
He launched his own business in February 2008.
“When I worked at the hardware in Bruce Station, people were always asking
about where they could find a person to handle some work dealing with a
fireplace or a wood-burning stove,” Barlow said.
“The inquiries grew so frequent that I made my decision to get into the
field. I took the WETT course and I made a point of acquiring all the knowledge
possible on wood burning.”
Barlow said he has been busy ever since, initially doing inspections and
chimney sweeping. He progressed to the installation of complete wood-burning
systems.
There is much work now with real estate agents, who want to ensure properties
they handle with wood-burning appliances fit the proper coding.
The job takes Barlow as far east as Blind River and to Echo Bay in the west.
“I also do some work in Sault, and a fair amount on St. Joseph Island,” he
added. Although he does some advertising, “the best advertising you can have is
doing a good job.
“When you do a good job and please the customer, then the word spreads to
their friends and family.
“And, conversely, if you do a bad job, then you can start looking for another
career move.”
Barlow said since he and Merin settled into their home on Taylor Street in
Bruce Mines, they have become involved in the community. Barlow is a member of
the Chamber of Commerce, a captain in the Bruce Mines Volunteer Fire Department,
served as Bruce Mines Community Day chairperson for two years and is a member of
the marina committee.
He said when he completes a job or inspection, “I won’t leave the site until
I am 100 per cent sure that it is safe.”
Article ID# 1617744
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