# Pilotiko for chimney sweeping companies

> Quebec chimney sweep? Spread the fall rush into spring, offer real open slots online and keep each chimney's history on the customer record. Free 30-day trial.

Updated on October 15, 2026 · https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/chimney-sweeping

Pilotiko helps a Quebec chimney sweeping company spread demand between spring and fall, offer genuinely open visit slots online, book the inspection camera without conflicts, and keep the appliance, flue and visit notes on each customer's record so the next technician knows what was found last time.

## In short
- Sweeping visits are booked online in real open slots, in spring as well as fall.
- Each customer record keeps the history: appliance type, flue, observations, date of the last visit.
- The inspection camera and other shared equipment are booked as resources.
- RBQ subclass 10.0 and municipal sweeping bylaws remain your responsibility; Pilotiko helps you explain them.

## Why does every customer want their sweep in October?

Cold weather reminds them of the stove, yet spring is the better time: deposits are dry and there's time to fix problems before winter.

The Quebec government recommends sweeping at least once a year, ideally in spring, when deposits are still dry and easier to remove, so any problem found can be fixed before winter [1]. CAA-Quebec says the same, adding that most homeowners still wait until fall, which is also when most companies canvass for customers [2].

So a sweep lives through a September and October where requests far outnumber possible visits, followed by a spring where the calendar empties. Customers who heat every evening add a mid-season sweep, typically after three or four cords [2]. In winter, the urgent calls follow chimney fires: even with no visible damage, the chimney has to be inspected before it's used again [2].

| Period | Main requests | What the office has to manage |
|---|---|---|
| April to June | Post-season sweeps, inspections before repairs | Persuading customers to book early |
| July and August | Flue repairs, stove installs, cottages | Work that needs a 10.0 licence |
| September to November | Mass annual sweeps, stove start-ups | An overflowing waiting list |
| December to March | Mid-season sweeps, inspections after chimney fires | Slots held back for emergencies |

## What rules govern chimney sweeping in Quebec?

The baseline comes from fire prevention. The Quebec government asks for a sweep at least once a year, adjusted to the quality and quantity of wood burned, and tells residents to check their municipality's bylaws [1]. It also recommends a yearly inspection by a professional who belongs to the Association des professionnels du chauffage (APC) [1], whose website lists member sweeps and installers by region [4].

For the work itself, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec places wood, pellet and coal stoves, factory-built fireplaces and their prefabricated chimneys under subclass **10.0, Contractor – Solid fuel local heating systems** [3]. Masonry fireplaces and chimneys fall under 4.1 instead, and an appliance tied into the building's heat distribution needs a subclass from the 15 family [3].

CAA-Quebec notes that the National Fire Code of Canada treats more than 3 mm of creosote or soot on the flue walls as a potential fire hazard. If homeowners brush their own chimney, the venting system should still be cleaned by a contractor holding that licence at least every three years [2].

| Benchmark | Source | In Pilotiko |
|---|---|---|
| Sweep at least once a year | Québec.ca  | Date of the last visit in the customer's history |
| Spring recommended: dry deposits, time to repair | Québec.ca , CAA-Quebec  | Spring slots opened online first |
| Over 3 mm of creosote: fire hazard | CAA-Quebec  | Observation noted at each visit, visible at the next |
| Chimney-cleaning logs never replace a sweep | Québec.ca  | An answer to publish in your website FAQ |
| Stoves and prefab chimneys: subclass 10.0 | RBQ  | Licence shown on your site; installs kept for licence holders |

## How does Pilotiko organize a sweep's day?

The Home services template gives you a **Dispatch** room for the fall rush and winter emergencies, a **Quotes** room for flue repairs and stove installs, a **Warehouse** for caps, pipe and spare brushes, and **Vans and fleet** for the trucks carrying ladders and vacuums.

You set up services with their real length: "sweep a stove and chimney", "sweep with camera inspection", "inspection after a chimney fire". A customer booking online only sees open slots of that length, travel buffer included. If you own one inspection camera, it's booked with the visit and can't be promised to two addresses at the same hour.

The customer record keeps the history: appliance, flue type, roof access, notes from the last visit. The dispatch agent proposes appointments from incoming requests; a person confirms before anything goes to the customer. For assignment, a "stove installation" skill can be required, so an apprentice won't get an install unless a manager overrides it.

## How many customers need to move to spring?

**Pilotiko estimate: 2 sweeps, eight weeks of September and October**

- Visits per sweep per day (1 h on site + 30 min driving) : 5
- × 2 sweeps × 5 days × 8 weeks : 400 visits
- − slots kept for start-ups and emergencies (10%) : − 40
- = sweeping visits available in fall : 360
- Customers asking for fall (assumption: 600 active addresses, 85% in fall) : 510
- **= About 150 customers to move: inviting them to spring with open slots in front of them is easier than calling each one back.**

## What do homeowners ask?

- "My wood is dry, do I really need a sweep?" Yes: dry wood still produces creosote, CAA-Quebec points out [2].
- "Isn't a chimney-cleaning log enough?" No: the Quebec government says those products only remove part of the deposits [1].
- "Why come in spring when I heat in winter?" Deposits come off more easily, and there's all summer to repair [1].
- "My insurer asks how many cords I burn." CAA-Quebec notes that insurers often price on it [2]; record it so you can adjust the visit frequency.

## What isn't available for chimney sweeps yet?

> Coming soon: route order optimised by neighbourhood, automatic email follow-ups to last year's customers, and an AI receptionist for the October call queue. Appointment confirmations and reminders are being commissioned: the code exists, nothing is sent yet. Until then, assignment accounts for each sweep's calendar and workload, not distance.

## Where to go next?

Start with three services and their length, add your sweeps, then open [online booking](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/product/booking-and-scheduling) with spring slots up front. Your [hosted website](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/product/website) can show your 10.0 licence and an FAQ on ashes and cleaning logs; see how to [write an FAQ that shows up in Google](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/guides/write-an-faq-that-ranks). To cut no-shows, read our guide on [missed appointments](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/guides/reduce-no-shows).

Related trades: [heating and air conditioning](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/hvac) for appliances tied into the building's system, [masonry](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/masonry) for brick chimneys and [roofing](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/roofing) for flashing. Plans are on the [pricing](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/pricing) page.

## Frequently asked questions

### How often should a chimney be swept in Quebec?

At least once a year, according to the Quebec government, and more often depending on how much wood is burned and its quality. Many municipalities have their own bylaw, so check locally. Customers who heat every evening often need a mid-season visit too.

### Is spring or fall better for a chimney sweep?

Spring is recommended: deposits are dry and easier to remove, and there's time to repair before winter. Most people still wait for fall, which is why sweeps are overloaded then.

### What licence is needed to install a wood stove?

The RBQ places wood, pellet and coal stoves, factory-built fireplaces and their chimneys under subclass 10.0. Masonry chimneys fall under 4.1, and an appliance tied into the building's heating system needs a subclass from the 15 family.

### What should you do after a chimney fire?

Call the fire department while it's burning. Afterwards, even if the creosote burned off with no visible damage, have the building and chimney inspected before lighting a fire again. Repairs may be needed.

### How should hot ashes be disposed of?

The Quebec government says to use a metal shovel, never a vacuum, and a metal container with a raised bottom and a metal lid, set outside on a non-combustible surface at least 1 m from anything. Wait at least 7 days before transferring the ashes to another bin.

### Does Pilotiko send customers an annual sweep reminder?

Not yet. Appointment reminders are being commissioned and nothing is sent yet, and email follow-ups are planned for later. Today, each customer record shows the date of the last visit so your team knows who to call.

## Sources

1. Gouvernement du Québec (Québec.ca), « Chauffage au bois », https://www.quebec.ca/securite-situations-urgence/securite-incendie/prevenir-incendie/appareil-de-chauffage/chauffage-au-bois (accessed on 2026-10-15)
2. CAA-Québec, « Chimney cleaning: More than just a simple sweep », https://www.caaquebec.com/en/at-home/advice/tips-and-tricks/tip-and-trick/show/sujet/chimney-cleaning-more-than-just-a-simple-sweep/ (accessed on 2026-10-15)
3. Régie du bâtiment du Québec, « Sous-catégorie 10.0 – Entrepreneur en systèmes de chauffage localisé à combustible solide », https://www.rbq.gouv.qc.ca/services-en-ligne/licence/determiner-la-licence-requise/liste-des-sous-categories/?tx_gdlr_pi1%5Bexternal%5D=1&tx_gdlr_pi1%5Bsubcat%5D=2&cHash=fd6fadcc367b1acf88900d8b60787009 (accessed on 2026-10-15)
4. Association des professionnels du chauffage (APC), « Association des professionnels du chauffage », https://www.poelesfoyers.ca/ (accessed on 2026-10-15)