Northwest Hearth And Home
Call Us Today! (360) 491-4060

Whole-Heartedly Serving the Community Since 1987

The Early Years

In 1987, Dave Cloninger was working as a building foreman for a local apartment complex. During the course of this project, he met a subcontractor who introduced him to a local chimney sweep that was considering retirement, and looking to sell his company. This introduction opened a unique opportunity for Dave, who is at heart – an entrepreneur.


Backed with years of practical experience, and a natural penchant for hard work, Dave forged a new path, blending his innate entrepreneurial instinct with a desire to establish a solid career path that would not only satisfy his creative, industrious nature, but also meet the needs of the community around him. 


In 1988, C & C Clean Sweep was born. At that time, it was a man, his truck, and a chimney brush. Not one to settle, Dave continued to grow more proficient in his trade, and was always eager to learn new skills and expand his services to include fireplace and chimney repair, gas, wood and pellet stove maintenance and safety inspections. In addition, he contracted his services to local fireplace retailers as an independent installer. Before too long, property management companies, insurance adjusters, and realtors took note of his work ethic and integrity. Soon, Dave became known as the “go to” guy for his expertise and honest evaluation of each situation at hand.


One particular experience Dave recalls is when then-Governor Gary Locke and his family were plagued by bats in the Governor’s Mansion. Desperate to resolve this frightening and potentially harmful experience, Dave was called to the rescue – remediating the situation by cleaning and sealing the chimney to prevent future infestation. 


Before too long, suppliers also started to notice C & C Clean Sweep as a dependable, reliable and growing company. Soon, he was being contacted by various stove and fireplace distributors, asking if asking if he would consider representing (through sales and installation) a variety of brands. 


In 1993, in addition to expanding his company, Dave also expanded his family, marrying his wife, Patty, who brought with her, on the professional side, business and management expertise. Together, they invested their lives into building a company that facilitated an outlet for Dave’s diverse and uniquely creative skill set, and met a need in the community, while keeping to the standard of integrity that they require of themselves.

Challenges & Increase

The earthquake of 2001 was a pivotal time for C & C Clean Sweep. With so many damaged chimneys, especially in the historic, downtown Olympia region, Dave’s previous experience in masonry came into play when he was begged by many homeowners and insurance agents to put his expertise to practice for them. For several years, he and his team removed, repaired or rebuilt countless chimneys throughout the region.

2004 brought an unexpected challenge into Dave and Patty’s lives when Dave was shockingly diagnosed with a fast-growing cancer. Given the option to begin immediate and aggressive treatment or expect three months to live, the decision was simple. Chemotherapy treatments began shortly after, followed by targeted radiation. During all of these treatments, Dave did not miss a day of work! He was faithful to provide for his family and fulfill his commitments to his customers. Thankfully, Dave came through and is now completely cancer free. During these uncertain times, he remained strong in his faith and learned to live life to the fullest.  As a result, he determined to not allow fruitful opportunities to pass him by.

In 2005, such an opportunity presented itself when Dave was approached with the option to purchase The Smoke Stack Fireplace Shoppe, one of the longest established and respected fireplace retailers in the Puget Sound Region. Coincidentally, The Smoke Stack was one of the fireplace stores that had contracted with Dave as an installation provider many years prior.       C & C Clean Sweep and The Smoke Stack Fireplace Shoppe merged to become…

Northwest Hearth & Home

Over the years, Dave’s innovative skills (both inherent and as a result of years of experience) and ability to embrace “out of the box” scenarios put his services in great demand, both within our local community and beyond.

He found that there was a crucial gap in the fireplace industry which required homeowners to seek out multiple contractors in order to complete a relatively simple project. For example, if they had an old, inefficient built-in fireplace they wanted to update, they would have to hire a handyman or contractor willing to take on a small job to remove the facing around the fireplace and the fireplace itself. Then, they would hire a fireplace company to furnish and install a new fireplace. Then, in many cases, they had to hire a plumber to run gas line, and then a drywaller to repair any damaged walls and a tile installer (or mason to install stone) to finish around the fireplace. Naturally, many homeowners found this to be quite frustrating. Since all of these needs were already within his skill set, he was able to offer a complete service to his customers, which has really set Northwest Hearth & Home apart from other fireplace retailers.
Northwest Hearth And Home — Massoth Auto Parts And Machine Shop in Olympia, WA
2521 4th Avenue East, circa 1968
Future Home of Northwest Hearth & Home
In addition to the services that C & C Clean Sweep offered prior to merging with The Smoke Stack, Northwest Hearth & Home added a new, vital service to its repertoire: Design & Construction. One element that was sorely lacking in the retail fireplace industry was a “one stop” design to completion service. Drawing from Dave skills as a general contractor in the construction world as well as his attention to detail and Patty’s skills in project management and customer service, and their mutual eye for design, Northwest Hearth & Home is uniquely equipped to provide the only truly full-service fireplace company in the region, bringing a fireplace project through design, sales, installation, construction, finishing, and maintenance.

These unique abilities have saved our customers thousands of dollars and months of delays, allowing them to avoid unnecessary cost-overruns and contractor clashes. This allows us to take the responsibility of the details without needless consultations and confusion over who does, will do, or did, what. As a no-nonsense, results driven straight-shooter, Dave has no problem with the buck stopping with him, as long as he is able to facilitate the process. Multiple contractors working on a project unnecessarily fragments the process, and erodes a sense of ownership of the final result; by providing a start-to-finish approach, we ensure control over quality and the final result of the project.


It is not uncommon for homeowners, contractors, architects, or other industry professionals to call on Dave for his insight and advice. Many times, when a contractor or homeowner has reached their “wits end” on a project that has gone awry, they often turn to Dave to provide a solution.


As a result, many jobs deemed too complicated for other fireplace retailers get passed to Northwest Hearth & Home, thanks to Dave’s “can do” approach and personal, hands-on experience. In fact, it is somewhat rare to find the company owner working alongside his installation team – something that is often the case with Dave. His attention to detail and somewhat perfectionistic nature keeps him right in the midst of the projects – much to the joy of customers who appreciate his skillful efficiency.


While Dave is an integral part of our business, our entire team of experienced, NFI Certified installers is well-equipped handle projects great and small. Their ongoing technical training, combined with Dave’s years of expertise, results in a well-rounded understanding of the industry, both in theory and application. The hearth industry is constantly evolving, with new innovations being introduced each year. Our team is well-equipped with the latest training and certifications, ensuring that your state-of-the-art products are in the best of hands.

Today & Forward

In 2013, Dave & Patty were approached with what seemed to be the opportunity of a lifetime! A fireplace store in Hawaii (yes, even Hawaii needs fireplaces!) was for sale and could be a perfect transition to retirement someday. Excited by the prospect of expanding the business to a tropical paradise, they went to see if this was a good fit for both Northwest Hearth & Home and their family. It was immediately clear to them that such a venture would require full-time presence in the new store – and they were not ready to leave the business and community they love! 


While in Hawaii, however, they discovered a perfect balance – one that would allow Dave to nurture his long-time passion of horticulture and love of a tropical climate. Rather than expanding to add another fireplace store, they purchased a producing exotic tropical fruit orchard.  Over time, with their roots in the construction industry, they couldn’t help but also start building homes in Hawaii.  To date, they have built and sold numerous homes for those who can’t resist the aloha lifestyle.


Dave is currently sharing his time between both companies. In the spring and summer, he alternates between completing the larger design and remodel jobs he has become known for in the Pacific Northwest (which is ideal during the off-peak season for the fireplace industry) and working in the orchards, growing a variety of tropical fruits which have been sent to the mainland US, and locally enjoyed through farmer’s markets, restaurants, and businesses specializing in locally-sourced produce and products.


Today, Dave & Patty are deeply tied to their local roots and relationships built over a lifetime of investment into this community. They look forward to a continuation of building lasting relationships through Northwest Hearth & Home and consider their customers and colleagues their warmest friends. As a very close-knit family, all three of their children (along with their spouses) are also actively involved in the family business, assisting in every area – from sales and administration, to construction, installation and finish work.
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