Your chimney is important to your family's safety. Every home visit includes an inspection of all accessible areas. We're looking for problems in areas you may not think about (such as the attic) where clearances may be a problem or where damages may first appear. Our company offers chimney inspections at all 3 levels defined by the NFPA-211 standards. From Level 1 (flashlight and hand tools) to Level 3 (which may include major work to gain access to hidden areas), we provide the level of service needed to provide a thorough inspection.

How do you clean a chimney?
We clean most chimney from inside the home. Upon entering your home we are careful to find the best way for us to get equipment and personal in and out of your home. We need some space in front of the fireplace to  spread out the 9 x 12 ft tarp that covers the carpet and hearth.  "Special Stuff" on the mantel or walls above the fireplace is safe. If you want to remove items on the mantel please do. We set up all needed tools and our special  chimney vacuum to aid in dust control. We wear coveralls, gloves and a respirator to protect us from harmful creosote dust and ash in the chimney. We assess the chimneys condition noting any problems and proceed with cleaning.

We start by removing the grates and any ash from the firebox. The walls and damper blade  are brushed with a hand brush to remove any soot and creosote from this area. 

We remove the damper blade and handle (if possible) to check for rust and missing parts. While cleaning the firebox area we are checking for cracks in brick and missing or severely eroded mortar joints. 

On "Pre-fab" models fireplaces we are checking for cracks in the back and side refectory panels in the firebox. Some hairline cracks are acceptable and a part of normal operations, however we are looking for larger cracks and gaps that will allow fire to reach the metal box enclosure of the fireplace. This can cause damage to the firebox making it unsafe for use. These panels are replaceable so do not fear. We can most likely find and replace old damaged panel making your fireplace usable again.  

On masonry chimneys we reach up inside the smoke chamber area with hand brush to clean the breast area and the sides where the larger brush misses. 
Next, we insert a steel wire brush attached to a flexible fiberglass rod and clean the upper smoke chamber area. The brush is pushed up into the flue, working in a scrubbing motion with sections of fiberglass rods added until the brush exits the top of chimney. 

The process is reversed, and the liner is check for cracks, gaps and missing joints using a spotlight. We clean off debris that has fallen onto smoke shelf, the damper blade, handle and cotter pin is put back in place and dust is swept out of firebox. We vacuum off the hearth, and remove all equipment and tarp from your house, complete the invoice, get payment for the amount due, thank you for the business, sprinkle some good luck around and look forward to the next customers dirty chimney. The whole process takes about 1 hour more or less depending on conditions and such. 

We take great care to offer a "mess-free" chimney sweeping service. Chimneys are swept to remove residues in the chimney which can block the flue and prevent proper drafting, and to remove flammable deposits which can cause a chimney fire. All chimneys that connect to appliances that burn fuel and are vented to the outdoors need to be inspected annually and swept when needed. You'll barely know we've been there yet you can have the confidence that your fireplace will operate at peak convenience, efficiency and safety.

We help diagnose performance problems with smoky fireplaces. We figure out where those water leaks are coming from and use the latest techniques to repair the damage and prevent future problems.

We line unlined chimneys and we reline chimneys that have suffered damage due to fire, water, improper construction and other types of deterioration and damage. We use the industry's finest stainless steel chimney lining systems, a material suitable for all types of fuel appliance venting.