★ Serving South FloridaOpen 7 days a week, 7:00 AM–9:00 PM
★ Serving South FloridaOpen 7 days a week, 7:00 AM–9:00 PM
Chimney cleaning
NFPA 211 calls for at least an annual inspection, with cleaning done when it is needed rather than on a set schedule. Burning a few cords of wood a season usually means yearly cleaning. Occasional weekend fires may go longer. The inspection is what decides it, which is why the two belong in the same visit.
Creosote is the residue left when wood does not burn completely, unburned particles and vapour that condense on the cooler upper walls of the flue. It starts dusty and easy to remove, hardens into a tarry layer, then becomes a shiny glaze that has to be treated or removed mechanically. It is combustible; dry creosote ignites at roughly the temperature paper does.
The industry rule of thumb is about an eighth of an inch, roughly two stacked coins. Thinner than most people expect, which is why a visual check beats guessing from the calendar.
It should not. Floor covering from the entry to the hearth, drop cloths at the fireplace, and a HEPA-filtered vacuum sealed at the opening keeps soot in the equipment. If a company does not mention containment when you book, ask.
Gas appliances produce far less creosote, but their flues still need attention. Modern high-efficiency units vent cooler, wetter exhaust that can condense inside an oversized flue, and blockages, corrosion, and liner problems occur regardless of fuel.
Those products can help loosen some deposits, but they do not remove anything from the flue and they do not inspect it. Treat them as a supplement at best, never a substitute for a sweep.
Chimney inspections
NFPA 211 has defined them since 2000. Level 1 covers readily accessible areas and is the routine annual check. Level 2 adds accessible attic, crawl space, and basement areas, clearance to combustibles, and a video scan of the flue interior. Level 3 accesses concealed areas and can require removing portions of the chimney or structure.
On sale or transfer of the property, after a chimney fire or any event likely to have damaged the chimney, and whenever the system changes: a new appliance, a different fuel, or a relined flue.
A Level 1 inspection is $150 and a Level 2 is $400. A Level 3 starts around $1,000 and can reach $5,000 or more, because it means opening up concealed areas and the scope depends on what is found behind the masonry. Those prices are for a single flue at an accessible chimney; multiple flues or difficult roof access are quoted before we start. Full breakdown on the chimney inspections page.
Not to this standard. General home inspectors assess what is readily visible and typically are not trained to evaluate flue interiors, liner condition, or clearance to combustibles. A flue coated in creosote cannot be properly assessed by anyone until it is swept.
Yes. Every inspection produces a written report with findings and photographs. It is what you use for insurance, for a sale, or simply to plan repairs in a sensible order.
Chimney repairs
Almost always one of four places: a cracked crown at the top, eroded mortar joints, lifted or failed flashing where the chimney meets the roof, or the flue itself when there is no cap. Finding which one comes before any sealing.
Brick faces flaking, popping, or crumbling away. Water gets absorbed into the masonry, freezes, expands, and pushes the face off. Sealing over spalled brick traps moisture inside and accelerates it.
After repairs, yes, with a breathable vapour-permeable product. Masonry needs to release moisture outward. A non-breathable sealer applied over an active leak locks water in and does more damage than doing nothing.
Isolated spalling, a cracked crown, and eroded joints are repairs. Widespread loss of bond through multiple courses, a leaning stack, or structural movement usually means rebuilding from the roofline up. An inspection settles it, and the difference in cost is large enough to be worth confirming.
Some. Mortar and crown work need above-freezing temperatures to cure, so masonry is usually scheduled for milder weather. Liners, diagnostics, and temporary protection can be done year-round.
Chimney caps and liners
It closes the one opening in your house that points straight up. Uncapped, rain falls directly down the flue, animals nest inside, and leaf debris collects at the smoke shelf, producing rusted dampers, damaged liners, and blockages.
It contains the flue gases. The liner keeps heat away from the framing the chimney passes through, keeps corrosive combustion byproducts off the masonry, and gives exhaust a smooth, correctly sized path out.
Pieces of clay tile in the firebox or cleanout are the obvious sign. Less obvious ones are white staining on the chimney breast, persistent odour, and draft that has quietly got worse. A camera scan is the only way to be sure.
Usually. High-efficiency appliances vent cooler, wetter exhaust and typically need a much smaller flue than the equipment they replace. In an oversized flue that exhaust condenses inside the chimney instead of venting.
Stainless liners suit most relining jobs and install faster. Cast-in-place systems both line and structurally reinforce a deteriorated flue, which makes them the better answer when the masonry itself is failing.
Fireplaces
Common causes: a blocked or creosote-restricted flue, a damper not fully open, a fireplace opening too large for the flue, a poorly formed smoke chamber, insufficient chimney height, or a tightly sealed house under negative pressure. They look identical from the living room, so diagnosis is worth more than guesswork.
Fine surface crazing is normal. Cracks you can catch a fingernail in, or joints where the refractory mortar has fallen out, are not. They let heat past the firebox toward the structure behind it.
Yes. An open damper is a permanent hole in your building envelope, pulling conditioned air out year-round. Most throat dampers can be repaired or replaced, and a top-mount damper at the flue opening seals considerably better.
Not until it is inspected. Unused chimneys still take on water, still attract animals, and still deteriorate. An unknown-history fireplace is exactly the case a Level 2 inspection exists for.
Seasoned hardwood, dried at least six months to under about 20 percent moisture. Wet or unseasoned wood burns cool and smoky, which is precisely the condition that deposits creosote fastest. A cheap moisture meter pays for itself.
General chimney maintenance
Late summer through early autumn. Availability is better than in the October rush, and anything the inspection turns up can be repaired before you need the fireplace. Nearly half of home heating fires occur in December, January, and February, after most people have already started burning.
About an hour to ninety minutes for a single flue, including setup, sweeping, inspection, and going through the findings. Heavy glazed creosote, multiple flues, or difficult roof access take longer.
Do not burn a fire for at least 24 hours beforehand, and clear a path to the fireplace. We bring the covering and containment.
Yes. Fuel type changes what the flue needs and what the risks are, but every fuel-burning appliance depends on a sound, correctly sized, unobstructed vent.
We serve South Florida from our base in Hallandale Beach. If you are outside it, get in touch anyway. We will tell you honestly whether we can help or point you to someone who can.
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