Chimney Sweep Questions, Answered Plainly

Call, text or use the quote form, whichever is easiest. A text with a photo of the fireplace opening and one of the chimney from the yard is the quickest path to a confirmed price, because we can see the system before we talk. Once you agree to the price, we set an arrival window that fits your day.

Late winter through summer, after the burning season ends and before the fall rush. The flue is cleared of the whole season's buildup, any repair the camera finds has dry months to be done in, and appointments are easier to get. If it is already October and you have not booked, call anyway; it just takes a little longer.

An adult should be there at the start and at the finish. Most of the work happens inside at the hearth, so we need access to the room, a few minutes to hear what the fireplace has been doing, and a few more at the end to walk through the photos. In between you can carry on with your day.

Let the fireplace go cold for at least a day and clear the hearth and mantel. Take off anything you would not want near soot, and move furniture a few feet back so drop cloths can go down. If there is a stove, empty the ash pan. Pets do better in another room while the vacuum runs.

Yes, whoever did the work before. We start from what the chimney shows us on the camera, not from the last invoice. If you have a report or photos from a previous visit, send them along; they help us see what has changed, which matters on a chimney with a history of leaks or repairs.

A low roar like a freight train or a jet, often with popping, dense smoke and flames or sparks at the top of the chimney. Get everyone out of the house and call 911 from outside. Do not try to put it out from inside the firebox. Once the fire department has cleared it, the flue needs a camera inspection before the next fire.

If the fireplace has been working normally and you are simply due for a sweep, a small, hot fire of seasoned wood is fine. If you have had smoke in the room, a smell, water, a chimney fire or a crack you can see, leave it cold until it has been looked at. A problem flue does not get safer with another fire.

No. Wood with a lot of moisture in it burns cool and smoky no matter how much air you give it, and the cool smoke leaves creosote on the flue walls. Seasoned wood is split, stacked under cover with air moving through it, and dried for months before it is burned. A moisture meter is an inexpensive way to be sure.

Because a fire that looks out is still giving off carbon monoxide, and a closed damper sends it into the room. Leave the damper open until the ashes are cold to the touch, and keep a carbon monoxide alarm on the same floor as the fireplace. If a damper will not stay open or will not close, that is a repair, not something to force.

The report names your system, the condition of each part and a plain recommendation. It covers the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, flue and exterior, with the camera frames that show anything of concern, and ends with one of three calls: ready to use, use after a named repair, or do not use until it is fixed. Each recommended repair is listed with its posted price so you can plan.

Usually only from the outside and the firebox, with a note recommending a specialist. A home inspector rarely puts a camera up the flue, which is where cracked tiles, open mortar joints and old chimney fire damage hide. If you are buying a house with a fireplace or a stove, a separate chimney inspection before the inspection period ends is worth it.

Most open fireplace sweeps take about an hour at the hearth, longer with a tall chimney, a second flue or heavy buildup. A camera inspection adds time for the run and the photos. Stoves and inserts take longer when the unit has to be moved. We give you a realistic window when we book, not a promise we cannot keep.

Portland and its suburbs in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties, plus Scappoose in Columbia County, all in Oregon. That takes in neighborhoods on both sides of the Willamette, the Westside out to Hillsboro and Forest Grove, Lake Oswego down to Oregon City and Canby, and east to Gresham, Troutdale and Sandy. The service areas page lists every neighborhood and city.

Yes. We work for landlords, property managers and HOA boards as well as homeowners, from one rental house to a row of townhomes with factory-built fireplaces. For a rental we can arrange access with the tenant and send the photos, the report and the invoice to the owner or manager, so nobody takes a day off to meet us.