Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Before
After
Before
AfterChimney Cleaning Before & After in Chesterbrook, PA
We’ve cleaned and inspected more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and we’ve documented every one. The photos below show what our camera found, what we did about it, and what the flue looked like when we were done. No staging, no stock images. Just the actual work, with the actual photo record Clause 4 of the Haven Standard requires us to keep.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal - Chesterbrook Colonial
The camera showed a 6-inch round stainless flue liner choked with glazed creosote, 3/8-inch thick in the smoke chamber shoulder. That’s Class III creosote, the hardened tar-like deposit that can’t be brushed out with standard poly or wire bristles. We ran a rotary chain-flail system with magnesium powder chemical treatment, then swept with polypropylene to finish. The after scan showed bare metal with visible liner joints and a 12.4 Pa draft reading at the appliance collar. Written scope, written price $340-$420, done in four hours. Clause 4 photo record delivered to the homeowner before we packed up.
Spalling Firebox Brick & Smoke Stain Restoration - Valley Forge Adjacent
The firebox was shedding brick faces, spalling from years of moisture cycling through a cracked crown we found up top. Smoke had migrated through the deteriorated smoke chamber and stained the header brick black. We hand-ground the joints to 3/4-inch depth, repointed with HeatShield refractory mortar rated to 2,200°F, and treated the smoke chamber with a parge coating per the manufacturer’s spec. The crown repair and cap installation happened the following week, quoted separately at $680-$940. The homeowner got two written prices, two written scopes, and two sets of Clause 4 photos. Nothing started until both were signed.
Blocked Flue from Bird Nesting - Tredyffrin Township Ranch
A family in Tredyffrin called because their fireplace was smoking back into the living room. The camera found a packed bird nest at the flue’s first offset, completely blocking draft. We removed the nesting material by hand and rotary brush, then installed a Gelco stainless steel cap with 3/4-inch mesh to prevent re-entry. The sweep and blockage removal ran $280-$340; the cap was $320-$480 installed with a lifetime warranty on the mesh. Written price before work started, Clause 4 photo record showing the clear flue and the cap from two angles.
Crown Crack & Creosote Accumulation - Chesterbrook Townhome
The crown had a crack wide enough to grow moss, which meant water had been entering the chase for at least two seasons. Inside, the flue carried a standard Class I/II creosote accumulation, about 1/8-inch, plus some loose debris from the crown deterioration. We swept the flue, applied CrownCoat flexible sealant to the crown (not a slurry patch that cracks again in February), and documented the chase interior for moisture damage. Total was $380-$520. The homeowner now has a Clause 4 photo record showing the sealed crown and the clean flue, plus our written assessment that the chase framing remains dry. If that changes, the photos prove when it started.
Factory-Built Chimney Chase Top Replacement - Main Line Area
The galvanized chase top on this factory-built chimney had rusted through at the flue collar, pooling water against the pipe and corroding the outer wall. We fabricated a replacement from 24-gauge stainless with a 2-inch overhang, drip edge, and welded flue collar. The flue itself needed a full sweep and a smoke chamber parge to address the moisture damage. Chase top replacement ran $680-$920; sweep and smoke chamber work was $340-$420 additional. Two written prices, two written scopes, both signed before we touched a tool. The after photos show water shedding properly and a draft test reading within manufacturer spec.
Smoke Chamber Parge & Liner Inspection - Chesterbrook Estate
The smoke chamber, the area above the firebox that funnels smoke into the flue, was corbeled brick with mortar missing at the joints. Gaps that size let heat and combustion byproducts reach combustible framing. We applied HeatShield Cerfractory Foam, a refractory compound that fills voids and creates a smooth, insulated surface per UL 1777 testing standards. The flue liner above was intact 316Ti stainless, so no replacement was needed. Smoke chamber parge was $520-$680; the Level 2 inspection and sweep that found the problem was $280-$340. The Clause 4 photo record includes before, during application, and after cure, plus the written warranty on the HeatShield install.
What Every Job Includes
- Written price before work starts, every time, no exceptions (Haven Standard Clause 1)
- NFPA 211 Level 2 camera inspection with documented photo record (Clause 4)
- Background-checked, uniformed technician, named and tracked by text when en route
- 365-Day Done Right Promise on all workmanship
- Free Second Opinion on any competitor’s written estimate
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Before
AfterWant Results Like These?
We’ve been documenting our work in Chesterbrook since 2009 because we think you should see what you’re paying for before you decide. Call (484) 806-9176 and we’ll book a Level 2 inspection with camera scan and written price. Corrine Halstead or a member of our live answering team will pick up, 24 hours a day.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Chesterbrook, serving Chesterbrook and the Main Line since 2009.