Everything people ask us before they book, with the full answer rather than a one-liner.
How much does a chimney sweep cost in Charlotte?
It depends on the height of the stack, whether there is one flue or more, and how much creosote has built up since the last sweep. A lightly used single flue and a two-storey stack carrying a season of hard glazed creosote are not the same job. So we look at your actual chimney first and give you a flat written price before anything starts. The estimate is free and there is no trip fee.
How often should a chimney be swept?
Once a year if you use the fireplace regularly, and always before the first burn of the season. Even a chimney you barely use should be looked at annually, because the things that go wrong in the off-season — a bird nest, a cracked crown, a rusted-out cap — have nothing to do with how much you burn.
How long does a sweep take?
Most jobs are finished inside 90 minutes. A straightforward single-flue fireplace is usually about an hour. If we find heavy glazed creosote or the chimney has not been touched in several years it can run longer, and we will say so before we start rather than after.
Do you sweep gas fireplaces?
Yes. A gas fireplace does not build creosote the way a wood one does, but the flue still needs checking — for blockages, for a failed liner, and for anything that stops the exhaust going where it should. That matters more with gas, not less, because the gases are invisible. We inspect the venting, the firebox and the draw.
What is creosote and why does it matter?
Creosote is the tarry residue wood smoke leaves on the inside of the flue. It starts as a light flaky soot and, if it is left, hardens into a shiny glaze. It burns. A chimney fire is creosote igniting inside the flue, and it burns hot enough to crack a liner and reach the timbers around it. Sweeping it out is the whole point of the job.
Will you make a mess in my living room?
No. We seal off the fireplace opening before anything else and run our vacuum the whole time we work. The soot ends up in our machine, not on your carpet. If we do leave a mark, we clean it.
Do you repair chimneys as well as sweep them?
Yes. We reseal cracked crowns, replace damaged or missing caps, repair liners and deal with leaks and water damage. If we find something during a sweep, you get a written estimate on the spot and no pressure to use us for the work.
Do you cover my part of Charlotte?
We cover Charlotte and the towns around it — from Mooresville and Davidson in the north down to Monroe and Waxhaw in the south, and west to Gastonia and Belmont. If you are not sure, call and ask. If we do not cover you we will say so rather than waste your time.
