What people ask before they pick up the phone.

NFPA 211 recommends inspecting chimneys, fireplaces and vents every year, with cleaning when deposits call for it. A fireplace lit a few times a year may not need sweeping annually; a wood stove that heats the house all winter may need it more than once a season.

It is wood smoke that has condensed on the inside of the flue. A thin, dry coat of soot is normal. Thicker, sticky or glazed creosote is flammable and narrows the flue, which weakens the draft. Heavy creosote is what fuels chimney fires, so it should be removed.

Usually because the smoke is cooling too much on the way up. Damp wood, low air settings, overnight smoldering and an oversized or cold flue all contribute. Dry wood, enough air and a flue sized to the stove make the biggest difference.

It shouldn’t. We seal the fireplace opening, lay drop cloths and typically run a HEPA-filtered vacuum throughout. Most of the soot stays in the chimney or the vacuum. If you find anything left behind, tell us before we leave.

Gas makes little soot, so gas flues are usually inspected rather than brushed. They still need checking for blockages, nests, debris and condensation damage. The gas appliance, its burner and controls are serviced by a gas technician, not a chimney sweep.

Shiny, tar-like deposits are glazed creosote, the hardest stage to remove and a fuel for chimney fires. It is sensible not to use the fireplace until it has been inspected and the deposits dealt with. Call and describe what you see.

A routine (Level 1) inspection covers the readily accessible parts of the chimney: firebox, damper, smoke chamber, visible flue and appliance connections, and from the roof where safe, the crown, cap, flashing and masonry. You get findings with photographs, sorted into what needs attention and what is fine.

NFPA 211 calls for one when a property is sold or transferred, after an event likely to have caused damage such as a chimney fire or a severe storm, and when the appliance, fuel or liner changes. It adds accessible attic, basement and crawlspace areas and a video scan of each flue.

Yes. A heating flue works all winter, often while everyone sleeps, and oil soot with moisture wears tile joints from the inside. NFPA 211 recommends annual inspection of chimneys and vents. Scheduling it alongside the burner service keeps the whole system checked.

General home inspectors usually look at the visible chimney and the firebox but don’t run a camera through the flue. When they see signs of a possible problem, or simply can’t assess the flue, they refer it on. For a purchase, a Level 2 inspection is usually what is needed.

Where it is safe, yes, because the crown, cap and flashing can only be judged properly from up there. Steep, high, icy or damaged roofs may not be safe. If we can’t reach the top safely, we tell you what could and couldn’t be checked.

You get our findings in plain language with photographs of anything significant. If you need documentation for a particular purpose, such as a sale, an insurer or another contractor, tell us when you book so we can cover what you need.

Usually because of wind direction. Driven rain soaks the face of the chimney and the flashing that face the wind, and leaves the others dry. Near the water that effect is strong. A leak that appears only with wind from one direction points to that side of the chimney.

It is efflorescence: salts left behind when water moves through brick and mortar and then evaporates. It isn’t harmful in itself, but it shows that water is getting into the masonry. The useful question is where the water is coming from.

That is spalling. Water absorbed into the brick freezes, expands and pushes the face off. It is common near the top of a chimney and on old chimneys repointed with mortar harder than the brick. The fix is to stop the water and repair or replace the damaged brick.

Salt air corrodes galvanized steel much faster near the coast, so a galvanized cap or chase cover facing the harbor can rust through in a few seasons. Stainless steel and copper cost more but last far longer in that setting.

We aim to. On older chimneys that means a mortar suited to the existing brick, often softer than modern mixes. An exact color match for old brick isn’t always possible, and we discuss what to expect before work starts.

Mortar needs temperatures above freezing to cure properly, so the coldest stretches of winter aren’t suitable for most masonry work. Small repairs can sometimes be done in mild spells. We will tell you what is realistic for your job and when.

Common causes are a cold flue at the start of a fire, a flue too small for the fireplace opening, a blockage, a damper not fully open, a house short of air, and wind around a short chimney. When it happens, and in what weather, usually points to the cause.

It keeps heat and exhaust inside the flue, protecting the masonry and the framing around it, and gives exhaust a properly sized path to the top. Many older chimneys have no liner, or tile liners that have cracked. A liner sized to the appliance is often needed when the appliance or fuel changes.

Often, yes. Gas appliances produce cooler, wetter exhaust and usually need a smaller flue than oil equipment did, and the old flue holds oil soot that should be cleaned out. The new appliance’s venting instructions and the local code decide what is required.

Possibly. Fireplaces closed for years may have damaged or unlined flues, missing dampers or nests, and some older ones were built shallow for coal. A thorough inspection, usually a Level 2, shows what condition it is in and what is needed first.

We inspect, prepare and reline chimneys for stoves and inserts and sweep them afterward. The stove has to suit the chimney, so have the chimney inspected before choosing one. Installation follows the stove manufacturer’s instructions, and most towns require a permit.

No. We work on the chimney: inspecting, sweeping, repairing and relining flues, including those serving gas and oil appliances. The appliance itself, its burner and controls, and fuel piping are the work of your heating technician. We are glad to coordinate with them.