We sweep the full flue with rod and brush, remove creosote build-up from the smoke chamber and damper area, and inspect the liner, cap, crown and exterior masonry. Debris is contained at the fireplace with a sealed vacuum, so nothing ends up on your hearth or carpet. You get photographs of anything we find, with a plain explanation of what needs attention now and what can wait.
Creosote is the tar-like residue left by burning wood, and it is what actually catches fire in a chimney. Regular sweeping is the only reliable control.
Cap, crown, flashing, liner and mortar joints are all inspected. Water entry through a failed crown causes more chimney damage in the Upstate than fire ever does.
Cracked crowns, missing or damaged caps, spalling brick, deteriorated mortar joints, and damaged or unlined flues. Water is the usual culprit. It gets in through a failed crown or cap, freezes inside the masonry over winter, and breaks the structure apart from within. Catching it early is the difference between repointing a few joints and rebuilding the stack.
A missing cap lets rain, birds and debris straight into the flue. It is the cheapest repair on the list and the one that prevents the most damage.
Book in late summer or early autumn. Waiting for the first cold snap means joining the queue with everyone else in the county.
