A chimney sweep in Harbour Isles with a written record

How the room is protected while soot comes loose

Protection goes down before any deposit is disturbed. The hearth, the floor in front of the opening and the route in and out are covered. The fireplace opening is then closed off so that loosened soot drops into the firebox and not into the room.

Tell us about finishes that mark easily, such as pale stone or a textile rug near the hearth. Where the surround has a delicate face, we plan how the covers are held so they do not scuff it. At the end, covers are lifted slowly and folded inward to keep residue contained.

A flue that turns out to have no liner

Cleaning sometimes shows that a masonry flue has no lining, or that the lining stops partway up. Soot on bare brick looks different from soot on tile. An unlined flue is a finding in its own right, not a cleaning problem.

We explain what we saw and why the Florida Building Code's chimney chapter requires masonry chimneys to be lined. Any lining work is a separate estimate. Until you decide, we suggest not using the fireplace, and the written record says so plainly.

Details that help us plan your chimney sweep

A short call before the visit lets us bring the right rods, brushes and covers. These details help most.

Nothing on the list is required to book. Whatever you cannot answer, we find out during the free inspection. Call us with whatever you have, and we take it from there.

• How many fireplaces there are and which ones you use
• Any manual, model label or earlier record of work
• Recent smoke, odor or noises from the chimney
• Access notes for the roof, a gate or parking

Smoke you can see or smell regularly

A fireplace in good order should send its smoke up and out. EPA guidance notes that if you regularly see or smell smoke, there may be a problem. The cause might be the fuel, the way the fire is built, or a restriction in the chimney.

Cleaning addresses the restriction part. When we visit, we ask about the smoke before we start, then look at the flue and cap screen with that complaint in mind. If the flue turns out clear and the smoke persists, we explain the other likely causes.