Clean flues and clear findings for Watergate chimneys
Say yes to the sweep inside 72 hours of your free inspection and a 10% discount applies to it.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
What prompts a chimney cleaning call
- No record of the last cleaning
- A cap screen furred with soot
- Fires that are slow to draw
- Smell that worsens after rain
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Chimney sweeping decisions explained
Keeping chimney odor out when the fireplace is idle
Air moving down an unused flue carries the smell of deposits into the house. A damper that seals when closed slows that air. If the damper does not close, the smell can come and go with the weather and with how the house is being cooled.
After cleaning, keep the damper closed whenever the fireplace is cold. If it will not seal, a repair or a damper at the top of the flue can be discussed as a separate item. We explain the options without adding them to the cleaning scope unless you ask.
A blocked chimney needs the blockage identified
A flue can be blocked by nest material, leaves, fallen masonry or a collapsed piece of lining. Each of these calls for a different response. Brushing through an unknown blockage can push it further down or hide the damage that caused it.
We look at the obstruction from whichever end can be reached. Loose debris is removed as part of the cleaning. A broken liner or loose masonry becomes a separate finding, explained before any repair is priced. Keep the fireplace unused until the passage is confirmed clear.
Soot stains around the fireplace opening
Dark marks above the fireplace opening can come from smoke spilling out as a fire starts or dies down. Light surface soot can often be wiped from smooth faces during the cleaning. Porous stone and brick hold soot more deeply, and cleaning them is a separate task.
Ask whether face cleaning is included before you approve the estimate, so the scope is clear. We also look at why the smoke escaped. Staining that returns after every fire can point to a draft issue rather than a cleaning one.
Smoke at the opening as a fire starts
A puff of smoke into the room while a fire is catching has several possible causes. A cold flue, a half-open damper or a restricted throat can each do it. Heavy soot at the throat and on the damper frame makes it worse.
The cleaning clears that area and we check the damper opens all the way. If smoke still spills at the start of each fire, we talk through what else could cause it. Some causes are about how the fire is lit, and some are about the fireplace itself.
Line items in a flue cleaning estimate
- Identification of each flue and opening
- Insert liner access per the manual
- Cap and damper repairs quoted separately
- Next maintenance visit suggestion
Questions about soot, flues and sweeping
Does the booking discount cover a chimney cleaning?
Yes. A cleaning approved inside 72 hours of your free inspection gets 10% off. So does any other service booked in the same window. The clock starts at your own inspection.
Do you haul away the soot and debris?
Yes. Everything that comes down is bagged at the fireplace, and anything that falls on the roof is gathered too. It all leaves with us when the work area is cleaned up.
How should I store firewood to keep the flue cleaner?
EPA guidance suggests keeping wood outdoors with the top covered and the sides open, so it dries. Dry, split wood burns hotter and leaves less residue in the flue than damp wood does.
More Ways to Care for Your Fireplace
- Ventless Gas Fireplace ServiceService the identified vent-free appliance without bypassing its required safety components.
- Chimney Chase Cover ReplacementReplace the chase top with a properly planned cover and clearly defined pipe connections.
- Chimney Liner Installation and ReliningPlan a compatible chimney liner installation with the existing passage, connections and maintenance access considered together.
- Chimney Flashing RepairRepair the chimney-to-roof connection with a scope that accounts for the adjoining roofing and masonry.
- Gas Fireplace VentingAssess and repair the gas fireplace vent arrangement using components suited to the identified system.
We received your request
Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo