Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterChimney Cleaning Before & After in Lawrence, NY
We can describe what a clean flue looks like until we’re blue in the face, but nothing lands like seeing the actual footage and the actual results. If you’re wondering whether your chimney in Lawrence needs attention, take a look at the jobs below. These are the kinds of transformations we handle every week, from first-degree creosote to liners that have seen better decades.
Recent Transformations
Heavy Creosote Removal in a Lawrence Colonial
The homeowner burned green wood for two winters and the flue paid the price. Creosote had glazed the tile walls to a shiny, tar-like coat. Wendell and his crew ran rotary rods with a chain whip, then backed it out with a chemical agent rated for third-degree buildup. The camera footage after showed raw tile again, with no glaze remaining. Fire risk went from real to negligible in about three hours.
Animal Nest Eviction and Full Sweep in Inwood
A squirrel had wintered in the flue and left behind a dense nest of twigs, leaves, and household insulation. The blockage meant smoke was rolling back into the living room every time they lit a fire. We removed the nest, swept the full height, and installed a new cap with proper mesh to keep it from happening again. The fireplace drew correctly on the first test fire.
First-Degree Creosote and Smoke Chamber Cleanup
This was a routine annual sweep that hadn’t been routine for five years. The flue had a heavy coat of first-degree creosote in the upper third, and the smoke chamber had collected loose soot that you could scrape with a finger. We brushed everything, vacuumed the chamber, and showed the homeowner the camera before and after on our tablet. They booked the next sweep on the spot for the same time next year.
Glaze Creosote Remediation Before Liner Replacement
Years of low-temperature fires had baked creosote into the existing liner until it looked like dark glass. You can’t brush that off, and you can’t ignore it. We applied a chemical treatment to break the glaze, removed the residue mechanically, and assessed the liner underneath. The liner was sound, so we saved the homeowner the cost of replacement and gave them a clean, serviceable flue. That’s the kind of outcome our 90-Day Done Right Promise covers.
Debris Blockage from a Failed Chimney Cap
The cap had rusted through and let in a season’s worth of leaves, twigs, and something that used to be a bird’s nest. The flue was blocked enough that carbon monoxide wasn’t drafting properly. We removed the debris, swept the flue, and replaced the cap with a DuraFlex stainless unit sized for the flue tile. The camera after the job showed a clear path from firebox to sky. We also noted the crown needed sealing, and the homeowner approved the quote before we left.
Odor Elimination from a Damp Flue
The customer complained of a smoky, musty smell every time the weather turned humid, even though they hadn’t used the fireplace in months. That’s a damp flue problem, and it usually means soot is absorbing moisture from the chimney chase. We swept the flue, checked the crown and flashing for leaks, and treated the smoke shelf to kill the odor at the source. The smell was gone within a day, and the fireplace was ready for the next cold snap.
Want Results Like These?
Your flue can look this clean. The camera footage and a plain-English verdict, every time, no exceptions. Call us at (516) 604-2573 to schedule a chimney cleaning and sweep in Lawrence. Wendell answers the phone himself, or someone on the crew does, and you’ll get a straight answer and a real arrival window.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Lawrence, NY since 1999.