Philadelphia Chimney Sweeping
and Repair Service
Since 2013
Chimney Sweep Philadelphia, PA
Homeowners in the Philadelphia area need a safe, reliable, and competitively priced chimney care expert to completely service their home chimney, fireplace, wood stove, and gas fireplace. We bring that excellence every day with our knowledge, friendly attitude, and on-time communication.
Our passion is your safety and comfort. That’s the driving force behind why Philadelphia Chimney Sweep is devoted to excelling in the art of sweeping and chimney maintenance. Your home is a valuable asset that you provide your loved ones and it needs to be kept in pristine working and safe condition.
Warm nights, festive holidays, and the feeling of being protected is available for your family to enjoy. We are the chimney sweep company to help you. Please call us today for your free quote or send us a message and we’ll get back to you.
In the meantime, discover what chimney and fireplace services we offer bellow.
Chimney Repair and Maintenance
Most work in the industry falls under the category of chimney repair and maintenance. Luckily we have a lot of experience and the right tools to service your chimney successfully.
We specialize in routine maintenance and cleaning of your chimney and fireplace. This includes the famous chimney sweep, which should really be done once a year along with a thorough inspection. We recommend doing this in the summer since winter is our busy period.
Sometimes our inspections spot trouble areas that require chimney repair. This could be light and simple repair – like removing and replacing an old chimney cap or waterproofing. Heavier repair would include new pointing, replacing a cracked flue liner, or masonry repair. It’s not often this happens, but sometimes a chimney needs to be rebuilt.
Whatever it is, we’ve seen it all at Philadelphia Chimney Sweep and concurred it all!
Chimney Inspections
Whenever we sweep and clean a chimney you’ll get two inspections. There’s the initial visual inspection followed by a more thorough video inspection once the cleaning is completed. This will catch anything we missed or was covered up by soot, creosote, and other grime.
This isn’t the only time to inspect your chimney.
We also offer chimney inspections if you are selling or purchasing a home. This will prevent you from any expensive or surprise bill for your new home or to prevent you from closing on your current one.
We also offer chimney inspections after a major storm or to potential damage from a fallen tree and other accidents. We hate to see accidents like this because they are so hard to prevent – you never know when they will strike. But if you have concerns that your chimney has been damaged it’s best to take immediate action. Call right away.
Finally, there are times when there may not have been a bad storm, but something looks wrong. Maybe you found a chimney brick in your yard or perhaps you see water coming down the chimney in your livingroom. These are certainly causes for concern and you should take appropriate action immediately by calling Philadelphia Chimney Sweep.
Gas Fireplace Services
More and more fireplaces being built these days are gas fireplaces. It’s not hard to see the appeal.
Gas Fireplaces have many benefits:
- No ash to clean up.
- No heavy soot or smoke
- Easier to clean
- Cheaper fuel
- Healthier burn
- More design options
They do require some maintenance to clean up and to keep running smoothly though. More and more we are offering full gas fireplace repair, service, and installation.
Why is Chimney Cleaning and Maintenance Important?
The way we describe it to people is this: Your Chimney is a rather complex system in your home that is unique from any other system, device, or structure. This is because of two things:
1. It’s an open system that never really closes.
2. Half is inside your home. The other half is exposed to the elements.
For that reason, you need to give them the special care they deserve.
Preventive Chimney Service and Maintenance
It’s a heating system first and foremost that primarily uses wood as a fuel source. When this fuel is burned it creates exhaust and deposits creosote inside your chimney that can cause chimney fires if not cleaned.
A yearly cleaning and inspection will help prevent other dangers, such as carbon monoxide poisoning. But it’s also a preventive measure to help catch masonry cracks, tile cracks, flashing problems, or chimney caps that need to be replaced. It’s an inexpensive measure that keeps you from a bigger bill and headache later on down the road.
Your fireplace and chimney is an open system too and the only one in your home that has clear and unrestricted access into your home from the outside. Unlike doors and windows, a chimney never really closes. You can’t just shut it off from the elements outside.
Because every fireplace is exposed to the elements they can take on extreme damage from the weather.
When Chimney Mortar Fails
Most chimneys you see out there are made with stone or brick held together with mortar. Without regular inspection, a small crack in the mortar will collect water, which will freeze and thaw. This is especially the case in Philadelphia where we experience cold and wet winters. That small crack will grow over time and eventually the mortar will separate from the brick or stone. Once the stone or brick separates from the mortar it has the potential to fall from the chimney and potentially causes more damage to your property or someone else.
The Importance of Chimney Caps
Chimney caps are another piece of protection for your chimney. These are the stainless steel caps that you see on top of chimneys. They provide crucial protection from moisture coming into the chimney and fireplace and the home. Without a chimney cap, you are leaving your chimney and home open to the elements. It’s also best to choose a cap that has mesh sides. This prevents any small critters from entering your home – such as squirrels, chipmunks, mice, and various birds.
Proper Chimney Flashing
The last major source of potential problems with your chimney is the flashing. Flashing is the metal and waterproofing where the chimney a roof meet. Just imagine how important this is. You have two major structures that meet together and transition from outside to inside. Almost all roofs are sloped so this area sees an exponential amount of moisture – rain is flowing down the roof and snow is collected on its side. If any leaks happen, water is going into your roof decking which will quickly ruin a roof. Or, water is flowing down the chimney and into your walls. You don’t want these problems.
Benefits of Owning a Fireplace
Having a fireplace and chimney is a tradeoff. You get the nice design aesthetics of having a fireplace in your home. The fireplace certainly makes winters and holidays more festive, relaxing, and cozy. And a fireplace does add value to your home.
It’s an asset. And like any asset, it needs to be taken care of. With that said, the other tradeoff is the care and maintenance that your chimney requires.That care is so important because your fireplace needs to remain a safe feature in your home. It’s more than keeping value in your fireplace, it’s keeping your home and family safe.