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 Pasadena, CA
Photos don’t exaggerate. When a homeowner in Hastings Ranch sees the flue liner we pulled out versus the stainless steel DuraFlex we dropped in, or when a Bungalow Heaven client compares the pre-sweep Class III creosote buildup to the post-job camera footage, the difference needs no sales pitch. This page shows what actually comes out of Pasadena chimneys, and what we put back in.
Recent Transformations
Class III Creosote Removal, Linda Vista
The homeowner burned pine from the San Gabriel foothills for three winters without a sweep. We found Class III creosote, a hardened, tar-like glaze that mechanical brushing alone won’t touch. We ran a chemical conditioner first, then mechanical removal with poly brushes sized to the flue, followed by a camera-scan inspection per Clause 4 of the Haven Standard. The photo record showed bare terracotta flue tiles with intact mortar joints. Written scope, written price, written warranty delivered before we started.
Smoke Chamber Parging, Chapman Woods
The corbeled brick in this 1952 smoke chamber had missing mortar and gaps you could slide a pencil through. That’s a code violation under NFPA 211 and a real fire hazard, since smoke and hot gases can leak into wall cavities. We applied HeatShield cerfractory mixture, troweled to a smooth parabolic shape that meets the 8-inch minimum depth requirement. The after photos, archived under Haven Standard Clause 4, show the transition the inspector will want to see next year.
Chimney Cap & Crown Replacement, South Arroyo
The crown had cracked through to the flue tile, and the galvanized cap had rusted out at the mesh. Water had been entering for at least two winters, enough to cause spalling on the top course of brick. We formed and poured a new concrete crown with a 2-inch overhang and drip edge, then installed a Gelco stainless steel cap with 5/8-inch mesh to keep out Pasadena’s roof rats and nesting birds. The job ran $1,840 to $2,400 depending on flue count. We wrote the price before we loaded the ladder.
Flue Liner Reline, San Rafael Hills
The terracotta liner had a vertical crack running four feet, visible on camera and confirmed with a light tap that crumbled the edge. That’s an immediate red tag situation in Pasadena. Corrine Halstead walked the homeowner through the camera footage frame by frame, then quoted a DuraFlex 316Ti stainless reline with poured insulation at $3,200 to $4,800 depending on height. No liner recommendation without camera evidence they could see for themselves. The after photos show the top plate sealed and the new liner pulling a clean draft.
Annual Sweep & Inspection, Madison Heights
This is what prevention looks like. One winter of oak and almond burning, maybe a quarter-inch of soot, no glaze. We ran a rotary sweep with a whip head sized to the flue, vacuumed the smoke shelf, and camera-scanned from firebox to cap. The entire job took 90 minutes, cost $245 to $295, and the homeowner left with a written condition report, the Clause 4 photo record, and a clear next-year date. Three winters of this versus one winter of neglect, and you’re ahead by about $4,000.
Firebox Rebuild & Hearth Repair, East Washington Village
The firebrick had eroded past the one-inch minimum thickness in spots, and the refractory panel on the left side had a crack radiating from the grate support. We pulled the damaged brick, laid new medium-duty firebrick with refractory mortar rated to 2,500°F, and replaced the panel. The hearth extension had settled slightly, so we shimmed and re-grouted to restore the 16-inch front clearance. Total was $1,650 to $2,200. The written scope specified every course of brick and the mortar type before Corrine Halstead signed off on the start.
Want Results Like These?
Every job here followed the same sequence: live person answers the phone, background-checked uniformed tech arrives with license number visible, camera inspection first, written price and scope before any work, photo record on completion, 365-Day Done Right Promise stamped on the invoice. Call (213) 459-6058 for a written estimate, or bring us a competitor’s quote for a free second opinion. We’ve answered calls 24 hours a day since 2009.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Pasadena, serving Pasadena since 2009.