Chimney Sweeping and Creosote Removal in Lynchburg
Every wood fire leaves creosote behind. It builds on the flue walls in layers, and once it hardens into a glazed crust it becomes fuel sitting directly inside your chimney. That is the single most common cause of a chimney fire.
A standard sweep with us includes a full cleaning of the flue, smoke chamber and firebox using powered rotary brushes, with dust control equipment set up in your living space so nothing ends up on your floors or furniture. Most appointments run 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size and condition of the system.
We recommend an annual sweep for any chimney used regularly through a Central Virginia winter. If you burn several cords a season, or you burn unseasoned wood, you may need one more often.
Learn more about our chimney sweeping process.
Chimney Inspections for Lynchburg Homes and Home Sales
Not every inspection is the same. We perform all three industry-standard levels.
Level 1 Inspection
The baseline visual check of the readily accessible portions of your chimney and its connections. Appropriate when the system is in continued service and nothing has changed. Details on our Level 1 inspection page.
Level 2 Inspection for Real Estate Transactions
Required any time a property changes hands, a fuel type changes, or after an event like a chimney fire or an earthquake. This adds a video camera scan of the flue interior along with accessible attic, crawlspace and basement areas. If you are buying or selling in Lynchburg and the contract calls for a chimney inspection, this is the one you need. See our Level 2 inspection page.
Level 3 Inspection
The most thorough option, used when a serious hazard is suspected and concealed areas have to be opened up to confirm it. See our Level 3 inspection page.
Chimney and Masonry Repair in the Hill City
Freeze and thaw cycles do real damage to Central Virginia brickwork. Water gets into a hairline crack, freezes, expands, and the crack widens. A few winters of that and you have spalling brick, a failed crown or a leak showing up on the ceiling next to the fireplace.
We handle:
- Chimney crown repair and resurfacing, the concrete slab at the top that sheds water away from the flue
- Chimney leak repair including flashing where the chimney meets the roofline
- Tuckpointing, grinding out failed mortar joints and repacking them
- Brick and masonry repair, from spalled brick replacement up to full rebuilds. We also have a dedicated brick repair page for Lynchburg.
- Chimney liner installation and replacement when a clay tile flue has cracked or a system needs to be brought up to code
- Chimney cap installation and replacement to keep rain, leaves and animals out of an open flue
If you are not sure which one you need, that is what the inspection is for. We do not quote repairs we have not looked at.
Wood Stoves and Fireplace Inserts
Plenty of Lynchburg-area homes heat partly or entirely with wood. We install, service and clean wood stoves, and we sell them. If you are looking to get more heat out of an existing open fireplace, a fireplace insert is usually the answer, since an open masonry fireplace sends most of its heat straight up the flue.