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 Collegeville, PA
We’ve cleaned and inspected more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and every single one left with a photo record, a written price, and a written scope. Below is what that work actually looks like. These are real conditions we find in Collegeville homes, from routine maintenance to problems that were hiding in plain sight.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal, Main Street Area
The homeowner on Main Street near Ursinus College had been burning seasoned hardwood four nights a week through three winters without a sweep. We found Class III glazed creosote, a hardened, tar-like deposit that forms when combustion gases condense on cool flue surfaces and then bake on with repeated fires. Standard wire brushes won’t touch it. We used a rotary chain system to fracture the glaze, followed by a poly sweep to remove residue and a Level 2 camera scan to verify the flue liner was bare and intact. The written price was $289 before we started. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard required the photo record, which showed the flue liner surface from top to bottom.
Smoke Chamber Parging, Skippack Township Border
This 1960s ranch near the Skippack Township line had a smoke chamber, the area above the firebox that funnels smoke into the flue, built with corbeled brick. The stepped brick created turbulence and collected creosote in the corners. More critically, gaps between bricks let heat and combustion gases escape into surrounding framing. We don’t guess at this. The camera scan showed exactly where the mortar had fallen away and how deep the corbeling went. We applied HeatShield cerfractory foam, a refractory material rated to 3,000°F, parging the smoke chamber to a smooth, sloped surface that meets NFPA 211 standards. The job was $1,450, quoted in writing before we unloaded the van. The photo record included before, during, and cured-after shots of the smoke chamber from the damper opening.
Spalling Flue Liner Replacement, Perkiomen Township
A Perkiomen Township homeowner called after finding terracotta shards in their firebox. The flue liner, the clay or metal sleeve that contains combustion gases, was spalling, meaning freeze-thaw cycles and acid condensation had caused the surface to flake and delaminate. This isn’t cosmetic. Spalling reduces liner thickness, creates gaps for gas migration, and can block the flue with debris. We ran the camera and found 8 feet of damaged liner in the middle section, with the bottom and top courses still sound. Rather than selling a full rebuild, we documented exactly where the damage started and stopped, then installed a stainless steel DuraFlex liner with insulation wrap and a new top plate. Total: $2,875. The written scope specified the liner diameter, insulation R-value, and that the existing crown would be preserved if sound. It was. We photographed every joint.
Crown Rebuild with Cap Installation, Trappe Borough Vicinity
The crown, the concrete slab that tops most masonry chimneys, is supposed to shed water past the flue and past the chimney walls. This one near Trappe had cracked through to the rebar, and water had been running straight down the flue for at least two seasons. The homeowner didn’t know until we showed them the camera footage: rust stains on the flue liner, efflorescence on the exterior brick, and a damper that wouldn’t fully open because the track had corroded. We poured a new 4-inch reinforced crown with a drip edge, installed a Gelco stainless steel chimney cap with mesh screening, and replaced the damper track. The written price was $1,640. The photo record showed the old crown lifted off, the rebar condition, the formwork, the pour, and the cap seated. Clause 1 of the Haven Standard, “Have it in writing,” meant that price was locked before the first bag of mix went up the ladder.
Annual Maintenance Sweep, Evansburg State Park Area
This is the work that prevents the emergencies. A homeowner near Evansburg State Park burns three cords of kiln-dried oak each season and books us every March, before the creosote has a summer to harden. This year we found moderate soot and Stage 1 creosote, a powdery deposit that brushes off easily when caught early. We swept with a rotary poly brush sized to the 8-inch round flue, HEPA-vacuumed the firebox and smoke shelf, and ran the camera to confirm no hidden liner damage or animal nesting. The written price was $189. The entire visit took 90 minutes. The photo record went into their file, same as the 38,000 before them, and we’ll compare it next March if they call us back. They always do.
Firebox Refractory Panel Replacement, Collegeville Borough
Factory-built fireplaces use refractory panels, concrete-based slabs that reflect heat into the room and protect surrounding framing. The panels in this Collegeville Borough townhouse had hairline cracks that the homeowner had watched for two years, unsure whether they mattered. They do. Cracked panels can fail catastrophically during a hot fire, dropping embers into the chase or allowing direct flame contact with metal components. We sourced replacement panels through Olympia Chimney, matched to the fireplace make and model, and installed them with proper expansion gaps and refractory sealant. The written price was $675. We photographed the cracked panels in place, the manufacturer labels for verification, and the new panels after cure. No guesswork, no “it should be fine.” Just what we found, what we did, and what it looked like after.
Want Results Like These?
Every job above started the same way: a call to (610) 884-0366, answered by a live person. We book the visit, assign a named technician, and send a text when they’re on the way. The written price, written scope, and written warranty arrive before any work starts. The photo record is included, not extra. And if something’s not done right, the 365-Day Done Right Promise means we make it right. That’s Haven Standard Clause 1 through 4, and it’s how we’ve operated since 2009.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Emberly Chimney Cleaners Collegeville, serving Collegeville and the surrounding area since 2009.