Chimney Cleaning | Chimney Inspection | Chimney Repairs | Certified Chimney Sweep Services

Our pros provide chimney sweep services in Baltimore and other chimney services in Baltimore, MD, Annapolis, MD, Brooklyn Park, MD, Elkridge, MD, Ferndale, MD, and throughout the Washington, DC, and Baltimore regions.

Chimney Cleaning

Every chimney needs attention to keep it clean and running properly.  Complete Chimneys performs thorough chimney sweep services that accomplish two important things:

1. Remove creosote.

Creosote forms inside a chimney when smoke condenses.  This substance is highly flammable and is the reason for most chimney fires in the United States each year.  Creosote removal is a process that should only be done by technicians certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).

Chimney Inspection

A lot can go on with your chimney over the course of a year that you don’t know about.  Early signs of damage such as cracks in the masonry, a leaky chimney or a hole in the chimney liner aren’t always easy for homeowners to spot.  The only safe chimney is a chimney that’s in good working order.  For this reason, we recommend a professional inspection once a year.

2. Remove other obstructions.

In addition to creosote, other things can get inside a chimney and cause an air-flow obstruction.  Leaves, twigs, small-animal nests and other debris can end up in a chimney and cause smoke to draft improperly.  When this happens, you may experience a back-up into the house of carbon monoxide, a toxic gas that can be fatal to humans and pets.

CSIA-certified chimney inspectors use special equipment and years of training to examine each area and component of your chimney with the objective of spotting trouble before it becomes dangerous and expensive to repair.  When problems with the masonry, chimney cap, chimney liner, flashing, chimney crown and other components are discovered early, quick repairs can be made to restore your chimney to a safe operational state.

Chimney Repair

When chimney repair is necessary, our field technicians know how to do the job right the first time.  We perform expert repairs on every section of your chimney including:

Chimney liner repair:

This is important to safeguard the inner walls of the chimney and house from intense heat.  We also replace chimney liners that cannot be repaired.

Chimney chase top repair or replacement:

Your chase top serves as a lid across the entire top of the chimney to keep out rain and debris.  Seven to 10 years is the average lifespan of these components.

Chimney cap repair or replacement:

Like chase tops, chimney caps must be in good working order to shield the interior of your chimney from the elements.

Chimney leaks:

When you have a leaky chimney, you can expect some level of water damage to the system.  Leaky chimneys need to be repaired as soon as the leak is detected.

Chimney flashing:

This is the material that surrounds the chimney where it intersects with the roof to keep water from running down the outside of the chimney and into the home.  Warped or otherwise damaged flashing can be repaired or replaced, depending its condition.

Masonry Repair

A chimney that’s falling apart is a dangerous chimney.  Crumbling brick and mortar are early signs that masonry repair is needed.  Our trained technicians are experts in all masonry repair work.

Chimney rebuilding:

When a chimney has decomposed to the point that minor repairs no longer work, chimney rebuilding is in order.  The strength of a chimney is in its masonry, and a full or partial rebuild can bring it back to its original stability and sturdiness.

Brick repair & tuckpointing:

When bricks begin to crumble and mortar begins to crack, sections of the chimney can fall away and leave a dangerous structural problem.  Tuckpointing is a process where we fill in open areas with strong new mortar to prevent further damage.

Parging:

This is a process that uses mortar to smoothly coat the smoke chamber, where smoke is funneled from the firebox to the chimney.  Any irregularities in the smoke chamber can cause drafting issues.  Parging solves this problem.

Chimney crown repair:

Chimney crowns are cement coverings at the top of the chimney that serve as one more way to protect the chimney from damaging water and moisture.  Crowns often become cracked, which will lead to larger cracking and let water seep into the bricks below.  We can repair your chimney crown or rebuild it.