A Kinneloa Mesa Chimney Sweep That Also Plans Ahead

The technician lays a runner over the floor, sets a sealed vacuum at the opening and starts at the bottom. Rotary rods go up from the firebox, through the damper throat and smoke chamber, and on to the top of the flue. Loose soot drops to the smoke shelf, where it is scooped and vacuumed rather than left to slide back down at the next fire. The firebox walls and grate get the same treatment. On the roof we look at the cap, the spark screen and the crown, because foothill wind bends screens and blows leaves into flues that sat unused all summer. Sweep pricing begins from $220. You see the before and after photos on our phone or tablet before we pack up, and a copy follows by email the same day.

Creosote is graded on what it looks like and how it comes off. Light, dusty soot brushes clear in one pass. Flaky, crusty deposits take more passes and sometimes a chemical treatment. Shiny, tar-like glaze is the dangerous kind: it burns hot and it does not brush out, so it needs a separate removal visit. We tell you which one we found and why it formed. Slow, smoldering fires in a big open fireplace are the usual cause, because the flue never gets warm enough to carry smoke out cleanly. That is one reason owners who switch to a sealed insert see far less buildup: the insert burns hotter and the liner warms up quickly.

Most people book a sweep because they want a safe fire this winter. Many of them also wonder, sooner or later, whether the fireplace could heat the room instead of just looking nice. Answering that needs a few numbers: the width at the front and back of the firebox, the height of the opening, the depth, and the inside size and shape of the flue. We take those while the tools are already out and add them to your file. If you later ask about an insert or gas logs, we can pull up a short list of models that fit without another trip to measure. It costs nothing extra and it saves a visit.

The sweep also tells us about the flue's condition in a general way. Clay tiles with open joints, a missing section of liner or a sharp offset all show up as we push the rods through. We note anything like that and suggest a camera scan if it matters. NFPA 211 lists a change of fuel or appliance as a reason for a Level 2 inspection, so anyone planning an insert will need that scan anyway. Combining it with a cleaning is often the cheapest way to get both done. If the flue looks sound and you only want clean, safe fires this season, the sweep and the notes are all you need for now.