Chimney Sweep and Chimney Cleaning in St. Augustine, FL
A clean flue, a tidy room, and a clear note on anything we saw.
- Family run
- Locally owned
- Licensed and insured
- Same-day service
Get Your Free Inspection
Request Received
Got it, thank you. Expect a call from the family to book your free inspection.
Or call us at (904) 943-7482
Short version
A chimney sweep removes the soot, creosote and debris that build up inside the flue, smoke chamber and firebox. Our crew brushes the flue with rods sized to the liner, vacuums the fallout and checks the damper and cap, then notes anything that needs a repair.
Inspect First, Then Save 10%
Your free inspection comes first. Book the sweep within 72 hours and take 10% off.
Why Homeowners Call Us Back
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Family run
The company is run by one family, so the people who price the job are the people who answer for it.
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Upfront, honest pricing
The price is on paper before we start. If something changes, we ask before doing more.
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Workmanship warranty
Our workmanship warranty backs every repair we complete.
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Licensed and insured
Licensed and insured, with an experienced crew on every roof and hearth.
What Builds Up Inside a Flue
Wood smoke carries unburned particles and vapours that cool as they rise. They settle on the flue walls as soot and as creosote, a tar-like deposit that can be flaky, crusty or glazed hard. Creosote burns, so a thick layer in the flue is a fire hazard as well as a draft problem.
Unused chimneys gather their own debris. Leaves blow in through a missing cap, birds and squirrels build nests, and loose mortar drops onto the smoke shelf. Any of these can block the draft and push smoke or fumes back into the house when the fireplace is finally used.
How We Sweep a Chimney
We lay drop cloths from the hearth to the door, seal the fireplace opening and run a vacuum while we work, so the dust stays in the chimney and not in your living room. The flue is brushed with rods and a brush head matched to the shape and size of the liner, from the bottom, the top, or both, depending on access.
The smoke chamber and smoke shelf get attention too, since they catch a lot of what falls from above. We finish by cleaning the firebox and checking that the damper opens, closes and seals.
What a Sweep Shows Us
A sweep is not a full inspection, but brushing the flue tells us a lot. Loose tile pieces in the debris, a damper that will not close, or a cap that is rusted through all get written down. If something needs work, you get a separate written price for it and the decision stays with you.
Heavy glazed creosote is a different job. A brush will not lift it, so we explain the removal options rather than sweeping over it and calling the flue clean.
Chimney Cleaning Service for Every Kind of Flue
Our chimney sweep service covers masonry flues, factory-built metal chimneys and wood stove chimney cleaning on stovepipe and liner systems. Fireplace chimney cleaning and flue cleaning use different brushes for clay tile, round stainless liners and square metal flues, so we bring several sizes to every job.
A blocked chimney gets cleared before it gets brushed. Chimney soot removal is the main job, but chimney odor removal often comes with it, because the smell people notice in a humid summer is usually old deposits in the flue. Fireplace cleaning at the end leaves the firebox and hearth clean.
Chimney Sweep and Inspection, Kept Separate
Chimney sweeping and inspection are related but not the same. Chimney sweeps remove what is inside the flue, while an inspection looks at the condition of every part. When you book a chimney sweep and inspection together, you get both, and the written note tells you which findings came from which.
Regular chimney cleaning is part of simple chimney maintenance. A clean flue draws better, the damper works more easily, and a crack or loose tile is far easier to spot.
Why Florida Fireplaces Still Need Sweeping
A fireplace may only run a handful of evenings a year, but short, cool fires tend to leave more creosote than long hot ones, and humid air keeps deposits damp and smelly. NFPA 211 calls for chimneys to be inspected every year and cleaned when deposits or blockages are found, which is a sensible rhythm even for light use.
A clean flue also smells better. Much of the summer odour people notice from an unused fireplace comes from damp creosote and debris that a sweep removes.
Urgent Chimney Problem in St. Augustine?
The 24/7 emergency line is answered at any hour. Once the house is safe, the family sorts out the repair plan with you.
If there is fire, a gas smell or a carbon monoxide alarm, get everyone out and call 911 first. Report a gas smell to your gas utility from outside the house.
What We Check For
- Smoke rolling into the room
- The flue may be partly blocked by debris or heavy buildup. Sweeping clears it, and we check the damper and cap.
- Musty or tar smell in summer
- Damp creosote in the flue gives off odour. Cleaning it out and checking the cap usually solves it.
- Nesting sounds before the first fire
- We confirm what is in the flue before sweeping. Protected chimney swifts are left alone until they move on.
Request a Free Inspection in St. Augustine
- No-charge inspection, priced on paper
- Upfront pricing with no hidden fees
- Family owned and run
Request Received
Got it, thank you. Expect a call from the family to book your free inspection.
Related Repairs in This Group
Questions We Hear Often
Why do you need to sweep your chimney?
Sweeping removes the soot and creosote that wood fires leave on the flue walls, and creosote can ignite. A dirty flue also draws poorly, so smoke can spill into the room. Nests and leaves that collect in an unused chimney block the draft too, and a sweep clears all of that before the next fire.
How does a chimney sweep clean a chimney?
A chimney sweep runs a brush on flexible rods through the flue, sized to fit the liner. First the room is covered and the fireplace opening sealed, then the flue is brushed from below or from the roof; the smoke chamber and firebox are cleaned last, and the loose debris is vacuumed out.
How long does it take to clean a chimney?
A standard chimney sweep takes about one to two hours at the house. Tall flues, a second flue in the same stack, heavy creosote or a nest in the smoke chamber add time. Most of the visit is brushing, and the rest is setup and cleanup. We set up drop cloths and a vacuum before the brushing starts and leave the hearth clean after.
Does a gas fireplace need a chimney sweep?
Gas burns cleaner than wood, so a gas flue rarely holds creosote, but it can still collect nests, leaves and debris. Vent pipes and caps also rust or come loose, so a yearly check of the flue, the cap and the venting is the safer habit, with cleaning when something has built up.
Do I need a chimney sweep if I rarely use the fireplace?
Yes, an unused chimney still needs a look before you light it. Birds, squirrels and windblown leaves can fill a flue while it sits idle, and old creosote stays in place. A quick sweep and check of the cap and damper before the first fire avoids a smoky room or a blocked flue.
Is chimney sweeping messy?
Sweeping does not have to leave a mess. We cover the hearth and floor, seal the fireplace opening and keep a vacuum running while brushing, so the soot stays in the chimney; when the job is done, the firebox and hearth are cleaned and the drop cloths leave with us.
Proudly American
Owned and run by one St. Augustine family. Our experienced crew puts every estimate on paper and backs its repairs with a workmanship warranty.
Call Now (904) 943-7482Book a Sweep Before the First Fire
A clean flue draws better, smells better and leaves less to burn where it should not.