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 Framingham, MA
Photos don’t lie. We’ve cleaned and inspected more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and the camera tells the story every time. Below you’ll see what we actually found, what we actually did, and what the customer walked away with. Every job includes a written price before we start, a documented photo record when we’re done, and our 365-Day Done Right Promise under the Haven Standard.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal, Framingham Center
The homeowner in Framingham Center burned exclusively seasoned hardwood but hadn’t swept in four years. We found third-degree creosote, a hard, shiny, fuel-like glaze that can’t be removed with standard brushes. That’s not a great look, and it’s a legitimate chimney fire risk. We applied ACS anti-creosote treatment, followed with mechanical rotary cleaning using a DuraFlex whip system, then ran our camera from smoke chamber to crown. The flue liner went from 3/8-inch glazed buildup to bare terracotta. The customer received 47 photos, a written scope, and a written warranty under Haven Standard Clause 1. Total time: three hours. Written price delivered before we unloaded the truck.
Smoke Chamber Parging and Creosote Cleanup, Saxonville
This Saxonville fireplace smoked into the living room every time the wind came from the northwest, which is most winter days in Framingham. The smoke chamber, the area above the damper that funnels smoke into the flue, was corbeled, meaning stepped brick with gaps and voids. That creates turbulence, and turbulence makes smoke roll back into your house. We removed roughly 15 pounds of loose soot and degraded mortar, then applied HeatShield cerfractory foam to smooth the chamber to a proper parabolic shape. No more smoke rollback. The camera footage showed the before geometry and the after airflow path. Written price: $1,240. Same price on the invoice.
Factory-Built Metal Chimney Restoration, Nobscot
The Nobscot homeowner heard a clicking sound when the metal chimney expanded with heat. That’s usually a factory-built chimney with a joint that’s not fully engaged. We found three separated sections in a 22-foot run, with Class II flaky creosote leaking into the framed chase. We disassembled the stack, cleaned each section with rotary tools sized for 8-inch round metal flues, reassembled with proper twist-lock engagement per the manufacturer’s spec, sealed the chase pan with silicone rated to 400°F, and capped it with a Gelco stainless cap. The clicking stopped. The creosote stayed in the flue where it belongs. Camera record: 31 images, delivered same day.
Firebox Rebuild with Creosote Remediation, South Framingham
The rear firebrick wall in this South Framingham fireplace was spalling, meaning the brick face was flaking off from repeated thermal cycling. That’s normal after 30 years, but the heavy soot accumulation behind the damaged brick wasn’t. We removed the degraded brick, found a secondary creosote deposit where smoke had been leaking through the mortar joints for years, cleaned the cavity, and rebuilt with new firebrick and refractory mortar rated to 2,200°F. The firebox now draws properly, the brick won’t spall, and the hidden creosote is gone. Written scope specified 18 new firebrick, four bags of refractory mortar, and full cleanup. Price held.
Chimney Cap and Crown Repair with Full Sweep, Framingham State Area
This chimney near Framingham State had no cap and a crown with cracks wide enough to slide a quarter into. Water had been entering for at least two winters, which in Framingham means at least 40 freeze-thaw cycles per season. Each cycle expands the cracks. We swept the flue, finding moderate Class II creosote and one bird nest in the top four feet. Then we applied CrownCoat flexible sealant to the crown, bridging the cracks with a product that moves with the concrete instead of cracking again, and installed a Copperfield stainless steel cap with 3/4-inch mesh to keep animals out while letting smoke exit. The flue liner is now dry, clean, and protected. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard required 52 photos. We delivered 58.
Historic Masonry Chimney Cleaning and Inspection, Downtown Framingham
Downtown Framingham has plenty of pre-1900 construction, and this 1892 Victorian had never had a liner installed. The flue was roughly rectangular, varying from 8×12 to 7×10 over a 35-foot run, with no clay liner and heavy soot accumulation on the original brick. We couldn’t safely recommend continued use without a liner, but we also don’t sell fear. We cleaned the flue with custom-sized poly brushes to protect the soft historic brick, ran the camera the full length, and documented every dimension and defect. The customer received a written proposal for an Olympia Chimney stainless steel liner with insulation, a written price of $3,850, and a clear statement that the chimney was not safe for use until the liner was installed. No pressure. Just photos, facts, and a price that doesn’t change.
Want Results Like These?
Every job starts with a written price, includes a camera inspection and documented photo record, and ends with our 365-Day Done Right Promise. We’ve been doing this in Framingham since 2009. Call (508) 850-0489 and you’ll reach a live person, 24 hours a day. No voicemail. No web form. Just a real conversation about your chimney, a real price, and a real appointment.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Framingham, serving Framingham since 2009.