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 Roanoke, VA
We’re not big on talking about ourselves. We’d rather show you what a proper chimney cleaning, repair, or rebuild actually looks like when it’s done right. These are real jobs we’ve completed in Roanoke and the surrounding communities - the kind of work that keeps a house safe through burning season and beyond. If your chimney looks anything like the “before” shots below, we should talk.
Recent Transformations
Heavy Creosote Buildup - Residential Flue Cleaning, South Roanoke
The homeowner in South Roanoke had been burning seasoned hardwood for three winters without a sweep. Our Level-2 camera inspection showed Stage 3 glazed creosote - the kind that ignites at lower temperatures and burns hot enough to crack a flue liner. We used a rotary cleaning system with mechanical whips to break the glaze, then performed a standard sweep to remove all loose material. The after photos show a clean flue passage with full airflow restored, and the homeowner walked away with dated documentation for their insurance file.
Blocked Chimney Cap - Animal Debris Removal, Grandin Village Area
A family in Grandin Village called because their fireplace was smoking back into the living room every time they lit a fire. The cap was packed with a squirrel nest and years of compacted leaves - common in Roanoke’s older neighborhoods where mature oaks overhang rooflines. We cleared the debris, ran a camera to confirm no animals were trapped below, and installed a new Gelco cap with mesh sized to the flue diameter. No more smoke in the house, and no more squirrels treating their chimney like a condo.
Deteriorated Clay Liner - HeatShield Relining, Cave Spring
The Cave Spring homeowner had no idea their clay liner was failing until we showed them the camera footage - tiles spalling, mortar missing between joints, gaps big enough to let combustion gases leak into the chimney cavity. That’s carbon monoxide risk, and it’s not theoretical. We applied the HeatShield cerement relining system, which fills every gap and creates a smooth, continuous flue surface rated for the temperatures their wood-burning insert produces. The after inspection photos show a sealed system, and the homeowner has a written 90-Day Done Right Promise backing the work.
Leaking Chimney Crown - CrownSeal Repair, Hollins
The Hollins homeowner thought they had a roof leak. Water was staining their bedroom ceiling directly below the chimney stack, and two roofing companies had already re-flashed without solving it. We found the real problem with a camera: the concrete crown on top of their chimney was cracked through, letting water run straight down the flue cavity every time Roanoke got one of its hard spring rains. We repaired the crown with CrownSeal, a flexible waterproof coating that moves with the masonry through freeze-thaw cycles instead of cracking again. The ceiling stain hasn’t returned in two burning seasons.
Factory-Built Chimney Restoration - Full Chase Cover Replacement, Vinton
The Vinton home had a factory-built chimney with a rusted-out chase cover - the kind of slow-motion disaster you don’t notice until the framing inside the chase starts to rot. We fabricated a new cover with a cross-break design so water runs off instead of pooling, and we used a heavier gauge material than the original builder-grade piece. The homeowner in Vinton went from worrying about structural damage to having a chase cover that’ll outlast their mortgage. We see this exact failure pattern in factory-built units throughout the Roanoke Valley, especially in homes from the 1980s and 90s.
Fireplace Smoke Chamber Parging - SmokeGuard Installation, Raleigh Court
The Raleigh Court homeowner loved their 1920s fireplace but couldn’t use it without smoking out the room. The smoke chamber - the area above the damper - was built with rough corbeled brick that created turbulence instead of smooth airflow. We parged the chamber with a refractory mortar to create the smooth slope the original builders skipped, then installed a SmokeGuard to lower the fireplace opening to proper proportions for the flue size. Now the fire draws cleanly, and the homeowner gets to use the feature that sold them on the house in the first place.
Want Results Like These?
Every job above started with a phone call and a camera inspection you can see for yourself. We’ll show you exactly what’s happening in your chimney, explain it in plain English, and give you a price that won’t change. No surprises on the bill. If you’re in Roanoke, Vinton, Cave Spring, Hollins, or anywhere in between, call us at (540) 787-3302. A live person answers 24 hours a day, and we’ll get you scheduled for an inspection that comes with photos you can keep and a verdict you can understand.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Roanoke since 1984.