Every wood-burning chimney accumulates creosote — the tar-like fuel residue that causes chimney fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 211) and Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) both recommend a full sweep and inspection at least once a year, before burning season starts.
We sweep the full flue from top to bottom, clean the smoke chamber, service the damper, and vacuum the firebox and hearth. You get a written report of the chimney's condition and creosote stage — along with any issues worth knowing about.
What's included in a Long Island Chimney Co. sweep
- Full flue brushing (top-down approach with rotary or hand brushes sized to your flue)
- Smoke shelf and smoke chamber cleaning
- Damper inspection and cleaning
- HEPA-filtered vacuum (no dust in your living room)
- Creosote stage classification (1, 2, or 3)
- Firebox, grate, and hearth cleaned
- Level I visual inspection included
- Written report delivered by email same day
Creosote stages, explained
Stage 1 is powdery black soot. Easy to brush off, minimal fire risk.
Stage 2 is flaky, tar-like. Requires more aggressive brushing and chemical treatment.
Stage 3 is a hardened glaze — nearly impossible to remove without professional treatment and sometimes requires flue replacement. If we find stage 3, we'll show you the camera footage and explain the options.
Most Long Island chimneys we service annually stay in stage 1. Chimneys that skip a year often climb to stage 2. Stage 3 usually means multiple missed years or improper burning practices.
When to call us
- It's been a year or more since your last sweep
- You smell smoke when the fireplace is burning
- There's a tar-like drip down the chimney exterior
- You hear scratching or flapping sounds in the flue (animals)
- You're preparing the house for sale (Level II required separately)
- You converted fuel sources recently (Level II required)
- The chimney smokes into the room even with the damper open
Our process
- Arrival window. We give you a two-hour window, not a four-hour one. Tech calls 30 minutes out.
- Drop cloths and prep. Before we touch anything, we lay heavy drop cloths from the front door to the fireplace. Booties on.
- Top-down brush. We access from the roof (when safe) for the cleanest, most thorough sweep.
- Vacuum throughout. HEPA vacuum running the whole time. Zero dust escape into the room.
- Smoke chamber & damper. Clean and service these often-ignored areas. If the damper sticks or is damaged, we flag it.
- Level I inspection. Camera scan of the flue to document condition. Photos included in your report.
- Cleanup. Everything vacuumed, drop cloths rolled up, debris bagged. Your room looks like we were never there.
