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 Easton, PA
Anyone can say they clean chimneys. We’d rather show you what that actually looks like. These are real jobs we’ve handled across Easton and the Lehigh Valley, the kind of buildup and wear we see in local homes built anywhere from 1890 to last year. The difference between a fireplace that smokes into your living room and one that draws clean is usually visible to the naked eye. Here is what we found, what we did, and how it turned out.
Recent Transformations
Stage 3 Creosote Removal, Historic Downtown Easton Rowhome
The homeowner on North Fourth Street had been burning seasoned hardwood all winter, but the fire never seemed to draw right. Smoke lingered in the room. Our Level-2 camera inspection showed Stage 3 glazed creosote, that shiny, tar-like layer that standard brushes will not touch. We applied a professional-grade creosote modifier, let it break down the glaze, then ran mechanical whipping tools and poly brushes until the flue showed bare terra cotta again. The after photos show honey-colored brick with full airflow restored. Fire draws clean now. No more smoke in the parlor.
Blocked Flue From Animal Nesting, College Hill Colonial
A family on Parsons Street called in October, first cold snap of the season. They smelled something burning when they lit the pilot. Camera went up and found a squirrel’s summer nest, compacted with leaves and twigs, wedged above the smoke shelf. This is common in College Hill, where mature oak canopy meets brick chimneys with missing or rusted caps. We removed the nest by hand and vacuum, installed a Gelco stainless steel chimney cap with 3/4-inch mesh, and swept the flue to remove residual organic matter. The after shot shows clear passage from firebox to crown. They burned their first fire that evening.
Flue Tile Collapse and Partial Reliner, South Side Easton Cape Cod
This one came from a home near St. Jane Frances School, built in 1954 with original clay flue tiles. The owner noticed bits of terra cotta in the firebox after a windy February. Camera inspection revealed a middle tile had cracked and shifted, opening a gap where combustion gases could leak into the chimney wall cavity. That is a carbon monoxide pathway into the house. We do not patch this. We pulled a DuraFlex 316Ti stainless steel liner, properly sized to the appliance, down the full flue length and connected it with a top plate and insulation pour meeting NFPA 211. The after photos show a continuous metallic surface from throat to crown, zero gaps, documented with camera stills the homeowner kept for their records.
Severe Soot Fall From Oil-to-Gas Conversion, Forks Township Ranch
The homeowners on Sullivan Trail converted to natural gas in 2019 but never had the chimney evaluated for the new appliance. Oil soot is different, heavier, and it does not evacuate the same way. Three years of gas condensation mixing with old oil residue created a black, paste-like deposit on the smoke shelf and damper. We see this often in Forks Township, where the 1960s and 70s ranches are hitting their second or third heating system. We removed the damper assembly, manually scraped the smoke shelf, ran HEPA vacuum extraction, and swept the flue with reverse spinning brushes sized to the new liner diameter. After photos show bare metal and masonry, no residue. The gas boiler now vents safely with proper draft.
Crown Crack and Water Intrusion, West Ward Victorian
Water is what destroys chimneys in Easton more than fire ever does. This home on Bushkill Street had a crown cracked so thoroughly that ivy was growing from the flue gap. Water had been entering for years, freezing, expanding, spalling the brick faces. We demolished the old crown to solid substrate, formed and poured a new concrete crown with proper 2-inch overhang and drip edge, then sealed it with CrownCoat flexible sealant. The flue itself needed sweeping, too, years of leaf decay and moisture had created a mud-like deposit. After photos show a clean, crowned chimney with water shedding properly. No more green things growing where smoke should go.
Factory-Built Fireplace Overfire Damage, Palmer Heights Townhome
The owners in Palmer Heights had been using their prefab fireplace as primary heat during a January cold snap, running it hot for twelve hours straight. Factory-built units are not designed for that. The refractory panels showed hairline cracking and the metal firebox wrapper had heat fatigue discoloration. We do not guess at prefab repairs. We identified the unit make and model, sourced OEM-compatible replacement panels through Copperfield, and swept the vertical chase flue which had accumulated ash and panel debris. After photos show intact refractory surfaces, proper clearances restored, and the unit back within manufacturer specifications. We also talked through proper burn practices so it stays that way.
Want Results Like These?
Every job here started with a phone call and a camera inspection you can see for yourself. We do not recommend work without photos you understand, and we do not surprise you on the bill. Call (610) 756-1504 to book a sweep or inspection. A live person answers, day or night. Estimates are free, and most jobs finish in a single visit. Done right, and we stand behind it.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Easton since 1984.