Frequently Asked Questions

Fireplaces should be swept every 50 fires, face cord of wood burned, or with the purchase of a new home.

A: Every 6 months to a year. Dryer vent fires are the leading cause of house fires and should be treated as one of the most important household maintenance items.

Yes! Though a gas fireplace does not produce creosote, the process of burning natural gas or propane does produce carbon buildup which needs to be removed. We advise cleaning and inspection of the system every one to two years.

The dreaded campfire smell can be caused from a number of factors. The fireplace could just need to be swept or it could have to do with the draft of the system. Anytime a fireplace smell is present we highly recommend you have an inspection of the system done to determine what the issue is with the fireplace.

This can be as a result of many things. It could be as simple as crosswind blowing the rain past the chimney cap into the flue. This can also be a sign of much more serious issues such as breaches in the masonry, failed storm collars, missing caps, and a number of other things. We advise an inspection of the system to determine what the root cause of the water is.

Chimney caps are the first line a defense for your venting system. Chimney caps serve many purposes such as to keep water out, keep animals out, act as a spark arrestor, and even help with some drafting issues.

The technician and his assistant will lay a tarp in front of the fireplace and place all necessary equipment to perform the sweep on the tarp. The tech will then evaluate the inner components of the system. The sweep will now begin. A vacuum will be used to mitigate any dust or debris that will come down from the sweeping process. They will send a rod system up the chimneys flue with a brush head attached using a sweeping motion to free any stuck debris. After the sweeping portion is done the debris will all be vacuumed up and removed from the premises. If the system is masonry the smoke shelf will also be cleaned off as well. All of our standard cleanings/sweeps include a complementary level 1 inspection on the system being swept.

During a level 1 inspection our technician will access all readily accessible aspects of the system. The technician will check clearance to combustibles and determine if the visual aspects of the chimney are in good working order. You will receive a written report and digital pictures of all of the findings.

In a level 2 inspection all of the items in a level 1 inspection will be assessed as well as all accessible locations of the venting system. When a level 2 inspection is done a camera will also be sent throughout the entire venting passageway to asses any damages that cannot be seen by looking up or down the flue. You will also receive a written report, digital pictures, and be able to view the footage from the scan of the flue.

A level 2 inspection is required when purchasing or selling a home, after an event such as a chimney fire, when changing fuel types, or for peace of mind when you are unfamiliar with your system due to large gaps in maintenance.

YES! But only for the individual sweeping the system. At A-1 Safety Chimney Service we proudly offer a no mess guarantee.  We take great care to insure that your home is just as clean as when we arrived (actually a tad bit better because of your newly swept system).

Yes. We require a homeowner to be present for ALL of our appointments. This helps insure that if the technician has any questions or needs to discuss options, go over potential issues, etc. Some repairs are able to be done same day which would also require approval from the homeowner.

Yes. A-1 Safety Chimney Service is fully insured, licensed, and bonded.

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