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 Stamford, CT
Photographs of flue interiors tell the truth faster than any paragraph we could write. Since 2009 we’ve built a documented photo record on every single visit, and Clause 4 of the Haven Standard makes that archive mandatory, not optional. Below are representative chimney cleaning transformations from Stamford homes. The addresses stay private. The images are our work.
Recent Transformations
Class III Creosote Removal in a Shippan Fireplace
The homeowner reported a lazy fire and smoke that leaned into the room whenever the wind shifted. Our camera scan revealed Class III creosote, a hardened tar glaze that standard brushing won’t touch and that becomes a chimney fire fuel source if ignored. We used rotary chain cleaning with controlled torque, then re-scanned the flue to confirm the tile was clean without cracking it. The written scope listed the creosote class, the tooling used, and the before and after photos as part of the job record.
Blocked Smoke Chamber in a Glenbrook Colonial
The fire had been drafting poorly for months, and the homeowner assumed the flue was the problem. It wasn’t. The smoke chamber, the corbelled passage where smoke slows and compresses before entering the flue, held enough sote to reduce the opening by roughly half. We cleared it by hand, cleaned the smoke shelf, and confirmed airflow with the camera before we called the job done. The written report noted that the flue itself was moderately dirty but not the cause.
Chimney Cap Replacement After Animal Entry in North Stamford
A squirrel rattled around in the smoke chamber for two days before the homeowner called us. The cap had rusted through and fallen off, leaving the flue open like an invitation. We removed the nesting debris, cleaned the flue and smoke chamber, and installed a stainless cap from Olympia Chimney with mesh sized to keep animals out without restricting draft. The photo record shows exactly what we pulled out and what we put on.
Heavy Sote Buildup in a Cove Area Duplex Fireplace
The tenant mentioned a smell, but the landlord hadn’t scheduled a sweep in six years. What we found was a straightforward heavy sote condition, the kind that catches fire if the flue gets hot enough. We swept with poly brushes and a HEPA vacuum, then ran the camera to check for the cracks that heavy deposits sometimes hide. The flue was sound, and the smell was gone the same day.
Firebox Spalling and Crown Repair in a Springdale Rancher
The homeowner booked a cleaning and asked us to look at some crumbling brick she’d noticed. The firebox was spalling, meaning years of heat and moisture had caused the brick faces to peel off in layers, and the mortar joints were cracking. We replaced the damaged brick, repointed the joints with refractory mortar, and then did the sweep she originally called for. Nothing was proposed until she had the photos in her hand.
Want Results Like These?
Every Stamford chimney job starts with a camera scan, a written price, and a written scope of work before anyone touches the flue. Call Level Two Chimney Stamford at (914) 537-8463 and you’ll have the same photo record when we’re done, plus the 365-Day Done Right Promise behind it.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Stamford, serving Stamford since 2009.