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 Downingtown, PA
We’ve cleaned and inspected more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and we’ve documented every one. The photos below show what our camera found, what we did about it, and what the flue looked like when we were done. No staging, no stock images - just the actual work our technicians complete in Downingtown homes, from the borough’s historic center out to the newer developments near Marsh Creek.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal - Downingtown Borough
The camera scan showed a quarter-inch layer of glazed creosote (Class III, the most combustible type) coating the flue liner of a 1920s brick chimney near Brandywine Avenue. The homeowner had been burning unseasoned oak from a local supplier, and the moisture content - combined with Downingtown’s freeze-thaw cycles - had baked the residue into a tar-like glaze that standard brushing wouldn’t touch. We applied a professional-grade creosote modifier to break the glaze’s bond, then ran mechanical whips and poly brushes through the full flue length. The after photo shows bare ceramic flue tiles with the factory glaze intact, and the NFPA 211 Level 2 inspection report with photos went to the homeowner’s email before we packed up. Written price was $289-$340, agreed before we started.
Smoke Chamber Parging - Near Kerr Park
The smoke chamber (the area above the firebox that funnels smoke into the flue) was corbeled brick with deep mortar gaps and exposed sand - a common find in pre-1950s Downingtown homes where builders prioritized speed over draft efficiency. Our camera found gaps large enough to trap creosote and allow heat transfer to surrounding framing. We parged the chamber with Chamber-Tech 2000, smoothing it to the 8-inch minimum dimension the IRC requires for proper smoke flow. The result is a smooth, insulated throat that drafts cleaner and reduces the risk of pyrolysis in adjacent combustibles. The job ran $650-$820, with the written scope and warranty delivered under Haven Standard Clause 1 before any material was mixed.
Flue Liner Debris Blockage - Marsh Creek Area
A family in the Marsh Creek development called in late September after smelling smoke in their second-floor hallway during the first fire of the season. The camera revealed a complete blockage: a collapsed squirrel nest packed with leaves, twigs, and cached acorns from the red oaks common to that part of Chester County. We extracted the material in sections to avoid pushing it deeper, then ran a full sweep and camera verification to confirm the 6-inch round flue liner was clear from smoke chamber to crown. The before photo shows the nest occluding roughly 70% of the flue diameter; the after shows bare liner with no shadowing. We also installed a stainless steel chimney cap with ⅜-inch mesh to prevent recurrence. Sweep and cap together: $340-$425.
Spalling Crown Rebuild - Near Downingtown West High School
The concrete crown (the slab that tops the chimney and sheds water away from the flue) had spalled - flaked and cracked - from years of Pennsylvania freeze-thaw cycling combined with a mix that lacked proper air entrainment. Water was pooling behind the flue tiles and running down into the smoke chamber, which we confirmed with moisture meter readings of 18% in the surrounding brick. We formed and poured a new crown with a 2-inch overhang and a drip edge cast into the underside, then sealed it with CrownCoat flexible sealant. The after photo shows the proper slope and the shadow line of the drip edge doing its job. This was a $480-$620 job, and the photo record - Clause 4 of the Haven Standard - shows the pour, the form removal, and the final sealant application.
Firebox Refractory Panel Replacement - Downtown Downingtown
The factory-built fireplace in a converted Victorian on Lancaster Avenue had cracked refractory panels - the heat-resistant walls of the firebox - with gaps wide enough to expose the metal chassis behind them. That’s a failure point that can allow heat to reach combustible framing, and it’s not something a sweep alone can address. We sourced replacement panels through Olympia Chimney’s distribution network, sized them to the original specs, and installed them with the proper ⅛-inch expansion gaps at the sides. The before photo shows the crack pattern typical of thermal shock from over-firing; the after shows uniform panel surfaces with the manufacturer’s rating stamp visible. Panel replacement in this unit: $380-$495, including the camera re-inspection to confirm clearances.
Chimney Cap and Spark Arrestor Installation - Exton Border
An uncapped flue near the Exton line had taken in enough rainwater to stain the damper and kick off minor efflorescence (white mineral deposits) on the firebox walls. The homeowner didn’t use the fireplace regularly, so the damage had progressed quietly until a musty smell prompted the call. We swept the flue, treated the efflorescence with a mild acid wash, and installed a Gelco stainless steel chimney cap with an integrated spark arrestor and ¾-inch mesh. The before photo shows the open flue with rust on the damper frame; the after shows the cap seated with proper clearances and the mesh screen in place. The cap prevents water entry, animal intrusion, and floating ember escape - a real concern in Downingtown’s older neighborhoods with mature tree canopy. Installed price: $265-$340.
What Every Job Includes
Whether we’re removing glazed creosote or rebuilding a crown, the deliverables don’t change. Under the Haven Standard, you get:
- Written price before work starts - Clause 1, no exceptions, no “call for a quote” runaround
- NFPA 211 Level 2 camera inspection - the scan that finds what a flashlight can’t
- Documented photo record - Clause 4 requires it on every visit, emailed to you, archived in our system
- Named technician, license number on request - background-checked, uniformed, with a text when we’re en route
- 365-Day Done Right Promise - if it’s not right, we make it right
Materials come through Haven’s buying network from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield - not generic stock, not marked-up retail.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Before
AfterWant Results Like These?
Call (484) 558-2798. A live person answers 24 hours a day, and we’ll book a camera inspection at your Downingtown home with a written price delivered before any work begins. Free Second Opinion on any competitor’s written estimate - bring us their number and we’ll show you what we found on our camera.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Downingtown, serving Downingtown and Chester County since 2009.