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 Sterling, VA
Photos tell the truth faster than any claim we could make. Below are real jobs from real neighborhoods around Sterling: Countryside, Potomac Falls, Cascades, Sugarland Run. Same flue, same camera angle, before and after. The camera doesn’t flatter, and we don’t ask it to. You’ll see exactly what the sweep who shows up at your door sees.
Recent Transformations
First-Degree Creosote Removal in a Countryside Colonial
A homeowner in Countryside called because fires were burning sluggish and the damper felt sticky. The camera showed first-degree creosote, dry and flaky, coating the upper third of the flue. Wendell ran the brush and rods through twice, vacuumed the firebox and smoke shelf, and re-shot the camera. The after photo shows clean flue tile with no residue. Total time from truck to invoice: about ninety minutes.
Third-Degree Glaze Breakup Above a Potomac Falls Fireplace
Third-degree creosote is a glaze job, not a brush job. This Potomac Falls flue had a shiny, hardened layer caked onto the walls, the kind that builds up from years of low, smoldering fires and unseasoned wood. We used mechanical removal, not chemicals, and took our time. The after shot shows the flue opened back to full width. The homeowner told us the fireplace drew better the very next burn.
Smoke Shelf Cleanout in a Cascades Split-Level
The chimney cap on this Cascades split-level had rusted through, so the smoke shelf became a catch-all for whatever the wind dropped in. Acorns, twigs, and a dense layer of creosote dust sat right above the damper. We cleared it all out, vacuumed it clean, and installed a new stainless cap the same visit. The before photo looks like a forest floor. The after looks like a chimney should.
Off-Season Animal Nesting Removal in Sugarland Run
Once a year, burn or no burn. Chimneys break in the off-season too. This Sugarland Run homeowner hadn’t burned in over a season, and a squirrel had moved in during the gap. The nest blocked the top four feet of flue. We removed the nest, swept the entire flue, and installed a screened cap. The homeowner said the last thing they expected from a chimney sweep was evicting a squatter. We get that a lot.
Heavy Creosote Buildup from a Wood Stove Insert in Sterling Park
Wood stoves run hot the first hour, then settle into long, low burns. That’s a creosote recipe. This Sterling Park liner had heavy buildup along the entire run, and the homeowner wanted the stove ready before the cold snap. We swept the liner, cleaned the stovepipe, and checked the baffle and firebrick while we were at it. The after photo shows a clean liner wall, no visible accumulation anywhere on the run.
Want Results Like These?
Your chimney probably looks closer to the “before” photos than you’d like to guess. The only way to know is to look. Call (571) 518-5470 and Wendell and his crew will put a camera up your flue and show you the footage, plain and clear. Upfront pricing before any tool comes off the truck. Free estimates, no trip charge inside the county, and $40 off any repair over $200.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Sterling and the surrounding communities since 1999.