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 Norristown, PA
Photos don’t exaggerate. When a homeowner in Norristown opens their damper and sees what came out versus what went in, the difference is the entire argument. We’ve documented every chimney sweep since 2009 under Haven Standard Clause 4, and this gallery shows what that record actually looks like on real jobs around Montgomery County.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal, West Norriton
The homeowner smelled smoke in the second floor hallway every time they ran their insert. We found Class III creosote, which is baked-on tar that ignites at lower temperatures than ordinary soot and burns hot enough to crack clay liners. Our tech ran a rotary chain whip with a chemical modifier, then camera-scanned the full flue length. The photo record showed bare stainless at the end, and the smoke odor stopped because exhaust was finally drafting properly again.
Smoke Chamber Parging and Soot Removal, East Norriton
This fireplace in a 1962 ranch hadn’t been opened in fifteen years. The smoke chamber, which is the inverted funnel above the firebox that guides smoke into the flue, was corbeled brick with gaps big enough to lose a pencil in. Soot had packed those gaps and the rough surface was causing turbulence that pushed smoke into the living room. We cleaned the chamber, applied a refractory parge coat to smooth the profile, and ran a pull test to confirm draft. The camera footage went into the file under Clause 4, and the written scope included a five-year warranty on the parging.
Firebox Rebuild with Full Sweep, Plymouth Meeting Adjacent
The firebox floor was spalling, which means the refractory surface was flaking off in chunks from repeated thermal cycling. Ash and partially burned wood had compacted into the cracks, creating a slow-burn hazard that can smolder for hours after the visible fire is out. We removed the damaged panels, swept the firebox and ash dump completely, installed new HeatShield refractory panels sourced through Haven’s buying network, and sealed the joints. The homeowner got the photo record, the written warranty, and a price that was set before we unloaded the truck.
Chimney Cap and Crown Replacement with Sweep, Norristown Borough
Water was weeping down the flue every hard rain in Norristown, staining the living room ceiling below. The concrete crown had diagonal cracks from freeze-thaw cycles, and the galvanized cap had rusted through at the mesh. Water plus soot equals acid that eats flue liners from the outside in. We swept the flue first to remove saturated creosote, then formed and poured a new crown with proper drip edges and expansion relief, and finished with a Gelco stainless cap with 5/8-inch mesh. The camera scan after showed a dry, intact flue liner with no spalling. Written price before start, photo record after, 365-Day Done Right Promise on the crown pour.
Clay Flue Liner Degradation and Relining, Bridgeport
The clay flue tiles in this 1970s chimney had fractured at the joints, which is common in Norristown where clay soil shifts seasonally and thermal expansion does the rest. Mortar had fallen out between courses, and creosote was migrating into the cavity between the flue and the masonry wall. That’s a structure fire waiting for ignition. We cleaned the flue, ran the camera to map every fracture, then installed a DuraFlex stainless steel liner with proper insulation and top-seal. The photo record shows the old clay, the new liner in place, and the final connection. We also delivered the competitor’s written estimate they brought in for our Free Second Opinion, which had quoted a full rebuild that wasn’t necessary yet.
Annual Maintenance Sweep, Jeffersonville
This was a textbook annual maintenance job, the kind that prevents the expensive ones. The homeowner in Jeffersonville burns seasoned hardwood and keeps up with sweeps, so we found only Class I soot and light Class II creosote, which brushes off clean. We ran the standard sweep, performed the NFPA 211 Level 2 inspection with camera scan, and documented the liner condition as sound with no actionable defects. The written report noted the flue was in good shape for its age and recommended next sweep in twelve months or one cord, whichever came first. This is the cheapest chimney service we offer, and it’s the one that saves the house.
Want Results Like These?
Every job here started with a written price delivered before work began, included a camera inspection and photo record under Haven Standard Clause 4, and is backed by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If your chimney in Norristown hasn’t been swept this season, or if you’re looking at a written estimate you don’t fully trust, call (484) 552-9695. We’ll answer live, assign a named tech, and give you a Free Second Opinion with the numbers in writing.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Emberly Chimney Cleaners Norristown, serving Norristown and Montgomery County since 2009.