Chimney FAQs

Yes. This is important. We provide and assemble scaffold instead of you having to hire a separate company to set up scaffold. Scaffolding ensures safety for our team, for you, and your property. Some service providers work off of ladders, which is unsafe. But furthermore, scaffolding protects your yard and house since we send up all materials up the scaffold with a pulley system. You will not find us throwing bricks or debris from your roof and risking damage to your property!

We provide a 25 year guarantee on every chimney we build.

The fine, white residue appearing on the inside of your fireplace, facing and hearth is called efflorescence. It is the powdery residue of water and salts that usually appears when there is a leaking problem.

The metal (flashing) that is inserted into the brick and covers the roof flashing just above the roof.

Common signs that your chimney is in need of a rebuild (and is too deteriorated to repair) are loose bricks, cracks, mortar falling out, and spalling (face of bricks falling off). Not sure how to identify these problems, let us know. We can take a look and provide an estimate for free.

This suggests that your chimney is likely to have an internal leaking problem. Water that has been trapped in the masonry material behind the paint needs to find its way out and it will take the paint with it as it exits.

Yes. Dark, dirty stains and moss growth anywhere on your chimney such as on top, or on shoulder (slope) indicates a leaking problem. Wherever you see this, the affected masonry has been saturated with water for a prolonged period of time and is showing these signs of deterioration. It usually happens from the top down or wherever water has a surface to sit and soak through.

On average a chimney sweep usually takes about an hour. Some systems and circumstances may vary. Use our chimney quote form to get in touch with a chimney sweep who can ask you a few questions to help give you an estimated time for your chimney system.

We perform 95% of sweeps and chimney cleaning from inside.

There are a few exceptions. For example, we sweep wood burning systems from the top because open wood burning fireplaces don’t just go straight up; they have a smoke chamber. The smoke chamber is intricate and needs to be cleaned properly from inside.

We guarantee no mess during or after the chimney sweep. Our sweep will use a high-efficiency vacuum with a HEPA filter and uses a new drop sheet for every job.

Regular yearly sweeping, checking for leaks and deterioration.

At least once per year. If burning in the fireplace is extensive (ie: 50+ times), you should consider requesting an inspection and, if required, having a second cleaning per year.

Yes! Chimney cleaning is of utmost importance for the safety of your home, and the people in it. Debris, soot, and creosote accumulate in your chimney and if not cleaned out can cause chimney fires which can destroy a home, and seriously harm people.

Yes. This is important. We provide and assemble scaffold instead of you having to hire a separate company to set up scaffold. Scaffolding ensures safety for our team, for you, and your property. Some service providers work off of ladders, which is unsafe. But furthermore, scaffolding protects your yard and house since we send up all materials up the scaffold with a pulley system. You will not find us throwing bricks or debris from your roof and risking damage to your property!

A drop and cap or roof-over typically takes one to one-and-a-half days. A full demolition runs two to four days depending on the size and complexity of the chimney.

For full interior demolitions, we set up dust containment before any work begins: poly sheeting, plywood floor protection, and extractor fans to keep dust to a minimum. You’ll need to clear the work area and a path to carry debris out, but we handle the rest. The site is cleaned up completely when we’re done.

Yes. This is important. We provide and assemble scaffold instead of you having to hire a separate company to set up scaffold. Scaffolding ensures safety for our team, for you, and your property. Some service providers work off of ladders, which is unsafe. But furthermore, scaffolding protects your yard and house since we send up all materials up the scaffold with a pulley system. You will not find us throwing bricks or debris from your roof and risking damage to your property!

Once you’ve chosen your siding, we order it from the supplier. Lead time varies depending on what’s in stock. Once the material is in, we schedule the job and let you know. Daniel can give you a realistic timeframe at the estimate based on what’s available.

For a full chimney from ground to roofline, typically two to four days, depending on the size and the material chosen. Roof-level and up is usually one and a half to two days. We’ll give you a clear timeline when we quote the job.

We offer vinyl, HardiBoard, cedar, metal, and NovikStone, which is a premium vinyl that mimics natural stone. Most homeowners match it to the existing siding on their house. We’ll bring samples to the estimate so you can see the options before you decide.

Yes. A properly installed siding wrap, with the right flashing and custom sheet metal pans at the top and any shoulder slopes, stops water from getting in. It’s why we recommend it when a chimney is significantly deteriorated and a repair isn’t going to be enough.

Not if the chimney is masonry. The wood strapping the siding attaches to is combustible, and the required clearances for wood burning can’t be met once it’s in place. If you have a wood-burning fireplace and want to keep using it, a chimney repair or rebuild is the right path. If you’re open to alternatives, the fireplace can be converted to a gas insert, an electric insert, or decommissioned entirely. Daniel will walk you through the options at the estimate.

As far as installing, we only use brick as a masonry material. If you have a chimney or wall that was done in stone with issues we can take a look at it and provide an effective solution to deal with the problem.

We’ll do our best. Matching old brick isn’t always possible since colours and sizes change over the decades. We’ll source the closest match and talk you through the options before any work begins.

Most small brick projects take one to three days. We’ll tell you upfront what to expect before we start.

Yes. Small projects are worth doing right. We’ll come out, take a look, and give you an honest quote.