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 Quakertown, PA
Photos tell the truth faster than any sales pitch. When Wendell and his crew roll out of a driveway in Quakertown, Richlandtown, or Coopersburg, the chimney itself is the proof of the work. We started taking before-and-after shots because our neighbors kept asking the same thing: what was actually wrong in there? Here’s a look at real transformations from chimney cleaning and sweeping jobs around Quakertown, PA. No filters, no staging. Just what the camera saw.
Recent Transformations
First-Degree Creosote Removal, Quakertown Borough
The problem was a thin, flaky creosote coat building up after two winters of weekend fires in a center-hall colonial near Quakertown’s downtown. Our sweep ran the camera up first, showed the homeowner exactly what we saw, then got to work with the rotary brush. The after photo tells the story: bare clay tile, clean smoke shelf, and a flue that drafts like it’s supposed to. First-degree creosote is a brush job. That’s all this one needed.
Heavy Third-Degree Glaze in a Wood Stove Liner, Milford Township
This wood stove flue was bad enough that the glaze had started to narrow the liner opening. The homeowner said the stove had been smoking back into the house on cold starts. We photographed the shiny, tar-like buildup, applied the treatment, and returned to sweep it out once the glaze broke down. The result is an open liner and a stove that pulls air instead of fighting it. Third-degree is a glaze. Catch it early and it’s a cleanup. Let it sit and you’re talking liner replacement.
Animal Debris and Nest Removal, Richlandtown
No fire had been lit in this chimney for over a year, which gave a family of birds plenty of time to move in. The flue was blocked enough that a carbon monoxide hazard was building whenever the furnace shared the chase. We pulled the nest, vacuumed out the debris, and ran the camera to confirm every inch was clear. The after shot shows the path smoke is supposed to take, fully open. Once a year, burn or no burn. Chimneys break in the off-season too.
Smoke Chamber Cleaning and Draft Correction, Coopersburg
The fireplace looked fine from the living room. The smoke chamber above it told a different story. Years of low-temperature fires had left a rough, crusted layer that narrowed the transition into the flue, and smoke was rolling back into the room on windy days. Wendell and his crew cleaned the chamber by hand and with the rotary system, then ran the video camera to show the homeowner the difference. Your flue doesn’t care how the fire looks. It cares how it breathes.
Full Chimney Sweep After a Flue Fire, Trumbauersville
A loud roar from the fireplace sent this homeowner into the yard at midnight. The fire department cleared the scene, and we came out the next morning. The liner showed the heat damage you’d expect from a flue fire, but not enough to condemn it. We swept the entire system, documented the liner condition with camera footage, and gave them a plain-English verdict: the liner had years left if they kept a regular sweep schedule. The after photo shows a clean, inspected flue that’s safe to use again.
Rooftop Cap Replacement and Flue Cleaning, Quakertown West End
Rain kept dribbling down the flue and pooling in the firebox between fires. The old cap had rusted through, and the flue itself was carrying a layer of creosote from years of occasional burning. We replaced the cap with a new stainless unit from Olympia Chimney, swept the flue, and sealed the crown edge where moisture was getting in. The before photo shows a tired, rusted cap and a dirty flue. The after photo shows both fixed on the same visit.
Want Results Like These?
If your chimney in Quakertown hasn’t been looked at in a while, the fix is usually simpler than you think. Wendell and his crew bring the camera, show you the footage, and tell you plainly what needs doing and what can wait. Call (484) 603-6713 to book a sweep. Upfront pricing before any tool comes off the truck, and the 90-Day Done Right Promise on every job.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Quakertown, PA since 1999.