Cost for Chimney Cleaning and Inspection
$150 – $425
How Much Does Inspection or a Chimney Sweep Cost?
Low Estimate
$80 – $150
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Average Cost Estimate
$150 – $315
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High Estimate
$315 – $650
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Type of Service | Inspect, Clean if Needed | Inspect and Clean | Inspect and Clean |
Inspection Type | Visual, Level 1 | Visual, Level 2 | Camera, Level 2 |
Number of Flue’s | 1 | 1 or 1 | 1 or 2 |
Frequency of Use | Rarely Use Fireplace | Use Fireplace Weekly | Use Fireplace Daily |
Cleaning Frequency | As Needed | Every 2-3 Years | Annual Inspect and Clean |
Chimney Height | 1 Story High | 1-2 Stories High | 2 Stories or More |
Roof Type | Flat or Low Pitch | Average Pitch | Average or Steep Roof Pitch |
Sections: Overview | Product Costs | Installation Cost | DIY or Pro
Overview of Chimney Cleaning and Inspection
A roaring fire creates ambiance and takes the chill out of the air.
When you keep your chimney cleaned and maintained, a fireplace can provide many benefits for your household – as long as it is maintained and used safely. Of course, a fireplace should not be used as a primary heat source.
Unfortunately, when soot and creosote build up inside your chimney, it’s also one of the leading causes of fire. With chimney cleaning cost being as low as it is, there’s no reason to skip this very important home maintenance item. Even if you have gas logs, you still need to keep up with the maintenance of your chimney.
What happens during an inspection and cleaning? The inspector will likely inspect the chimney from both inside your home and from the roof. In addition to looking for creosote buildup and damage to the chimney lining and flue, the inspector will check for signs of infestation, especially on an uncapped chimney. Bat exclusion, removing racoons and other rodents or exterminating insects like bees and wasps will have to be done prior to sweeping the chimney.
If the chimney can’t be visually inspected, a camera might be lowered into the chimney to get a clear view of its condition and whether chimney repairs are needed.
For cleaning, the flooring around the fireplace will be covered to protect it during the process. And then the chimney sweep will work from inside and from the roof to thoroughly clean the chimney.
On this page of Costimates, we’ll help you understand chimney cleaning cost and factors and compare the difference in cleaning prices you’ll run into when calling a chimney cleaning service to your home. We’ll explain how the height of your home, the pitch of your roof and several other factors like maintenance, flue condition and more, can have an impact on this important annual maintenance task. Finally, we’ll share a comparison table of other leading websites and show their average chimney cleaning costs around the US, as well as a section devoted to homeowners who have shared what they paid for the service at their home.
Related Cost Estimates
Cleaning Service and Supplies Cost Details
Chimney Sweep Cost Factors
Chimney cleaning is just about 100% service related, unless the company near you provides video inspection or needs to do repairs in order to correct problems with your chimney or fireplace. Although it is a service, there are several factors that are going to affect how much your chimney cleaning service charges for completion of the project.
- Height of Chimney – Is your home 1, 2, or 3 stories tall or higher? Obviously, single level homes are going to be much easier for a chimney sweep to work on, and take much less time in completing the service. If they have to use a lift, or a very tall ladder, the cost is going to rise according to the amount of extra time it takes to clean your chimney.
- Frequency of Use – The more often you use your fireplace, build-up will occur sooner. On the other end of usage, if you rarely use your fireplace, you could have animal nests or debris in the flue which could catch on fire, or block the venting of smoke out of your chimney.
- Time Since Last Cleaning – Being a responsible homeowner, you should have your chimney inspected at least once every year, to prevent fire and other problems that could lead to a dangerous situation. There is no schedule that says it should be cleaned annually, but the inspection will dictate when it needs to be cleaned. If you’ve neglected your chimney for several years, the cleanup could take extra time due to the soot and creosote build-up, adding to your cost.
- Type and Height of Roof – Even if you have a single-level home, you could have high ceilings or a steep pitch on your roof. Either of these factors will increase the cost of chimney cleaning due to the added time the company needs to setup, and work on the higher, more dangerous roof.
- Chimney Flue Inspection – The type of inspection provided by the company handling your chimney sweep can affect the cost. While a few still rely on a flashlight and their own eyes, most qualified companies now include camera inspection as part of the chimney inspection cost you’ll pay. You may be able to save a few dollars using a company that doesn’t inspect with cameras, but in the end, the inspection is not as good.
- Repairs, if Needed – Over time, your chimney may decay in the cement joints of the flue, or have cracks develop in the flue tile itself. Also, if your damper or chimney cap are damaged, this is the best time to get them repaired, while the company is at your home. Repairs can add to the cost quickly.
Retail Cost of Supplies
If your chimney needs major repair work to the flue, masonry or firebox, it’s more than we’re going to cover in this article. Since our focus is on the task of cleaning, we’ll discuss the smaller repairs that most chimney repair companies will discover during inspection, and repair for an extra fee.
- $60 – $420 | Chimney Cap – If the cap is old, damaged or close to needing replacement, now is the time to do it. It’s got to come off already, the labor should not add any extra cost.
- $625 – $1,900 | Chimney Liner – If the flue liner is in very poor condition, you may need to install a Chimney liner.
- $95 – $250 | Chimney Damper – The damper is a door inside the fireplace that allows the smoke to vent through the chimney. If the damper is damaged, it may need to be replaced.
- $25 – $85 | Ash Dump Door – The ash dump doors can get dislodged or the hinges can corrode over time and may need to be repaired or replaced.
Permits and Inspection Costs
Although it’s not likely to need permit costs during a chimney inspection and cleaning, if you have to replace the chimney liner or reline the chimney in any way, the new liner may need to be inspected by local authorities.
- $50 – $200 ea. | Chimney Inspection by local Fire Dept Authorities
Completed Inspection and Cleaning Time
- 2 – 4 Hours | In most circumstances a chimney sweep company can complete the service in 2-4 hours, assuming there are no major repairs to complete.
- 4 – 8 Hours | If you have a 2+ story home, high roof, need a major repair, or other factor that requires additional safety needs or time, you can expect the inspection and cleaning to take 4-8 hours.
DIY or Hire a Pro
No question – hire a chimney sweep company to handle the inspection and cleaning. It requires tools specialized equipment you’ll rarely use, unless you plan to go into business and do this daily. The cost of cleaning your chimney is affordable enough that I would always hire a pro. Let’s not even start to talk about the mess and working from the roof for several hours.
- Need to work long periods on roof.
- Need high end inspection camera equipment to do the job right.
- Messy… actually, if you don’t know what you’re doing, it could be very messy.
- Need to buy specialty tools and brushes.
I’ve cleaned out my firebox many times and even replaced a damper door once. Cleaning a chimney is just one of those DIY projects I really don’t want to try. If the person doing the inspection says it’s time for a cleaning and explains why, I’ll gladly have them do it also.