Frequently Asked Questions

We lay protection around the hearth, run brushes from the roof or from inside depending on the chimney's design, and remove the creosote and soot that have accumulated since the last sweep. Then we run the camera. Every job ends the same way: you get photos and readings of what we found, and a written record of what was done and why. Nothing is recommended without footage you can look at yourself.

Most single-flue cleanings in Boston take 45 to 90 minutes, door to door. Two-flue chimneys or badly neglected flues can take longer, especially if we're working around rooftop snow guards, steep pitches, or older caps that need careful handling. We don't rush the inspection part, because that's where the value is. The brushing is fast. Looking at the footage and explaining what it shows takes the time it takes.

It shouldn't. We run a vacuum during the entire process and lay drop cloths around the hearth before we start. The classic image of a chimney sweep with soot everywhere is from a different century. Modern tools keep the dust contained, and we treat the area like it's our own living room. If your previous sweep left a mess in your Milton or Winchester home, that's a sign you had a cheap job, not a normal one.

Yes, both. Wood stoves build creosote at a faster rate than open fireplaces because they burn cooler and longer, and pellet stoves have venting that clogs with ash fines in ways homeowners don't always notice. The process differs: stove pipes get brushed and hand-cleaned, then we run the camera through the entire exhaust path. We service stove setups in Boston, Reading, Wakefield, and throughout the metro area.

A full internal cleaning of the flue, removal of creosote and soot, inspection of the firebox and damper, a camera scan of the liner, and a written report with photos. You also get the flat-price guarantee: the number quoted before we start is the number on the invoice. No "while we're in here" add-ons. If something needs work, you'll see it in the footage and we'll explain what can wait and what can't.

The National Fire Protection Association says chimneys should be inspected annually and cleaned as needed. In practice, a wood-burning fireplace used regularly through a New England winter needs a sweep every 30 to 60 burns. Gas fireplaces can go 2-3 years between cleanings. If you burn unseasoned wood, or if you're new to a home with an unknown maintenance history, start with a Level 2 inspection and work from the evidence.

Yes. Damaged caps, cracked crowns, minor masonry, deteriorated flashing, and liner repairs are part of what we do in Boston and surrounding towns. Some work gets done same-day if parts are on the truck; liner replacement gets scheduled as a separate job with its own written quote. Either way, you'll see the problem in the camera footage before you approve anything. We don't recommend work we can't show you.

Two small things. First, don't use the fireplace for 24 hours before we come, so the flue is cool enough to work on safely. Second, clear the area around the hearth so we have room for tools and drop cloths. Beyond that, we'll handle everything, including rooftop access and setup. If there's anything unusual about your roof or chimney access, mention it when you book and we'll plan for it.

We work with products from HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, and Famco, selected for each job based on what the chimney actually needs. HeatShield is what we reach for on flue parging and liner repair. Gelco caps and Olympia components come up regularly on masonry work. Famco covers venting and related parts. We don't have a "house brand" loyalty; we use what the evidence and the manufacturer's specs say the chimney needs.

They solve different problems. HeatShield is a ceramic resurfacing system that restores the interior of a clay tile liner that's spalling or cracking. It preserves the existing flue and is often the right call for a chimney in decent structural shape. A full stainless liner, usually from Olympia Chimney's catalog, is what we recommend when the original liner is beyond saving or the chimney needs to be adapted for a modern appliance. The camera footage tells us which direction to go, and in Boston's older housing stock we see both situations weekly.

For safety-related components like caps, liners, and dampers, we'll generally recommend using parts we supply so we can verify the specifications and stand behind the installation. But we're not dogmatic about it. If you've already bought a specific cap or chase cover, tell us before the appointment and we'll tell you whether it's compatible and safe to install. The written quote covers labor either way, but we won't install something we can't warrant.

Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance their state requires for the work being done. No exceptions written into the standard. We also verify background checks as part of the Emberly intake process. If you want documentation before we start work on your Boston, Newton, or Quincy home, ask and we'll provide it. A credible company doesn't hesitate on this question.

You'll know before they arrive. When you book, you get the name of the technician assigned to your job. When they're on the way, you get a text. They arrive in a marked vehicle with identification, and they'll review the written scope and flat price with you before touching the chimney. That's Clause 2 of the Haven Standard, and it exists because people deserve to know who's walking up the driveway.

We don't advertise a particular certification because requirements and certifying bodies vary, and we'd rather you evaluate us on the documentation we produce than on letters after a name. What we can say without qualification: our people are trained, background-checked, and held to the standard our brand enforces on every job. The camera footage and written report are the real credentials. Those don't vary from house to house.

We're an independently owned and operated business serving Boston and the surrounding towns, working under the Emberly Chimney Cleaners standard. The local operation is run by Corrine Halstead. The trucks, the technicians, and the work are all local. What the brand provides is the documented cleaning standard, the camera-scan requirement, and the flat-price guarantee we hold every job to. The responsibility for your chimney sits with us, right here in Massachusetts.

Three situations justify treating a chimney as urgent: evidence of an active chimney fire, visible smoke backing into the house, or a strong odor that suggests a blocked or damaged flue. If you've had any of these in your Boston home, stop using the fireplace immediately and call us at (857) 567-8887. We'll help you figure out whether it's a schedule-a-sweep situation or something that needs a faster look. Don't run another fire until someone has put a camera down the flue.

Our regular hours are Monday-Friday 7:00 AM-8:00 PM, Saturday 7:00 AM-7:30 PM, and Sunday 7:00 AM-7:30 PM. We don't run a 24/7 operation, but we do fit emergency work into those windows as quickly as we can, and Corrine Halstead's team prioritizes situations involving smoke, water intrusion, or suspected flue damage. If you smell smoke in the house, shut the damper and call during business hours. We'll take it from there.

First, don't use the fireplace again until it's been inspected. A chimney fire can crack clay liners, warp metal flues, and compromise the mortar joints in ways that aren't visible from the hearth. Second, call us. We'll run a Level 2 inspection, which is exactly what NFPA 211 specifies after any chimney fire, and we'll show you the footage of whatever damage exists. In Boston's older brick chimneys, this is a situation we see at least a few times every fall.

We schedule throughout the week across Boston, Quincy, Cambridge, Milton, Newton, Winchester, Waltham, Wakefield, Norwood, Peabody, Reading, and Burlington. When you call, we'll give you a specific date and a real time window, not a vague "sometime Wednesday." The tech's name goes on your confirmation, and a text goes out when they're heading your way. For non-emergency sweeps, we're typically booking within the week, with the schedule filling fast in September and October.

The guarantee is this: every chimney job is quoted in writing before it starts and leaves a documented record when it's done. That's the Haven Standard, and it's not a marketing line; it's the way we've operated since the brand built its camera-scan archive starting in 2009. If something's wrong with your chimney after we've cleaned it, you'll have the footage and the written record to prove what we found and what we did. No cleaning company can honestly promise your chimney will never need work again. We promise you'll know what's going on inside it, with evidence in hand.

Tell us. If you're not satisfied with the job, we'll make it right, including a re-clean where warranted. But let's be specific about what satisfaction means here: your flue should be visibly clean on camera, your hearth clean when we leave, and the job should match the written quote. Those are measurable things. If something in that chain falls short, we want the call and we'll fix it. Corrine Halstead's name is on this business, and she'd rather you call than post a three-star review with a fixable issue.

Workmanship on repairs is covered, and manufacturer warranties on components like caps, liners, and dampers apply as the manufacturers state them; we'll give you those details in writing as part of the quote. The most important warranty protection, though, is the documentation: photos of the problem before repair, photos after, and a written description of what was done. That record is worth more than a warranty card tucked in a drawer, and it's standard on every job we do in Boston.

Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Emberly Chimney Cleaners Boston, serving Boston and the surrounding communities since 2009.