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 Leominster, MA
Photos don’t lie. We’ve cleaned more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and the camera tells the story every time. Below you’ll see what we walked into, what we found with our NFPA 211 Level 2 inspection, and what the flue looked like when we left. Every job includes a documented photo record under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard, so you see what we see.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal, South Leominster
The homeowner in South Leominster smelled smoke in the upstairs bedroom every time they ran the fireplace. We found Class III glazed creosote, a hardened tar-like deposit that forms when wood burns too cool and creosote vapor condenses on the flue walls, then bakes on repeatedly. Standard wire brushes won’t touch it. We used a mechanical de-glazing process with a rotary chain system to fracture the glaze, followed by a poly brush sweep and HEPA vacuum extraction. The flue liner was fully inspectable afterward, and the smoke spillage stopped. Written scope, written price, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise delivered before we started.
Smoke Chamber Parging & Firebox Rebuild, Near Monoosnoc Brook
A home near Monoosnoc Brook had smoke rolling out the front of the fireplace on windy days. The smoke chamber, the inverted funnel above the firebox that channels smoke into the flue, had lost most of its original parging, the thin mortar coating that creates a smooth, aerodynamic surface. Exposed brick corners were creating turbulence and back-pressure. We rebuilt the firebox floor with new firebrick where spalling had occurred, then parged the smoke chamber with HeatShield cerfractory mixture, a refractory material rated to 3,000°F that restores the smooth passage smoke needs. Draft improved immediately. The homeowner received before-and-after photos, camera footage of the full flue length, and a written warranty on the parging work.
Stainless Steel Liner Installation, Flushing Hill Area
The Flushing Hill homeowner’s insurance company flagged the chimney during a routine home policy review: unlined brick, deteriorated mortar joints, and no containment for combustion byproducts. We ran a camera from top to bottom and found the flue liner was never installed, a common condition in Leominster homes built before 1940. We installed a DuraFlex 316Ti stainless steel liner with an insulated wrap to maintain flue gas temperature and prevent condensation, connected to a new top plate with proper storm collar and cap. The installation was documented with photos at every joint, a video scan of the full liner length, and a written warranty. Insurance clearance followed without issue.
Crown Rebuild & Cap Installation, North Leominster Near Route 2
Water was dripping into the firebox after every rainstorm in this North Leominster home near Route 2. The crown, the concrete slab that sheds water off the chimney top, had through-cracks that allowed direct water intrusion into the chimney structure. Water had already begun spalling, the freeze-thaw flaking of the brick faces, on the exposed courses below. We removed the failed crown to solid substrate, formed and poured a new crown with proper slope, overhang, and drip edge to direct water away from the masonry, then installed a Gelco stainless steel chimney cap with mesh sides to keep animals and debris out while maintaining draft. The homeowner received photos of the spalled brick, the stripped crown, the pour, and the finished assembly, plus the written scope and warranty before any concrete mixed.
Fireplace Insert Removal & Hearth Restoration, Downtown Leominster
A downtown Leominster homeowner wanted the old metal insert out and the original open hearth restored. The previous installation had been done without proper clearances to combustibles, a genuine fire hazard we documented with thermal imaging. We removed the insert, repaired the smoke shelf, the flat ledge behind the damper that catches debris and helps reverse downdrafts, replaced the cracked hearth extension with code-compliant dimension stone, and relined the flue with a properly sized Olympia Chimney stainless liner for open-burning appliances. The fireplace now drafts cleanly and meets NFPA 211 clearance requirements. Full photo record, thermal images, and written warranty provided.
Annual Sweep & Level 2 Inspection, Leominster Highlands
This Leominster Highlands homeowner burns cordwood from a local supplier through the heating season and schedules annually, which is exactly what the NFPA recommends for wood-burning systems. We found moderate soot and Stage 1 creosote, a fluffy deposit that brushes off readily when caught early. Our poly brush and HEPA vacuum sweep removed all deposits in under 90 minutes. The Level 2 camera inspection revealed no liner defects, no missing mortar, and no obstruction. We documented the clean flue, the sound damper operation, and the intact smoke chamber, then provided the written condition report and next-year reminder. This is preventive maintenance done right, before Stage 1 becomes Class III.
Want Results Like These?
Every job starts with a written price, a written scope, and a written warranty under the Haven Standard. No exceptions, no surprises. Call (978) 481-2900 to schedule your chimney cleaning, inspection, or repair in Leominster. Live person answers, 24 hours a day. Free second opinion on any written estimate you bring us.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Leominster, serving Leominster since 2009.