Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Fast, Reliable Chimney Inspection Across Atherton
A chimney inspection in Atherton typically runs $249 – $899 depending on the level of inspection and how many flues your home has. Most single-flue Level 1 inspections fall between $249 and $349, while a camera-assisted Level 2 inspection on a multi-flue estate home lands closer to $449 – $899. We serve the entire town, from estates along Atherton Avenue to homes off Valparaiso Avenue, and we answer our own phones at (669) 266-5073.
Our Chimney Inspection team knows what Atherton’s older homes actually look like inside a flue. Not the textbook version. The real thing: unlined brick from the 1920s, multiple flues that haven’t all been used in years, and gas inserts hiding what’s really happening further up. Nathan Corliss has built this team to be the one that shows you the camera footage before any cleaning starts. You’ll know exactly what’s in your chimney, because you’ll see it with us.
Why Ashby Chimney San Jose Is Atherton’s Preferred Chimney Inspection Company
Atherton homeowners call us because we write the price down before we do anything. That’s how Nathan runs every job, and it’s the Kingswell Way: say the price, show up in the window we promised, leave it cleaner than we found it, put the guarantee in writing, and come back if something fails. Our technicians are background-checked and arrive in uniform, so the person at your door is the person we said would come.
We’ve inspected masonry fireplaces on Selby Lane, multi-flue estates near the Menlo Circus Club, and everything in between. Homeowners here don’t ask us for the cheapest bid. They ask whether we’ll actually show up and whether the invoice will match the quote. The answer to both is yes, and it’s been that way since 2002. Calls reach a live person 24/7, including weekends, because chimney problems don’t follow business hours.
Our reputation in the area is built on inspections where the homeowner watches over our shoulder. The camera screen doesn’t obscure anything. If we find a problem, we show you the image and explain it in plain words: “that’s spalling brick” or “that’s first-degree creosote.” If we don’t find a problem, we’ll tell you that too and won’t invent one to sell you a liner.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Camera Inspection in Atherton
Chimney Camera Inspection in Atherton is the standard we recommend for any home built before 1980, and for nearly every home in Lindenwood regardless of build date. We run a high-resolution camera from the firebox all the way up to the chimney crown, recording everything so you can watch the replay. Here’s the honest truth: a flashlight inspection from below misses cracks, gaps, nests, and deteriorated mortar joints that only a camera catches. In Atherton, where many chimneys have sat dormant since last winter, that camera is the difference between burning safely and burning blind.
When a camera inspection is non-negotiable
If you’ve bought an older Atherton home and don’t know when the chimney was last inspected, get a camera inspection before your first fire. Same if you’re converting a wood-burning fireplace to gas, or if you’ve noticed a smell coming from the firebox on humid days. Those are signs that something is inside or deteriorating, and guessing is not a strategy.
What it costs here
A camera inspection as part of a Level 2 inspection runs $449 – $899 in Atherton depending on flue count and roof access. A standalone camera scan, when added to a standard sweep or Level 1 inspection, typically adds $100 – $175. We’ll give you the exact written price before we start, so the number you see on the quote is the number on the invoice.
Fireplace Inspection in Atherton
Fireplace Inspection in Atherton isn’t just about the chimney. It’s about the whole system: the firebox, damper, hearth, smoke shelf, and the flue above. In Atherton’s older estates, fireplace inspections often turn up cracked firebrick, rusted or stuck dampers, and hearth clearances that don’t meet current codes. We inspect it all, including gas log sets and inserts, and we document what we find with photos included in your report.
The firebox and damper
We check for cracked refractory panels, gaps between firebrick, and dampers that don’t fully open or seal. A damper that doesn’t close tightly will pull conditioned air out of your house all summer, and one that’s rusted open is a sign that water has been getting in from above. These are the details a quick peek misses.
Historic fireplaces and decorative mantels
We work carefully around original mantelwork, stone surrounds, and hearth tiles that can’t just be replaced. Drop cloths go down before any equipment enters the house, and we use gentler methods on old masonry. The fireplace is often the visual center of an Atherton living room; we treat it that way even while we’re elbows-deep inside the flue.
Trusted Brands We Service in Atherton
We install and service liners and components from HeatShield, Gelco, and Olympia Chimney, all materials we trust on Atherton’s higher-end homes. If your fireplace has a HeatShield liner and needs an inspection after a decade of use, we’re familiar with the material and what to look for. Same for Gelco and Olympia parts. We keep commonly needed components in stock for Atherton jobs, which means less waiting when a repair is genuinely necessary. The brands we use are chosen for how they perform in older masonry chimneys, not for what happens to be cheapest at the supply counter.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Chimney Inspection Problems We See in Atherton Homes
- Unlined flues in original 1920s and 1930s Lindenwood chimneys. Many were built without clay tile liners, so we look for spalling brick and mortar joints that have turned to dust, and we recommend a liner before the structure is compromised further.
- Animal nests in seldom-used flues. Atherton’s tree canopy means squirrels and birds find their way into chimneys that haven’t been used since February. Nests block draft and can ignite, which is exactly what a camera inspection is designed to find.
- Hardened creosote in wood-burning flues after months of disuse. First-degree creosote left through Atherton’s mild summer bakes into third-degree tar glaze, which is harder to remove and a genuine fire risk. Annual inspections catch it while it’s still manageable.
- Chimneys that pass a visual check but fail a camera check. Cracked tiles, separated mortar joints, and hidden blockages live where a flashlight can’t reach. We find them with the camera and show you the footage before recommending any repair.
Pricing for Chimney Inspection in Atherton, CA
Here are the numbers for Atherton, straight up. A Level 1 inspection on a single-flue chimney runs $249 – $349. A Level 2 inspection with camera, which is what most Atherton estate homes need, runs $449 – $899 depending on flue count, roof pitch, and access. Adding a sweep to any inspection adds $179 – $320. If a repair is needed, you’ll get a separate written quote, and nothing gets repaired without your sign-off. We don’t do add-ons, and we don’t switch prices at the door. Call (669) 266-5073 and we’ll give you a firm number before we ever pull onto your driveway.
We Also Serve Cities Near Atherton
From our Bay Area office, we dispatch crews to Atherton and the surrounding communities of Menlo Park, Redwood City, Palo Alto, and Stanford. If you’re a few minutes outside town, the same pricing, cameras, and written guarantees apply. Call us and we’ll tell you exactly when we can be there.
Serving Atherton, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Atherton area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Chimney Inspection in Atherton
At least once a year, even for flues that never see a fire. Unused flues collect animal nests, debris, and moisture, and the damage they develop quietly is often worse than what we find in regularly used fireplaces. We inspect every flue on your property, not just the one you light, and in a multi-flue home that means checking each from firebox to crown. Call (669) 266-5073 to book the whole house at once.
Those chimneys were built before modern clay tile liners became standard, so the brick itself is often the only barrier between fire and the home’s structure. We inspect them with a gentler approach than we’d use on a 1990s chimney, and we go slower, because original brick from that era can be fragile. If we find spalling or gaping mortar joints, we’ll show you the footage and discuss whether a HeatShield liner makes sense before any cleaning happens.
Yes, and that’s a common misconception. A gas insert inside an old masonry chimney still uses that flue to vent carbon monoxide outside. If the flue is cracked, blocked, or full of old creosote from decades ago, the insert becomes unsafe even though there’s no visible smoke. In Atherton homes with converted fireplaces, we inspect the flue behind the insert just as carefully as we would a wood-burning system.
Late summer or early fall, before the short winter burn season begins and before rain pushes moisture into any existing cracks. Atherton’s fireplaces sit idle from March to November, which is exactly when animals nest and creosote hardens. Booking in September means you’re ready when the first cold evening arrives, and you’re not competing for a slot when everyone else remembers their fireplace exists.
Yes. That’s precisely what a Level 2 camera inspection answers. We’ll check the flue for structural soundness, creosote buildup, blockages, and water damage, then give you a straight verdict in writing: safe to burn, safe after cleaning, or not safe until repairs are made. You’ll see the camera footage yourself, so there’s no mystery about what we found. Call (669) 266-5073 and we’ll schedule it.
If you own an Atherton home with one fireplace or four, call us at (669) 266-5073 for a free estimate. We’ll give you a written price, show up when we say we will, and hand you the camera evidence before anyone touches your chimney. That’s the way it should work, and it’s the only way we do it.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney San Jose, serving Atherton since 2002.