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 Palo Alto
A chimney inspection in Palo Alto runs $149 – $489 depending on the level. Most Palo Alto homeowners book a Level 2 camera inspection with a Palo Alto Chimney Sweep, which averages $249 – $389 and includes a written report with video documentation. We schedule Palo Alto inspections within two to three business days, and our dispatch coordinates from the San Francisco Bay Area office with crews serving Palo Alto locally.
If you live in Old Palo Alto, Professorville, or along San Francisquito Creek, the question isn’t whether your chimney should be inspected. It’s whether the last storm left damage you can’t see from the firebox. Call (669) 266-5073 for a free estimate. We answer live, 24/7.
Why Ashby Chimney San Jose Is Palo Alto’s Preferred Chimney Inspection Company
We’ve been inspecting chimneys since 2002, and Palo Alto homeowners keep calling us for one reason: we show our work. Every inspection includes camera documentation so you see exactly what we see, and every repair gets a written price before any work starts. The number on the invoice matches the number we quoted at the door. That’s the Kingswell Way, and it’s backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if a covered repair fails within the guarantee period, we return and fix it at no charge.
Nathan Corliss leads our team with a simple standard: say the price, show up in the window, leave it cleaner, put the guarantee in writing, come back if it fails. Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed, so you know exactly who’s walking into your home. And when you call, a live person answers. No voicemail loops, no callback forms, no waiting until Monday.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Inspection Services in Palo Alto
Chimney Inspection Services in Palo Alto means something specific here: a targeted examination of how wind-driven rain, cracked mortar, and hidden flood exposure have affected your flue, crown, and firebox. In Palo Alto’s older housing stock, an inspection that only glances at the firebox misses what matters. We offer three levels, and the right choice depends on your home’s age, recent storm exposure, and whether you’ve had prior water issues.
Level 1 Inspection
A Level 1 inspection covers what’s visible: the firebox, damper, chimney cap, and accessible exterior masonry. It runs $149 – $189 in Palo Alto and is the right choice when nothing has changed since your last sweep and you’ve had no storms or water stains. Most homeowners schedule this annually before the first burn of the season.
Level 2 Inspection
A Level 2 inspection adds a video camera scan of the entire flue interior. In Palo Alto, this runs $249 – $389 and is what we recommend after any significant storm, before buying or selling a home, or if you’ve had a ceiling stain near the fireplace. The camera documents spalled bricks, hidden cracks, and rusted dampers that a firebox-only look can’t catch.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Chimney Flue Inspection in Palo Alto
Chimney Flue Inspection in Palo Alto is the specific examination of the interior passage that vents combustion gases out of your home. Here’s the thing: in Palo Alto, the flue is where storm damage hides. Centuries-old homes in Professorville often have flues built without liners, which means rain enters the masonry itself and causes spalling you can’t see from the firebox.
A flue inspection costs $249 – $389 as part of a Level 2 inspection and includes a camera scan of the full interior. We document every crack, gap, and deteriorated mortar joint with video, so you can see precisely what needs repair and what can safely wait.
Flue Liner Condition
The flue liner (the clay or steel tube that vents combustion gases) is the single most important safety component in your chimney. In Palo Alto’s older homes, clay liners crack from decades of thermal cycling and storm-driven moisture. A cracked liner can let heat and carbon monoxide reach combustible framing. We check liner condition in every inspection and show you the video before recommending any repair.
Water Intrusion and Rust
Palo Alto’s wet winters and occasional heavy storms push rain into exposed mortar joints and cracked crowns. Once water gets into the flue, it rusts dampers, spalls bricks, and eventually shows up as a ceiling stain. We check for rusted dampers and corroded flue components even when the firebox looks fine. After flood events near San Francisquito Creek, we recommend a Level 2 scan as a baseline.
Trusted Brands We Service in Palo Alto
When repairs are needed, we use materials from recognized chimney-trade suppliers, not whatever happens to be in the van. We stock parts compatible with HeatShield and Gelco flue repair systems, along with Olympia Chimney components, so most Palo Alto repairs can be scheduled quickly without waiting on specialty orders. Working with our Chimney Inspection team means you get a written recommendation for the specific product that fits your flue and a written guarantee on the repair. We don’t upsell. We show you the video and let the evidence speak.
Common Chimney Inspection Problems We See in Palo Alto Homes
- Cracked chimney crowns after winter storms. Wind-blown rain hits the crown along the exposed edges, freezes and thaws, and cracks open the mortar. We see this most often in Old Palo Alto, where original crowns from the 1900s – 1930s have decades of weathering.
- Hidden water damage near San Francisquito Creek. Homes in the flood zone often have spalled bricks and corroded dampers that look fine from the firebox. A Level 2 camera inspection is the only way to document what’s actually behind the firebox.
- Displaced caps and flashing failures. Palo Alto’s wind exposure, especially around open lots and newer construction, can move flashing and dislodge caps without any visible sign from the ground. We check every inspection for shifted caps and gaps where the roof meets the chimney.
- Spalled bricks in unlined flues. In Professorville and Old Palo Alto, chimneys built before flue liners were standard absorb rain directly into the masonry. The bricks flake and spall from the inside, which is invisible until we scope the flue with a camera.
See the difference
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AfterPricing for Chimney Inspection in Palo Alto, CA
A Level 1 inspection in Palo Alto runs $149 – $189. A Level 2 inspection with full camera documentation runs $249 – $389. Level 3 inspections, which involve partial demolition to access hidden areas, are quoted individually and are rare. What affects your price: home age, flue condition, access difficulty, and whether you’re buying or selling and need a real estate inspection report. Every quote is written before work starts, and the price we quote is the price you pay. Call (669) 266-5073 for an exact quote. Estimates are free.
We serve all of Palo Alto, including Old Palo Alto, Professorville, Crescent Park, and homes along San Francisquito Creek. Dispatch and scheduling coordinate from the San Francisco Bay Area office, and crews serve Palo Alto locally with response times of two to three business days.
We Also Serve Cities Near Palo Alto
Ashby Chimney San Jose also provides Chimney Inspection in Palo Alto and the surrounding communities of Stanford, Menlo Park, Atherton, and Los Altos. If you’re just across the creek or a few blocks over the city line, the same written pricing and Kingswell Guarantee apply.
Serving Palo Alto, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto
Look for a brown or yellow stain on the ceiling near the fireplace, a musty smell from the firebox, or visible cracks in the chimney crown from the ground. But here’s the catch: water often enters through cracked crowns or dislodged caps and sits in the flue for months before you see any sign. A Level 2 camera inspection shows exactly where water entered and what it damaged, even when the firebox looks fine. After a heavy storm, call (669) 266-5073 before you light the first fire.
Yes. Chimneys in Professorville and Old Palo Alto built before flue liners became standard absorb rain directly into the masonry, which accelerates spalling and hidden deterioration. We recommend a Level 2 camera inspection every year for unlined chimneys, not just a basic visual check. The camera documents what’s happening inside the flue before the damage spreads. Call us for a free estimate at (669) 266-5073.
For a flood-zone home, a Level 2 inspection includes a full video camera scan of the flue interior, an examination of the firebox and damper for rust or spalling, and a check of the crown, cap, and flashing for storm damage. We specifically look for hidden flood damage: spalled bricks behind the firebox, corroded dampers, and water stains that suggest past intrusion. We document everything with video and give you a written report. Call (669) 266-5073 to schedule.
Yes, and it happens more often in Palo Alto than homeowners realize. Wind exposure around open lots and along corridors like San Francisquito Creek can shift caps, loosen flashing, and even blow caps completely off without visible damage from the ground. Our inspection includes a roof-level check of the cap and flashing every time. If a cap needs replacing, we give you a written price before work starts. Call (669) 266-5073.
Yes. A regular chimney inspection examines the firebox, damper, crown, and accessible exterior. A flue inspection specifically scopes the interior passage with a camera, documenting liner condition, cracks, spalling, and hidden water damage. In Palo Alto’s older homes, the flue inspection is where the real problems surface. We recommend a Level 2 chimney flue inspection for any home over 30 years old, any home that’s been through a heavy storm, and any home in the flood zone. Call (669) 266-5073 for a free estimate.
What a Storm Can Do to a Palo Alto Chimney
In Old Palo Alto and Professorville, many chimneys are original to 1900s – 1930s Craftsman or Spanish Colonial homes and were built without flue liners. Today, the mild winter storm cycle drives wind-blown rain into exposed mortar joints, causing spalling and hidden water damage that a Level 2 video scan is often the only way to document before the first fire. A cracked crown along the south edge lets rain run straight down the flue, rust the damper, and soak the bricks behind the firebox, where you can’t see it from the living room.
After a heavy February storm, a homeowner in Old Palo Alto called because a brown stain had bloomed on the living room ceiling near the fireplace. Our tech found the chimney crown cracked along the entire south edge and the cap dislodged, letting wind-driven rain run straight down the flue. We pulled the rusted damper, scoped the flue liner, and found spalled bricks behind the firebox, hidden water damage that the firebox itself didn’t show. We did a Level 2 inspection, documented the flashing failure where the roof met the chimney, and recommended a new chase cover and crown repair before any burn.
Homes near San Francisquito Creek have their own set of risks. Flood events can push water into chimneys even when the firebox looks dry. Spalled bricks and corroded dampers from past floods often look fine from the outside, until a Level 2 camera inspection finds the real story. We check for rusted dampers and spalled bricks on every flood-zone inspection, even if the homeowner only called for a routine sweep.
Post-1980s zero-clearance fireplaces get skipped because they look modern. But wind exposure around Palo Alto’s open lots can move flashing and let water behind the chase, warping the firebox and damaging the flue liner. We inspect zero-clearance units with the same rigor as masonry chimneys, because storm damage doesn’t care how new the fireplace is.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney San Jose, serving Palo Alto since 2002.
Schedule Your Palo Alto Chimney Inspection
If you’ve had a storm, seen a ceiling stain, or simply haven’t had your chimney inspected in over a year, call (669) 266-5073 today. We’ll give you a free estimate, a written price before any work starts, and a written guarantee on any repair we complete. Ashby carries ash right in the name, fitting for the people whose job is to clean it out. A live person answers, 24/7.