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.
Chimney Company in Palo Alto, CA
Chimney work in Palo Alto means working on two very different kinds of fireplaces, often on the same street. Pre-1950s Craftsman and Spanish Colonial homes carry original masonry chimneys that have been through 80 to 120 winters. Newer homes have factory-built, zero-clearance units. Most Palo Alto chimney sweeps run between $189 and $329. If you’re scheduling, call (669) 266-5073 and a live person answers.
Why Palo Alto Homes Are Different
Palo Alto’s housing stock splits roughly along the Caltrain tracks. In Professorville and Old Palo Alto, you’ll find early 20th-century homes with original brick or stone chimneys, many of them unlined or holding clay tile liners that are now cracking. These chimneys were built for open-hearth fires, not today’s sealed inserts. In the same neighborhoods, you’ll also see post-1980s renovations and newer builds with factory-built fireplaces that need a different kind of service altogether. The climate adds its own pressure: wet winters drive water into old mortar joints, and coastal fog in the summer months leads to efflorescence on brick faces – a white, chalky mineral deposit that signals moisture moving through masonry. Homes near San Francisquito Creek have another layer of risk. Past floods have left chimneys with rusted dampers and spalled bricks that look fine from the hearth side but aren’t. A sweep or inspection in Palo Alto has to account for both the age of the system and what the weather and creek have done to it.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Palo Alto Services
Most Palo Alto homeowners call us first for one of two reasons: the fireplace hasn’t been cleaned in years, or they’ve noticed something that doesn’t look right and want to know if it’s safe to use. Each service has its own Palo Alto page with pricing and detail.
Chimney Sweep in Palo Alto
A sweep in Palo Alto removes creosote and soot from the flue, smoke chamber, and damper. In older Professorville homes, that often means working around original fireboxes that were built by hand, and the ash dump may sit below a rusted cleanout door that has not been opened in decades. Dry summers mean creosote from occasional burning sits for months and hardens, which takes longer to remove than the fluffy stuff. For the full scope and price, see Chimney Sweep in Palo Alto.
Chimney Inspection in Palo Alto
An inspection in Palo Alto usually starts with the question of water. We check the crown and the flashing, then run a camera up the flue to look for cracked clay tiles, gaps in the mortar, or rust at the damper. Homes near San Francisquito Creek get extra attention at the firebox base, where flood water can hide. We send you the camera photos so you see what we see. Details are on Chimney Inspection in Palo Alto.
Fireplace Repair in Palo Alto
Repair work in Palo Alto spans everything from repointing a brick face in Old Palo Alto to replacing a warped damper in a 1990s prefab in Midtown. We quote the job in writing before any work starts, and the number on the invoice matches the number on the quote. When a liner needs replacing, we use materials from brands like DuraFlex and Copperfield, not whatever is in the van. See Fireplace Repair in Palo Alto.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service in Palo Alto
We work on most factory-built fireplaces and inserts found in Palo Alto homes, including Majestic, Heatilator, and Heat & Glo, along with masonry systems of any age. Common parts like dampers and glass assemblies are stocked locally, so most repairs don’t wait on a shipment. See our brands for the full list.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterPricing for Chimney Company in Palo Alto, CA
| Service | Typical range in Palo Alto |
|---|---|
| Chimney sweep (standard) | $189 – $329 |
| Chimney inspection (Level 1) | $129 – $249 |
| Chimney inspection (Level 2 camera) | $249 – $449 |
| Fireplace damper replacement | $249 – $449 |
| Fireplace repointing (per section) | $149 – $299 |
| Chimney crown repair | $349 – $649 |
| Flue liner repair (HeatShield) | $1,200 – $2,500 |
| Flue liner replacement (stainless) | $2,500 – $5,500 |
| Chimney cap installation | $149 – $349 |
What pushes a Palo Alto quote higher is usually access – a steep roof pitch in Old Palo Alto or a chimney that’s hard to reach from the ladder – and the condition of the existing masonry. Every quote is written before work begins, and the guarantee is written too.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Palo Alto
We cover the whole city, from Professorville and Old Palo Alto to Midtown, College Terrace, and the hillside streets above Stanford. Most jobs in Palo Alto are scheduled within a few business days.
- Professorville
- Old Palo Alto
- Midtown
- College Terrace
- Crescent Park
Service Area – Cities Near Palo Alto
Beyond Palo Alto itself, we serve homeowners in Stanford, CA, Menlo Park, CA, Atherton, CA, and Los Altos, CA. If you’re on the edge of one of these cities and want to confirm we cover your street, call and ask.
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 Company in Palo Alto
Most Palo Alto jobs are scheduled within two to five business days. We show up in the window we give you. Call (669) 266-5073 to get a specific date.
Routine sweeping and inspections don’t need a permit. Larger structural or liner work may, depending on scope. We’ll tell you before any work is booked.
Some Palo Alto HOAs require approval for exterior work like crowns or caps. We can provide a written description of the job for your HOA if needed.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local chimney cleaning pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Palo Alto Customers Say
"Booked a sweep and inspection before winter. On time, polite, and he taped off the area so there wasn't a speck of soot anywhere after. Told me exactly what the guarantee covered."
- Rachel Montoya"The amount of creosote they pulled out was scary. He said we were overdue and explained the fire risk without being dramatic about it. Clean, careful, left the hearth spotless."
- Caroline Webb"We smelled something off every time the heat kicked on. Turned out to be debris in the flue. He cleared it and the smell was gone. Patient explaining it all to a first timer like me."
- Annette Prosser