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.
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AfterFast, Reliable Chimney Sweep Across University Place
Chimney sweeping in University Place typically costs $189 – $289 for a standard wood-burning fireplace, and most jobs in University Place are completed start to finish in 60 – 90 minutes. That covers the full sweep: firebox, smoke chamber, damper, and flue, plus a camera inspection and photo report so you can see what we saw. If you live off Bridgeport Way, in the Chambers Bay area, or up near the University Place Town Center, call (830) 251-4560 and a live person will answer. Not a callback form. Not a voicemail tree.
University Place’s housing stock is why our service calls here look different from Tacoma or Lakewood. We’re not always responding to heavy creosote buildup from nightly winter fires. A lot of our work in University Place starts as a routine sweep and turns into a Level 2 inspection because the flue liner in a 1968 ranch is cracked, not because the homeowner burned anything wrong. The age of the house matters. We see it every week.
Why Flint Chimney Sweep Is University Place’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Flint Chimney Sweep has operated since 2002 as part of the Garrison Partners family of independently owned chimney service companies. We follow what we call the Garrison Standard: a written price before any tool comes off the truck, a photo report after every inspection, and a written guarantee on every repair. That guarantee is our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If a covered repair fails within one full year, we come back and make it right at no charge. No argument. No re-quote. That’s the whole point.
Our Chimney Sweep technicians are background-checked and uniformed. When you book with us, you know who’s walking through your door. We dispatch from our Seattle office to University Place, and our schedule is built around giving every job the time it actually needs, not rushing between six stops. A sweep is not a ten-minute pass through your flue. Ours isn’t.
People in University Place keep calling us back because we tell the truth, even when the truth is “your chimney is fine, you don’t need us again for two years.” We’d rather lose a repeat visit than sell a liner repair you don’t need. That’s not marketing language. That’s how Hank Delano runs the crews, and it’s how every tech is expected to behave on your property.
Chimney Sweep Certified in University Place
Chimney Sweep Certified in University Place means our technicians are trained to the National Fire Protection Association standard for chimney cleaning and inspection, and they work that standard on every home, whether it’s a 1970s split-level near Chambers Creek or a newer gas fireplace install in a University Place infill build. A proper sweep here involves more than running a brush up the flue. Our tech starts at the firebox, clears ash and debris, removes the damper when access allows, brushes the smoke chamber and flue, and then runs a camera from the hearth to the crown. You get photos. You see the flue yourself.
A standard sweep in University Place runs $189 – $289. That price is written before we show up, not estimated over the phone and revised at your door. If your chimney hasn’t been swept in years and has third-degree creosote glaze, a brush alone can’t remove it and you’ll be told that plainly, with the camera footage to prove it. Most University Place homes with once-a-year wood burning need a sweep every 12 – 18 months. Burn less than a cord per season? You may be fine at two years, but the only way to know without guessing is a camera inspection.
Annual Sweep for Wood-Burning Fireplaces
If you burn a fire more than once a week during the wet Washington months, schedule a sweep annually. The routine is the same every time: firebox cleaned, damper checked, smoke chamber brushed, flue brushed, cap and crown inspected, camera run end to end. You leave with a clean hearth and a written record of what we found.
Creosote Removal for Heavy Wood Burners
Homes that burn softwood or green wood build creosote faster. First-degree creosote is a dusting and brushes out. Third-degree is glazed onto the liner and will not brush off. We see third-degree glaze most often in older University Place homes where the previous owner burned whatever was handy. HeatShield resurfacing can restore the liner without a full rebuild, and we’ll tell you if that’s what your camera footage shows.
Gas Fireplace Cleaning in University Place
Gas Fireplace Cleaning in University Place covers log sets, glass, burners, and gas valves, and it’s not the same job as a wood chimney sweep. Gas fireplaces don’t produce creosote, but they do produce soot, mineral buildup on glass, and dust inside the firebox. Many University Place homes built in the 1990s and 2000s have gas inserts or direct-vent units that haven’t been opened since install. The glass gets hazy. The log sets collect a film that dulls the flame pattern. A cleaning typically runs $149 – $249 depending on the unit.
We recommend a gas fireplace cleaning every 12 – 24 months, closer to 12 if you run the unit as a primary heat source during cold snaps. The work includes removing the glass, vacuuming the firebox, cleaning the burner and air shutters, and checking the pilot and gas connections. We don’t repair gas lines at Flint Chimney Sweep; if we find a gas leak or valve issue, we’ll tell you and recommend a licensed gas technician. What we will do is make sure the unit is clean, burning correctly, and safe to operate.
Soot and Glass Cleaning
Soot on gas logs and fogged glass are the two most common calls we get from University Place gas fireplace owners. We clean the glass with a ceramic cleaner so it doesn’t streak, and we vacuum the soot rather than wiping it into the burners.
Gas Log and Burner Inspection
While we’re in there, we check the log placement, the burner pan, and the pilot assembly. If the flame is yellow and lazy, the burner often needs cleaning or an air adjustment. It’s a small fix that makes the fire look right again and burns cleaner.
Trusted Brands We Service in University Place
We work with professional-grade chimney products and we’re happy to name them because you should be able to verify what you’re paying for. For liner repair and resurfacing, we use HeatShield and Gelco. For caps, dampers, and chase covers, we source from Olympia Chimney and Famco. When we stock parts for University Place jobs, we pull from these manufacturers, not generic off-brands. That matters when you’re buying a repair that’s guaranteed for a full year. A cheap part fails and everyone is back in your driveway. HeatShield is specifically what we specify for clay liner cracks and spalling, which is the most common issue we find in University Place homes built before 1980.
Common Chimney Sweep Problems We See in University Place Homes
- Cracked clay tile liners in 1960s – 70s ranchers and split-levels. Homes built before the 1980s in University Place often have original clay flue liners that are now 50+ years old. A hairline crack can open under heat stress. We catch these on camera during a Level 2 inspection, usually after a routine sweep.
- Rusted flashing and crown spalling near the Chambers Bay ridgeline. The marine air and winter rain do real work on exposed masonry. Homes along the west-facing edges near Chambers Bay see crown erosion faster than inland streets. A cracked crown lets water into the flue and behind the firebox.
- Damper plates stuck or rusted open in rarely used fireplaces. We find fireplaces that haven’t been opened in a decade. The damper is seized. Rust has set in. The firebox has a dust layer plus moisture from a leaking cap. These are the homes where a sweep turns into a real repair conversation, and the camera shows you exactly why.
- Third-degree creosote glaze in chimneys that burned unseasoned wood for years. The previous owner’s habits become your chimney’s condition. Glazed creosote cannot be mechanically brushed off without damaging the liner. It requires chemical treatment or HeatShield resurfacing. The fix is documented and within a range we’ll quote before we start.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in University Place, WA
A standard chimney sweep in University Place runs $189 – $289. Gas fireplace cleaning runs $149 – $249. A Level 1 inspection is included with a sweep; a Level 2 inspection with full camera documentation is $75 – $150 when added to a sweep. If we find a cracked clay liner and you need a HeatShield resurfacing, that’s typically $2,500 – $5,000 depending on flue length and access, and it’s a decision you make after seeing the camera footage, not before. No University Place job gets a repair recommendation without photo evidence. That’s the rule Hank set from day one and it hasn’t changed.
What affects your specific price: fireplace condition, liner type, access to the roof, and whether the damper or cap needs replacement. We don’t quote by square footage like some outfits. We quote by the actual chimney. Call (830) 251-4560 and we’ll give you a written price before we do the work. Estimates are free, and the number on the estimate is the number on the invoice.
We Also Serve Cities Near University Place
Our crews cover University Place and the surrounding communities, including Steilacoom, Lakewood, Tacoma, and DuPont. If you’re off Bridgeport Way or just over the line in a neighboring town, same pricing, same written guarantee, same crews. The drive might add a few minutes, but the price doesn’t change because the ZIP code did.
Serving University Place, WA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the University Place 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 Sweep in University Place
If you burn weekly during the fall and winter, once a year. If you burn occasionally or only during holidays, every 18 – 24 months is usually enough. The real answer depends on what the camera sees, not a calendar. A sweep that includes a camera inspection tells you if you could have waited. Call (830) 251-4560 and we’ll schedule a sweep with the inspection built in.
It’s included. Every sweep we perform in University Place includes a camera run from firebox to crown, and you receive the photos. We don’t charge separately to show you evidence of your own chimney’s condition. If a Level 2 inspection is needed for a more thorough structural assessment, there’s a fee for that, but the standard camera pass is part of the sweep.
First-degree creosote is a dusting that brushes out with routine sweeping. Third-degree is a hard, glazed coating that will not come off with a brush and can’t be removed without specialized treatment. In University Place, we see third-degree glaze most often in older homes where the previous owner burned wet or unseasoned wood for years. Glazed creosote is a fuel source for chimney fires. The camera will show you which kind you have. Call (830) 251-4560 for a sweep and documentation.
Yes, a written price before any work begins is standard practice for us, always. We don’t quote by phone and revise at the door. The quote is prepared after we know what we’re dealing with, and it’s the number you approve. No last-minute additions. If the job changes inside your wall, we stop and bring you a new written price before proceeding. Estimates are free.
We clean gas fireplaces and gas inserts in University Place, including glass, logs, burners, and pilots. Gas units need different care than wood chimneys, and we do both. Most gas fireplace cleanings run $149 – $249. Call (830) 251-4560 to schedule, and we’ll have a tech out with a written quote for your unit.
Get Your Chimney Inspected Before You Need a Repair
If you live in University Place and you haven’t had your chimney looked at in years, the smartest thing you can do is book a sweep with a camera inspection. It tells you the truth about your flue, your liner, and your firebox, whether you burn weekly or never. And if a repair is needed, you’ll know it because you saw it yourself, not because a tech told you to trust them.
Call Flint Chimney Sweep at (830) 251-4560 for a free estimate. We serve all of University Place, from the town center to the neighborhoods near Chambers Bay. Written price first. Photo report after. Guarantee in writing. That’s the standard we work under, and it’s been the standard since 2002.
Written by Hank Delano, Owner at Flint Chimney Sweep, serving University Place with written pricing, camera inspections, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise.