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 Running Springs, CA
Chimney repair in Running Springs usually means relining an older flue, rebuilding a cracked crown, or replacing a cap that snow and wildlife have worked loose, and it’s work we do year-round at 6,000 feet. The mountain housing stock here, mid-century cabins and A-frames built between the 1960s and 1980s, was rarely designed for the kind of hard, continuous burning that October-through-April winters demand. When a flue liner fails or a cap goes missing on a second home that sat empty all summer, we handle the repair, not just the inspection report. Call Ashwood Chimney Sweep at (833) 805-3229 if you have a concern you’d like us to take a look at.
Why Running Springs Homes Are Different
Running Springs sits above 6,000 feet, and the houses reflect that. Most are mid-century mountain cabins, A-frames, and chalet-style second homes, and many have fireplaces or wood stoves that were added decades after the original build. That matters because the flues in older cabins are often undersized or unlined, and an unlined flue is not something you can safely sweep and keep using. We see this constantly on the smaller cabins off Hilltop Boulevard and around the Linson Lane area: original masonry fireplaces with flues that were never lined to code, or factory-built fireplaces that have been through forty winters of hard use.
Climate drives the rest. Winters here are heavy-snow and well below freezing, so fireplaces run from October through April, and creosote from pine and fir accumulates fast. The same cold that makes a fire necessary also causes downdraft and smoke-spillage problems when a flue is dirty or a cap is blocked. And because a large share of Running Springs homes are second homes or seasonal cabins, they sit vacant for months. Birds, squirrels, and chipmunks move into uncapped flues. Every fall, we scope first and sweep second on vacant homes, because the problem is rarely just creosote. It’s a nest, a dead animal, or a flue that was already deteriorating before the house was closed up for the season.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Running Springs Services
Two services account for most of the calls we take from Running Springs homeowners: chimney sweeping and dryer vent cleaning. Both are fire-safety maintenance, and both have to account for the altitude and the housing stock here.
Chimney Sweep in Running Springs
A chimney sweep in Running Springs is annual maintenance for any home that burns wood, and it becomes urgent when a seasonal cabin has been closed up since spring. At this elevation, resinous pine and fir produce creosote that builds quickly, and a flue that hasn’t been swept in two or three seasons is a chimney fire waiting for a cold night. We remove the creosote, check the cap, and verify the flue is sound before you light the first fire. The full details on what our Running Springs sweeps include are on our Chimney Sweep in Running Springs page.
Dryer Vent Cleaning in Running Springs
Your dryer vent is a fire-risk system, not an afterthought, and in Running Springs the risk compounds because so many laundry rooms are in older cabins with long, horizontal vent runs or improvised ductwork. Lint builds up, air stops moving, and the dryer element runs hotter. We treat dryer vent cleaning with the same seriousness as chimney work, using Famco ventilation components when replacements are needed. Dryer Vent Cleaning in Running Springs covers what we do and why mountain homes need it as much as lowland ones.
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.
Chimney Repair in Running Springs
Most chimney repair work in Running Springs goes back to the same root cause: older cabins built with undersized or unlined flues, now burning harder than they ever did. High-altitude cold stresses masonry crowns and flashing, and a vacant second home means damage goes unnoticed until a sweep or an inspection turns it up. When a liner is gone or a crown is spalling, sweeping alone won’t fix the problem, and that’s where we do the actual repair work, not just document it for someone else. Ashwood handles the whole flue, not just the easy parts, and our Chimney Repair service covers everything from caps to full relining.
Chimney Cap Installation
Signs you need it
You see birds, squirrels, or nesting material in or around the top of the flue, or you notice rain and snow getting inside the chimney during storms.
What it costs in Running Springs
Chimney cap installation in Running Springs typically runs $200 to $500, depending on the flue size and whether we’re adding a cap to a flue that never had one.
How we do it
We measure the flue opening, set the cap correctly for the flue type, secure it properly against running springs moisture and animal pressure, and check that draw is unaffected.
Chimney Crown Repair
Signs you need it
You see cracking, spalling, or missing sections of the concrete crown at the top of the chimney, or water staining on the chimney face below the crown line.
What it costs in Running Springs
Chimney crown repair in Running Springs typically runs $300 to $600, depending on the amount of material that has spalled and needs to be rebuilt.
How we do it
We clean the damaged surface, remove loose material, build the crown back with a properly sloped mortar or a fitted crown cap product, and make sure water sheds away from the flue.
Chimney Liner Installation
Signs you need it
Your flue was never lined, or a sweep shows cracked or missing clay tile liner sections that no longer contain heat and gases the way they should.
What it costs in Running Springs
Chimney liner installation in Running Springs typically runs $2,000 to $5,000 depending on flue length, access, and whether the existing liner needs to be broken out first.
How we do it
We inspect and measure the flue, then install a DuraFlex flexible liner system, a professional-grade product stocked by certified chimney contractors, sized correctly for the appliance and the flue.
What Chimney Repair Costs in Running Springs
| Item | Typical range in Running Springs |
|---|---|
| Chimney cap installation or replacement | $200 – $500 |
| Chimney flashing repair | $250 – $700 |
| Chimney crown repair | $300 – $600 |
| Chimney liner installation (DuraFlex) | $2,000 – $5,000 |
How often should a chimney in Running Springs be repaired rather than just swept?
Whenever a sweep or a visual inspection shows structural damage, a missing cap, or a compromised liner, the chimney needs repair before it needs another fire. At this altitude, postponing it usually means more expensive masonry work later.
Do I really need a new liner, or can the old one be restored?
Sometimes the old liner can be restored. If the flue tiles are cracked or spalled but the structure is still sound, we can use HeatShield, a specialist-grade restoration product that repairs the flue without a full liner replacement. We’ll show you camera evidence before recommending either path.
Brands We Service in Running Springs
We stock and install professional-grade materials from Copperfield, Olympia Chimney, DuraFlex, and Famco, the same product lines certified chimney contractors specify nationwide. Parts for common Running Springs repairs are typically on our truck or available within a few days through our trade supply channels. Learn more about our brands.
Pricing for Chimney Company in Running Springs, CA
| Service | Typical range in Running Springs |
|---|---|
| Chimney sweep with inspection | $150 – $250 |
| Chimney cap installation or replacement | $200 – $500 |
| Chimney flashing repair | $250 – $700 |
| Chimney crown repair | $300 – $600 |
| Chimney liner installation (DuraFlex) | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| Chimney liner restoration (HeatShield) | $1,500 – $3,500 |
| Dryer vent cleaning | $125 – $225 |
| Dryer vent repair or reroute | $150 – $400 |
Price in Running Springs trends higher when we’re working on a steep roof with heavy snow load, when a flue needs scaffolding or a chimney access platform, or when a vacant cabin has gone several seasons without maintenance and the repairs have compounded. We give a flat, upfront price before any work begins, and the number we quote is the number on your invoice.
See the difference
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AfterNeighborhoods We Serve in Running Springs
We work throughout Running Springs and the surrounding mountain roads, including the smaller cabin communities where access can be tight and seasonal. Most of our Running Springs calls are scheduled within a few days, with fall inspections prioritized before the first cold snap.
- Running Springs town center and Hilltop Boulevard area
- Smiley Park
- Arrowbear Lake
- Green Valley Lake Road corridor
- Switzer Park
Service Area – Cities Near Running Springs
Ashwood Chimney Sweep serves Running Springs and the surrounding San Bernardino mountain and foothill communities. If you’re in Lake Arrowhead, CA, Crestline, CA, Highland, CA, or Mentone, CA, we cover those areas as well. Call (833) 805-3229 and we’ll confirm coverage for your address.
Serving Running Springs, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Running Springs 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 Running Springs
Most Running Springs chimney sweeps and inspections are scheduled within a few days, and we reserve extra slots in September and October for homeowners preparing a seasonal cabin for winter. Fall is the busy season at this elevation, so calling before the first cold snap gets you the best scheduling window.
Most annual chimney sweeping and cap or crown repair in Running Springs requires no permit, but some cabin communities and HOAs have rules about exterior work or roof access. We’ll tell you if something on your chimney looks like it needs a permit before we start, and we can work with your HOA’s requirements.
Yes, and vacant second homes are a big part of our Running Springs work. We always scope the flue on a home that has been closed up before we sweep it, because bird or squirrel nests and debris are common. If the scope shows a nest, we remove it before we clean the flue.
Contact Ashwood Chimney Sweep in Running Springs
Whether you need a sweep before winter, a repair after a red-flag inspection, or a dryer vent cleaned in a mountain cabin, we’re the one call that handles all of it. Ashwood Chimney Sweep has served Running Springs since 2012, with professional-grade materials and flat, honest pricing. Call (833) 805-3229 for a free estimate.
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 Running Springs Customers Say
"Three other companies in Fontana either didn't pick up or wanted to schedule me for the following week. These guys had someone out the next morning."
— Stephanie Thompson"Crown was cracked and taking water. Repaired it rather than quoting a rebuild, which the previous company had pushed hard for."
— Angela Kim"Swept it, capped it, and installed a proper damper. The downdraft smell in the summer that we'd lived with for years is gone."
— Yolanda Martinez