Frequently Asked Questions
We get a lot of the same questions from Fontana homeowners, and they’re good questions. Here are straight answers on pricing, scheduling, coverage, and exactly what we do with your flue, cap, crown, and dryer vent. If yours isn’t here, pick up the phone and ask us directly. For the full picture of what we do, start at our home page.
What does Ashwood Chimney Sweep actually do?
We handle three connected jobs: chimney sweeping and inspection, chimney repair, and dryer vent cleaning. That means one company assesses your flue, does the cleaning, and fixes what’s wrong, instead of handing you off to a separate repair crew. Our repair work uses professional-trade materials from suppliers like DuraFlex, HeatShield, Olympia Chimney, Gelco, Famco, and Copperfield, which is a different standard than what a general handyman carries on a truck. If the liner is failing, HeatShield lets us restore it rather than just document the problem and leave.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does chimney cleaning service cost?
Standard chimney sweeping in Fontana typically runs in the low-to-mid $200s for a straightforward single flue, and we confirm the exact price before anyone gets on the roof. A gas insert or a flue that hasn’t been touched in years can take longer to clean and inspect, which moves the number up. We quote the job when we assess it, so you’re never looking at a surprise on the invoice.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes. We give a free estimate on repair work before you commit to anything. For a sweeping appointment, we can usually give you a firm price from the details over the phone, and confirm it on-site before the work starts. If you’ve received a red-flag inspection report and want a second opinion on what actually needs fixing, that’s a free estimate too. Call (833) 805-3229 to set it up.
Is it cheaper to repair the flue or replace the liner?
Repair is often cheaper when your flue has cracked or spalled but is otherwise structurally sound, which is exactly the situation HeatShield is built for. A full liner replacement makes more sense when there’s severe damage, a misaligned flue, or a flue that was never properly sized for the appliance. We inspect first, then tell you which path fits. We don’t default to the bigger job just because it’s available.
How do you quote a dryer vent cleaning?
Dryer vent cleaning is priced on the run: how far the vent travels, how many elbows are in it, and whether we can reach the roof termination from the ground or need a ladder. A short back-to-back vent is a straightforward job; a long run that snakes through an interior wall takes more time. We give you the number up front. It’s worth treating as real fire-safety work rather than an upsell, because that’s what it is.
Do you charge extra for a camera inspection?
When a flue looks borderline, we’ll run a camera inside to see the liner condition rather than guessing. Inspection is part of doing the job right, and we’ll walk you through what the camera shows. If it turns into repair work, that cost gets folded into the estimate we present you.
Service & Scheduling
Do you offer emergency chimney cleaning service?
We handle urgent situations and schedule them ahead of routine maintenance when we can. We don’t advertise a 24/7 guarantee, so the honest answer is to call and tell us what’s happening. A blocked flue, a sudden downdraft problem, or a strong creosote smell after a fire is worth a same-week call. If it’s a Friday and something’s clearly wrong, phone us at (833) 805-3229 and we’ll tell you straight whether it waits or needs attention now.
How fast can you respond?
Most Fontana appointments get scheduled within a few business days, and we’ll always give you a realistic window instead of a vague promise. Urgent calls get looked at faster. We work the schedule around your home, and we call ahead on the day so you’re not waiting around. The exact turnaround depends on the season; spring and early fall are our busier stretches because everyone remembers the chimney right before the first cold night.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Fontana and the surrounding Inland Empire, including the neighborhoods around Sierra Avenue, the older streets near downtown Fontana, and the newer homes out toward the Etiwanda and Rancho Cucamonga edges. If your flue runs up a two-story house on an exposed ridge, that’s still our kind of job. We cover the wider region through our chimney sweep in Fontana service. Not sure if you’re in range? One call settles it.
Do you clean both the chimney and the dryer vent in one visit?
Yes, and that’s the smart way to do it. Combining the two saves you a second visit and a second scheduling headache, and both are fire-safety systems in the same house. A lot of Fontana homes have a dryer vent that’s never been cleaned since the house was built, while the chimney gets attention every fall. Doing them together fixes that imbalance. Ask for the combined call when you book.
How long does a sweeping take?
Most single-flue sweeps run about an hour, plus a little more if we find buildup that needs real work to clear. We lay drop cloths, protect the floor, and haul the soot out with us, so the cleanup happens once, on our clock, not yours. A camera inspection or a repair estimate can add time, and we’ll tell you that up front.
What should I do to get ready for the visit?
Clear the area in front of the fireplace, move anything fragile off the hearth, and make sure we can park and reach the roof safely. Secure pets in another room if they get anxious around equipment, and know where your gas shutoff is if you have a gas insert. That’s it. We handle the rest.
Licensing & Trust
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, we’re a properly licensed, insured chimney and vent company, and we’ll share our credentials when you book. That matters for chimney work because the consequences of a bad repair are serious: a failed liner lets carbon monoxide or fire creep past a barrier that was supposed to contain it. We’re also stocked and set up to install DuraFlex flexible liner systems, a professional-grade product you can’t buy in a retail store, which tells you something about the standard we work to.
Do you guarantee your work?
We stand behind the work we do, and we back it with a satisfaction guarantee on our service. If something we cleaned or repaired isn’t right, call us and we’ll come back and make it right. We use professional-trade materials specifically so the repair lasts, not so it gets us out the door. A chimney you have to call someone else to fix next year is a repair we did poorly, and we don’t do that.
Why does it matter which materials you use?
Because a chimney repair is only as good as what’s inside it, and bargain-bin substitutes fail in the flue where you can’t see them. We source from Olympia Chimney and Copperfield, two of the most recognized professional chimney supply houses in the trade, and we use Famco components in our dryer vent work. Those are manufactured ventilation parts, not improvised fixes. You can’t inspect your own liner at home, so the materials behind it are your only guarantee.
Can you do the repair and the cleaning in one visit?
In many cases, yes. One contractor handles the assessment, the sweep, and the repair, so there’s no broken telephone between the inspector and the person doing the work. That single-visit scope is a real advantage when a flue issue is discovered mid-clean. We tell you what we found, quote the fix, and get it done. Get a free estimate by calling (833) 805-3229.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept standard payment methods, and we’ll confirm which ones when you book your appointment. We give you a price before the work begins, so you always know what you’re paying for.
Specific Services
Do you handle chimney cleaning & sweep?
Yes. Sweeping is our core service, and it includes a visual inspection of the flue, firebox, damper, and cap on every visit. We clean with proper brushes and shop-grade vacuums to keep soot out of your living room. For an older Fontana home that hasn’t had a sweep in years, we’ll clear the creosote and tell you what the buildup means for your burning habits.
Do you handle chimney repair?
Yes, and our repair work goes beyond the sweep-only companies. That means relining with DuraFlex, restoring cracked or spalled flues with HeatShield, and fixing crowns, dampers, and caps. If your liner is deteriorating, HeatShield lets us restore it without full replacement or demolition, which is a method many sweep crews can’t offer. We handle the whole flue, not just the easy parts.
Do you handle fireplace services?
Yes. Fireplace work is part of the job, from cleaning the firebox to checking the damper and confirming the firebox lining is intact. For gas inserts, we check the vent connection and inspect the firebox for any sign of heat damage. If your fireplace has stopped drawing smoke properly, that’s a symptom worth chasing down, not ignoring. We’ll trace it and tell you what’s actually going on.
Do you handle chimney cap & crown?
Yes. The cap and crown are what keep rain, animals, and debris out of your flue, and when they fail, everything downstream suffers. We repair cracked crowns, reseat loose caps, and replace missing hardware with components from the professional trade. In the inland climate around Fontana, sun and dry heat can crack mortar over time, so crown condition is worth checking on every visit.
What does a sweep actually do?
A sweep clears creosote and soot from the flue so the chimney can vent safely, and it includes an inspection to spot problems before they get expensive. Here’s how a typical visit runs:
- Arrive and protect. We lay drop cloths, cover the hearth area, and protect the floor.
- Inspect first. We look at the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, flue, and cap to see what we’re dealing with.
- Clean the flue. We use properly sized brushes and a controlled-vacuum setup to pull soot out rather than spread it.
- Clear the firebox and smoke shelf. The areas where creosote collects get the same attention as the flue.
- Check the cap and crown. Any cracks, loose hardware, or animal access get flagged on the spot.
- Camera check if needed. If the liner looks questionable, we run a camera to confirm before recommending repair.
- Walk it through. We show you what we found, note the next service interval, and leave the room clean.
That sequence is why we say clean, inspect, repair, in one call.
What are the signs my chimney needs a sweep?
Three signs: you haven’t had it cleaned in over a year, you burn wood often, or you notice a strong smell, visible soot, or a weaker draft when the fire is lit. Creosote builds up silently, and a chimney that looks fine on the outside can be heavily coated inside. If it’s been more than a year, book the sweep.
Can you fix a flue without tearing out the old liner?
Often, yes. HeatShield restoration is designed for exactly that situation: a liner that’s cracked or spalled but still located where it belongs. We clean the flue, apply HeatShield to reform the interior surface, and inspect the result. This restores the flue without the demolition and full replacement that some repairs force. It depends on how far the damage goes, which is what the camera inspection tells us.
What are the signs my dryer vent needs cleaning?
Clothes take longer to dry, the outside vent flap barely moves, lint collects behind the dryer, or you notice a musty, hot smell during a load. Each of those points to airflow the dryer can’t get past. Lint is the fuel, and every load adds to it. If your vent runs long or elbows through the house, it needs attention sooner. Our dryer vent cleaning treats it as the fire-safety system it is, on equal footing with your chimney.
How often should I schedule service?
Chimneys get swept once a year, and dryer vents get cleaned every one to two years for a typical household. Heavier wood burning, more loads of laundry, and longer vent runs all shorten the interval. Annual maintenance is also how you catch a failing crown or a soft liner before it becomes a structural bill.
What’s the first step if I’ve had a bad inspection report?
Call us with the report and let a specialist give you a straight read on what actually needs fixing. Some reports overstate the case, and some understate it; either way, a real repair quote from someone who can do the work is the useful next move. We handle assessment and repair in one visit, so no one hands you off. Call Ashwood Chimney Sweep at (833) 805-3229 for a free estimate, and we’ll tell you exactly what your flue needs.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Ashwood Chimney Sweep at (833) 805-3229.