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 North Hills, CA
Chimney repair in North Hills usually means addressing what 60 years of Valley heat, Santa Ana winds, and off-season neglect do to an original clay-tile flue. Most homes here were built in the 1950s and 60s with masonry fireplaces that have never had a liner upgrade, so we spend our time on spalled mortar joints, cracked flue tiles, failing crowns, and creosote glaze that’s hardened into a stubborn, shiny layer. Ashwood Chimney Sweep has served North Hills since 2012 with a repair-first approach: we clean, inspect, and fix the whole flue in one visit whenever the scope allows. Call (833) 805-3229 when a sweep turns into a repair recommendation and you want the work done right.
Why North Hills Homes Are Different
The housing stock in North Hills tells a consistent story. Drive the tract streets between Sepulveda and Woodley, and you’ll see block after block of single-story ranch homes from the 1950s and early 60s, almost all built with original brick or masonry fireplaces and clay-tile flues. That matters because a clay liner installed in 1958 has been through six decades of thermal cycling. Summer temperatures in the San Fernando Valley regularly push past 100 degrees, and those hot, dry months let creosote harden inside the flue instead of staying soft and brushable. Then come the Santa Ana events, when winds funnel hard through the north Valley and push leaves, debris, and the occasional bird nest down any uncapped chimney. We routinely open dampers in North Hills after a wind event and find a blocked flue that has nothing to do with soot buildup. Add the cool holiday-season evenings when fireplaces suddenly work hard again, and you get the pattern we see: flue systems that look fine from the living room but are spalled, cracked, or partially blocked where it counts. The stucco and red tile roof look is uniform on the outside; the flue condition underneath is usually anything but.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main North Hills Services
Two services dominate the calls we get from North Hills homeowners: annual chimney sweeping and dryer vent cleaning. Here’s what each one involves in this part of the Valley.
Chimney Sweep in North Hills
A proper sweep in North Hills is not a fifteen-minute brush job. On a 60-year-old clay flue, it means evaluating creosote stage, checking the smoke shelf, confirming the damper opens and seals, and documenting any spalled mortar or hairline cracks before they become a repair. After the Santa Anas, we also check for wind-driven debris and animal entry, because uncapped flues on these 1950s ranches collect everything the wind carries. We sweep first, then give you a straight report on what we found and whether anything needs follow-up. Full details on our cleaning process for this area: Chimney Sweep in North Hills.
Dryer Vent Cleaning in North Hills
Dryer vents in North Hills deserve the same level of attention as any chimney. The single-story ranches here often have longer vent runs than newer builds, and the same dry, dusty Valley conditions that leave fine silt on your patio furniture also coat the inside of a dryer duct. Lint hardens, air stops moving, and the dryer works harder while the vent gets hotter. We treat this as a fire-safety service, not an add-on, and we use Famco ventilation components when duct sections need replacement. Read more: Dryer Vent Cleaning in North Hills.
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 North Hills
Most of the chimney repairs we do in North Hills fall into two buckets: water intrusion at the top of the chimney and liner deterioration inside the flue. The original clay tiles in 1950s and 60s fireplace systems crack under decades of thermal stress, and once a liner fractures, heat and flue gases can reach the surrounding masonry where they don’t belong. We repair with profession-grade materials from the trade supply houses contractors actually specify, which matters when the fix has to last another twenty years. If you’ve had an inspection report flag a cracked liner or a spalled crown, we can usually handle the full repair in one visit. Learn more about our repair scope on the main service page: Chimney Repair.
Chimney Cap Installation
Signs you need it
If your North Hills chimney has no cap after the last Santa Ana, you likely have leaves, twigs, or nesting material inside the flue, and you may be hearing birds or noticing a stronger draft smell on windy days.
What it costs in North Hills
Chimney cap installation in North Hills typically runs between $180 and $420 depending on flue size and whether we need to build up the crown for a solid base.
How we do it
We measure the flue opening, select a properly sized cap from our stocked inventory or our trade suppliers like Olympia Chimney, fasten it securely to the crown or flue tile, and confirm the draft is unaffected.
Chimney Crown Repair
Signs you need it
Spalled or cracked chimney crowns in North Hills show up as water staining on the ceiling near the fireplace, efflorescence on the brick, or hairline cracks visible from the roof.
What it costs in North Hills
Chimney crown repair in North Hills typically runs $290 to $620, including surface prep, sealing, and a weather-tight finish.
How we do it
We remove any degraded material, apply a polymer cement crown coat formulated for outdoor exposure, and slope the surface so water sheds away from the flue.
Chimney Liner Installation
Signs you need it
If an inspection reveals cracked or spalled clay tiles, or if you’re noticing draft problems and a faint smoky smell between fires in your North Hills home, the liner may no longer be a continuous barrier.
What it costs in North Hills
A new DuraFlex liner installation in North Hills typically ranges from $2,600 to $4,800 depending on flue height, access, and whether we’re relining a fireplace or a furnace flue.
How we do it
We size the liner to your exact flue dimensions, run the flexible DuraFlex system from the termination down to the appliance or firebox connection, insulate it where required, and secure the top plate and rain collar.
Chimney Flashing Repair
Signs you need it
Leaks near the roofline in wet weather, rusted flashing, or lifted step flashing around the chimney are the classic signs on North Hills ranch homes with original roof penetrations.
What it costs in North Hills
Chimney flashing repair in North Hills usually costs $350 to $750 depending on whether we’re resealing a section or replacing the full flashing assembly.
How we do it
We cut out the failed flashing, install new step and counter flashing from Copperfield’s trade line, and seal the transitions so water stays on the roof where it belongs.
What Chimney Repair Costs in North Hills
| Item | Typical range in North Hills |
|---|---|
| Chimney cap installation | $180 – $420 |
| Chimney crown repair | $290 – $620 |
| Chimney flashing repair | $350 – $750 |
| Liner replacement (DuraFlex) | $2,600 – $4,800 |
Do I really need a new liner if my chimney passes a visual check?
A visual check from the firebox cannot see the full flue interior. In North Hills homes with original 1950s clay tiles, internal cracking is common and only visible with a camera inspection. We quote a liner only when our camera shows it’s necessary. Call (833) 805-3229 for a straight answer.
How long does chimney repair take in North Hills?
Most cap, crown, and flashing repairs finish in a single visit. A liner installation is usually a one-day job. We book North Hills work in a specific time window and show up with the materials already on the truck.
Brands We Service in North Hills
We install and maintain systems from the brands professional chimney contractors trust. On North Hills jobs we regularly stock Olympia Chimney caps and components, Copperfield flashing materials, and DuraFlex liner systems for fast turnaround on repairs. See our brands for the full list of what we carry.
Pricing for Chimney Company in North Hills, CA
| Service | Typical range in North Hills |
|---|---|
| Chimney cleaning (full sweep) | $150 – $300 |
| Chimney cap installation | $180 – $420 |
| Chimney crown repair | $290 – $620 |
| Chimney flashing repair | $350 – $750 |
| Liner installment (DuraFlex) | $2,600 – $4,800 |
| Dryer vent cleaning | $120 – $260 |
What pushes pricing up in North Hills is mostly access: a steep roof on a two-story apartment building, a flue that’s been uncapped and blocked for years, or a liner that needs more insulation than the original design called for. We give every customer a flat price before the work begins, and that price includes the equipment, labor, and materials we quote. No hourly billing surprises.
See the difference
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AfterNeighborhoods We Serve in North Hills
We work throughout the North Hills area, from the neighborhoods around Sepulveda Recreation Center to the tract streets west of the 405. Most jobs fit into a single morning or afternoon visit, and we group calls in the same zip codes to keep your wait short.
- Sepulveda corridor
- North Hills West
- Devonshire district
- Woodley corridors
- Arleta-adjacent neighborhoods
Service Area – Cities Near North Hills
North Hills sits in the middle of our regular Valley service area, and we often coordinate work with nearby homeowners. We cover Northridge, CA and Van Nuys, CA to the west, Valley Glen, CA to the south, and San Fernando, CA to the north. If you’re in one of these cities and need chimney repair or a sweep, the same crew and the same equipment make the short trip.
Serving North Hills, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the North Hills 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 North Hills
Most North Hills jobs are booked within a few days to a week, depending on whether we’re sweeping, repairing, or installing a liner. We route our trucks through the Valley on set days, so a North Hills visit is rarely more than seven days out. Call (833) 805-3229 for the current schedule.
Most chimney repairs like caps, crowns, flashing, and liner replacement are considered maintenance and don’t require a permit. If your job does require a permit, we’ll handle the paperwork. We’ll tell you up front if your project falls into that category.
Yes, and that’s often how North Hills jobs go. We clean the flue, inspect it with a camera, and if we find a repair that fits the same truck stock, we do it the same day. That’s the flat-price approach we work by, and you get the whole picture before any work begins.
Contact Ashwood Chimney Sweep in North Hills
Whether you need a straight chimney cleaning, a repair for a cracked flue, or a dryer vent that’s long overdue for service, call (833) 805-3229. We’ll give you a free estimate for North Hills work, walk you through what we found, and do the job with materials that are built for the trade, not the hardware aisle.
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 North Hills Customers Say
"They were the only ones willing to just tell me the price. Everyone else wanted to "come take a look" first, which in my experience means come apply pressure in person."
— Marisol Salazar"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