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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterChimney Cleaning Before & After in Brooklyn, NY
Photographs are the only way to show what’s actually happening inside a flue. We take before and after pictures on most cleaning jobs because homeowners deserve to see what they’re paying for, not hear a story about it afterward. The projects below are representative of work we do across Brooklyn, from Park Slope brownstones to Carroll Gardens walk-ups.
Recent Transformations
Third-Degree Creosote Glaze Removal in a Park Slope Brownstone
This brownstone’s flue hadn’t been swept in at least five seasons. The creosote had hardened into a shiny, tar-like glaze that a standard wire brush won’t touch. We ran a rotary cleaning loop with specialized chains to break the glaze free, then swept the loosened debris down to the firebox. The homeowner told us the fireplace draft improved immediately, and the flue passed a visual inspection without a single patch of glaze remaining.
Full-Chimney Soot Buildup in a Carroll Gardens Walk-Up
The homeowner called after noticing smoke backing into the living room on cold starts. The flue was narrowed to about half its diameter by accumulated stage-two creosote and soot. Wendell and his crew ran top-down brushes from the roof, then vacuumed the entire smoke chamber and firebox with a HEPA filtration unit. Two hours total, and the draft pulled like the flue was new.
Off-Season Debris and Nest Removal in Brooklyn Heights
A homeowner in Brooklyn Heights called us in August, before burning season, because she could smell something odd near the mantel when the wind blew. The flue had accumulated leaves, twigs, and the start of a sparrow’s nest just below the crown. We removed everything by hand and through vacuum, then installed a new stainless cap with proper screening. Her chimney now drafts correctly with the damper closed, and no more smells on windy days.
Soot and Ash Dump Cleanout in a Prospect Heights Rowhouse
This row house had an ash dump that had never been emptied since the current owner moved in nine years earlier. Ash had hardened into a cement-like plug behind the dump door. We broke it up carefully, removed all of it, and then cleaned the smoke chamber above. The homeowner was surprised at how much material came out, and even more surprised at how much better the fireplace now drafts with the dump empty.
Heavy Stage-Two Creosote in a Ditmas Park Victorian
The Ditmas Park homeowner burned green wood for two winters without realizing the creosote it produced. Stage-two creosote flakes were hanging off the flue walls in sheets. We ran a poly brush set matched to the flue dimensions, then hand-scraped the stubborn sections near the smoke shelf. The camera footage we captured before and after showed the full transformation, and the homeowner kept the photos to show a neighbor.
First-Degree Creosote and Smoke Chamber Cleaning in Bay Ridge
A Bay Ridge split-level had a fireplace that hadn’t been used in four years but was suddenly back in rotation. Stage-one creosote dust and soot had settled throughout the flue and into the smoke chamber. A standard brush run and vacuuming cleared it all. The job took a little over an hour and the homeowner scheduled next year’s sweep before we left. Once a year, burn or no burn, because chimneys break in the off-season too.
Want Results Like These?
The photos we capture on every job become your record of what was found and what we left behind. The camera footage and a plain-English verdict, every time, no exceptions. If your Brooklyn chimney hasn’t been inspected or cleaned recently, call (516) 289-9316 and we’ll schedule a sweep.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Brooklyn since 1999.