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 Northport, NY
We’ve spent 42 years cleaning chimneys across Northport and the surrounding towns. Photos don’t lie. The buildup you can’t see from your living room, the cracks hidden above the damper, the liner corrosion that shows up only on camera - here’s what we find, and here’s how we fix it. Every image below came from a real job, documented with our level-2 inspection system so the homeowner saw exactly what we saw.
Recent Transformations
Heavy Creosote Buildup - Fireplace Chimney, Northport Village
This Northport Village homeowner burned seasoned oak all winter, never thinking much about the slow accumulation. By year three, the creosote had hardened into a glassy, tar-like glaze - stage 3 buildup that brushes alone won’t touch. We applied a professional-grade creosote modifier, let it work overnight, then ran mechanical whips and poly brushes the full length of the flue. The after photos show terracotta flue tiles that look almost new. We finished with a camera inspection, gave the homeowner the photos, and marked the next sweep for six months out instead of a year - burning habits matter.
Blocked Chimney Cap - Water Damage & Debris, Eatons Neck Area
An Eatons Neck family called us in October after smelling smoke in their second-floor bedroom. The original cap had rusted through, and a squirrel had packed the flue with leaves and pine needles from the surrounding oaks. We cleared the blockage, swept the flue, and installed a Gelco stainless steel cap with proper 5/8-inch mesh - tight enough to keep wildlife out, open enough to let smoke rise freely on damp Northport mornings. No more smoke backup. No more water streaks down the masonry.
Cracked Clay Flue Liner - HeatShield Repair, Fort Salonga
A Fort Salonga couple was told they’d need a full liner replacement after another company’s inspection. We ran our own level-2 camera and found three vertical cracks in the clay liner, but the tiles were structurally sound - no shifting, no missing pieces, no spalling. We recommended a HeatShield cerfractory coating instead: a ceramic slurry applied with a custom foam applicator, then cured to form a smooth, continuous new surface inside the existing liner. The camera photos show the difference - cracks gone, surface uniform, and the homeowners saved thousands against a full stainless reline. Done right, and we stand behind it.
Smoke Chamber Parging - Fire Safety Upgrade, Asharoken
This Asharoken fireplace had been “working fine” for twenty years, but the smoke chamber - the area above the damper - was built with corbeled brick, all rough edges and mortar gaps. That’s a known hazard: turbulent airflow deposits creosote, and rough surfaces can trap it. We parged the chamber with a refractory mortar mix, smoothing the walls to NFPA 211 standards. The fire draws cleaner now, and creosote has far less to cling to. We showed the homeowner the before-and-after camera footage side by side. A square deal: no surprises on the bill, and the work was finished in a single visit.
Chimney Crown Rebuild - Preventing Water Intrusion, Northport Harbor Vicinity
A home near Northport Harbor had a crown that was more patch than original concrete - previous owners had slapped on sealant every few years instead of fixing the real problem. Water was wicking through the masonry, spalling bricks, and rusting the top course of flue tiles. We formed and cast a new crown with proper slope (minimum 2-inch overhang, drip edge underneath), an expansion joint around the flue, and professional-grade concrete rated for freeze-thaw cycles. On the Northport waterfront, that freeze-thaw matters. This crown will outlast the patches that came before it.
Factory-Built Fireplace Restoration - Soot & Rust Removal, East Northport
An East Northport family with a prefab metal fireplace thought they needed a full replacement. The firebox panels were blackened, the damper wouldn’t open fully, and the mesh screens had rusted solid. We disassembled the front, cleaned the refractory panels with appropriate methods for the material, replaced the damper hardware with factory-spec parts, and verified all clearances to combustibles. The unit looked nearly new, operated correctly, and passed our level-2 inspection. Replacement would have cost four times as much. Sometimes the right fix is the one that preserves what’s there - when it’s safe to do so.
Want Results Like These?
Every job starts with a camera inspection and ends with photos you can see, plus a plain-English verdict. No work is recommended without evidence you can examine yourself. Call (631) 528-2501 - a live person answers, 24 hours a day, every day. We’ll book your inspection, show you exactly what we find, and quote upfront pricing before any work begins. The number on the estimate is the number on the invoice. And everything we do carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise: in writing, no arguing.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Northport since 1984.