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 Norwalk, CT
Photographs tell the truth faster than any promise we could print. The flues below are from real homes in and around Norwalk, and the changes you’ll see are what happens when creosote, soot, and neglect come out and a chimney gets to breathe again. Wendell Pike has been doing this work since 1999, and he’s never met a camera that lies.
Recent Transformations
Third-Degree Creosote Glaze Removal in a Rowayton Fireplace
This flue hadn’t been swept in at least five seasons, and the creosote had hardened into a black glaze that a standard brush won’t touch. Wendell and his crew used rotary cleaning heads on flexible rods to break the glaze down to bare flue tile. Once it was out, the camera showed clean masonry and a draft that pulled correctly for the first time in years.
Bird Nest and Debris Blockage Cleared from a West Norwalk Chimney
The homeowner called because smoke was backing into the living room every time they lit a fire. A camera inspection found a starling nest packed into the smoke chamber, built over a summer when the damper had been left open. The crew removed the nest, swept the flue, and fitted a Copperfield cap so nothing else could move back in.
Heavy Soot Buildup in a 1950s Wolfpit Fireplace
Older homes in Wolfpit often have unlined or clay-tile flues that collect soot quickly, especially when the fireplace burns softwood or green wood. This flue had more than an inch of soft soot coating every side, which is a fast path to poor draft and smoke smell indoors. The sweep took about ninety minutes start to finish, and the camera footage afterward showed the original tile for the first time in a decade.
Water-Damaged Smoke Chamber Restored in Cranbury
Water had been leaking in around a cracked crown, and over time it softened the parging in the smoke chamber until chunks were falling down onto the damper. The crown got a proper repair, the flue was swept, and the smoke chamber was relined with HeatShield so the masonry was sealed and smooth again. The homeowner could finally run a fire without a faint musty smell drifting through the room.
Neglected Ash and Debris Buildup in a South Norwalk Wood Stove Flue
This wood stove had been used daily through a long winter and never cleaned once. The connector pipe was so packed with ash and creosote that airflow was down to a whisper, which is exactly the condition that leads to chimney fires. Wendell pulled the connector, cleaned every section by hand, then swept the full run of flue above it. The stove now draws hard and burns clean.
Want Results Like These?
If your chimney hasn’t been looked at in a while, the answer is probably sitting right above your living room. Call Top Hat Chimney at (475) 375-2748 and Wendell or one of his crew will come out, put a camera up the flue, and show you exactly what’s there before anyone recommends a thing. No trip charge inside the county, and the price you hear on the phone is the price on the invoice.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Norwalk and surrounding communities since 1999.