Chimney sweeping & cleaning
Full removal of creosote, soot, and blockages from the flue, smoke chamber, and firebox.
Chimney Sweep in Reno, Nevada
Chimney cleaning, inspection, and repair for homes across Reno, Sparks, and the surrounding Washoe County area. Whether you burn wood every night of the winter or light the fireplace twice a year, a clean, sound chimney is what keeps that fire safe. Call today and tell us about your fireplace or stove — we'll give you a straight answer on what it needs and what it costs.
Call (775) 618-9169
Why Chimney Cleaning Matters in Reno
Every wood fire leaves creosote behind — a black, tar-like residue that builds up inside your flue a little more with each burn. Creosote is highly flammable. Once the layer gets thick enough, a single hot fire can ignite it, and a chimney fire can spread into the walls and roof of your home. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 211) recommends every chimney be inspected at least once a year and cleaned as needed.
Reno's climate makes this more important, not less. Cold Sierra winters mean long burning seasons, and many homes in older Reno neighborhoods — Old Northwest, Midtown, the Wells Avenue district — have original masonry chimneys that have seen decades of use. High desert wind also works on mortar joints, crowns, and caps year-round. An annual sweep and inspection catches small problems while they are still small.
Chimney Services We Provide
Chimney inspections
Annual safety checks, plus real-estate and post-chimney-fire inspections.
Wood & pellet stove cleaning
Stovepipe, baffle, and exhaust path service for freestanding stoves and inserts.
Chimney repair
Crown repair, tuckpointing, flashing, and firebox masonry work.
Chimney caps & dampers
Cap installation to keep out rain, birds, and debris; damper repair and replacement.
Gas fireplace service
Cleaning and checkover for gas log sets and inserts.
See the services page for details on each.
What a Chimney Sweep Costs in Reno
Prices depend on the condition of the chimney, roof access, and what the inspection turns up, but these ranges are typical for the Reno area:
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Standard chimney sweep + basic inspection | $150 – $350 |
| Wood stove or insert cleaning | $175 – $375 |
| Level 2 inspection (camera, real estate sales) | $250 – $500 |
| Chimney cap supplied and installed | $200 – $600 |
| Masonry and crown repairs | $300 – $3,000+ depending on scope |
You'll get a firm price before any work starts — no surprises when the job is done.
What to Expect During Your Appointment
1
Walkthrough
The technician looks at your fireplace or stove, asks how often you burn, and checks the firebox, damper, and visible flue.
2
Protection
Drop cloths go down and a HEPA vacuum runs the entire time. A properly done sweep leaves no mess in your home.
3
The sweep
Rotary rods and brushes clean the full length of the flue, the smoke chamber, and the firebox. Blockages — nests, leaves, debris — come out.
4
Report & advice
You get a plain-English rundown of the chimney's condition, with photos of anything that needs attention and a price if repair work is recommended.
Most appointments take 45 minutes to an hour and a half.
Signs Your Chimney Needs Attention Now
- Smoke backing up into the room when you light a fire
- A strong campfire or tar smell from the fireplace, especially in summer
- Black flakes or chunks falling into the firebox
- It has been more than a year since the last sweep — or you can't remember the last one
- You just bought the home and have no service records
- White staining, crumbling mortar, or visible cracks on the exterior masonry
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a chimney be swept in Reno?
Have it inspected once a year, per NFPA 211. If you burn regularly through a Reno winter — most wood-burning households here do from October through March — plan on a sweep every year. Occasional burners can sometimes go longer, but the annual inspection is what tells you either way.
How long does a chimney cleaning take?
Most single-flue sweeps take 45–90 minutes, including the inspection and walkthrough afterward.
Will it make a mess in my house?
No. Drop cloths protect the hearth and floors, and a HEPA vacuum runs during the entire sweep. Your home stays as clean as we found it.
Do you clean wood stoves and pellet stoves?
Yes — freestanding wood stoves, fireplace inserts, and pellet stoves, including stovepipe and exhaust path cleaning. Stoves are common in Reno and Sparks homes and have their own service needs; see the services page.
Can you inspect a chimney before I buy a house?
Yes. A Level 2 camera inspection is the right call for any real-estate transaction — it documents the full flue interior, which a standard home inspection does not cover.
What areas do you serve?
Reno, Sparks, Spanish Springs, Sun Valley, Verdi, Mogul, Cold Springs, and Washoe Valley. Not sure if you're in range? Call — if we can't help, we'll say so.
Chimney Repair in Reno
Sweeping keeps the inside of the flue safe; repair work keeps the structure itself sound. Reno sits above 4,400 feet, and the freeze-thaw swings between warm winter afternoons and hard overnight freezes are brutal on masonry. Water finds a hairline crack in a chimney crown, freezes, and pries it open a little wider every night. Left alone for a few seasons, a $300 crown seal becomes a $3,000 rebuild.
We handle crown repair and sealing, tuckpointing of weathered mortar joints, firebox brick repair, flashing leaks, and chimney cap installation. Every sweep includes a look at these wear points, so problems get flagged the visit they appear — not after the water damage shows up on your ceiling.
When to Schedule a Chimney Sweep
The smart time is late spring through early fall. Summer appointments in Reno are easy to book, and any repairs the inspection turns up can be finished before you need the fireplace. Every October, the first cold snap hits the Truckee Meadows and the phone lines of every sweep in town light up at once — waits stretch to weeks right when you want to start burning. Off-season service also removes the sour creosote smell that summer heat pulls out of a dirty flue.
Burning this week and worried about it? Don't wait for a convenient season — smoke backing up, strong odors, or debris falling into the firebox are call-today problems.
Serving Reno and the Truckee Meadows
From older brick chimneys in Midtown and the University district to newer builds in Spanish Springs, Damonte Ranch, and Somersett, we service every kind of fireplace, stove, and flue in the Truckee Meadows. One call handles it: (775) 618-9169.