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 Newark, NJ
Photos don’t upsell. They show what was actually there before we started and what the flue looked like when we finished. On this page you’ll see the range of what we encounter in Newark chimneys: glazed creosote, animal debris, failing liners, and crowns that have given up. Every image is paired with the same camera-scan documentation you receive on your own job under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard.
Recent Transformations
Heavy Creosote Removal in a Forest Hill Colonial
This Forest Hill chimney had been burning unseasoned wood for at least two winters. The camera scan showed Class II creosote, the shiny, tar-like buildup that ignites at roughly 2,000 degrees. We swept the flue with rotary rods until the terracotta was visible again, then ran the camera a second time to confirm nothing remained. The homeowner received the before and after stills, the full scan footage, and a written report stating the creosote class we found and the class remaining after cleaning, which was zero.
Animal Debris and Nest Removal in the North Ward
A North Ward homeowner called because smoke was rolling back into the living room on cold starts. The camera found a squirrel nest packed into the smoke shelf, plus a partial blockage at the throat. We removed the nest, swept the full length, and confirmed the cap’s mesh was intact so the squirrel couldn’t return. Because the debris had been sitting against the liner, we also checked for etching on the tile. There was none. The written record included photos of every layer we pulled out.
Stage III Creosote in a Weequahic Fireplace
In Weequahic, we found Stage III creosote, the crusted, candle-wax-like stage that narrows the flue and can feed a chimney fire that runs until it finds oxygen. This one had closed the flue by roughly a third. Standard sweeping rods wouldn’t cut it, so we used a rotary chain whip in passes, checking with the camera between each one. The result was a clean, full-diameter flue and a fireplace that drafted correctly again. The customer got the photo record, a written scope of what was done, and a note that the cap screen needed replacement within the year, not immediately.
Crown Spalling with Water Entry in the Ironbound
Water was showing up in the firebox of an Ironbound row house after heavy rain. We traced it to the crown, which had spalled so badly that pieces of it were sitting in the gutter. Spalling means the crown’s concrete was breaking apart from years of freeze-thaw cycles, the exact pattern we see all over Newark every spring. We rebuilt the crown with a proper overhang and a slope that moves water away from the flue, then sealed it. The chimney was dry at the next rain, and the repair is documented in the photo file with the before condition attached.
Liner Deterioration Found During a Routine Sweep in Vailsburg
This Vailsburg job started as a routine sweep and ended with a documented liner finding. The camera showed cracked terracotta tiles and mortar joints that had failed in the mid-flue section, gaps that let heat and gases reach the masonry. We showed the homeowner the footage on the spot. They opted for HeatShield resurfacing, which restored a smooth, insulated passage without a full tear-out. The before and after scans are in their file, along with the written warranty on the resurfacing work.
Smoke Chamber Parging in a Roseville Bungalow
A Roseville bungalow had a smoke chamber that was never parged when the house was built. The corbeled brick was rough, full of deep gaps, and collecting creosote that the brush couldn’t reach from below. We parged the chamber smooth, which is standard practice now but unusual in older Newark stock. That one change eliminated the drafting sluggishness the owner had lived with for years. Photos of the raw brick and the finished parge coat went into their permanent record, as Clause 4 requires.
Want Results Like These?
Every job above started with a camera scan and ended with a written price, a written scope, and a photo record the homeowner kept. If your chimney hasn’t been looked at in a while, call (862) 245-4309. We’ll show you what’s in there before we touch a brush, and you’ll know the price before we start.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Newark, serving Newark since 2009.