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 Owings Mills, MD
We’re not big on talking about ourselves. We’d rather show you what a proper chimney cleaning actually looks like. The buildup you can’t see from your living room. The difference between a flue that’s been swept with professional-grade equipment and one that’s been “brushed off” by someone in a hurry. These are real jobs we’ve done in and around Owings Mills. The photos speak for themselves.
Recent Transformations
Heavy Creosote Removal, Reisterstown Road Area
The homeowner in this Reisterstown Road colonial had been burning seasoned oak three or four nights a week for three winters without a sweep. Our Level-2 camera inspection showed glazed creosote a quarter-inch thick in spots, with the surface hardened to a tar-like consistency that standard brushing wouldn’t touch. We applied a professional-grade creosote modifier, ran a rotary chain whip system to break the glaze, then finished with a HEPA-contained sweep. The after photos show bare terra cotta flue liner with the original factory surface visible. Burning season started two weeks later, and the homeowner told us the draft improved noticeably.
Fireplace Smoke Stain Restoration, Garrison Forest
A family near Garrison Forest School called us after their fireplace insert started pushing smoke into the room every time they opened the loading door. The firebox walls were blackened to shoulder height, and the white painted hearth surround had taken on a permanent gray haze. We found the insert’s connection collar had shifted, creating a gap that dumped combustion gases into the smoke chamber. After realigning and sealing the connection, we cleaned the firebox with non-acidic refractory cleaner and treated the hearth masonry with a poultice that lifted the smoke film without damaging the finish. The room looked like someone had turned the lights on.
Chimney Cap and Crown Rebuild, Worthington Ridge
This Worthington Ridge ranch had a crown that was more crack than concrete, and the rusted galvanized cap had blown off in a March windstorm two years prior. Water was getting straight down the flue, and the homeowner had noticed damp fireplace odors every humid morning. We removed the remaining crown down to sound masonry, formed and poured a new concrete crown with proper drip edges and slope, then installed a Gelco stainless steel cap with 5/8-inch mesh to keep out squirrels and spark embers. The before photo shows spalling brick and a flue mouth full of leaf debris. After: clean lines, no exposed masonry, and a cap that’ll outlast the mortgage.
Chimney Liner Installation, Owings Mills New Town
The inspection on this Owings Mills New Town townhome revealed what we see too often in properties built during the 1970s oil-to-gas conversions: a clay flue liner that was never meant to handle the cooler, wetter exhaust of a modern gas furnace. Multiple tile joints had separated, and one tile had a diagonal crack you could slide a pencil into. We installed a continuous DuraFlex stainless steel liner sized to the appliance, with an insulated wrap where the flue passed through the unconditioned attic space. The before image is from our camera, showing daylight through the crack. After: a smooth, continuous metal surface from appliance collar to cap, documented with photos the homeowner could forward to their insurance agent.
Animal Nesting and Debris Removal, Glyndon Vicinity
A couple near Glyndon called in late April after their fireplace started making what they described as “scraping sounds during dinner.” Our camera found a starling nest packed into the smoke chamber, with twigs extending down to the damper. The nest was active, so we coordinated with a wildlife removal specialist for the initial extraction, then returned to sweep the remaining debris, treat for mites, and install proper 5/8-inch stainless mesh on the existing cap. The before photo shows the woven grass and twig mass filling the chamber. After: clear flue, functional damper, and a cap that keeps birds out without restricting draft. We see this pattern every spring in Owings Mills. The trees mature, the bird populations grow, and chimneys without screening become prime real estate.
Smoke Chamber Parging, Valley Road Historic District
This 1920s farmhouse on Valley Road had a smoke chamber that looked like it was built by a mason who’d never heard of a chimney fire. The corbeled brick was exposed, with mortar joints eroded to finger-width gaps, and the surface was so irregular that smoke eddied and cooled before reaching the flue. We used HeatShield Cerfractory Foam, a professional-grade refractory product, to parge the chamber smooth to NFPA 211 standards. The before photo shows the jagged brick steps and missing mortar. After: a smooth, tapered transition from firebox to flue that moves smoke efficiently and gives creosote nowhere to accumulate. The homeowner noticed the difference immediately, less smoke roll-out when opening the doors and a stronger, more consistent draw.
Want Results Like These?
Every job here started with a phone call and a camera inspection you can see for yourself. No guesswork, no pressure, no surprises on the bill. If you’re in Owings Mills, Reisterstown, Glyndon, or anywhere in between, call (443) 998-2617. A live person answers, day or night. We’ll book a time that works, show up when we say, and leave your chimney cleaner than we found it. Done right, and we stand behind it.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Owings Mills since 1984.