Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Gelco Chimney Cleaning in Georgetown, TX | Boardwalk Chimney Sweep
Boardwalk Chimney Sweep provides independent Gelco chimney cleaning, inspection, and repair across Georgetown, including Sun City Texas, the historic downtown blocks, and newer subdivisions in 78633 and 78628. What makes our Gelco work different here is simple: we service the two very different chimney systems this town actually has. Soft-brick masonry fireplaces surrounding the courthouse square and prefabricated Gelco chases throughout Sun City don’t fail the same way, and a sweep that treats them identically misses what matters. If your Gelco system needs attention, call (877) 274-1247 for a free estimate.
Why Georgetown Residents Choose Us for Gelco Service
We’re an independent Gelco service provider, not affiliated with or authorized by the manufacturer. That independence matters because it means our recommendations aren’t filtered through a corporate lens. We carry OEM-matched Gelco caps, dampers, refractory panels, and firebox components so factory clearances stay intact. But we’ll also tell you when a generic aftermarket part would work just as well, because our job is fixing your chimney, not moving inventory.
Brent Holloway, our owner, came up through the HVAC and building systems program at Austin Community College’s Riverside Campus, then spent years working every flue type the Hill Country throws at a technician. He’s the one who points out that a Georgetown chimney that sits idle from March through October needs different care than one burning cedar every weekend. That’s not a sales line. It’s the difference between a cleaning that lasts and one that doesn’t.
Styles & brands we work with
Common Gelco Chimney Cleaning Problems We Solve in Georgetown
- Rusted and loose Gelco caps on exposed stacks. Georgetown’s blue-norther freeze-thaw cycles hit exposed chimney crowns hard. The galvanized and early alloy Gelco caps we see around town are often rusted through or pulling loose at the fasteners after a few winters. A loose cap lets rain into the flue and invites birds. We replace them with Gelco-matched caps that seat properly.
- Back-drafting gas inserts with clogged terminations. Direct-vent Gelco gas inserts in Sun City homes sit idle through long, hot summers. The bird screens and cap mesh pack with oak pollen, cottonwood fuzz, and dust. First cold snap in November, the insert back-drafts and the homeowner smells gas or exhaust. A sweep clears the termination, and the draft returns.
- Cracked refractory panels and warped dampers. Sudden heavy use after months of idleness is the classic Georgetown pattern. Gelco prefab fireboxes with refractory panels crack when they’re fired hard after sitting cold. Dampers warp from the thermal shock. These are usually repairable, not a full firebox replacement.
- Loose factory chimney sections and failed gaskets. In single-story Sun City ranches, the Gelco factory chimney runs through a framed chase. Sections loosen at the joints over time. Failed gaskets let creosote and moisture into the framing. We catch this during Level 2 inspections, which is exactly why we recommend them on older Gelco installs.
- Creosote buildup from long idle stretches and heavy cold-snap use. Georgetown fireplaces sit unused for months, then get worked hard during blue northers. Creosote hardens in stages. Stage one and two brush out. Stage three requires chemical treatment and sometimes multiple passes. This is the single most common reason Georgetown homeowners call us.
Gelco Service in Georgetown: What Local Conditions Mean for Your Equipment
Here’s the insight that shapes how we approach Gelco service in Cedar Park and Georgetown alike, though each market differs. In the historic blocks around the Williamson County Courthouse square, Gelco chimney caps and crowns sit directly on soft, locally quarried red brick laid with lime mortar. That brick spalls and crumbles over decades. Lime mortar turns to sand. When a Gelco cap rusts out on one of these downtown chimneys, the crown underneath is usually failing too. You can’t just swap the cap. The spalling brick needs repointing, the crown needs rebuilding, and then the new Gelco-matched cap goes on correctly. That’s a masonry call as much as a chimney sweep call, and it’s one you rarely get in Sun City’s newer framed flues, where the chase construction handles loading differently. A Georgetown technician has to be fluent in both systems, because the town itself is split between them.
Recently, on a Gelco prefab chase in a Sun City Texas ranch off Del Webb Boulevard, our tech found the multi-flue cap rusted through and a bird screen packed solid. The gas insert had been back-drafting for two seasons. We pulled the loose cap, cleaned the termination and flue, and set a new Gelco-matched cap. The insert drafted clean, and the homeowner booked an annual sweep before next winter. If you can smell the smoke inside, the chimney’s already telling you something – worth listening before it gets louder.
Gelco Models & Products We Service in Georgetown
We work on the full range of Gelco systems commonly installed in Georgetown homes. That includes Gelco prefabricated wood-burning fireplaces with factory chimney systems, Gelco gas-insert fireplaces with direct-vent terminations, Gelco multi-flue chimney cap assemblies, and Gelco replacement firebox and damper components. Our approach to parts is straightforward: we stock OEM-matched Gelco caps, dampers, and refractory panels so factory dimensions and venting clearances hold. We don’t force-fit a generic aftermarket part into a Gelco chase to save a few dollars, because a cap that doesn’t seat or a damper that doesn’t close correctly creates problems the next time the wind shifts. When a firebox or chimney section is genuinely finished, we say so plainly. But cracked refractory panels and tired dampers are usually a repair, not a rebuild.
For a broader look at our Gelco sales & service capabilities, see our main brand page.
See the difference
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After
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AfterGelco Service Pricing in Georgetown
A standard Gelco chimney sweep and inspection in Georgetown or Gelco service in Round Rock typically runs between $180 and $340. That covers the flue cleaning, the firebox vacuum, and a visual inspection of the cap, crown, and accessible chimney sections. Adding a Level 2 inspection, which uses a camera to check interior flue conditions, raises the price but is worth it on older Sun City Gelco installs where gaskets and chase conditions are unknown. Cap replacement runs $250 to $500 depending on the Gelco cap model and whether the crown needs masonry work. Refractory panel replacement typically lands between $300 and $700 per panel set. Every job starts with a free estimate, and we always show you the camera evidence before recommending anything. Call (877) 274-1247 for an exact quote on your Georgetown Gelco system.
Serving Georgetown, TX — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Georgetown area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs – Gelco Chimney Cleaning in Georgetown
Yes, and honestly, Sun City gas inserts and those we see with Gelco service in Brushy Creek need attention precisely because they’re used lightly. The direct-vent termination sits exposed through the long Central Texas summer. Bird screens clog with pollen and nesting material. The insert back-drafts on the first cold night. An annual sweep clears the termination, checks the cap mesh, and confirms the draft. It’s a quick service call. Call (877) 274-1247 to schedule yours before the next blue norther.
It’s usually both, and this is the downtown Georgetown issue we handle more than any other. The soft red brick around the courthouse square spalls with age, and lime mortar turns friable. A rusted Gelco cap on that chimney means water has already been getting into the crown. We repoint the brick, rebuild the crown, and then install a Gelco-matched cap. Doing only the cap leaves the water problem in place. You’re looking at a crown repair plus cap replacement, and we’ll show you before-and-after photos before we quote it.
We service what’s serviceable. A multi-flue Gelco cap with surface rust and a clogged screen often just needs disassembly, cleaning, new fasteners, and a fresh seal. If the base metal has rusted through or the cap has pulled loose at the mounting points, replacement is the better call. We’ll assess it in person and give you the repair cost alongside the replacement cost. No pressure. You decide.
Not typically. Cracked refractory panels in a Gelco prefab firebox are a common Georgetown failure mode, especially after a cold snap when the firebox gets fired hard after sitting idle. We replace the OEM-matched panels and inspect the firebox shell for damage behind them. If the shell is intact, you’re back in business. If the shell has failed, replacement becomes the honest recommendation. We’ll always show you the camera footage before making that call.
The deciding factor is whether the chimney’s history is known. A Level 1 inspection is fine for an annually maintained Gelco system with no changes to the venting. We push a Level 2 camera inspection when a Georgetown home is new to us, when the chimney hasn’t been maintained in years, or when we’re working on a Sun City chase where gasket failure would be hidden from view. The camera finds what a flashlight misses. It costs a bit more upfront and saves real money when it catches a failing gasket before the chase framing gets damaged.
Service Areas Near Georgetown
We also provide Gelco service in Leander and Gelco service in Serenada, plus surrounding communities including Lago Vista, Lakeway, and Bee Cave. For the full coverage map, see our Georgetown service area page.
Book Your Gelco Service in Georgetown Today
If your Gelco chimney needs sweeping, a cap replacement, a crown repair, or a Level 2 inspection, call (877) 274-1247. We’ll get you on the schedule, give you a straight answer, and show you the camera evidence before any work is approved. Georgetown chimneys don’t wait for spring.
Written by Brent Holloway, Owner at Boardwalk Chimney Sweep, serving Georgetown and the surrounding Hill Country.