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.
Fast, Reliable Chimney Sweep Across Austin
Most Austin chimneys weren’t built for the heat they now endure. A standard sweep in Austin runs $189 – $289 for a single flue with a Level 1 inspection included, while older 1920s – 1950s bungalows with capped or sealed fireplaces typically run $340 – $520 once access and camera inspection are factored in. We know these houses. We know which flues in Travis Heights and Hyde Park are hiding behind remodel drywall. If your chimney hasn’t been looked at in years, call (877) 274-1247 and we’ll tell you straight what you’re dealing with.
Why Boardwalk Chimney Sweep Is Austin’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Brent Holloway built Boardwalk Chimney Sweep around a simple rule: we repair what we inspect, and we never recommend a liner, repoint, or reline without showing you the camera footage first. That matters in Austin, where the older housing stock makes blind upsells easy and lazy sweeping dangerous. Homeowners across 78702, 78704, and 78703 have called us after another company quoted a full reline from a rooftop glance. We went in, ran the camera, and showed them a flue that only needed a sweep and some mortar work.
We run our crews from Round Rock, which puts us inside 35 – 50 minutes of most Austin neighborhoods on a normal morning. Our Chimney Sweep team handles the full cycle: sweep, inspection, liner work, and structural repair. No subcontracting. No bouncing between contractors. One crew that knows your chimney from the firebox up.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Services in Austin
Chimney Services in Austin means something different than it does in Dallas or Denver. Here, the work is mostly on old masonry stacks attached to single-story bungalows and pier-and-beam homes, many built before central A/C existed. Those flues were designed for wood fires in a climate that rarely froze. Decades of 100°F summers, long dry spells, and the occasional deep freeze like 2021 have done real damage to mortar joints and clay-tile liners. A Level 1 inspection typically runs $189 – $289 in Austin. A Level 2 inspection, which we recommend before buying an older home or after any chimney fire, runs $349 – $520.
Level 1 and Level 2 Inspections
A Level 1 covers what we can see and reach during a routine sweep: firebox condition, damper function, flue walls, cap, and exterior masonry from the roof. A Level 2 goes deeper with a video camera run through the flue. In Austin’s older homes, a Level 2 is often the difference between catching spalled clay tiles now and paying for a reline later.
Creosote and Soot Removal
Burning wood in a dry Austin climate produces creosote that bakes hard. We use rotary cleaning heads to break up second- and third-degree glaze rather than pushing a brush through and calling it done. Soot removal from gas logs is lighter work, but still worth doing annually if you use the fireplace often.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Chimney Sweep Certified in Austin
Chimney Sweep Certified in Austin means a tech who has seen what 100°F summers do to clay flues and mortar crowns. Our sweeps are trained to recognize heat-driven spalling, baked creosote glaze, and capped-off flues hidden behind remodel work. An annual sweep in Austin runs $189 – $289 for a standard open flue. Added access work, like cutting a cleanout door or opening a sealed firebox, brings the total to $340 – $520 depending on what’s behind the wall.
Annual Sweep and Fireplace Cleaning
If you burn wood more than twice a month during fall and winter, an annual sweep is the minimum. We clean the firebox, remove ash and soot, check the damper, and clear the flue. For gas fireplaces, we inspect the burner, logs, and venting, and clean the glass and firebox surfaces.
Access Restoration for Sealed Fireplaces
This is the Austin-specific part. In Travis Heights and Hyde Park, remodelers drywalled over dozens of original fireplaces and capped the flue at the crown. No cleanout door, no firebox opening, no way to sweep. We open the access, install a proper cleanout, and document everything on camera before recommending a single repair.
Trusted Brands We Service in Austin
We spec the same brands chimney industry professionals specify nationwide, not off-the-shelf substitutes. When Austin homeowners need a liner, we install DuraFlex flexible liner systems for straight or offset flues. When the existing clay tiles are cracked but not collapsed, we use HeatShield resurfacing to restore the liner without a full replacement. For exterior parts like caps and dampers, we source from Copperfield, Gelco, and Olympia Chimney. We stock the common parts locally so your Austin job doesn’t stall waiting on a shipment.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Austin Homes
- Heat-baked third-degree creosote glaze. Austin summers harden creosote into a tar-like coating that a standard brush skips over. We use rotary heads to break it up, which is the only honest way to remove it.
- Capped-off flues behind remodel drywall. In Travis Heights and Hyde Park, fireplaces sealed during 1990s and 2000s remodels often have no cleanout access. A standard sweep can’t reach the actual flue until access is restored.
- Spalled clay-tile flue liners. Years of heat stress and moisture intrusion crack the tiles from the inside. A camera run shows the damage clearly, and we don’t quote a reline until you’ve seen it yourself.
- Deteriorating mortar crowns on old masonry stacks. Austin’s heavy spring rains push water into unprotected crowns. Once the mortar spalls, water follows, and so does liner damage. Repointing now is cheaper than relining later.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Austin, TX
A standard chimney sweep with a Level 1 inspection in Austin runs $189 – $289. That covers the flue cleaning, firebox cleanup, damper check, and a visual inspection of accessible components. A Level 2 camera inspection adds $349 – $520 when done as a standalone service, or about $200 – $280 when bundled with a sweep. Access restoration on sealed fireplaces adds $150 – $230 depending on what’s behind the drywall and whether a cleanout door needs to be cut. Nobody should quote you a liner reline from a rooftop glance, and we won’t. Call (877) 274-1247 for a free estimate on any of this work.
We Also Serve Cities Near Austin
Our crews cover Austin and the surrounding hill country, including Rollingwood, Lost Creek, West Lake Hills, and Barton Creek. If you’re in the 78729, 78730, 78731, or 78732 ZIP codes, we’re likely already in your neighborhood. Call and we’ll schedule a time that works.
Serving Austin, TX — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Austin 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 About Chimney Sweep in Austin
Yes, but it’s not a standard sweep. We open the sealed firebox or cut a cleanout door, run a camera through the flue, and then sweep what’s actually there. In Austin’s older bungalows, this costs $340 – $520 including access work and inspection. Call (877) 274-1247 and describe what’s behind the wall. We’ll tell you what’s realistic before we book.
Because sustained 100°F+ summers bake creosote into a hard glaze that a standard brush can’t remove, and the same heat stress spalls exterior mortar and clay tiles over time. Austin rarely freezes long enough to cause ice-driven damage, so if your chimney is failing here, it’s almost always heat and moisture, not cold. That changes how we diagnose problems and what we find on camera.
First-degree creosote is a light, dusty soot that brushes off easily. Third-degree is a glazed, tar-like coating that’s a serious fire risk and can’t be removed with a standard brush. Austin’s dry heat accelerates the transition from first to third degree. If you’ve burned wood for years without a sweep, you likely have glaze, and we’ll tell you after the camera run.
No. Every repair recommendation we make comes with camera footage you can watch yourself. If another company quotes you a reline from a rooftop glance, get a second opinion. In old Austin chimneys, what looks bad from the top is often just a sweep and some repointing. We’ll show you the difference on video.
Once a year if you burn wood at all, even occasionally. If you never burn but have an old unlined or clay-tile flue, get a Level 2 inspection every two to three years. Austin’s heat and spring rains work on masonry whether you use the fireplace or not. We’d rather find spalling early than reline after failure.
Written by Brent Holloway, Owner at Boardwalk Chimney Sweep, serving Austin and the surrounding communities from Round Rock, TX.