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.
Famco Chimney Sweep in Austin: What to Know First
An independent Famco chimney sweep in Austin typically runs $189 – $259 before any repairs, and we can usually get to your home within 3 – 5 business days. We clean and service Famco fireplaces and stoves across Austin, from Allandale to Zilker, and you’ll get a written price before a single tool comes off the truck. As an independent Famco service provider, we’re not affiliated with or authorized by Famco, but we know their equipment cold – and we’ll tell you straight what needs work and what can wait.
This page is for Famco owners in Austin who want a sweep done right, by a technician whose name and face they know before the door opens. Every Alcott Chimney Austin tech is background-checked and identity-verified under the Threshold Standard, and Ruben Castellano’s crew has been doing this in Austin for years. Call (361) 420-8585 for a free estimate.
How Famco Products Fail – and How We Fix Them
- Famco direct-vent gas fireplaces with pilot carbon buildup. On older Famco DV models we regularly see in Round Rock and Cedar Park homes, the pilot assembly collects a fine carbon film that makes the flame lazy and yellow. Homeowners notice the glass getting hazy fast after a cleaning. We disassemble the pilot, clean the orifice and thermopile with non-abrasive tools, and get the flame back to that clean blue it’s supposed to have.
- Famco wood-burning stoves with creosote glazing on the baffle. Famco’s steel baffle plates are durable, but when Austin winters encourage long, low burns, creosote – the tar-like buildup that causes chimney fires – hardens into a glaze that a standard wire brush won’t remove. We use rotary cleaning at low speed, which breaks glaze without warping the baffle or voiding the stove’s manual-specified cleaning method.
- Famco vented gas log sets with soot streaking on ceramic logs. If the air shutter drifts out of adjustment or the gas line pressure varies, Famco log sets will soot unevenly. You’ll see black streaks on the “wood” and occasional soot puffs into the room on startup. We clean the logs with a soft brush and vacuum, then set the air shutter to factory spec for Austin’s natural gas pressure, which runs a little lower than other markets.
- Famco direct-vent terminations plugged by Austin oak debris and paper wasps. Austin’s live oak leaves and the paper wasps that nest in vent caps during spring and fall are the number one cause of ghosting smoke and flame rollout on Famco DV units. The termination cap gets blocked, pressure goes wrong inside the firebox, and the flames start dancing when they shouldn’t. Part of every sweep includes pulling the cap, clearing the blockage, and checking the vent run for separations.
- Famco masonry fireplace dampers rusted from Cedar fever season humidity. Famco’s cast-iron throat dampers hold up well, but homes in Westlake and Barton Hills that run windows open during high-humidity months see surface rust that makes the damper grind. We wire-brush the frame, lube the pivot points with a high-temp dry graphite (never oil, which smoke-cures into a sticky mess), and confirm the damper opens and closes smooth before we finish.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Famco Chimney Sweep Process
- 1
You call, a live person answers. Not a voicemail queue. We ask what you’re seeing: soot, lazy flame, smell, or just due for an annual sweep. “Tell me what you’re seeing, and I’ll tell you what it actually means.”
- 2
You get a name and a photo before we arrive. Every Alcott Chimney Austin technician is announced by name and photo through the Threshold Standard, and they’ll show a photo ID badge at your door. No surprises, ever.
- 3
We lay down drop cloths and inspect the firebox, damper, flue, and termination. On a Famco job, that also means checking the pilot, air shutter, logs, gasket, and vent run for the specific failures above.
- 4
You get a written price before any work starts. If the sweep is all you need, that’s the price. If we find a repair, we show you a number and explain why – and we use professional-grade materials like DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, and Copperfield when a repair is genuinely needed.
- 5
The sweep happens, then we test. We run the unit and confirm the flame pattern, draft, and carbon monoxide reading before we pack up. You get a written guarantee on any repair – if it fails within the coverage period, the second visit is free.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterWhat Famco Chimney Sweep Costs in Austin
Here’s the straight answer, because Ruben Castellano doesn’t do vague pricing:
- Standard Famco fireplace or stove sweep: $189 – $259, depending on whether it’s gas or wood and how long it’s been since the last cleaning.
- Sweep with full Level 2 inspection: $299 – $389, worth it when you’ve had a chimney fire, water intrusion, or you just bought the house.
- Pilot assembly cleaning on Famco DV units: $89 – $139 as an add-on when the flame’s turned lazy.
- Termination cap replacement: $75 – $180 if the cap’s rusted through or wasp-damaged beyond cleaning.
- Creosote glaze removal on a Famco wood stove: $229 – $329, depending on flue height and glaze thickness.
What moves the price: how long since the last sweep, whether there’s a glazed creosote layer, and how much of the pilot assembly needs disassembly. You’ll never see a surprise charge – every number is in writing before we touch anything. Call (361) 420-8585 for an exact quote. Estimates are free.
Why Austin Homeowners Call Alcott Chimney Austin for Famco Work
The two things we solve at once: a clean, safe flue, and the certainty of knowing exactly who’s at your front door. Ruben Castellano’s crew has been serving Austin since 2002, and every technician passes a background check and identity verification before they ever step on your property – that’s the Threshold Standard, not an optional upgrade. You’ll know your technician’s name and see their photo before we arrive, and they’ll show a photo ID badge at the door. Every time, no exceptions.
And when we finish a Famco job, you get the 365-Day Done Right Promise: a written guarantee on every repair, a full year of accountability, and a free second visit if the work doesn’t hold. We also carry the professional trade brands that matter – DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco are on the truck alongside Famco-spec parts, so a bigger conversation about liners or resurfacing never means a second company and a second guess.
FAQs
No. Routine sweeping and maintenance, done to the cleaning method in your Famco owner’s manual, is required to keep the warranty valid – it doesn’t void it. The thing that voids Famco warranties is using abrasives or liquid cleaners on parts like the ceramic logs and glass, which is exactly what we avoid on every Famco job. If you’re unsure what your specific model’s manual says, call (361) 420-8585 and we’ll walk you through it before we schedule.
Both, and we’ll always tell you which is going on your fireplace. For gaskets, thermopiles, and pilot assemblies we prefer OEM Famco parts because tolerances matter on direct-vent gas units. For universal wear items like termination caps and glass retainers, quality aftermarket parts are often identical and cheaper. We show you the part and the price before anything goes in – call (361) 420-8585 for a straight answer on your model.
Once a year if you use it regularly between October and March. Austin’s live oak debris, spring paper wasps, and the habit of long, low winter burns all mean creosote and soot build up faster here than in drier climates. If you only use the fireplace for occasional show, every two years is acceptable, but we recommend at least a Level 1 inspection each fall to catch vent blockages before burning season starts. Call (361) 420-8585 to schedule, and we’ll give you a written price before the work begins.
Then we’ll show you exactly what we found on a camera inspection before you spend a dollar. That’s the Alcott Chimney Austin way: no liner recommendation without video evidence you can see for yourself. If the flue is genuinely compromised, we install DuraFlex liner systems and HeatShield resurfacing materials – the trade-spec brands, not box-store substitutes. And we’ll tell you plainly if the work can wait a season. Call (361) 420-8585 for a free estimate and a straight answer.
Yes, and you should. An unknown-use fireplace is exactly the situation where we recommend a sweep plus a Level 2 inspection, which runs $299 – $389 and includes a camera run through the entire flue. We find cracked tiles, rusted dampers, and wasp nests that the home inspector missed because they never opened the termination cap. You’ll get a written report with photos, and a written price for any repair – before any work starts. Call (361) 420-8585 and we’ll get you on the schedule.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner, Alcott Chimney Austin at Alcott Chimney Austin, serving Austin and nearby areas.