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
A chimney sweep in Austin typically costs $189 – $289 for a standard cleaning and runs about 45 – 90 minutes. Most homeowners book one every 12 – 24 months, though that timeline changes fast if you have an outdoor fireplace or a chimney swift problem. Our Chimney Sweep teams work throughout Austin and know the older flues, clay-tile liners, and masonry quirks that show up in Hyde Park bungalows just as well as they know newer construction in Mueller. Call (361) 420-8585 and we’ll get you a written price before any work begins.
Why Alcott Chimney Austin Is Austin’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
We were founded in 2002, and every technician who pulls up in Austin has passed a background check and identity verification before they ever step onto your property. That’s the Threshold Standard, and it isn’t optional. You’ll know the technician’s name and see their photo before we arrive, and they’ll show a photo ID badge at the door. No exceptions.
Ruben Castellano leads Alcott Chimney Austin, and his approach is simple: show the homeowner the problem on camera before recommending any repair. That matters in this city because so many Austin chimneys are 50, 70, even 100 years old. Unlined flues, crumbling mortar joints, appliances vented into stacks never designed for them. When a company tells you that you need a new liner, you should see the crack yourself. We make sure you do.
Every job comes with a written price before work starts and a written guarantee on every repair. If a repair fails within the coverage period, the second visit is free. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it applies to every completed job for Chimney Sweep in Austin customers. A live person answers our phones around the clock, which is exactly what you want if you smell smoke at 11 p.m. and need to know whether it’s an emergency or just a damper issue.
Styles & brands we work with





Gas Fireplace Cleaning in Austin
Gas Fireplace Cleaning in Austin means more than wiping glass and vacuuming fake logs. Over time, gas fireplaces accumulate soot film on the logs and glass, mineral buildup on burners, and dust that clogs the pilot assembly. In Austin’s humid summers, that dust mixes with moisture and forms a stubborn film that can cause burner ports to clog unevenly, which leads to a weak, yellow flame instead of a clean blue one.
A gas fireplace cleaning and safety check in Austin runs $149 – $249 for most units. We inspect the gas valve, thermocouple, burner, logs, and venting. If you have a direct-vent unit, we verify the exterior termination isn’t blocked by a bird nest or mud dauber wasp nest, both of which are common in Austin neighborhoods with mature trees like Allandale and Brentwood.
Austin Hearth Check
Gas fireplaces are used for ambiance in Austin more than heat, but that doesn’t mean they can go unchecked or skip Gas Fireplace Repair in Austin. The occasional winter freeze sends people to their fireplaces for the first time in months, and that’s when a dusty burner or a corroded thermocouple shows itself. We check for gas leaks at every connection and confirm the unit is venting properly before you light it for the season.
Seasonal Gas Log Care
If your gas logs are covered in a white, chalky residue, that’s mineral scale from humidity combined with burner heat. It’s common in Austin homes with gas fireplaces that sit unused from March through November. We clean the logs, clear the burner ports, and calibrate the flame so your fireplace looks right and burns clean the first cold night you use it.
Chimney Maintenance in Austin
Chimney Maintenance in Austin starts with understanding what your particular flue was built with. Many homes in Travis Heights and Hyde Park have original clay-tile liners from the 1920s through the 1950s, and those liners crack over time as Austin’s clay-rich soils shift beneath slab and pier-and-beam foundations. A cracked flue liner isn’t just a draft problem; it’s a fire risk because hot gases can reach combustible framing.
Annual maintenance in Austin runs $189 – $289 for a standard sweep and visual check. If we see something concerning during the sweep, we use a camera to inspect the full flue length, because you should see what we see before spending money on a repair. We give every homeowner the footage and walk through it together.
Flue Inspection and Sweeping
Creosote, the tar-like buildup that causes chimney fires, forms every time wood burns incompletely. Even if you only use your fireplace a handful of times each winter in Austin, creosote accumulates and hardens. First-degree creosote is flaky and brushes off easily. Third-degree creosote is a hard glaze that no brush can remove, and it needs chemical treatment or mechanical removal.
Masonry and Cap Upkeep
Austin’s hot, humid summers and occasional hard freezes work on your chimney crown and mortar joints year-round. Spalling brick, cracked crowns, and rusted dampers are regular findings on older Austin chimneys. We document everything with photos, explain what’s urgent and what can safely wait, and give you a written price for any repair before we begin.
Trusted Brands We Service in Austin
Alcott Chimney Austin stocks and installs professional trade materials, not box-store substitutes. When we reline a flue, we use DuraFlex liner systems, the brand chimney professionals specify for their own homes. For resurfacing damaged smoke chambers and flues, we install HeatShield service in Austin, and we stock Gelco chimney caps that keep rain, birds, and squirrels out of your flue. Because we keep these materials on hand for Austin customers, you aren’t waiting weeks for a special order to arrive. Call (361) 420-8585 and we’ll tell you what’s in stock and what your repair will cost.
See the difference
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After
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AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Austin Homes
- Chimney swift nesting. Chimney swifts, a federally protected migratory bird, rely on open flues for nesting from spring through summer across Austin. If you hear chittering sounds from your chimney in April, don’t light a fire and don’t try to remove the birds. We schedule sweeps around nesting season or install capped, screened terminations that prevent entry entirely.
- Clay-tile flue cracks from shifting soil. Austin’s clay-rich soils expand and contract with moisture, and that movement transfers into masonry chimneys. A hairline crack in a clay tile might look minor on camera, but it lets heat and gases reach places they shouldn’t. We catch these on Level 2 camera inspections before they become serious fire hazards.
- Outdoor fireplace grease and creosote. Austin’s backyard living culture means outdoor fireplaces and chimineas get used for grilling and cooking year-round, not just for heat. Grease vapor from cooking mixes with wood smoke and creates a stubborn, tar-like residue that brushes can’t remove. This requires a more aggressive cleaning process than standard sweeping, something many companies don’t acknowledge until they’re already at your house.
- Draft problems worsened by AC systems. Austin homes run air conditioning from March through October, and negative air pressure from your HVAC can pull air down your chimney instead of letting smoke rise. If your fireplace drafts poorly only when the AC is running, the chimney isn’t necessarily blocked. It may be a house pressure problem, and we can diagnose it during a standard visit.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Austin, TX
A standard chimney sweep in Austin runs $189 – $289. That includes the sweep itself, a visual inspection of the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, and flue, and a basic check of the chimney cap and crown. If you add a Level 2 camera inspection, most Austin homeowners pay $299 – $449 for the combined service. A gas fireplace cleaning and safety check runs $149 – $249.
What changes your price in Austin? Flue height, how much creosote has built up, whether you have a cap that needs sealing, and whether previous repairs left debris. Older homes with taller chimneys in areas like Clarksville or Rosedale may cost slightly more than a suburban fireplace in Circle C. We give you a written price before any work begins, and that’s the price you pay. Call (361) 420-8585 for a free estimate.
We Also Serve Cities Near Austin
Our Austin crews regularly run sweeps and inspections in Austin neighborhoods as well as the surrounding communities. If you’re in Pflugerville, Hutto, Leander, or Bastrop, you get the same written pricing, background-checked technicians, and 365-Day Done Right Promise. Same team, same standards, no surprises.
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, and quite specifically in Austin. Chimney swifts are a federally protected migratory bird that nests in open flues from spring through summer across Central Texas. If they’re already nesting, you legally cannot remove them, and you shouldn’t try. The practical answer is to schedule your chimney sweep before April or after the birds fledge in late summer, or install a properly designed chimney cap with a screen that keeps swifts out permanently. Call (361) 420-8585 and we’ll check for nesting activity before any sweep.
Yes. Most indoor fireplaces in Austin need a sweep every 12 – 24 months, but an outdoor fireplace used for cooking with wood or charcoal can need attention every 6 – 12 months. Grease vapor from grilling bonds with wood smoke and forms a dense, tar-like creosote that standard brushes can’t remove. If your outdoor flue has a slick, shiny coating, that’s a problem worth addressing before it becomes a chimney fire risk. We clean outdoor fireplaces throughout Austin with the right tools for grease-heavy buildup. Call (361) 420-8585 for a quote.
You don’t, without a camera inspection. Visible signs like loose mortar, spalling brick, or water in the firebox suggest possible damage, but a hairline crack inside a clay tile is invisible from the firebox. That’s why we use a Level 2 camera inspection on older Austin homes, especially those in Hyde Park, Travis Heights, and other neighborhoods with 1920s – 1950s construction. We show you the footage on the spot, so whether the liner is fine or needs HeatShield resurfacing, you’re deciding with your own eyes. Call (361) 420-8585 to schedule an inspection.
A standard brush-on-rod sweep removes flaky, first-degree creosote. It does not remove hardened, third-degree creosote, which has a glossy, tar-like appearance and is a serious fire hazard. Removing that requires chemical treatments or mechanical rotary tools, which run higher than a standard sweep in Austin. If your flue has this type of buildup, we’ll show you on camera before recommending anything, and we’ll give you a written price before the work starts. Call (361) 420-8585 for an exact quote.
It’s more common in Austin than in cooler climates, because our air conditioners run for most of the year and create negative air pressure inside tightly sealed homes. When the house is pulling air in through return vents, it can pull air down the chimney instead of letting smoke rise. This isn’t always a chimney blockage; it’s often a house pressure issue. We can diagnose it during a standard visit and recommend whether a damper adjustment, a top-sealing damper, or an air inlet is the right fix. Call (361) 420-8585 and we’ll come take a look.
One field note that matters more than most Austin homeowners expect. On a historic bungalow in Hyde Park, our tech pulled the damper and found first-degree creosote coating the smoke chamber, plus a clay-tile flue liner with a hairline crack. We ran a Level 2 camera inspection for the homeowner, showed the footage on the spot, and scheduled a HeatShield resurfacing after the chimney swifts finished nesting. That’s how we work: you see the problem, you get a written price, and you decide. Nothing gets recommended that you haven’t seen with your own eyes.
If you’re in Austin and you’re not sure whether your chimney needs a sweep, an inspection, or nothing at all, call (361) 420-8585. We’ll give you a straight answer and a written price before any work begins. A live person answers, day or night.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner at Alcott Chimney Austin, serving Austin and surrounding communities since 2002.