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 in Arlington, VA
Chimney cap and crown work in Arlington, VA runs $385-$950 for typical repairs and installations, with full rebuilds higher. Most Arlington jobs involve 1940s-1960s brick Colonials and Cape Cods whose original crowns have cracked after decades of mid-Atlantic freeze-thaw cycles, and whose caps are either missing entirely or rusted through. We give you a written price before any work starts, every time. Call (240) 290-6726 for a free estimate.
Why Arlington Homes Are Different
Walk through Cherrydale, Lyon Village, or Aurora Hills and you’ll see the same thing: post-WWII brick Colonials and Cape Cods built between roughly 1940 and 1965. Nearly all of them carry original clay-tile flue liners now 60 to 80 years old, well past their expected service life. Arlington’s hot, humid summers accelerate spalling in those old tiles, while genuine cold snaps and the heavy snow years of 2010 and 2016 push homeowners to actually use their fireplaces. What makes Arlington unique is the renovation market: sky-high property values mean homes are constantly being gut-renovated and resold, and fireplaces that sat dormant for decades are being reopened. Contractors routinely discover gas inserts installed years ago without the stainless-steel relining now required under the Virginia Residential Code. We see this pre-sale inspection pipeline more in Arlington than in almost any surrounding jurisdiction, because the housing stock is old enough to need the work and the resale pressure is high enough to demand it.
Our Main Arlington Services
Arlington homeowners call us most about two things: keeping a fireplace safely operational through the burning season, and fixing what a pre-sale inspection just flagged. Here’s how each service works in Arlington.
Chimney Cleaning & Sweep in Arlington
Most Arlington chimneys need a sweep before their first fire after a long dormant stretch. We remove creosote and debris, run a camera down the flue, and hand you the photo record when we’re done. In older Arlington Colonials, we often find nests from the humid summers, sometimes one per season. Full details are on our Chimney Cleaning & Sweep in Arlington page.
Chimney Repair in Arlington
Arlington’s brick chimneys crack at the crown and spall at the clay-tile liner. We repair mortar joints, replace damaged brick, and rebuild crowns. In semi-detached homes, we flag shared-stack deterioration that legally belongs to the neighbor, so you have it documented. See our Chimney Repair in Arlington page for the full scope.
Fireplace Services in Arlington
We service gas inserts, wood-burning fireboxes, and the masonry around them. Arlington’s renovation-heavy market means we frequently see inserts installed without proper relining, which is a code issue we can correct. Visit our Fireplace Services in Arlington page for what’s included.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
BeforeAfterChimney Cap & Crown in Arlington
Chimney cap and crown work in Arlington addresses the single most common failure point on these 60-to-80-year-old brick chimneys: the mortar crown at the top and the metal cap that should be protecting the flue opening. A cracked crown lets water into the masonry, and a missing or rusted cap invites rain, birds, and debris straight down the flue. We install and repair both, and our Chimney Cap & Crown work starts with a camera inspection so you see the condition before you spend a dollar.
Cap Installation
Signs you need it
You have no cap at all, or the existing one is rusted through so you can see daylight through the mesh.
What it costs in Arlington
Cap installation in Arlington typically runs $385-$650 depending on flue size and whether we need a single-flue or multi-flue unit.
How we do it
We measure the flue opening, mount the new cap to the crown with mechanical fasteners, seal the base, and photograph the finished work.
Crown Repair
Signs you need it
You see hairline cracks across the crown surface, or chunks of mortar that have broken off and fallen onto the roof or into the gutter.
What it costs in Arlington
Crown repair in Arlington typically runs $450-$950 depending on crack extent and whether we need to build a new form and pour fresh mortar.
How we do it
We grind out the deteriorated mortar, build a form if the crown is too far gone, pour a new crown with a slight slope for water runoff, and document it with photos.
What Chimney Cap & Crown Costs in Arlington
| Item | Typical range in Arlington |
|---|---|
| Cap installation | $385 - $650 |
| Crown repair | $450 - $950 |
| Combined cap and crown | $835 - $1,600 |
Can you match a cap to my 1950s Arlington Colonial?
Yes. We stock caps in stainless steel and copper-toned finishes sized for the standard 13×13 and 13×17 flue tiles common in Arlington’s post-WWII brick homes. Call (240) 290-6726 for an exact quote.
Will a new crown stop my Arlington chimney from leaking?
Usually, if the leak is coming through the crown itself. We confirm the source with a camera inspection first, so you’re not paying for crown work when the real issue is a cracked liner joint.
Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Arlington
Chimney liner and rebuild work in Arlington is driven by the age of the housing stock: original clay-tile liners from the 1940s through 1960s are now past their service life, and many have been compromised by decades of hot humid summers and freezing winters. The problem is made worse by Arlington’s renovation culture, because contractors reopening dormant fireplaces often find liners that can’t pass a Level 2 inspection. That’s why this city sees more liner replacement and partial rebuilds than calmer surrounding markets. We inspect first, show you the camera footage, and quote in writing before we touch anything. Our Chimney Liner & Rebuild work is built around evidence, not urgency.
Stainless Steel Liner
Signs you need it
Your clay-tile liner has spalled, cracked, or separated at the joints, and you’re burning wood or converting a gas insert to code-compliant venting.
What it costs in Arlington
Stainless steel liner installation in Arlington typically runs $2,800-$4,200 for a standard one-story flue, more for two-story homes.
How we do it
We size the liner to the appliance, drop it down the flue, insulate if needed, connect it at the top and bottom, and photograph the entire installation.
Partial Rebuild
Signs you need it
The top several courses of brick are spalling or loose, but the rest of the chimney is structurally sound.
What it costs in Arlington
A partial rebuild above the roofline in Arlington typically starts around $1,800 and runs $3,000-$5,000 depending on how many courses we’re replacing.
How we do it
We carefully remove the damaged bricks, rebuild the stack with new masonry and a proper crown, and document the work with before-and-after photos.
What Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Arlington
| Item | Typical range in Arlington |
|---|---|
| Stainless steel liner | $2,800 - $4,200 |
| Partial rebuild (above roofline) | $1,800 - $5,000 |
| Full rebuild | $6,000 - $12,000+ |
How long does a stainless liner last in Arlington’s climate?
A properly installed stainless liner typically holds up 20 to 30 years in Arlington, even with the humid summers and freeze-thaw winters. We show you the condition on camera before and after.
Do I need a full rebuild or just a new liner?
Rarely a full rebuild. If the brick structure is sound, a liner replacement is enough. We tell you plainly when a rebuild is necessary and show you why on camera.
Brands We Service in Arlington
We install and service caps, liners, and rebuild materials from Gelco, Olympia Chimney, and Copperfield, with common sizes stocked locally for faster turnaround in Arlington. See the full list on our brands page.
Pricing for Chimney Cleaning in Arlington, VA
| Service | Typical range in Arlington |
|---|---|
| Chimney sweep (standard) | $189 - $289 |
| Chimney sweep with camera inspection | $249 - $349 |
| Cap installation | $385 - $650 |
| Cap replacement | $285 - $550 |
| Crown repair | $450 - $950 |
| Crown coating | $350 - $700 |
| Stainless steel liner | $2,800 - $4,200 |
| Partial rebuild | $1,800 - $5,000 |
| Full chimney rebuild | $6,000 - $12,000+ |
What pushes an Arlington job higher is usually access: steep roofs on two-story Colonials, tight alley lots in denser corridors, and shared stacks in semi-detached homes where we need to coordinate with the neighbor. Whatever the number, it’s in writing before we start, and it doesn’t change unless we find something on camera you and we both agree needs attention.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Arlington
We cover the full city, from the older streetcar-suburb blocks near Wilson Boulevard to the newer construction further out. Here are a few of the neighborhoods we work in most often:
- Cherrydale
- Lyon Village
- Aurora Hills
- Clarendon
- Ashton Heights
We typically schedule Arlington visits within 3 to 5 business days. During peak burning season, which runs October through January here, that stretches to about a week.
Service Area - Cities Near Arlington
We serve Arlington and the surrounding Northern Virginia communities. If you’re in Falls Church, VA, Alexandria, VA, Vienna, VA, or Springfield, VA, our crews run those routes regularly and can quote the same written-price-before-work standard we bring to every Arlington job.
Serving Arlington, VA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Arlington 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 Cleaning in Arlington
Most Arlington appointments are scheduled within 3 to 5 business days. During the late fall burning season, that can extend to about a week. We send a text when the technician is on the way, with the tech’s name.
No Arlington-specific permit is required for a routine sweep or cap repair. If we find work that needs a permit, we’ll tell you in writing exactly what it is and what the filing process looks like.
You get a written scope of work, a written price, and a photo record from the camera inspection, including any findings in the flue. That documentation is part of every visit, not an add-on. Call (240) 290-6726 to schedule.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local chimney cleaning pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Arlington Customers Say
"They told me the flue was fine and I did not need a liner. Charged me for the inspection and nothing else. That is why I have called them twice since."
- Hal M."They ran a camera down the flue and showed me the cracked tiles on a screen. The previous company had swept it twice and never mentioned it."
- Gregory F."Found a bird nest and a blocked flue we had no idea about. Photographed everything, cleared it, and explained what the smell had been."
- Curtis V.