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.
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Before
AfterTrusted Chimney Liner & Rebuild for Alexandria Homeowners
Chimney liner and rebuild work in Alexandria typically runs between $2,800 and $11,000 depending on whether you need a stainless steel liner dropped in, a partial tear-down of the crown and shoulder, or a full rebuild from the roofline up. We’re Level Two Chimney Alexandria, and we’ve inspected more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, with a camera down the flue on every single one. When we recommend a liner or rebuild, we show you the footage that proves it, then hand you a written price and scope before anything gets touched. Call (240) 290-6726 to schedule a camera-scan inspection, and we’ll give you a written assessment the same day.
What Our Chimney Liner & Rebuild Service Includes
Every liner and rebuild job starts with an NFPA 211 Level 2 camera scan. That’s the standard our name references, and it means we see the full interior of your flue, not just what a flashlight shows from the firebox. What we find dictates what we recommend, and Clause 1 of the Haven Standard means the recommendation arrives as a written scope with a written price. Here’s what we actually do under each service.
Stainless Steel Liner
A stainless steel liner is a rigid or flexible metal tube installed inside your existing flue to create a new, continuous channel for smoke and exhaust. You need one when the original clay tile liner is cracked, spalled, or missing sections, because those gaps let heat and carbon monoxide reach the brick and framing around the chimney. We install 316L and 316Ti alloy liners sized to your specific appliance, whether it’s a wood-burning fireplace, a gas furnace, or a boiler vent. Every installation is documented with before and after camera footage so you can see what’s behind the metal.
Flexible Liner
A flexible liner is a single continuous piece of stainless steel, corrugated to negotiate the bends and offsets in an older masonry chimney. It’s the right choice when your flue isn’t perfectly straight, which is common in Alexandria rowhouses and colonials built before modern chimney codes. We pull flexible liners through the flue, mechanically fasten them at the top plate, and insulate them where code requires, especially for exterior chimneys that run up an outside wall. The result is a smooth, continuous path for exhaust with no mortar joints to fail.
Liner Replacement
Liner replacement means removing the old, deteriorated liner, whether it’s cracked clay tile, a rusted steel liner, or a failing poured-in-place liner, and installing a new one sized to your appliance. We don’t push replacement unless the camera scan shows a structural problem: a gap that lets flue gas into the chase or a liner so degraded it can’t contain the draft. When we do replace, we handle the full removal, disposal, and installation, and we leave you with a written warranty that names the liner, the alloy, and the installation date. You don’t guess what’s behind your walls after we’re done.
Partial Rebuild
A partial rebuild addresses the section of the chimney most exposed to Alexandria weather, typically the crown, the top three to five courses of brick, and the flue tile above the roof line. Freeze-thaw cycles in Northern Virginia spall bricks, and once the crown cracks, water gets in and accelerates the damage downward. We rebuild the damaged section, pour a new properly overhanging crown with expansion joints, and flash the transition to the roof. The goal is to stop the water intrusion before it costs you a full rebuild.
Full Chimney Rebuild
A full chimney rebuild is a tear-down and reconstruction from the roofline up, occasionally lower if the damage extends into the shoulder or the attic. You need one when the masonry is so compromised that patching won’t hold, when the chimney is leaning, or when a chimney fire has cracked the structure through multiple courses. We rebuild with the same bond pattern and brick match we can source, pour a proper crown, install a new cap, and flash the base correctly. It’s a two-to-four day job for most Fort Washington and Alexandria homes, and we tarp and protect the roof and landscaping throughout.
Liner Repair
Liner repair covers smaller, localized fixes: resealing a cracked joint with a high-temperature sealant, repairing a small spall with refractory mortar, or patching a section of stainless steel that’s sound except for one failing seam. It’s not a substitute for replacement when a liner is structurally unsafe, and we’ll tell you plainly if repair buys you five years or if it’s throwing money at a problem that needs a new liner. If we can safely repair, we’ll show you the repaired section on camera before we close out the job.
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.
Brands We Service for Chimney Liner & Rebuild
We work primarily with Olympia Chimney and DuraFlex liner systems, and we’ve installed both across hundreds of Alexandria, Arlington, and Springfield homes. Olympia’s rigid and flex products hold up well in the humidity and freeze-thaw cycles we get here, and we stock their standard diameters along with the coupling and termination kits so we’re not making second trips for parts. DuraFlex gives us the flexibility to line chimneys with tight offsets without sacrificing the alloy quality, and we’re comfortable pulling their 316Ti product through older masonry flues where a rigid liner won’t negotiate the turns.
We also rebuild with components from Famco and Copperfield where the job calls for specific termination caps, chase covers, or flashing details. The point is this: whether your chimney was built with a specific brand’s liner or you’re replacing a competitor’s failed install, we can match materials and document the result. You’ll see the manufacturer name and alloy grade on your written scope before we start.
BeforeAfterSigns You Need Chimney Liner & Rebuild Right Now
- You see flaking tile or mortar in the firebox. When clay tile liner sections start spalling, pieces fall into the smoke chamber or firebox. That means the liner is failing from the inside, and the gaps behind those missing pieces are letting heat reach combustible framing. A camera scan will show exactly how much tile is gone.
- Your chimney smells damp or musty after rain. Water getting past a cracked crown or failed flashing runs down the inside of the flue and absorbs into the masonry. In Alexandria’s summer humidity, that dampness breeds a smell that rises into the house. It also accelerates liner deterioration and can rust out a steel liner from the inside.
- You see white staining on the outside brick. Efflorescence, that chalky white residue on the chimney face, is dissolved salt being pushed out of the brick by water moving through it. It’s evidence of active moisture intrusion, and the same water that’s staining the outside is eating at your liner and mortar joints on the inside.
- Your carbon monoxide detector has gone off near the fireplace or furnace room. A cracked liner can let combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, seep into wall cavities and back into living spaces. If your detector has tripped, treat it as a real warning, not a battery issue, and get the flue camera-scanned before you use the fireplace or furnace again.
- You had a chimney fire, even a small one. Chimney fires can reach 2,000 degrees, which cracks clay tile and warps steel liners even when the fire itself looked minor. After any chimney fire, NFPA 211 recommends a Level 2 inspection before the chimney is used again. We’ll camera-scan the entire flue and tell you whether the liner survived or needs replacement.
Our Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process - Step by Step
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Camera scan and written findings. We run a high-resolution camera down the full length of the flue, from the crown to the firebox, and record the footage. You see the screen while we scan, and we explain what we’re seeing: cracks, gaps, spalling, creosote class, any signs of water or fire damage. You get a written summary with photo stills before we discuss any repair scope.
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Written scope and price. If the camera shows a liner problem or structural masonry failure, we write up exactly what we recommend, why, and what it costs. That’s Haven Standard Clause 1: a written price, written scope, and written warranty handed to you before any work starts. You don’t approve verbal estimates that can change after we’ve opened something up.
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Material selection and scheduling. We tell you which liner alloy and diameter your appliance requires, whether that’s a 316L flexible liner for a wood stove or a rigid 316Ti for a high-efficiency gas furnace. We order through Haven’s buying network to keep material prices honest, and we schedule the work on a day that works for you, with a text when the technician is on the way.
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Liner installation or rebuild work. Our background-checked, uniformed technicians do the tear-out, prep, and installation in one sequence, protecting your roof, yard, and interior finishes. For rebuilds, we tarp the work area and clean up daily. For liners, we insulate and fasten per code, and we test the draft before we call the job done. Every step is photographed.
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Final camera scan and documented record. We run the camera again after the liner is in or the rebuild is complete, so you see the finished result from the inside. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard requires a documented photo record on every job, and we’ve done it that way since 2009. You walk away with footage, photos, a written warranty, and a written record of what was done and when.
How Much Does Chimney Liner & Rebuild Cost in Alexandria?
A stainless steel liner installation in Alexandria typically runs $2,800 to $5,600 depending on flue length, diameter, and whether insulation is required. Liner repair work starts around $700 for localized sealing and patching. A partial rebuild of the crown and top courses runs $2,500 to $6,500. A full chimney rebuild from the roofline up runs $8,000 to $14,000 for most single-flue residential chimneys in the area, more if brick matching is difficult or the structure has multiple flues.
What moves the price is accessibility: a three-story Old Town rowhouse with a steep roof pitch costs more to stage than a single-story rambler. Flue diameter matters, because a larger liner costs more per foot. Insulation requirements for exterior chimneys add material and labor. And rebuild depth changes everything: a rebuild that stops at the roofline is far less than one that extends into the attic or shoulder. To avoid overpaying, get the camera scan first. Any company that quotes a rebuild without camera footage is guessing, and you’ll pay for that guess. Our estimates are always written, always free, and we’ll give you a straight answer on whether a liner will solve the problem or whether masonry work is needed, too.
Chimney Liner & Rebuild Near Alexandria - Our Service Area
We work throughout Alexandria, including Old Town, Del Ray, Rosemont, Seminary Hill, and the West End, and we regularly run liner and rebuild jobs in Arlington, Springfield, Falls Church, McLean, Tysons Corner, Vienna, Fairfax, and Bethesda. Most Alexandria appointments are scheduled within a week of your call, and we keep the Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Arlington and Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Springfield teams on the same schedule so homeowners across the Beltway aren’t waiting through burning season. If your chimney is in the service area, we’ll come to you, camera in hand, with a written quote before we leave.
Serving Alexandria, VA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Alexandria area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions - Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Alexandria
A chimney liner is the interior channel that carries smoke and exhaust from your fireplace or appliance up and out of the house, and a rebuild is the reconstruction of the masonry structure that surrounds it. Liner work addresses the flue itself, installing a new stainless steel or refractory liner when the original has cracked or failed. Rebuild work addresses the brick, mortar, crown, and flashing, reconstructing the chimney from the roofline up or from a lower point when the structure is no longer sound. Both are done to restore a safe drafting path and a weather-tight structure.
A typical stainless steel liner installation takes one day, including removal of the old liner if needed, installation of the new liner, and the final camera scan. A partial rebuild of the crown and top courses takes one to two days. A full chimney rebuild takes two to four days depending on height, accessibility, and brick matching. We’ll give you a clear timeline in the written scope before work begins, and we’ll text you when the technician is on the way each morning.
Liner installation runs $2,800 to $5,600 for most Alexandria homes, with repair work starting around $700 and partial rebuilds running $2,500 to $6,500. Full rebuilds run $8,000 to $14,000 depending on height and construction details. The only way to know what your chimney needs is a camera scan, which we include with your visit before any quote. Call (240) 290-6726 for a free written estimate.
Yes. We install and repair DuraFlex and Olympia Chimney liner systems regularly, and we stock their standard diameters, couplings, and termination kits so we can get parts without delaying your job. If you have another brand installed and it’s failing, we can remove it and replace it with a properly sized 316L or 316Ti alloy liner. You’ll see the manufacturer and alloy grade in your written scope.
We prioritize liner failures that create an active safety risk, like a carbon monoxide detector that has tripped or a chimney fire that just occurred. Our phones are answered by a live person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you’re never leaving a message when you need someone to look at a dangerous chimney. For non-emergency liner and rebuild work in Alexandria, we’re typically on site within a week of your call.
Every liner and rebuild job includes a written warranty that names the materials, the alloy grade where applicable, the installation date, and exactly what’s covered and for how long. The warranty is part of your written scope before we start, not something we mention after the fact. If anything isn’t done right, the 365-Day Done Right Promise applies: we make it right.
Clear the area around the fireplace so we can get a ladder and camera equipment into place, and let us know where your furnace and water heater vent so we can scan those flues too if needed. Parking access close to the chimney makes material handling faster for rebuilds. We’ll send a text when the technician is on the way, and you don’t need to be home for the whole job as long as we can access the chimney from the outside.
Schedule Your Chimney Liner & Rebuild Service in Alexandria Today
If your chimney has a cracked liner, a failing crown, or bricks that are spalling, don’t wait through another burning season to find out what’s behind the masonry. Call (240) 290-6726 and we’ll schedule a camera-scan inspection with a written price and scope before any work starts. It’s a free estimate, there’s no obligation, and you’ll see exactly what we see.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Alexandria, serving Alexandria, Arlington, and the surrounding Northern Virginia area since 2009.