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 Upland
Chimney sweeping in Upland costs between $189 and $329 for a standard single-flue cleaning, and most appointments take 60 to 90 minutes from setup to final inspection. If you live in the 91784 foothill zone, the 91786 downtown core, or the 91785 neighborhoods around San Antonio Heights, we can typically schedule you within the week. Call (877) 358-0941 and we’ll give you a straight answer on timing and cost before you commit to anything.
Our Chimney Sweep team works throughout Upland regularly, so we know the difference between a mid-century ranch fireplace on a flat lot and a hillside chimney stack that catches every gust off the San Gabriels. That’s not trivia. It changes how we inspect, what we look for, and what you actually need done before burning season.
Why Chimney Sweep Chino Hills Is Upland’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Most of our Upland customers find us because a neighbor recommended us or their real estate agent requested a documented chimney inspection before closing. Noel Strickland leads our team, and the operating rule is simple: we show you what we find before we recommend what to fix. Every sweep includes a camera inspection of the flue interior, and you get the photos. If there’s a problem, you see it with your own eyes. If there isn’t, we tell you that too and you don’t pay for work you don’t need.
We’re not a sweep-only shop. We install and service DuraFlex liners, apply HeatShield resurfacing, and stock caps and chase covers from Gelco, Olympia Chimney, and Copperfield. That matters in Upland because many homes here were built between 1950 and 1980 with original clay-tile liners. A basic sweep can clean those liners. But when a clay tile is cracked or a flue is deteriorating, you need someone who can repair the system, not just brush it. That’s the difference between calling us and calling a one-truck operation that can’t do anything beyond the sweep itself.
Upland homeowners regularly tell us two things after we finish: the price matched the quote, and the fireplace drafts better than it has in years. We don’t advertise a review count, but ask around. Our reputation in this area is built on repeat service calls and referrals from people who’ve seen exactly what we saw inside their chimney.
Styles & brands we work with
- Sweep & inspection
- Caps & crowns
- Flue relining
- Masonry repair
- Gas fireplace service
Chimney Maintenance in Upland
Chimney maintenance in Upland means more than an annual brushing. In a city where foothill homes often have two or three flues and the downtown core has original masonry fireplaces from the 1960s, a maintenance visit should cover every appliance attached to the chimney, not just the one you use most. We inspect the firebox refractory panels, operate the damper, check the cap and spark arrestor for wind-blown debris, and run a camera through the flue to verify liner condition. A standard maintenance call for one flue runs $189 to $239 in Upland. Multi-flue homes typically run $280 to $360 for a full system check.
Annual Inspection Routine
Homes with multiple fireplaces need an inspection schedule, not a one-and-done visit. We recommend an annual sweep for any wood-burning appliance used more than a dozen times per season. Gas inserts need less frequent brushing but annual safety checks still catch venting issues, obstructed termination caps, and failing gaskets. If you’re not sure when your flue was last looked at, that’s your sign to schedule.
Cap and Crown Checks
Upland’s Santa Ana winds are hard on exterior chimney components. During a maintenance visit we check the cap, the spark arrestor mesh, the crown mortar, and the flashing where the chimney meets the roof. A cracked crown lets water into the masonry, and water is what turns a minor repair into a rebuild. Catching it early costs a fraction of what a crown-to-firebox repair runs.
Chimney Sweep Services in Upland
Chimney sweep services in Upland cover creosote removal, soot removal, and the smoke chamber and firebox cleaning that most homeowners never see but that directly affect draft and burn quality. A single-flue sweep in Upland runs $189 to $329 depending on creosote buildup, flue height, and whether the chimney has been neglected for multiple seasons. The work itself is straightforward: we protect the hearth and floor, brush the full flue length, vacuum with a HEPA-filtered system, and run the camera before and after so you can see the difference.
Creosote and Soot Removal
Creosote is the reason sweeps exist. Wood fires produce smoke that condenses on the cooler flue walls, and that condensate hardens into creosote. First-degree creosote is a fine dust that brushes off easily. Second-degree is a flaky, tar-like coating that requires more aggressive mechanical removal. Third-degree is a hard, glazed layer that can require chemical treatment or liner replacement. Most Upland homes with regular wood burning fall into the first to second-degree range, and that’s what we remove on a standard cleaning call.
Trusted Brands We Service in Upland
When an Upland chimney needs more than a cleaning, the materials we install are the same ones professional chimney contractors use nationwide. DuraFlex flexible liners allow full relining of chimneys with offset or obstructed flue paths, which we see regularly in hillside homes with architectural chimney designs. HeatShield is a cerfractory resurfacing system we’re certified to apply when a clay-tile liner has cracked but the chimney structure is still sound. For caps, chase covers, and spark arrestors, we stock and install Gelco service in Upland, plus Olympia Chimney and Copperfield products. We keep common cap sizes and screen mesh in the truck when we’re working in Upland, which means a cap replacement often happens the same day we diagnose the problem. You’re not waiting two weeks for a part to ship.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Upland Homes
- Ignored second and third flues. Multi-flue homes are common in Upland’s 91784 foothill neighborhoods, and the flue nobody uses is the one where creosote builds up unseen. A gas furnace flue or water heater vent that shares the chimney structure still needs annual verification, even if it doesn’t burn wood.
- Wind-driven debris in caps and spark arrestors. Santa Ana events fill chimney caps with leaves, pine needles, and fine debris from the foothill scrub. A blocked cap restricts draft, pushes smoke back into the house, and creates a fire hazard. This is the most common finding on pre-season sweep calls in Upland.
- Spalling masonry and cracked crowns. Foothill-side homes get full sun exposure and hard wind, and exterior chimney masonry weathers accordingly. We see cracked crown mortar and spalled brick on homes throughout the 91784 and 91786 ZIP codes. The earlier it’s caught, the smaller the repair.
- Seized dampers and damaged smoke chambers. On older Upland homes, dampers that haven’t been operated in years seize up, and smoke chambers coated in second-degree creosote restrict flow and increase fire risk. Both are routine findings on homes that haven’t been swept in five or more years.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Upland, CA
A standard chimney sweep in Upland runs $189 to $329 for one flue. Level 1 inspections run $149 to $199 when booked as a standalone. A Level 2 inspection, which includes camera documentation and is common before real estate transactions, runs $249 to $399 depending on home size and number of flues. If we find damage during a sweep, you’ll see the camera footage and get a written quote for any repair before we do anything. Repairs are priced separately from the sweep, and we never start repair work without your approval. Call (877) 358-0941 for a free estimate on any of this. The quote we give you over the phone is the price you’ll pay unless we find something we couldn’t see without opening the system up.
We Also Serve Cities Near Upland
Our team works regularly in Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Pomona, and Chino, so if you’re on the Upland side of any of those borders, service is the same week. We schedule by neighborhood rather than city line, and the truck that cleans your neighbor’s flue on the north side of town is the same one that’ll show up at your door. If you’re in Upland proper or just outside it, the commute doesn’t change your price.
Serving Upland, CA – Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Upland 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 Upland
Once per year, and the best time to schedule is early fall, before the first sustained cold snap. If you burn more than three cords of wood in a season or if you burn softwoods like pine that produce more creosote, twice a year is safer. Call (877) 358-0941 and tell us your burn habits, and we’ll give you a straight recommendation.
Yes. The wood-burning flue needs an annual sweep for creosote, and the gas insert flue needs an annual safety check for venting, cap condition, and gasket wear, even though it produces no creosote. Many Upland homes with multiple flues share a single masonry chimney structure, which means a problem in one flue can affect the other. The camera inspection covers both.
The 91784 ZIP sits right against the base of the San Gabriels, and when Santa Ana winds come out of the northeast, they carry leaves, pine needles, and dry brush debris directly into chimney caps and spark arrestors. A home at a higher elevation with a straight sightline to the foothills will collect more debris than a flat-valley home in Rancho Cucamonga or Ontario. We check every cap during a sweep and replace clogged screens as a standard part of the service.
First-degree creosote is a light dust that brushes off easily during a standard sweep. Third-degree creosote is a hard, glazed, tar-like layer that can ignite at lower temperatures and is much harder to remove. In Upland, homes that burn wood consistently through cool winter nights and haven’t been swept in multiple seasons are the ones most likely to develop second or third-degree creosote. We identify the creosote grade on every sweep and show you the camera footage so you understand what we’re seeing. If third-degree creosote is present, we’ll explain your options, which may include HeatShield resurfacing or liner replacement.
Yes, and we do on every sweep. The crown is the concrete cap at the top of the chimney, and the flashing is the metal where the chimney meets the roof. Both take a beating in Upland’s sun and wind, and both are common sources of water intrusion. If we find cracks or gaps during a sweep, we’ll include photos in your report and a quote for repair if it’s needed. Catching a cracked crown early typically means sealing it for a few hundred dollars rather than rebuilding a water-damaged chimney for thousands.
Call (877) 358-0941 for a free estimate on any chimney sweep, inspection, or repair in Upland. We’ll answer the phone, ask you about your fireplace and your burn habits, and give you a price you can plan around.
Written by Noel Strickland, Owner at Chimney Sweep Chino Hills, serving Upland and the surrounding foothill communities.