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 Before & After in Thousand Oaks, CA
Photos don’t lie. A flue packed with Class III creosote looks like glazed tar. A cracked crown lets water in every rainy season. We document every chimney we touch, and we’re showing you what we actually found, what we actually did, and what the homeowner walked away with. No stock imagery. No staging. Just the work.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal - Newbury Park Area
The homeowner in Newbury Park had been burning oak and eucalyptus for six winters without a sweep. We ran a camera scan and found the flue liner coated with Class III glazed creosote, a hardened, tar-like deposit that ignites at lower temperatures than ordinary soot. We applied a chemical conditioner to break the glaze, then rotary-brushed the liner back to bare metal. The NFPA 211 Level 2 inspection report, with timestamped photos and a written scope, went to their email before we left the driveway. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard requires that photo record on every job.
Smoke Chamber Parging - Westlake Village Vicinity
The smoke chamber, the area above the firebox that funnels smoke into the flue, was built with corbelled brick - stepped layers that create turbulence and trap creosote. In a Westlake Village home built in 1987, those exposed joints had accumulated nearly an inch of deposits. We parged the chamber with HeatShield refractory mortar, smoothing it to a parabolic profile that improves draft and reduces future buildup. The homeowner received before-and-after camera footage, a written warranty on the parging, and a clean bill of health for the flue liner above.
Crown Rebuild with Overhanging Drip Edge - North Ranch
A North Ranch homeowner called after finding brick fragments in their firebox after rain. The crown, the concrete cap that seals the chimney top, had spalling - surface flaking from freeze-thaw cycles - and hairline cracks that funneled water straight into the structure. We removed the damaged crown, poured a new 4-inch thick concrete cap with a 2-inch overhang and drip edge to shed water clear of the brick. Materials came through Haven’s buying network from Copperfield Supply. The written price, scope, and warranty were delivered before we started, per Haven Standard Clause 1.
Stainless Steel Liner Installation - Conejo Valley Ranch Home
The original unlined masonry flue in this 1974 Conejo Valley home had mortar loss between bricks - gaps where combustion gases and creosote could leak into wall cavities. We installed a DuraFlex 316Ti stainless steel liner with an insulation blanket to maintain flue temperature and reduce creosote condensation. The top plate and rain cap came from Gelco. Camera footage from top to bottom, plus a written installation certificate, went into their file. That documented record is standard, not optional, under Clause 4.
Firebox Refractory Panel Replacement - Lang Ranch Area
The factory-built firebox in a Lang Ranch home had cracked refractory panels - the heat-reflecting walls that protect surrounding framing. Cracks that wide mean heat reaches metal components that weren’t designed for it. We sourced matching panels through Olympia Chimney’s distribution, installed them to manufacturer clearance specs, and ran a full NFPA 211 inspection on the connected flue. The homeowner got photos of every crack before removal, plus the new panel installation, in their documented record.
Chimney Cap and Spark Arrestor Installation - Dos Vientos
A Dos Vientos homeowner heard scratching in their flue in early October. We found an open flue top with leaf debris and evidence of previous animal nesting - no cap, no screen, nothing stopping rain or embers. We installed a Gelco stainless steel cap with 5/8-inch mesh spark arrestor, sized to cover both flues with proper clearance. The mesh meets California wildfire code for ember exclusion. Written price before work, photo record after, 365-Day Done Right Promise. Same as every job since 2009.
Want Results Like These?
We’ve inspected and cleaned more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and every one started with a written price and ended with a documented photo record. Call (424) 786-6130 - a live person answers, 24 hours a day. We’ll quote your sweep or repair in writing before anyone schedules a truck, and you’ll see exactly what we found, not just hear about it.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Thousand Oaks, serving Thousand Oaks since 2009.