A Kindling company - serving Sacramento, CA

Before & After Gallery - Kindling Chimney Sacramento

Every visit starts with

Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed

Worth knowing

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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Chimney Cleaning Before & After in Sacramento, CA

Photos tell the truth faster than any sales pitch. In a city where wood-burning fireplaces get heavy use from October through March, Sacramento chimneys build up creosote, soot, and the occasional squirrel nest faster than most homeowners expect. These before-and-after projects show what our technicians actually find behind the glass doors in Land Park, East Sacramento, and Elk Grove, and what a proper sweep and inspection leaves behind. The difference isn’t subtle.

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Styles & brands we work with

Recent Transformations

Heavy Creosote Removal in a 1990s Land Park Fireplace

Before: Stage 2 creosote buildup on flue walls after years of softwood burning. After: Clean terracotta liner, no visible residue.

The problem: homeowners in Land Park had burned mostly pine for five years without a sweep. Pine burns cooler and faster, which deposits sticky creosote in layers rather than burning it off. What we did: a full mechanical sweep with rotary rods sized to the terracotta flue, followed by a camera inspection to confirm the tiles weren’t cracked. The result: airflow restored, and the fireplace finally drew smoke up instead of letting it drift into the living room on windy nights.

Bird Nest and Debris Extraction in Curtis Park

Before: Twigs, straw, and feathers compacted at the smoke shelf, blocking nearly 70% of the flue. After: Clear smoke path with stainless steel cap reinstalled and secured.

The problem: a chimney without a proper cap became a spring nesting spot. The homeowner called after smoke backed up into the house during the first fire of fall. What we did: removed the nest material by hand and with a HEPA vacuum, swept the flue, then installed a new cap with a spark arrestor sized to their flue. The result: full draft restored and no repeat tenants. Danny usually notes that a chimney without a cap is technically a birdhouse that occasionally pretends to be a fireplace.

Stage 3 Glazed Creosote Remediation in Elk Grove

Before: Shiny, tar-like creosote coating the upper third of the flue from low, smoldering fires. After: Flue walls returned to bare masonry after chemical treatment and mechanical removal.

The problem: the homeowner burned unseasoned oak and closed the damper too early, repeatedly. That combination produced dense smoke that cooled and condensed into a hard glaze. What we did: applied a creosote conditioner to break the bond, then swept with a rotary chain system rated for their flue type before finishing with a camera pass. The result: the flue was brought back to a safe condition without needing liner replacement, which the homeowner had been quoted elsewhere as their only option.

Smoke Chamber Cleaning in a Midtown Bungalow

Before: Thick soot accumulation on corbelled smoke chamber walls visible only by camera. After: Chamber surfaces scraped and vacuumed, with photo documentation of clean masonry.

The problem: a standard sweep had been done by a previous company, but the smoke chamber was never touched. That’s the angled section above the damper that most sweeps skip. What we did: scraped the corbelled walls by hand with chamber brushes, then vacuumed every visible surface before running the camera up for proof. The result: a measurable reduction in draft resistance and the first actual cleaning that chamber had seen since the home was built in 1948.

Ash and Debris Removal from a Gas Log Fireplace in Natomas

Before: Dust, drywall debris, and pet hair accumulated behind the gas log set after a kitchen remodel. After: Firebox vacuumed, logs cleaned, burner ports cleared, pilot assembly inspected.

The problem: the homeowner used the fireplace during a remodel, and fine drywall dust coated everything. Gas logs still worked, but the burner produced orange flames and the pilot lit unevenly. What we did: removed the log set, vacuumed the firebox and burner pan, cleaned the individual ports with a soft brush, and inspected the thermocouple. The result: a steady blue flame and a firebox that didn’t smell like burning dust every time it lit.

Fireplace Restoration After Water Intrusion in Carmichael

Before: Crumbling mortar joints and water staining on the firebox floor from a cracked crown. After: Repointed firebox, sealed crown, and replaced flashing, with a HeatShield liner section applied where brick was spalled.

The problem: rain had been getting in through a deteriorated crown for at least two seasons before the homeowner noticed the staining. By then, the firebox mortar was soft enough to scrape out with a screwdriver. What we did: removed the loose mortar, repointed the firebox with refractory cement, sealed the crown with Gelco CrownSeal, and repaired the flashing around the chimney chase. The result: a dry, functional fireplace and a liner that didn’t need full replacement because the damage was caught early.

Want Results Like These?

Every project above started with a phone call and a written price before any work began. If your fireplace hasn’t been swept in the last year, or you’re seeing soot stains above the mantle, call us at (279) 243-2173. You’ll get a live person, a straight answer, and a camera report with photos of your actual flue before and after the work. No pressure, no scare tactics, just proof.

Written by Danny Cortes, Owner at Kindling Chimney Sacramento, serving Sacramento since 2003.

Before & after

See the difference