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
AfterChimney Cleaning Before & After in Evanston, IL
We’ve cleaned and inspected more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and we’ve learned that most homeowners don’t know what they’re looking at until they see it. These before-and-after records from Evanston jobs show what a proper chimney sweep and Level 2 inspection actually reveals, and what it takes to fix it. Every photo here is part of the documented record we deliver under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal, South Boulevard Neighborhood
The homeowner called for a “routine sweep” on a South Boulevard bungalow built in 1923. Our camera scan showed Class III glazed creosote, a hard, tar-like deposit that forms when wood burns slowly and exhaust cools before escaping. This stuff doesn’t brush off. We applied a creosote-modifying chemical, ran a rotary chain system, and pulled out roughly 18 pounds of material. The flue liner measured clean to the camera, and the draft reading improved from 0.02 to 0.08 inches of water column. Written scope, written price $340, photo record delivered same day.
Smoke Chamber Parging, Central Street Corridor
A Central Street homeowner had been told by another company that their “smoke chamber was fine.” Our Level 2 camera inspection found a corbeled brick smoke chamber with 3/8-inch gaps between bricks and missing mortar at the shoulders. That’s a path for heat and combustion gases to escape into wall cavities. We quoted HeatShield parge coating in writing at $890, applied it in two lifts, and the camera afterward showed a smooth, continuous refractory surface. The homeowner got the before-and-after footage on a USB drive, plus the written warranty under Clause 1 of the Haven Standard.
Stainless Flue Liner Installation, Dempster Street Condo Conversion
This Dempster Street building had been converted to condos in 2015, but nobody had checked the chimney serving three gas fireplaces and one remaining wood unit. The clay flue tiles were spalling, flaking off in 1/4-inch sheets, with a 2-inch gap visible at the second-floor offset. We wrote a scope for a 7-inch DuraFlex 316Ti stainless liner with ceramic insulation, pulled through from the roof, and installed a Gelco top-mount damper. Total with labor: $2,840. The condo association got the camera footage showing every joint, the pull tape measurement, and the final smoke test. That documentation is now in their building file, Clause 4 compliant.
Chimney Cap and Crown Rebuild, Lake Shore Adjacent
Lake-effect weather hits chimneys harder than most people realize. This home near the lakefront had a concrete crown cracked through to the rebar, with water staining visible three feet down the brick on the north face. The metal cap had rusted at the fasteners and was pulling away. We removed the old crown to the shoulder, formed and poured new concrete with a 2-inch overhang and drip edge, then installed a Famco stainless mesh cap with 5/8-inch spark arrestor. The brick got a silane-siloxane waterproofing treatment. Written price was $1,175, and we flagged the adjacent flashing for monitoring, no pressure to add work that could wait.
Firebox Refractory Panel Replacement, Ridge Avenue Historic District
The Ridge Avenue homeowner noticed “a crack” in their firebox and figured they’d patch it. Our inspection found the factory-built fireplace had two panels heaved and cracked from thermal shock, with the left panel shifted 1/2 inch out of position. That’s a potential path for fire to reach the wood framing. We sourced replacement panels through Olympia Chimney, set them with proper metal-to-metal joints per the manufacturer’s spec, and documented clearances with a photo ruler in every shot. The job ran $485, done in one day, with the old panels hauled away. The homeowner’s insurance agent later asked for the photo record, and we had it ready.
Annual Sweep and Level 2 Inspection, Main Street Duplex
Not every job is dramatic, and that’s the point. This Main Street duplex had been burning seasoned oak for three seasons without a sweep. We found Stage 1 creosote, a powdery soot layer about 1/8 inch thick, plus a bird nest at the flue collar that the homeowner hadn’t detected. Standard rotary sweep, nest removal, and camera verification. The flue liner showed no spalling, no gaps, no liner movement. Written price: $195 for the sweep and Level 2 inspection together. The camera record showed a clean flue from smoke chamber to cap, and we recommended the next sweep in 12 months based on their burn volume. No upsell, no phantom problems.
What Every Job Includes
Whether it’s a $195 sweep or a $2,840 liner replacement, the Haven Standard applies the same way. Clause 1: written price, written scope, written warranty before any work starts. Clause 4: documented photo record on every visit, not an optional add-on. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise means if something isn’t right, we make it right. Materials come from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield, procured through Haven’s buying network to keep prices honest. And if you’ve got a written estimate from another company, we’ll give you a free second opinion, no obligation.
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.
Before
AfterWant Results Like These?
Call (708) 234-1174 anytime. A live person answers, 24 hours a day. We’ll book your Level 2 inspection and sweep, give you a written price before we start, and you’ll walk away with a photo record you can actually use. Corrine Halstead and the Level Two Chimney team have been doing this in Evanston since 2009.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Evanston, serving Evanston since 2009.