Before & After Gallery - Kindling Chimney Houston

Chimney Cleaning Before & After in Houston, TX

Most families never see the inside of their chimney, and that’s exactly the problem. A fireplace can look fine from the living room while the flue above it carries a quarter-inch of hardened creosote. We document every job with before and after photos because a picture of what came out of your chimney tells the truth faster than any claim we could make. Here’s what real chimney cleaning work looks like in Houston homes.

Call (254) 978-7413

Recent Transformations

Heavy Creosote Removal in a Wood-Burning Fireplace, Cypress

BeforeAfter

The homeowners had burned pine for three winters without a sweep. Pine, especially the fast-grown East Texas variety, produces more resinous smoke than oak or pecan. When we scoped the flue from the top, the clay tile looked like it had been sprayed with tar. Glazed creosote is the most stubborn type to remove, but it came off with professional-grade rotary cleaning tools and a chemical treatment designed for third-degree buildup. The after photo shows bare clay tile, and the homeowner told us the fireplace draft improved noticeably the first night they lit it. No customer names or addresses published, but the problem is one we see constantly in Cypress and Katy homes built before 1995.

Bird Nest and Debris Blockage, Kingwood

BeforeAfter

Kingwood’s tree canopy is beautiful and absolutely relentless on chimneys. This one had a chimney swift nest built at the flue opening, packed tight enough to restrict airflow. The homeowner noticed smoke backing into the living room and called us before it got worse. Our technician removed the nesting material, swept the flue, and installed a proper chimney cap with a mesh screen sized for the flue. The cap keeps birds out without choking the draft. This is one of those jobs where the before and after photos almost don’t need a caption, and the fix cost far less than the smoke damage it prevented.

Smoky Fireplace with a Closed Damper, Sugar Land

BeforeAfter

Sometimes the problem looks small and causes big frustration. This Sugar Land family had a fireplace that had worked fine for years, then suddenly started smoking on every use. Our inspection found the damper had seized halfway open, a common issue in humid climates where cast iron rusts in the summer months when the fireplace sits idle. We cleaned the damper assembly, freed the hinge, and swept the flue while we were there. The after photo shows the damper fully open, and the homeowner confirmed the smoke went up the chimney instead of into the family room. It’s a good reminder that Houston’s humidity does not take the summer off, even when your fireplace does.

Stage Two Creosote in a Gas Fireplace Conversion, The Woodlands

This home had been converted from wood to gas years ago, but nobody had swept the flue since the conversion. The old creosote was still there, sitting on the clay tile, flaking in places. Gas fireplaces produce less creosote than wood, but they don’t clean the flue for you. Our technician swept out the old buildup and ran a camera inspection to confirm the clay tile was still in good shape. The after photo shows a clean flue that’s ready for another decade of gas logs. If your gas fireplace is in a chimney that once burned wood, get it swept at least once. Houston homes with gas logs often go years between cleanings because people assume gas means maintenance-free. It doesn’t.

Animal Entry Through a Missing Chimney Cap, Pearland

A Pearland homeowner heard scratching sounds in the fireplace for a week before calling us. The chimney cap had rusted off, and a raccoon had taken full advantage. This one had opinions about being relocated, as our technician dryly put it in his report. Once the raccoon was safely out, we swept the flue, removed the nesting debris, and installed a new stainless steel cap. We also resealed the mortar crown, which had hairline cracks from years of Gulf Coast rain. The before photo shows an open flue with visible nesting material. The after photo shows a cap that will keep out everything from raccoons to chimney swifts. Danny Cortes, who oversaw this job, always says the best wildlife removal is the kind that happens before the animal moves in.

Want Results Like These?

Every chimney cleaning in Houston gets the same treatment: a written price before work starts, shoe covers and drop cloths on arrival, and a photo of the clean-up before our crew leaves. It’s all part of the Cedarwell Care Promise and the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If it’s not right, we make it right. Call (254) 978-7413 to book a sweep or inspection. A live person answers, day or night.

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