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 Inspection Across Grapevine
A chimney inspection in Grapevine typically costs between $189 and $349 depending on the level. Most Level 1 inspections run $189 to $249, while a Level 2 with video camera work runs $299 to $349. We schedule inspections across Grapevine within a few business days, and you’ll have a written price before we ever step onto your roof. Call (361) 314-3193 to book one.
We know Grapevine’s chimneys. The brick veneer homes off Hall-Johnson Road, the older ranches near Dove Loop, the two-story builds in Silver Lake Estates. They all have one thing in common: the clay soil underneath them moves. That movement cracks flue tiles, shifts chimney crowns, and separates the chimney from the house at a rate we simply don’t see in newer suburbs east of the airport. If you own a home here and you haven’t had the flue looked at in three or more years, you’re overdue.
Why Ashby Chimney Dallas Is Grapevine’s Preferred Chimney Inspection Company
Our Chimney Inspection team has worked in Grapevine long enough to know which neighborhoods hide the worst surprises. The older streets around Main Street, the established subdivisions near Lake Grapevine, the custom builds on the north side. We know what to look for before we even set up the ladder, because we’ve seen the same failure patterns repeat themselves block after block.
Nathan Corliss runs our operation. He started Ashby Chimney Sweep in 2002 and built the company on a simple promise: show the homeowner what you found, put the price in writing, and stand behind the work. That’s the Kingswell Way. Say the price. Show up in the window. Leave it cleaner. Put the guarantee in writing. Come back if it fails. It’s why Grapevine homeowners who’ve been burned by no-show techs and price-switching contractors end up calling us instead.
Every inspection includes the written price before work starts and a written guarantee on any repair we recommend. If a covered repair fails inside the guarantee period, we come back at no charge. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it applies to every home we service in Grapevine.
We also answer the phone. A live person, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No callback forms. No voicemail dead ends. You call, a human picks up, and we get you scheduled.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Fire in Grapevine
A chimney fire in Grapevine is often the result of creosote buildup quietly accumulating in a flue that hasn’t been inspected in years. Grapevine’s mild winters mean homeowners use their fireplaces in sporadic bursts, and those irregular burns produce thick, glazed creosote that lights faster than dry powder. A chimney fire starts when that creosote ignites and burns at temperatures that crack flue liners, warp dampers, and can spread to the roof structure.
Our chimney fire inspection in Grapevine costs $299 to $349 and includes a full video camera scope of the flue. We look for the telltale signs: puffed or honeycombed creosote, cracked clay tiles, warped metal components, and smoke damage to the smoke chamber. After a chimney fire, no amount of visual guesswork from the hearth is enough. We run the camera and stand with you while we review the footage, because you should see what we see.
What a post-fire inspection covers
We examine the entire venting path from the firebox to the chimney cap. The camera goes up the flue, the tech goes on the roof to check the crown and cap, and we document every finding with photos. If the clay tiles are cracked, we’ll show you on the screen before anyone suggests a liner.
When to call after a chimney fire
Call us the same day if you heard a roar, saw flames shooting from the chimney, or smelled strange odors after a fire. Even a small chimney fire can compromise the flue. The chimney may look fine from the outside. It isn’t fine, and the only way to know is with a camera.
Call (361) 314-3193 and we’ll walk you through what we check and why. If the flue is still sound, we’ll tell you that too.
Level 2 Chimney Inspection in Grapevine
A Level 2 Chimney Inspection in Grapevine is the standard we recommend for real estate transactions, after any chimney fire, after a severe weather event, or when changing the appliance connected to the flue. It runs $299 to $349, and it includes everything in a Level 1 plus a video camera scan of the entire flue interior. Given Grapevine’s freeze-thaw cycles and clay soil shifts, most of our inspections here end up being Level 2 for good reason.
This is the inspection that catches what a basic visual can’t: hidden cracks in the clay tiles, separations at the smoke chamber, deteriorated mortar joints halfway up the flue, and gaps between the chimney and the house framing. For homes built in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, this matters. Most of those chimneys were built with clay tile liners, not stainless steel, and those tiles crack over time.
Real estate inspections in Grapevine
If you’re buying a home in Grapevine, a Level 2 inspection is the one thing that can save you from a five-thousand-dollar surprise six months after closing. We’ve inspected chimneys on behalf of buyers all over the city, from the ranch homes near Dove Park to newer builds off 114. The sellers won’t volunteer that the flue was never lined. We’ll find it and show you.
Camera scope included
We use a professional-grade video camera that goes up the flue and gives us a full view of the chimney interior. You watch the screen while we review the footage. Nothing gets recommended without camera evidence you can see for yourself. If the chimney is sound, we’ll tell you that plainly. If it isn’t, you’ll know exactly why.
Trusted Brands We Service in Grapevine
We work with chimney systems and components made by HeatShield, Gelco, and Olympia Chimney. These are established chimney-trade suppliers, not whatever happened to be in the van. When a repair calls for a stainless steel flue liner, HeatShield is our standard recommendation for many Grapevine homes. We keep common parts stocked for fast turnaround on repairs in the Grapevine and northeast Tarrant County area, and we’ll order exactly what your chimney needs when it needs it. If you have a specific brand already in place, tell us when you call and we’ll match it.
See the difference
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AfterCommon Chimney Inspection Problems We See in Grapevine Homes
- Cracked clay flue tiles from freeze-thaw cycles. Grapevine winters are mild, but those hard freezes that roll through every few years push moisture into hairline cracks and split the tiles open. We see this in homes throughout the city, especially two-story brick builds where the chimney runs taller and stays colder.
- Deteriorated mortar and spalled brick from summer humidity. Hot humid summers bake the moisture out of brick and mortar, then the freeze-thaw winter cycle cracks it apart. The older brick veneer chimneys around Main Street are the worst offenders.
- Furnaces and water heaters vented into unlined masonry chimneys. This is a carbon monoxide risk that a Level 1 inspection misses. We find it regularly in 1970s and 80s-era Grapevine homes where gas appliances were added years after the house was built.
- Wind-driven rain entry through cracked chimney crowns. When the crown cracks, water gets in and spreads through the masonry. Homeowners notice white staining on the bricks or a musty smell near the fireplace. By the time it’s visible, the damage is already underway inside the flue.
Pricing for Chimney Inspection in Grapevine, TX
A Level 1 inspection in Grapevine runs $189 to $249. A Level 2, which includes the camera scan, runs $299 to $349. Level 3 inspections, used when hidden damage is suspected inside a wall or chimney chase, start at $1,000 and depend on access. The main cost factors are chimney height, roof pitch, and how many flues you have. Most Grapevine homes have one flue and a reasonably walkable roof, so the standard range holds for most jobs.
We give you the written price before any work begins. The number on the invoice matches the number we quoted at the door. If the inspection turns up a repair, we’ll show you the camera footage, explain your options, and give you a written quote for that too. Nothing proceeds until you say so. Call (361) 314-3193 for a free estimate.
We Also Serve Cities Near Grapevine
Our Chimney Inspection in Grapevine team covers the surrounding metro too. We regularly schedule inspections in Addison, Dallas, Plano, and Cedar Hill. If you’re nearby and wondering whether we cover your street, call us. Dispatch is coordinated from our Dallas-Fort Worth office, and our crews serve Grapevine locally throughout the week.
Serving Grapevine, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Grapevine 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 Inspection in Grapevine
Annually is the safe answer, even with light use. The problem in Grapevine isn’t how often you burn, it’s the freeze-thaw cycles and clay soil movement that crack flue tiles regardless of fireplace use. A chimney that hasn’t had a fire in three years can still have a cracked flue that vents furnace exhaust into the house. Call (361) 314-3193 to schedule a check.
That’s efflorescence, and it’s caused by water moving through the masonry. In Grapevine, wind-driven rain through cracked crowns and deteriorated mortar is the usual culprit. The white powder is salt left behind when moisture evaporates from the brick. It means water is getting in somewhere, and the fix is usually at the crown or the flashing, not the brick face itself. We’ll find the source during an inspection.
Yes. Homes from the 70s, 80s, and early 90s in Grapevine often have original clay-tile flues that may have been cracked for decades. Many also have gas appliances vented into chimneys that were never designed for them. A standard home inspection won’t catch this because the inspector can’t see inside the flue. A Level 2 camera inspection is the only reliable way to know if you’re buying a chimney that needs a stainless steel liner. Call us at (361) 314-3193 and we’ll do a thorough Level 2 before you close.
Yes. Freeze-thaw cycles are the single biggest threat to Grapevine chimneys, and they don’t require a fire to do their damage. When water gets into hairline cracks and freezes, it expands and splits the brick, mortar, and clay tiles further. The more rain and freezes the chimney endures, the wider the cracks get. We recommend an annual inspection to catch this early, before you need expensive masonry or liner work.
Third-degree creosote looks like a shiny, black, tar-like glaze baked onto the flue walls. It’s the most concentrated and flammable form. Grapevine’s pattern of occasional winter burning creates exactly the conditions that produce it: low-temperature fires with insufficient airflow, followed by long idle periods. It’s difficult to remove with standard brushing and often requires specialized treatment. More importantly, it’s the form of creosote most likely to support a chimney fire. A camera inspection shows us exactly how much is present and where. If you suspect heavy creosote, call (361) 314-3193 and we’ll scope it before recommending any cleaning or repair.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney Dallas, serving Grapevine since 2002.