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 Houston
A chimney inspection in Houston typically costs between $149 and $450 depending on the level of inspection, and most homeowners book one when they notice staining, odor, or before a real estate closing. We serve the entire Houston metro with crews dispatched from our Houston office, and we answer the phone 24/7 with a live person, not a voicemail loop. Call (903) 961-6496 and you’ll get a written price before any work starts, so the number on the invoice matches the number we quoted at the door.
Houston is different from most chimney markets in the country. We’re not mostly worried about creosote here. We’re worried about what humidity does to metal, what clay soil does to brick, and what hurricane season does to flashing and caps. Our Chimney Inspection team knows what to look for because we’ve been looking at Houston flues since 2002.
Why Ashby Chimney Houston Is Houston’s Preferred Chimney Inspection Company
Homeowners across Houston call us after they’ve already been burned once. Sometimes literally. More often it’s the no-show technician, the price that doubled at the door, or a liner that cracked six weeks after the repair. We built this business under the Kingswell Guarantee for exactly those people. Written price before any work starts. Written guarantee on every repair. Free second visit if the repair fails inside the guarantee period. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s not an add-on you pay extra for. It’s the way we’ve operated since Nathan Corliss started this company.
Every technician who walks into your Houston home is background-checked and uniformed. You know exactly who’s there and why. We stock parts locally for Houston customers, including materials from DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco, so repairs don’t wait on a truck from out of state. And if we find a problem, you’ll see it on camera before you spend a dollar. Nobody at Ashby Chimney Houston recommends a liner replacement or a rebuild without video evidence you can watch yourself.
Styles & brands we work with
Fireplace Inspection in Houston
Fireplace Inspection in Houston starts with the same question every time: when did this fireplace last draft correctly? The hot, humid climate here means dampers rust from condensation even in fireplaces that barely get used. A fireplace that sat unused through a Houston summer can have a seized damper by November, and then the first cold snap pushes smoke back into the living room. A standard fireplace inspection in Houston runs between $149 and $250 for a Level 1 visual check, and we always include a look at the damper, firebox, and hearth clearances.
Real Estate Fireplace Review
Buying a house in Houston? The home inspector will glance at the fireplace, but they won’t put a camera up the flue. That’s what we do. A real estate fireplace inspection catches the things sellers didn’t know about, like a cracked firebox panel from years of thermal shock or a damper rusted open from humidity. We provide a written report you can take to the negotiating table the same day.
Odor and Draft Checks
Houston homes often have a stale fireplace smell in August that seems to come from nowhere. It’s usually moisture sitting on old creosote or a rusted damper letting humid air cycle down the chimney. We trace the source and give you a straight answer, even when the answer is that nothing needs fixing.
Chimney Inspection Services in Houston
Chimney Inspection Services in Houston are offered at three levels, and the right one depends on what changed. A Level 1 inspection is visual and makes sense if you use the fireplace the same way every year with no problems. A Level 2 inspection adds a camera scan of the interior flue and is what Houston realtors and insurance companies usually request. A Level 3 gets invasive and only happens when we suspect hidden structural damage, like what occurs in Houston after a chimney fire or major foundation movement. Level 2 camera inspections in Houston run between $249 and $450, and you’ll see every frame of the video before we discuss repairs.
Clay and Tile Flue Scanning
Older Houston homes in neighborhoods like Westbury, Sharpstown, and Garden Oaks often still vent through clay tile liners. Clay tile is vulnerable to thermal shock: the few frigid nights Houston gets each year can crack tiles that have been absorbing humidity for months. A Level 2 camera scan inside a clay flue in Houston shows those cracks clearly, long before they become a chimney fire risk or a carbon monoxide issue.
Prefabricated Metal Chimney Evaluation
Many homes built in Houston in the 1980s and 1990s used factory-built metal chimneys. These are supposed to vent gas or wood appliances safely, but the Houston humidity is brutal on them. A camera inspection of a prefab chimney in Houston checks for rust-through, separated joints, and clearances to combustibles. If the unit has failed, we report exactly what we saw and what your options are.
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.
Trusted Brands We Service in Houston
When a Houston inspection finds a problem, the fix has to hold against humidity, heat, and whatever the next hurricane season brings. That’s why we use materials from established chimney-trade suppliers rather than whatever was on sale at the supply house. We service and install liners and components from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield. We keep common replacement parts in stock locally for Houston customers, so when a 1990s metal flue is corroded through, we aren’t waiting a week on shipping. You get the camera report, the written quote, and the repair with materials meant for this climate.
See the difference
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After
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AfterCommon Chimney Inspection Problems We See in Houston Homes
- Spalling bricks from humidity and clay-soil movement. Houston’s expansive clay soils expand and contract with moisture, and that movement transfers up into the chimney structure. Hairline cracks in brick veneer let water in, and the brick face eventually pops off. A visual inspection that only checks firebox and flue misses this.
- Rusted dampers and chimney caps. Houston’s humidity rusts steel dampers and caps whether the fireplace gets used or not. A rusted cap lets rain in, which soaks the flue, which rusts the damper. We see this cycle in homes all over the Houston area, from Pasadena to Stafford.
- Clay tile cracks from thermal shock. Older Houston homes with clay flue tiles face a specific pattern: months of heat and humidity, then a cold snap. Thermal shock cracks the tiles. A crack that’s been venting heat into the surrounding masonry for a season is a chimney fire waiting for a fuel load.
- Foundation movement shifting the chimney structure. Houston’s clay soil doesn’t just crack bricks. It can shift an entire chimney enough to separate it slightly from the house. That separation opens a gap where flashing should seal, and storm water from a Houston thunderstorm gets inside the wall cavity. We check for chimney lean and separation on every Houston inspection, not just creosote levels.
Pricing for Chimney Inspection in Houston, TX
A Level 1 chimney inspection in Houston runs between $149 and $250. A Level 2 inspection with a camera scan costs between $249 and $450, and that’s the inspection we recommend for older Houston homes, real estate transactions, or any time the appliance or fuel type changes. A Level 3 inspection, which involves demolition to access hidden areas, starts around $500 and depends entirely on the access required. What moves the price is access, roof height, and whether we’re inspecting one flue or several. We give you a written price before any work starts, and that price holds. Call (903) 961-6496 for a free estimate, and we’ll tell you plainly which inspection level you actually need.
We Also Serve Cities Near Houston
Ashby Chimney Houston covers the entire metro area. You’ll find our Chimney Inspection in Houston crews working in Pasadena, Highlands, Spring, and Stafford on any given week, and the same written-price, written-guarantee standard applies wherever the job is. If you’re just outside the city limits, call us and we’ll tell you our next available window in your area.
Serving Houston, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Houston 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 Houston
Yes, and in Houston the reason is structural, not creosote. Clay-soil movement, humidity, and storm water cause problems even when the fireplace rarely gets lit. A rusted damper or cracked clay tile doesn’t care how often you use it. Call (903) 961-6496 and we’ll do a Level 1 inspection at a price that makes sense for a seldom-used fireplace.
Rust-through, pitting, and separated joints. Houston’s humidity is relentless on thin metal flues, and many 1990s-era homes in The Woodlands and Katy still have their original units. We inspect the interior wall with a camera, and we send you the footage. Call (903) 961-6496 for a Level 2 camera inspection if your home still has its original metal flue.
A Level 1 inspection is visual only and checks the accessible parts of the chimney and fireplace. A Level 2 adds a camera scan of the entire flue interior and is what we recommend for older Houston homes, real estate closings, or after severe weather. The camera shows you what we see. Call (903) 961-6496 and we’ll help you pick the right level for your situation.
That’s efflorescence, and it means water is moving through the masonry. In Houston it’s usually tied to humidity, clay-soil movement that opened hairline cracks, or flashing that separated from the structure. The fix depends on where the moisture is entering, and we find that with a camera and an exterior inspection. Call (903) 961-6496 for a quote.
Yes, if the inspector is looking for it. Houston’s expansive clay soil can shift a chimney enough to separate it from the house, opening gaps in the flashing and cracking the brick veneer. We check for chimney lean and separation on every Houston inspection, not just creosote and flue condition. Call (903) 961-6496 to schedule.
Nathan Corliss and the team at Ashby Chimney Houston inspect chimneys across the Houston metro every week, from Westbury to The Woodlands. We show our work before we start. Written price, real arrival window, written guarantee. If you’ve been burned by a chimney company before, this is what it’s supposed to feel like. Call (903) 961-6496 for a free estimate and an honest answer.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney Houston, serving Houston since 2002.