Masonry repair
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
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 Fireplace Repair Across Houston
Fireplace repair in Houston usually costs between $180 and $650 for common fixes like damper replacement or firebox mortar work, while a full flue relining runs $2,400 to $6,500 depending on the liner material and chimney height. Most repairs in Houston take half a day, and you’ll get a written price before we touch anything. Nathan Corliss leads our Houston crew, and we’ve been repairing Houston fireplaces since our founding in 2002, under the Kingswell Guarantee. Call (903) 961-6496 and you’ll speak to a live person, not a voicemail.
Houston’s climate punishes chimneys differently than anywhere else in Texas. The humidity, the clay soil, and the occasional hurricane-force rain all work against brick and mortar in ways that show up years later as rust stains, spalling brick, and dampers that won’t budge. We know which neighborhoods see the worst of it, from older brick-veneer homes in Spring Branch to 1990s-era builds in Katy and The Woodlands. That local knowledge is why Houston homeowners keep our number saved.
Why Ashby Chimney Houston Is Houston’s Preferred Fireplace Repair Company
We’re the Fireplace Repair company that puts the price in writing before the work starts. No “while we’re in there” additions, no surprises at the invoice. Every repair gets a written guarantee on completion, and if a covered repair fails within the guarantee period, we return at no charge. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s the standard we operate under at every Ashby Chimney location, each independently owned and operated under the Kingswell Guarantee.
Houston homeowners tell us the same story over and over: a technician never showed, a price doubled after the chimney was opened, or a patch job failed within weeks. We built our repair process to be the opposite of that. Background-checked, uniformed technicians arrive in the window we gave you. The person you talk to on the phone is the same company that sends the truck. And when we recommend a repair, we hand you the camera footage that shows exactly why it’s needed. You watch the video. You decide. We never push work you can’t see proof of.
When you call for Fireplace Repair in Houston, you get someone who knows the difference between a Chimney Rock brick stack and a prefab metal flue in a Clear Lake townhome. That matters when diagnosing issues. We stock parts common to Houston homes, so we’re not waiting on a supplier in another state while your fireplace sits cold.
Styles & brands we work with
Gas Fireplace Installation in Houston
Gas Fireplace Installation in Houston typically runs between $2,800 and $5,500 for a complete vented gas insert with a new liner, though a simple log set conversion in an existing wood-burning firebox can cost as little as $1,200 to $2,000. Houston’s building mix means we install in everything from 1960s ranch houses in Meyerland to newer construction in Sugar Land, and the venting requirements change with each. We always pull a permit where Houston or Harris County code requires it, and we schedule a follow-up inspection on every install.
Vented Gas Inserts for Houston Homes
A vented insert slides into your existing fireplace and pulls combustion air from outside, so it won’t compete with your HVAC for oxygen. In Houston’s humid climate, we prefer direct-vent systems because they seal the firebox opening, which stops conditioned air from escaping up the chimney when the fireplace is off. That matters when your AC runs nine months a year.
Gas Log Set Conversions
If you have a wood-burning fireplace you’re tired of cleaning, a vented log set can convert it to gas for a fraction of a full insert. The catch: your flue has to be in good enough shape to handle gas exhaust, and that’s where Houston’s humidity has often already done damage. We camera-scan the flue before we quote a log set conversion, so you’re not paying for a pretty fire on top of a compromised chimney.
Gas Fireplace Maintenance in Houston
Gas Fireplace Maintenance in Houston costs between $150 and $325 for a full service call that includes cleaning the burner, checking the thermocouple and pilot assembly, testing the gas valve, and verifying the venting. We recommend an annual service before the first cold snap, which in Houston usually means sometime in October or early November. The problem with gas fireplaces here isn’t overuse; it’s underuse. Months of sitting idle in humid air lets dust and moisture settle on the burner, and that leads to weak flames, odors, and pilot lights that won’t stay lit.
Pilot Light and Thermocouple Service
If your pilot light goes out repeatedly or the burner won’t ignite, the thermocouple is often the culprit. It’s a $40 to $90 part, and the labor to replace it runs $140 to $200 in Houston. We test the millivolt reading before we replace anything, because sometimes the real issue is a blocked pilot orifice or a gas valve on its way out.
Annual Gas Fireplace Tune-Up
A tune-up catches rust on the burner pan before it becomes a gas leak, and it confirms the venting is still drafting correctly after a humid Houston summer. We also inspect the firebox refractory panels for cracks. The goal is simple: when you hit the switch on the first cold night, it lights.
Trusted Brands We Service in Houston
We repair and install fireplaces from all major manufacturers, and we stock parts from trusted chimney-trade brands like DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco. If you have a gas insert from a brand like Heatilator, Majestic, or Napoleon, we service those too. Keeping Houston-specific inventory means we’re not running to a supply house across town for a common flue adapter or a standard damper assembly. We also work with Olympia Chimney products for replacement caps and chase covers, which Houston’s weather demands more often than most places. Fast turnaround matters when your fireplace is down and the family actually wants to use it.
Common Fireplace Repair Problems We See in Houston Homes
- Rusted dampers: Houston’s humidity settles in the chimney and attacks the damper’s metal throat. After a few years, the mechanism seizes and the damper won’t open or close, which means smoke backs into the room or conditioned air leaks out year-round.
- Spalling brick on exterior chimneys: Moisture absorbed into the brick during Houston’s wet season expands when the sun bakes it, causing the brick face to flake and crumble. Left alone, it exposes the mortar joints and accelerates structural decay around the entire stack.
- Cracked chimney crowns: The concrete cap that seals the top of your chimney takes direct hits from Houston storms. Hairline cracks let water behind the brick, and once water gets in, every freeze cycle widens it. Houston doesn’t freeze often, but it doesn’t take more than a few nights below 32 degrees to turn a small crack into a bigger one.
- Clay-tile flue liner damage: Houston homes built before 1980 often still have the original clay tile flue, which cracks under thermal shock when a 55-degree December night follows a 95-degree September. Once cracked, carbon monoxide can seep through the joints into the house.
See the difference
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After
Before
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AfterPricing for Fireplace Repair in Houston, TX
Most Houston fireplace repairs fall into clear price bands. Damper replacement and repair runs $220 to $480. Firebox mortar repair (tuckpointing) is $350 to $900 depending on the size of the firebox. A chimney crown rebuild runs $750 to $1,600. Flue liner replacement ranges from $2,400 for a basic stainless steel liner in a single-story home up to $6,500 for a full cast-in-place HeatShield system in a two-story chimney. The main variables are chimney height, liner material, and how much scaffolding or roof access is required. Every quote is written and final before work begins. Estimates are free. Call (903) 961-6496.
We Also Serve Cities Near Houston
Our Houston crew regularly runs repair calls to Pasadena, Highlands, Spring, and Stafford, usually within the same week you call. If you’re just outside the city line, ask us about scheduling when you call; we’ll tell you honestly whether you’re in our regular route.
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 Fireplace Repair in Houston
Those stains are almost always rust from a corroding metal flue inside the chimney, not soot. In a Katy subdivision off Mason Road, we opened a 1994 brick-veneer chimney and found the original Famco metal flue so corroded from humidity that rust had bled through the brick, leaving stains the homeowner thought were soot. Our tech ran a camera past a 6-foot section of degraded liner, showed the homeowner the footage on a tablet, and replaced it with a new DuraFlex liner before fixing the cracked chimney crown that was letting water behind the brick. If you see rust-colored streaks on your chimney exterior, call us for a camera inspection before you repaint. Paint will not fix a leaking liner.
Every two years is the right interval for most Houston homes, and sooner than that if you’ve been through a hurricane or major flood event. A Level 2 inspection includes everything in a Level 1 sweep plus a camera scan of the flue interior and an evaluation of the chimney structure and flashing. After a hurricane, we look specifically for crown damage, flashing separation, and liner cracks. Call (903) 961-6496 and we’ll get you scheduled; inspections start at $199.
Yes, and that’s what we do most often. A stainless steel liner from DuraFlex or a cast-in-place HeatShield system can be installed through the existing chimney without major demolition. The approach depends on the condition of the clay tiles and the size of the existing flue. We camera the flue first, then discuss your options with the footage in hand. Nothing gets recommended without proof you can see.
High humidity weakens the mortar joints over time, and the thermal cycling from our few cold snaps does the rest. Once the mortar starts crumbling, the firebox loses its fire resistance and the bricks begin shifting. The repair is straightforward: we remove the loose mortar and re-point the joints with refractory mortar, which is rated for direct firebox contact. It’s a $350 to $900 job in Houston depending on how much of the firebox is affected.
Houston’s humidity builds up inside the firebox and the venting during the months your gas fireplace sits unused. Moisture collects on the burner and the refractory panels, and that damp environment grows the mold and mildew you’re smelling. The fix is usually a thorough cleaning and a check of the vent termination for proper sealing. We also recommend running the fireplace briefly about once a month in the off-season to dry out the firebox. If the smell is strong, call us for a service call, don’t just ignore it; trapped moisture inside a gas system is not something to let sit.
Schedule Your Fireplace Repair in Houston
If your fireplace needs work, or if you just want a straight answer about whether it’s safe to burn, call us at (903) 961-6496. We’ll give you a written price before any work starts, show you the camera footage behind every recommendation, and stand behind the repair with a written guarantee. Nathan Corliss and the Ashby Chimney Houston team answer the phone day or night. Built on the Kingswell Guarantee, since 2002.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney Houston, serving Houston since 2002.