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 Sweep Across Inglewood
A chimney sweep in Inglewood typically costs $149 to $279 for a standard fireplace cleaning and inspection, and most homes in 90301 and 90302 can be scheduled within a few days when you book with us at (877) 516-7159. The bigger variable in Inglewood is not creosote volume, it’s what our camera finds inside the old brick flues. We work the original tract streets around Market Street and Florence all the time, and we know what those 1920s chimneys look like before we even climb the roof.
You want a specialist who understands Inglewood’s older housing stock, not a generalist who treats every chimney like it was built in 1985. That is the difference between a clean fireplace and a safe one.
Why San Bernardino Chimney Sweep Is Inglewood’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
The core of Inglewood’s fireplace stock has a century on it. The Craftsman and Spanish Colonial bungalows around downtown, plus the tree-lined streets of 90301 and 90302, were built when chimneys were made of single-wythe brick, often without a flue liner. Our Chimney Sweep team knows how to work on those systems without making a routine cleaning into an upsell pitch. We show you the camera feed before we recommend any repair.
The outer ZIPs, 90306 through 90308, trend toward 1940s and 1950s tract construction. Those chimneys have their own set of common failures: cracked mortar crowns, rusted damper assemblies, and clay tiles that have separated at the joints. Allen Prescott, our owner, runs every job with the same rule: no recommendation without visual proof.
When a homeowner near Centinela or La Brea calls us, they get a specialist who works exclusively on chimney and ventilation systems. That focus means we carry the right materials and know the local failure patterns. When our team serves Chimney Sweep in Inglewood customers, they’re already familiar with the homes, the roof pitches, and the block-by-block differences in construction era.
Styles & brands we work with
Fireplace Cleaning in Inglewood
Fireplace Cleaning in Inglewood generally runs $149 to $249 depending on access and how much debris has accumulated. Older fireboxes in 90301 bungalows tend to collect dust, mortar chips, and bird nesting material more than heavy creosote. Inglewood’s mild coastal climate means most fires are decorative or seasonal, so the buildup is slower, but the moisture cycle in the marine layer causes brick spalling that shows up as gritty residue in the firebox.
A proper fireplace cleaning here is not just a brush and a vacuum. It is a visual inspection of the firebox, damper, smoke shelf, and the first several feet of flue. Our techs note cracks in the firebrick, check the damper operation, and flag any signs of efflorescence or water staining before they finish.
What a Full Sweep Includes
Every fireplace cleaning includes removing debris and creosote from the accessible flue surfaces, vacuuming the firebox and smoke shelf, and checking damper function. We bag and remove all debris from the property. If the flue was recently used, we look for first-degree creosote, which is flaky and can be brushed out. If we find anything heavier or any structural concern, we stop and show you the camera.
When Inglewood Homes Need It
Most Inglewood homeowners with occasional fireplace use need a cleaning every two to three years. Homes that burn regularly during the cooler months, especially those using unseasoned wood, should schedule annually. If you have not had the flue looked at since buying the house, call us at (877) 516-7159 and we will tell you what you’re working with before any work is scheduled.
Chimney Services in Inglewood
Chimney Services in Inglewood cover the full range: Level 1 and Level 2 inspections, creosote removal, soot removal, annual sweeps, and the repair and relining work that older systems here frequently require. A standard inspection and sweep runs $149 to $279. The jobs that follow depend almost entirely on what the camera shows. In Inglewood, that often means a relining recommendation on an unlined 1920s flue or seismic strapping on a stack that has never been retrofitted.
The distinction matters. A brush-and-vacuum sweep on an unlined chimney can leave serious defects hidden. That is why we default to a Level 2 camera inspection on any home built before 1950. It is the only way to see spalling mortar joints, hidden gaps, or a flue that a modern gas appliance has been vented into without any liner at all. We have seen all of that within blocks of Market Street.
Level 2 Inspection with Camera
A Level 2 inspection includes everything in a Level 1, plus a full-length camera scan of the flue interior. It is the standard we recommend for any real estate transaction, any change in fuel type, and any Inglewood home with a chimney older than 70 years. The camera footage is yours to watch, and our tech explains what they are seeing as they move the lens.
Creosote and Soot Removal
Creosote removal in Inglewood is usually straightforward because the climate keeps buildup moderate. Soot removal is visual, mostly cosmetic, but it is part of leaving the firebox clean and functional. We use rotary brushes for glazed deposits and hand tools for the older, narrower flues. What we do not do is skip the inspection because the flue looked fine from the top.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Inglewood
We do not put hardware-store components into a century-old chimney. The materials we use come from professional chimney supply lines, including Copperfield, DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco. When an Inglewood customer needs a repair or relining, we have access to the correct components and can usually schedule the work without sending you through a second company. The HeatShield system, in particular, matters here because it lets us resurface a deteriorated clay-tile liner without full demolition, which is a significant cost and disruption advantage on older homes. DuraFlex flexible liner systems go in when a full reline is needed for a wood-burning insert or to correct a flue that was never lined.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Inglewood Homes
We see the same four issues repeat across Inglewood’s older core and its 1950s outer tracts. Here is what those jobs actually look like:
- Unlined or clay-tile flues in 1900s – 1920s homes. These get swept without a camera all the time, which hides spalling mortar and open joints. Moisture and combustion gases can migrate through those gaps into wall cavities and living space.
- Spalling brick and deteriorated mortar crowns. The marine layer keeps brick damp for months at a stretch. When old mortar crowns lose their slope, water sits and works its way down into the stack. The firebox may look fine while the exterior bricks are crumbling.
- Gas appliances vented into stacks never designed for them. A 1920s chimney was built for wood-burning drafts, not for a modern gas furnace or water heater exhaust. That combination creates excess moisture, draft reversal, and carbon monoxide risk you cannot see without a camera.
- Seismic unstrapping everywhere. Most of Inglewood’s original brick chimneys have no strapping to anchor the stack to the house. A mild earthquake is enough to crack a brick at the roofline, and a cracked stack is an immediate safety issue.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Inglewood, CA
A standard chimney sweep and Level 1 inspection in Inglewood costs $149 to $279. Most single-story bungalows in 90301 land on the lower end unless the flue needs rotary brush work. A Level 2 inspection with full camera scan adds $99 to $149 depending on access. Relining work, which we quote only after the camera footage, typically runs $2,200 to $4,800 depending on flue length and liner type. Seismic strapping is usually a few hundred dollars for a single-story stack. You will always get a flat price before we start, and the estimate call is free at (877) 516-7159.
We Also Serve Cities Near Inglewood
Our schedule takes us through Hawthorne, Del Aire, Lennox, and Alondra Park most weeks. If you live just outside Inglewood but want a company that understands this era of construction, call us and we will fit you in. We cover a wide radius around the 90301 to 90308 ZIPs, and the phone number is the same: (877) 516-7159.
Serving Inglewood, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Inglewood 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 Sweep in Inglewood
Yes, in most cases, but only after the flue is relined to the correct diameter and material for modern insert venting. Many original Inglewood bungalow flues are 7-inch or smaller interior dimensions with rough brick surfaces. We reline with a DuraFlex system sized to the insert, and we show you the before and after camera footage. Call (877) 516-7159 and we will tell you what your current flue can safely handle.
Even if you burn only a few times a year, an inspection every two to three years is the right interval for most Inglewood homes. The reason is not creosote, it is moisture. The marine layer and seasonal damp promote brick spalling and mortar deterioration that a visual walk-by will not catch. A Level 2 camera inspection on an older home is worth the cost every few years precisely because so little burning happens.
First-degree creosote is flaky and brushable, and it is what most Inglewood fireplaces produce with occasional use. Third-degree creosote is tar-like and glazed, and it is what happens with restricted air flow, unseasoned wood, or low-temperature smoldering fires. The difference matters because third-degree creosote is a fuel load that a brush alone will not remove. In Inglewood, the mild climate means third-degree is less common, but an air-starved fire in a narrow 1920s flue can still create it.
No. We do not recommend a liner replacement, seismic strapping, or any other repair without first showing you camera footage of the condition. It is your chimney and your money, and you should see exactly what we see. If a sweep company tells you that you need thousands of dollars in work and will not show you the evidence, that is a red flag. We show every Inglewood customer the camera feed before any repair quote is finalized.
Most chimneys built before the 1940s in Inglewood were never strapped to the house. In a seismic event, the upper portion of the stack can crack at the roofline or separate entirely. Strapping is a relatively small retrofit that anchors the stack to the roof structure and prevents the worst failure mode. If your home is in 90301 or 90302 and the chimney looks original, it is worth asking us to check for strapping when we are on the roof for a sweep.
On a 1920s Craftsman off Market Street in 90301, our tech found a single-wythe brick chimney with no flue liner and a firebox that had been vented into by a newer gas appliance. A Level 2 inspection camera showed spalling mortar joints and first-degree creosote. We recommended a HeatShield relining and seismic strapping, and the homeowner watched the camera feed before approving any work. That is how every job in Inglewood should go.
If your fireplace has not been looked at recently, call us at (877) 516-7159. We will schedule a sweep or inspection, show you what we find, and give you a flat price before any work begins. Inglewood’s older chimneys need honest eyes and a camera, not a scare pitch.
Written by Allen Prescott, Owner at San Bernardino Chimney Sweep, serving Inglewood and the surrounding area since the company’s founding.