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 Crestline
A chimney sweep in Crestline typically runs $180 – $340, and a Level 2 camera inspection adds $150 – $250 on top of that. Most homes off Lake Gregory Drive, Highway 138, and around the 92325 zip code can be serviced without difficulty, though snow and steep driveways occasionally slow us down in January and February. We’re San Bernardino Chimney Sweep, and we work throughout Crestline with a specialized team that understands mountain chimneys, not just valley fireplaces. If you need a sweep or suspect creosote buildup, call Allen Prescott’s team at (877) 516-7159 and we’ll schedule a visit that fits your schedule.
Why San Bernardino Chimney Sweep Is Crestline’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Crestline homeowners keep our number because we handle the full job: cleaning, repair, and dryer vents under one roof. When a sweep uncovers a cracked clay-tile flue or spalling mortar, we don’t hand you a report and a referral. We fix it, with contractor-grade materials from brands like DuraFlex and HeatShield, and we show you the camera footage before recommending anything. That matters in a mountain town where insurance companies are increasingly strict about documented inspections.
Our Chimney Sweep team works the same neighborhoods year-round, so we know which streets get heavy creosote from constant wood stove use and which cabins off Highway 138 were built before modern liner standards existed. Response time to Crestline from our San Bernardino base is usually a few days, not weeks. We don’t promise same-day service because we’d rather book the job properly and arrive with the right rotary chain, camera, and repair materials on the truck.
Residents along Lake Gregory Drive and the roads climbing toward the national forest boundary trust us because we explain what the camera shows. You see the creosote glaze. You see the crack. You decide. That’s how it should work.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Sweep Certified in Crestline
Chimney Sweep Certified in Crestline means more than brushing a flue. It means a trained tech running a rotary chain or wire brush system sized to your specific flue and removing creosote glaze and soot completely enough to actually reduce fire risk. In Crestline’s older cabins, where unlined or clay-tile flues have been used for decades, a certified sweep is the difference between cleaning a surface and clearing the hardened deposits that actually ignite.
A standard sweep in Crestline costs $180 – $340 depending on flue size and creosote stage. Annual sweeps for homes that burn wood as a primary heat source should happen once a year, ideally before the first snow. For fireplaces used occasionally, a sweep every year or two keeps deposits below the threshold where ignition risk climbs fast.
Creosote and Soot Removal
Crestline’s elevation and wet-dry seasonal swing cause creosote to accumulate differently than in valley homes. Cold flues, frequent fires, and softwood from the surrounding San Bernardino National Forest all contribute. A rotary chain breaks up third-degree glaze when brushing alone won’t touch it, and our techs carry the right heads for masonry chimneys and pre-fab systems alike.
Annual Sweep and Level 1 Inspection
A Level 1 inspection is included with every standard sweep and checks the accessible portions of the chimney, flue, and firebox. For most Crestline homeowners who burn clean, dry wood and have an intact liner, this plus the sweep is enough. We log the job, note any concerns, and recommend a camera inspection only if we see something that warrants a closer look.
Gas Fireplace Cleaning in Crestline
Gas Fireplace Cleaning in Crestline gets skipped so often that we see log sets coated in dust, glass film, and burners clogged with debris from months of disuse. Gas fireplaces don’t produce creosote, but they collect soot from log contact, spider webs in the air shutters, and mineral buildup on the glass. Cleaning restores flame pattern and keeps the unit operating safely without the lazy yellow flames that signal incomplete combustion.
Gas fireplace cleaning in Crestline usually runs $150 – $250. The process covers the glass, logs, burner pan, and blower if present, plus a check of the venting and termination cap. Mountain dust settles in vents quickly, especially during dry summer months when homes stay closed up.
Soot Removal from Glass and Logs
White chalky film or black streaking on the glass means incomplete combustion or contaminated burners. We remove the film, clean the logs without damaging the refractory material, and verify the flames burn clean before we leave. If the venting is blocked by debris or a bird’s nest, we clear it and tell you what we found.
Fireplace Cleaning for Seasonal Startups
Before the first cold snap hits Crestline in October or November, homeowners light their gas fireplaces for the first time in months. Dust and dry debris collected over summer can burn off with an odor and a burst of smoke. A pre-season cleaning clears the unit and vents so your first fire of the season behaves like it should.
Trusted Brands We Service in Crestline
We stock and install parts from Copperfield, DuraFlex, and HeatShield, which means we’re not running to a hardware store for whatever is cheapest. DuraFlex flexible liner systems go into relining projects where an older masonry flue has failed. HeatShield resurfacing extends liner life without full replacement, which often makes sense in Crestline cabins where the structure can’t easily accommodate a new rigid liner. When we schedule a sweep and find a repair need, the parts are on our truck or sourced through established channels, not cobbled together. That shortens the time between inspection and fix, which matters when you’re trying to burn before the next snow.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Crestline Homes
- Third-degree creosote glaze in unlined or clay-tile flues. Decades of wood burning in a mid-century cabin off Highway 138 can coat the upper flue in a hard, shiny glaze that a basic brush won’t remove. We use a rotary chain and show you the before and after on camera.
- Spalling mortar and cracked crowns from freeze-thaw cycles. At 4,600 feet, the temperature swings around Crestline drive water into brick and mortar joints, then freeze and crack them. Sweep-only companies miss this because they’re not looking for structural damage. We inspect the crown and flashing on every visit.
- Improperly vented wood stoves in older cabins. Many Crestline cabins have freestanding wood stoves piped into a masonry chimney that was originally built for an open fireplace. The flue sizing and draft are sometimes wrong, which accelerates creosote buildup and poses a carbon monoxide risk. A camera inspection confirms what’s actually there.
- Ember intrusion and insurance compliance after wildfire season. Homes near the San Bernardino National Forest boundary get a spike in calls after fire events. Embers can enter through damaged spark arrestors or cracked caps, and carriers want documented Level 2 inspections with camera evidence before renewing policies.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Crestline, CA
A standard chimney sweep in Crestline runs $180 – $340. The price depends on the flue size, whether it’s a masonry or pre-fab chimney, and how heavy the creosote buildup has become. Level 2 camera inspections add $150 – $250, which is worth it in older cabins where insurance carriers now require documented footage. Gas fireplace cleaning runs $150 – $250. If we find damage during a sweep, we quote the repair separately and only after you’ve seen the camera evidence. Call (877) 516-7159 for a free estimate specific to your Crestline home.
We Also Serve Cities Near Crestline
Our team regularly drives up from San Bernardino to serve Crestline, and we also work in Lake Arrowhead, Muscoy, San Bernardino, and Highland. If you’re in one of those areas, read more about our Chimney Sweep in Crestline service or call (877) 516-7159 to check availability for your address.
Serving Crestline, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Crestline 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 Crestline
Yes, and not because it earns us more money. Clay-tile flues in Crestline cabins from the 1950s and 1960s often have hidden cracks, spalled joints, or gaps between tiles that only a camera can reveal. Sweeping a damaged flue without seeing the damage first can actually disturb failing mortar and make things worse. A Level 2 inspection with camera documentation also satisfies the requirements most insurance carriers now impose after the San Bernardino Mountains wildfires. Call (877) 516-7159 to schedule both.
Expect a Level 2 inspection with camera documentation, which is what the carriers ask for in high-risk forest-adjacent areas like Crestline. We run a camera through the flue, check the cap, spark arrestor, crown, and flashing for ember intrusion points, and produce footage you can send directly to your insurer. The cost in Crestline runs $150 – $250 for the inspection on top of any sweep. We’ve done enough of these to know what the insurance companies want to see, and we’ll document it properly so you’re not going back and forth with an adjuster.
You won’t know without looking, and that’s the dangerous part. Many Crestline cabins were built with open fireplaces, then retrofitted with wood stoves vented into the existing masonry flue. The flue diameter, height, and draft characteristics for a stove are different from an open fireplace, and a mismatch accelerates creosote condensation and can backdraft carbon monoxide into the living space. A camera inspection and a quick draft check confirm whether your setup is safe. If it isn’t, a properly sized DuraFlex liner typically resolves it.
First-degree creosote is a flaky, sooty deposit that brushes off easily. Third-degree is a hard, shiny glaze concentrated in the upper flue, and it’s what actually sustains a chimney fire. Crestline’s elevation and cold flue temperatures mean third-degree glaze forms faster here than in warmer valley climates, especially in cabins that burn pine and other softwood from the surrounding forest. A standard brush won’t remove third-degree glaze; it takes a rotary chain and experience. Call (877) 516-7159 if you suspect heavy buildup, and we’ll confirm it on camera before touching the flue.
It’s part of what we do, and it’s a separate service from a wood chimney sweep. Gas fireplace cleaning in Crestline covers the glass, logs, burners, pilot assembly, and venting. We don’t treat it as an afterthought, even though most chimney companies either skip it or don’t have the right training for vented gas units. The cost runs $150 – $250, and we recommend it before the first cold snap in early fall or whenever you notice flame color changes, soot on the glass, or a smell when the unit first fires. Call (877) 516-7159 to schedule both services in one visit.
We recently serviced a 1950s cabin off Lake Gregory Drive where the homeowner had been burning wood in a fireplace with an unlined clay flue for decades. Our tech ran a camera and found third-degree creosote glazing the upper flue and spalling mortar joints. We removed the glaze with a rotary chain, documented the damage, and installed a HeatShield liner, all shown to the homeowner on screen before any work was recommended. That’s how we do every job in Crestline. Call (877) 516-7159 for a free estimate, and Allen Prescott’s team will take care of the rest.
Written by Allen Prescott, Owner at San Bernardino Chimney Sweep, serving Crestline and the San Bernardino Mountains.