Frequently Asked Questions
We hear the same questions from homeowners across Cicero every week, so we put the answers in one place. If your question isn’t here, call (866) 361-2607 and we’ll talk it through.
Key takeaways: We’re a full-service chimney specialist in Cicero offering three core services – chimney sweeping, dryer vent cleaning, and chimney repair. We install and repair using professional-grade product lines including DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield. Free estimates are available. Call (866) 361-2607 to get started.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does chimney cleaning service cost?
Chimney cleaning cost depends on the flue type, how much creosote has built up, and whether the sweep turns up anything that needs repair. A standard annual sweep of a single wood-burning flue is the baseline, and heavier soot loads, multiple flues, or a flue that hasn’t been touched in years will sit at the upper end of the range. We give you a free estimate before any work starts, so you know the number before we pick up a brush. Call (866) 361-2607 and we’ll walk you through what a sweep for your setup typically involves. For a closer look at how our Cicero Chimney Sweep in Cicero service works, that page breaks down the process step by step.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, estimates are free. We look at the chimney, hear what you’re seeing or smelling, and tell you what needs to happen and what it will cost before we start. No surprise line items after the fact – if a sweep turns up a problem that needs repair, we show you and quote it separately.
Is it cheaper to repair a chimney or replace the flue?
A targeted repair is usually cheaper than a full reline when the damage is limited. HeatShield liner repair lets us restore a compromised flue in qualifying cases without the cost of a complete replacement – that’s a specialty most sweep companies don’t offer. When a full reline is the honest answer, we install DuraFlex flexible liner systems, the industry standard for retrofit installations. We’ll tell you which one you actually need, not which one pads the invoice. Call (866) 361-2607 for a free estimate.
Why do you use professional-grade materials instead of the hardware-store stuff?
Because a chimney is a combustion system, and the materials inside it have to hold up to heat and corrosive byproducts for decades. We stock and install industry-recognized product lines – DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield – the same brands credentialed chimney contractors rely on nationwide. That means caps, liners, and repair components that last, not generic substitutes that fail in a few seasons. Professional-grade materials, not hardware-store substitutes.
Service & Scheduling
Do you offer emergency chimney cleaning service?
Call us at (866) 361-2607 and we’ll talk through what’s happening – we take urgent calls seriously. A chimney that’s smoking into the house, a strong creosote smell, or visible damage after a storm isn’t something to sit on. We can’t promise a specific window before we know your situation, but a phone conversation is the fastest way to sort out what’s safe to wait on and what isn’t.
How fast can you respond?
Response time depends on the season and how booked we are – spring and fall are our busiest stretches. The quickest way to get on the schedule is a call to (866) 361-2607, where we can give you a real answer for the current week. We don’t publish a guarantee we can’t keep, so what you hear on the phone is what you get.
When should I schedule a chimney sweep?
Once a year if you burn wood, and that holds even for a fireplace you only use a few times a season. The best window in Cicero is late summer or early fall, before the first cold snap brings every other homeowner to the phone at once. If it’s been more than a year since your last sweep, don’t wait for a reminder – call (866) 361-2607 and get on the schedule.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Cicero, Illinois, and the surrounding communities. If you’re nearby and not sure whether you’re in our service area, one call settles it. Call (866) 361-2607 and we’ll confirm.
Do you handle chimney sweep and cleaning on the spot?
Yes – the sweep and the inspection happen together in a single visit. We sweep the flue, inspect the firebox, damper, and cap, and tell you what we find. And because we’re a full-service chimney specialist rather than a one-visit cleaning crew, anything that turns up during the sweep can be repaired by us in a follow-up – no referral to a second contractor, no diagnosis-and-abandon visit. You can see how we approach a standard sweep on our home page.
Do you clean dryer vents too?
Yes, and it’s one of the reasons homeowners call us instead of a generic sweep. Lint buildup in a dryer vent is a real fire hazard, and it’s the second leading cause of residential exhaust fires behind the chimney. Most sweep companies stick to the flue – we handle both hazards under one roof. One company for your chimney and your dryer vent – both are fire risks, both deserve a specialist.
Specific Services
Do you handle chimney repair?
Yes – repair is one of our three core services alongside sweeping and dryer vent cleaning. That covers masonry work, crown repair, cap and cover installation, and liner restoration. When a sweep turns up a cracked crown or a spalling flue, we fix it ourselves rather than handing you off. HeatShield liner repair lets us restore a compromised flue without a full reline when conditions allow, and when a full reline is the right call, we install DuraFlex systems.
Do you handle chimney caps and crowns?
Yes. We install and replace chimney caps and covers using professional-grade products – Gelco and Famco cap and cover lines are part of our lineup, along with Olympia Chimney components. A missing or rusted-out cap lets water, birds, and debris straight into the flue, which is one of the most common causes of avoidable damage we see. Crown repair handles the masonry at the top of the chimney, which takes the brunt of freeze-thaw cycles and weather. If either is failing, we can quote it during the same visit as your sweep. Call (866) 361-2607 for a free estimate.
Do you handle fireplace services?
Yes, for fireplaces and wood-burning appliances. Fireplace service starts with the sweep and inspection – we check the firebox, damper, and flue to make sure the whole system is drafting safely and clear of creosote. Our three service categories are preventive cleaning, dryer vent fire-hazard removal, and structural chimney repair, so if your fireplace needs work beyond a cleaning, we’re the ones to handle it.
What is HeatShield liner repair?
HeatShield is a specialty restoration method that rebuilds a damaged flue liner from the inside, letting us restore a compromised chimney without a full reline when the conditions allow. It requires product-specific training, which is why most sweep companies can’t offer it. For the right chimney, it’s a smart alternative to tearing out and rebuilding. For the wrong one, we’ll tell you so and quote a full DuraFlex reline instead.
Why does a chimney cap matter?
A chimney cap is the cheapest insurance your chimney has against water and animal intrusion, and a missing one is behind a lot of the repair work we quote. Crown and cap failure lets freeze-thaw damage start from the top down, and damage there is expensive once it spreads into the masonry below. We stock Gelco and Famco caps and covers, so replacement is a quick job we can add to a sweep visit.
Licensing & Trust
Are you licensed and insured?
We operate as a professional chimney specialist and work with the care that status requires – if you need to see specific credentials before booking, call (866) 361-2607 and ask, and we’ll tell you exactly what we carry. We don’t throw around license numbers or warranty claims on a website; we’d rather you hear it from us directly. What we will say plainly: the products we install are the same professional-grade lines credentialed chimney contractors use nationwide.
Do you guarantee your work?
Ask us about coverage for your specific job and we’ll be straight with you. What’s guaranteed on every visit is the materials – DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield are professional-grade, not hardware-store substitutes – and the diagnosis. If your sweep turns up a problem, you’ll see it and get a real answer, not a sales pitch. Call (866) 361-2607 to talk through what a guarantee would cover for your chimney.
What payment methods do you accept?
Call (866) 361-2607 and we’ll confirm what’s accepted for your job before we start. We’d rather you ask up front than find out after the fact. And because estimates are free, you know the price before any payment conversation starts.
Do you offer chimney cleaning near me in Cicero?
Yes, if you’re in Cicero or a nearby community, we’re the local specialist. We’re a craftsman-brand operation, not a franchise or a generalist handyman, which means the person who sweeps your chimney is also the one who can fix it. Call (866) 361-2607 to book an appointment.
What makes Wexford different from other sweep companies?
Most sweep companies clean a flue and leave; we sweep it, inspect it, and if something’s wrong, we fix it. We stock and install the professional product lines – DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, Copperfield – and we clean dryer vents too, so you have one company for both combustion-exhaust fire hazards in the house. HeatShield liner repair is the clearest sign of that specialization. The brands chimney contractors trust, in the hands of a local specialist.
The Wexford Sweep Visit: How It Works
Here’s what a standard visit looks like when you book a sweep with us in Cicero.
- We talk first. Tell us what you’re seeing – smoke backing up, a smell, a recent storm, or just a season without a cleaning. That shapes what we look at.
- We protect the space. Drop cloths go down before a single brush enters the flue, so your living room doesn’t pay for the sweep.
- We sweep the flue. We clear creosote and soot build-up from the flue, firebox, and damper. The goal is a chimney that drafts cleanly and safely all season.
- We inspect what we swept. Cap, crown, liner, and firebox get a look while we’re up there. Anything failing gets photographed and explained, not just mentioned.
- We quote, if needed. If something needs repair – a cracked crown, a compromised liner, a missing cap – we quote it as a follow-up with the same company. HeatShield liner repair where it qualifies, DuraFlex reline where it doesn’t.
- We book the next one. Annual sweeps keep small problems small. We’ll help you pick a time before the fall rush.
Got a fireplace, a wood stove, or a dryer vent that’s overdue? Call (866) 361-2607 for a free estimate and get on the schedule.
A Few Things Homeowners Ask Us About Safety
Creosote is the tar-like byproduct of burning wood, and it’s the reason chimneys catch fire. A flue that’s gone a few seasons without a sweep can have enough of it built up to be a genuine risk, and that’s not something to eyeball from the fireplace opening. The same holds for dryer vents – lint accumulates in the ductwork and behind the dryer, and that’s why it’s a recognized fire hazard. A sweep and inspection catch both on a single visit. If you’re smelling a strong creosote odor, seeing smoke come back into the room, or noticing soot stains around the firebox, call us before your next fire – a conversation is free and faster than waiting.
Contact Wexford Chimney Sweep
Call (866) 361-2607 for a free estimate on a chimney sweep, dryer vent cleaning, or chimney repair in Cicero. We answer the questions you have before we ask for the job – tell us what’s going on, and we’ll tell you what a specialist would do about it. One company for your chimney and your dryer vent – both are fire risks, both deserve a specialist.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Wexford Chimney Sweep at (866) 361-2607.
Written by the team at Wexford Chimney Sweep, serving Cicero.